MN DNR Weekly Report

[Lee Borgersen]

                    MN DNR Weekly Report

 Aug 8, 2016 

District 5 - Eveleth area
CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports monitoring angling and boating activities over the week. Commercial activities were checked. Equipment work was completed. Area forest roads and

public access sites continue to be monitored.  Fishing success remains poor.
CO John Velsvaag (Cook) checked anglers on Vermilion this past week.  Boating activity was up with the nice weather.  C.O. Velsvaag took several calls on ATV use in St. Louis county and

several questions on bear baiting

CO Marc Hopkins (Tower) patrolled area lakes for fishing and watercraft safety. Time was also spent working ATV patrol and early bear baiters. Enforcement action was taken on the ATV

helmet law. The officer took questions on bear hunting, and various angling inquiries.

CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) continued field training a COC and worked angling, boating, and recreational vehicle enforcement during the week. The officers participated in National Night

Out activities in Hibbing and taught classes at the annual Hibbing/Chisholm Chapter of MDHA Youth Day.  The officers were the first on scene of an injury motorcycle crash near Chisholm,

where the rider lost control and ended up in the middle of the road.   One angler thought he could pull one over on the officers by claiming he had a fishing license at home, but proceeded to go

into shore to buy a license about 20 minutes after he was checked.  He failed to take into account that license sales are date and time stamped.  Enforcement action was taken on angling without a

license, angling without a license in possession, PWC operation during closed hours, no PFD, alcohol in a state park, and a number of OHM and ATV violations.


CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) continues to receive complaints of a small bear cub getting into residential garbage.  Fishing activity was checked and most report slow fishing but some nice

weather conditions. FAS law portion was given to approximately 50 youths at the Laurentian Environmental center. Violations of illegal youth OHM on roadway and allowing illegal youth

operation, no angling license and no Minnesota angling license were found.

International Falls #2 - vacant.


District 6 - Two Harbors area

CO Sean Williams (Ely) reports another busy recreational boating week, although many anglers were checked they were outnumbered by canoes and kayaks. Angling success was very low over

the weekend with most anglers reporting very little or no luck. Violations included; angling with an extra line, operating an unregistered watercraft, and operating an off highway motorcycle on a

public roadway.


CO Mary Manning (Hovland) attended Tactical Operator’s Course on boat operation. The officer also checked burn permits and spoke with local media regarding nuisance bears prevention.


CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) did an extended BWCA patrol with a DNR volunteer. Many people were out enjoying the wilderness and the bugs were surprisingly great. The officer was

observing a canoe from a distance when a male got out on a small rock island and posed for pictures being taken by the female remaining in the canoe. The stiff breeze caught the canoe, and

the obviously inexperienced canoeist was unable to return to the rock causing a tense moment for those involved.  The officer and his volunteer quickly paddled over and pulled the canoe back to

the rock, much to their relief. Enforcement action for the week included unregistered canoes, no PFDs, unlawful combination angling license, extra line, transport watercraft with drain plug in

place, and no fishing license in possession.


CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) spent much of the week in a NASBLA boat training class.  Time was also spent on a trespass complaint.

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) attended the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators course in Superior, WI.


CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked ATV and boating activity during the week. Nuisance bear calls continue in the area and the best practice is to remove bear attractants like pet food and

trash containers. Fishing success on Lake Superior was better this week with some nice fish being caught.


District 7 - Grand Rapids area

CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) checked anglers, worked boat and water safety and responded with his K9 partner Si to assist the county with locating multiple suspects that fled into the

woods. Enforcement action was taken for license issues, no lights on a trailer, fleeing on foot and possession of a controlled substance.


CO Jayson Hansen (Big Fork) worked ATV, sport fishing, boating, AIS, and handled miscellaneous nuisance animal calls. He patrolled state park areas, state forests, and public water

accesses. He prepared for firearms and defensive tactics training for the division.  Enforcement action was taken for an ATV on the roadway, no license in possession, and no navigation lights.


CO Gary Lefebvre (Pengilly) worked fishermen, watercraft, ATVs, state parks and campgrounds. He also taught an ATV and firearms safety class during the week.


CO Jimmy Van Asch (Hill City) spent a majority of the week attending a boat operator class given by the National Association State Boating Law on Lake Superior. Several calls for

nuisance animals were fielded and handled. Time was also spent investigating the burning of prohibited materials.


CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked angling and boating activity over the past week. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, transporting an invasive

aquatic species on the highway and not having enough life saving devices on a watercraft. Nuisance bear calls and injured animal calls were also taken. A firearms safety class

was also attended.


District 8 - Duluth area

CO Andy Schmidt (Duluth) spent much of the week working water complaints regarding shoreline construction. ATV complaint areas were worked and time was spent in the Nemadji

Forest. Nuisance animal complaints were handled and an injured fisher was delivered to Wildwoods Rehab. The officer attended NASBLA watercraft training and attended National

Night Out events.


Lake Superior Marine Unit

CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) focused on AIS and fishing enforcement, on Lake Superior and the Duluth-Superior Harbor. A refresher course of training for patrol watercraft was

completed in the Duluth harbor. Followed up on a dog harassing wildlife on park point, watercraft maintenance was tended too and completed. Bear complaints within the city limits

were followed up on and direction given.


CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) and COC Tim Maass checked boaters and anglers around Grand Marais. A Firearms Safety presentation was given in Silver Bay, and assistance

given to a boating enforcement class in the St Louis Harbor. Anglers were checked on Fish Lake where a lot of fish were seen but only a few within the slot. Enforcement action taken for angling

and boating violations