Weekly DNR Reports

[Lee Borgersen]

  ..MN DNR Weekly for Aug. 14, 2017

Aug 14, 2017 at 10:57 a.m.


 
District 5 - Eveleth area


CO Darrin Kittelson (Int’l Falls) reports annual in-service training was attended at Camp Ripley.  Fishing and boating safety enforcement continue to be a majority of the workload, however bear baiting has started.  Enforcement action for the week included illegal transport/possession of fish from Ontario, Canada and assisting Voyageurs National Park with a fish over limit case.


 






CO John Slatinski (International Falls #2) reports time was spent monitoring for AIS compliance and ATV activity. Bear baiting recently started and several people were noted getting set up. Division training at Camp Ripley was also attended.


CO Colleen Adam (Ray) worked checking anglers, bear baiting activity, and following up on public waters violations.  Enforcement contacts made for no fishing licenses, no ATV registration, and youth passengers without proper helmets.



CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports limited activity on area lakes as the summer draws to a close. Fishing reports remain poor.  Boating activity has diminished.  Forest roads and public access sites continue to be monitored.


CO John Velsvaag (Cook) checked anglers and boaters this past week.  CO Velsvaag also attended annual training and followed up on several complaints and nuisance animal questions.


CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) primarily worked angling and boating activity.  A complaint of a fuel leak into a lake was investigated.




CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) was called to a home where the homeowner stated she heard two loud shots by the road and the next day saw a crow hanging dead from a tree behind her home so concluded someone shot over her house.  Officer Fredin spoke to the neighbor across the road who stated he blasted a hornet’s nest out of a tree, the dead crow was just coincidental.  CO Fredin worked boating enforcement on Lake Vermillion and was surprised to see a group of boats heading down the lake towards him and one had a headlight.  Looking through binoculars revealed a snowmobiler water-skipping down the lake.  He was directed to the nearest safe landing.  He stated this was on his bucket list and his goal was to skip the entire lake.  This activity was very dangerous to himself and others; enforcement action was taken.

District 6 - Two Harbors area
CO Sean Williams (Ely 1) reports enforcement was focused on bear baiting activity over the weekend. Several baits were located and compliance was very high, although bear activity seemed to be low at most baits checked. Violations included angling without a license in possession, failure to display current watercraft registration, and possession of marijuana.






CO Marty Stage (Ely) spent part of the week at Camp Ripley for annual training.  Calls were received concerning a wounded bear, a loon with a Rapala stuck on its leg, and an agency assist for the aftermath of a high speed pursuit that ended successfully in rural Embarrass. Fishermen checks showed that fishing success has been slow.


CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) answered questions about the legality of recreational bear feeding and the upcoming bear and deer seasons.  The feeling of fall is starting to creep in.  A few berry pickers were out during the week as were some hunters starting to scout for bear bait stations.


CO Mary Manning (Grand Marais East) helped teach firearms and defensive tactics at annual fall in service training at Camp Ripley


CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) assisted a neighboring officer with a TIP call, attended in-service training, received more nuisance bear calls and bear baiting questions, taught the law portion of the Babbitt ATV safety class, and spent time on the water.  Enforcement action for the week included litter, expired boat registration, no navigational lights after sunset, and fishing with an extra line.


CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked area bear baiting activity this week.  Time was spent checking ATV activity on area trails and back roads.  CO Schottenbauer instructed other officers at Camp Ripley this week as well.


CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the week teaching use of force and firearms tactics at Camp Ripley.


CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) attended a division training session at Camp Ripley. Nuisance bear and wolf activity were reported and a dead eagle call was investigated and found to be a natural death.
District 7 - Grand Rapids area
CO Randy Patten (Northome) checked boaters and anglers on area lakes, patrolled ATV trails, handled a wolf depredation call on livestock, and worked ongoing cases.  Enforcement action taken for failing to stop at a road crossing with an ATV.


CO Jayson Hansen (Bigfork) checked anglers, boating activity, patrolled campgrounds, checked for exotic species, and answered various wildlife calls. Violations included litter, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He also assisted the county with a couple investigations.  CO Hansen also traveled to Camp Ripley to armor rifles.


CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) attended K9 training, checked anglers, and responded to nuisance animal complaints. CO Fairbanks and his K9 partner Si also assisted the sheriff’s office in locating evidence in an ongoing investigation. The area pan fish anglers had good success this week. Enforcement action was taken for no license in possession, failure to display valid registration on watercraft, and allowing illegal operation of an ATV by juveniles.


CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked bear baiting activity with favorable weather and conditions for hunters getting ready for bear opener on September 1st.  CO Sutherland attended a youth firearms safety class where he gave a law talk to the youth.


CO Jimmy Van Asch (Hill City) reports working angling, big game, ATV, and boating enforcement.  The weekend brought many eager bear hunters out for the first weekend of bear baiting.  CO Van Asch attended annual in-service training held at Camp Ripley.  Time was also spent assisting with an open investigation involving a gross over limit of pan fish and handling several nuisance animal complaints.


Pengilly – vacant.
District 8 - Duluth area
CO Nick Prachar (Brookston) was working with Lt. Speldrich near Brookston when the two came across a stolen vehicle.  One of the occupants had an active warrant.  With the assistance of MN State Patrol the officers took one into custody and secured the vehicle for the registered owner.  Time was also spent at Camp Ripley for annual training


CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth East) attend annual in-service training at Camp Ripley during the week.


CO Jeff Humphrey (Cromwell) attended annual division training at Camp Ripley.  Officer Humphrey also attended a Forestry division meeting held in Cloquet and calls were taken on bear hunting and baiting questions.


CO Scott Staples (Carlton) spent most of the week at a specialized K9 training in the metro area. A K9 talk was given to a group of young students at an outdoors camp north of Duluth. Nuisance animal complaints were received and advice was given on how to deal with them.

Lake Superior Marine Unit
CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) worked the Duluth-Superior Harbor during the Bayfront Blues Fest.  The nice weather and music had many boaters out enjoying Lake Superior and the Duluth Harbor.  One PWC/boat crash was reported and responded to by the USCG and St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, resulting in minor injuries.  Officer Olson also spoke to a summer camp for youth ages 5-12 years old on the duties of a conservation officer and attended annual training at Camp Ripley.


CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) checked boaters and anglers on Lake Superior and area lakes.  Time was spent at Camp Ripley armoring Division squad rifles.  Questions were answered about bear baiting and he checked bear bait sites as the season got underway.  Enforcement action was taken for watercraft, angling and ATV violations.