10/18/09 Report (Dist. 12-17)

[Woody]

District 12 - St. Cloud area
10/18

CO Mitch Sladek (Big Lake) checked fishermen, waterfowl hunters and deer hunters. He finished up on a dumping investigation; summons issued. He did a talk at the Cargill Innovation Campus on hunting, fishing. ATV and snowmobile safety. He answered a number of hunting questions. He is following up on public waters violations.

CO Tony Musatov (Sauk Rapids) investigated a trespassing complaint. Archery hunters and waterfowl hunters were checked. Citations were issued for hunting in closed areas of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge.

CO David Schottenbauer (Princeton) worked area hunting activity. CO Schottenbauer worked shining complaints in the area as well. Time was spent checking anglers and waterfowl hunters on the Rum River. CO Schottenbauer also found two ladies collecting bitter sweet herb for fall decorations. They were wearing blaze orange and at first were mistaken for hunters until CO Schottenbauer saw they were carrying laundry baskets instead of guns.

CO Rick Reller (Buffalo) gave a student from Buffalo High School and job shadow ride along. Reller also checked many waterfowl hunters but found very poor harvest in the area. Enforcement action was taken for hunting waterfowl after legal hours, unplugged shotgun, leave decoys out over night on public waters and no HIP certification.

CO Brandon McGaw (Mora) checked anglers and hunters during the week. Investigations were conducted on two TIP calls which led to enforcement action in one case and an ongoing investigation in the other. Duck and goose hunters were also checked and most reported seeing few northern birds. Fishing pressure has slowed but boats were checked and several were still having success on panfish. Enforcement action was taken on no navigation lights, failure to have required amount of life preservers in watercraft and big game animal taken with illegal caliber.

CO Brian Dobbick (Cambridge) worked waterfowl, small game and archery hunters the past week. Waterfowl hunters were seeing a few more birds in the area. Both waterfowl and pheasant hunters are having limited success. ATV and wildlife complaints were investigated. Enforcement was taken for license and registration violations.

CO Todd Langevin (Center City) reports checking pheasant, duck and bow hunters. Some saw success in the field. Officer Langevin also checked some late season fishermen. The fish bite was also slow on area lakes.

District 13 - West Metro area
10/18

CO Adam Block (Prior Lake) attended a week of training at Emergency Vehicle Operations Course Instructor School in Shakopee. CO Block issued several beaver permits and dealt with a public waters restoration order. Calls continue as people are in search for the best place to experience hunting success.

CO Steve Walter (Waconia) checked waterfowl hunters with poor success. Many deer hunting questions were returned. Pheasant hunters were having almost no success with all the crops still in.

CO Kevin Neitzke (Ft. Snelling) patrolled and checked waterfowl hunters in Dakota and Scott counties. He checked pheasant hunters and bow hunters. CO Neitzke checked fishermen and patrolled Ft. Snelling State Park. He also talked to a snowmobile safety class.

CO Todd Kanieski (Osseo) focused on waterfowl and deer hunting enforcement. He conducted deer baiting investigations, deer shining details and a deer poaching case. He also worked a MN USA snowmobile show in Brooklyn Center and spoke at a youth firearms safety class in Brooklyn Park.

CO Aaron Kahre (Minnetonka) worked a variety of enforcement this past week. He checked waterfowl hunters, deer hunters and anglers during the week. The CO gave a talk about sucker use as bait to a local sportsmen’s club. He also patrolled Lake Minnetonka for evening walleye fishermen. While patrolling Lake Minnetonka CO Kahre stopped a boat that was going full speed through a no wake zone on the lake. When he stopped the boat, the driver told him it was an emergency. When asked what the emergency was, the driver told CO Kahre his partner had to use the bathroom. As the CO was issuing the appropriate paperwork, he informed the driver that a potty break was not an emergency. Later that evening, the same boat was fishing after sunset without any navigational lights. Adding to the boat owner’s misery was the fact that his partner did not have a fishing license.

CO Thephong Le (ELCOP) checked anglers and hunters in metro areas. He assisted with security on a Vice Presidential visit to the Twin Cities. He responded to TIP calls and answered law questions. Violations detected included no angling license, angling with extra lines and shining deer.

CO Jackie Glaser (Mound) checked duck hunters on area lakes finding a variety of ducks being shot. She followed up on several deer carcass dumping complaints. Deer and small game hunters were checked off of the MN Valley State Trail.

CO Vang Lee (ELCOP) worked anglers and hunters in the metro area. He worked at the Lao Family office and answered many questions of the general public. He responded to a TIP complaint of duck hunters using motorized decoys. Officer Lee also worked the VIP visit detail and returned many phone calls regarding hunting regulations.

CO Thor Nelson (Bloomington) worked waterfowl, deer hunting and shining activities. He received calls regarding deer hunting regulation questions and a report of hunting with a shotgun in an archery-only unit of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Waterfowl numbers are increasing as the migration progresses and hunters are reporting mixed success.

District 14 - East Metro area
10/18

CO Greg Salo (East Metro) worked waterfowl hunters in the McGregor area and took enforcement action for leaving decoys out overnight and various ATV violations. CO Salo also answered several phone calls regarding animal complaints and nuisance beavers.

CO Travis Muyres (Ham Lake) worked waterfowl hunters in Anoka County. Enforcement action was taken for shooting after hours. CO Muyres also worked on trespass complaints across the county.

CO Vuthy Pril (ELCOP) checked mostly waterfowl and archery hunters around the metro area lakes and fields. He continued to patrol for fishing activity, patrolled state parks, trails and wildlife management areas. He also worked at his Cambodian Center office.

CO Patrick McGowan (Hastings) spent time throughout the week checking anglers, deer hunters, and waterfowl hunters. Waterfowl hunters are seeing fair success as new birds are arriving into the area. Anglers are finding a few walleyes on the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers. Enforcement action was taken for; take big game without a license, angle without a license, waterfowl hunting with lead shot in possession, and insufficient PFD's.

CO Brad Johnson (Maplewood) checked pheasant, rabbit, and deer hunters throughout the week. He received a TIP call of illegal deer stands in Bayport WMA. CO Johnson removed an illegal stand from the south unit. CO Johnson is conducting an investigation regarding the public access on Lake Edith in Afton.

CO Alex Gutierrez (Forest Lake) checked waterfowl hunters in his area with few birds seen. CO Gutierrez closed up a trespass case where an individual was feeding deer on someone else’s private property without permission. When the CO contacted the individual at his residence, he got irate, refused to identify himself, told the CO to leave, and said the CO was now trespassing. After a brief discussion and the explanation of several statutes, the subject was identified and was issued a ticket for trespass and warning for litter.

CO Tony Salzer (Eagan) patrolled Dakota County for waterfowl and big game activity. Duck numbers appear to still be down in the area. CO Salzer found an individual trap shooting on an area WMA. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Lisa Kruse (White Bear Lake) handled a couple TIP calls and issued a nuisance beaver permit in Anoka County. She is working on a few deer cases and is assisting a Montana Warden with an elk case. CO Kruse checked small game hunters, worked waterfowl enforcement on area lakes and assisted with the youth archery deer hunt in Arden Hills.

District 15 - Marshall area
10/18

CO Matt Loftness (Marshall) spent the week working fishing, small game, archery deer, and waterfowl enforcement. Pheasant hunters continue to struggle with still a lot of standing soybeans and corn. The duck population continues to be low in the area. Assistance was given to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies with a search for an armed robbery suspect in a cornfield.

CO Craig Miska (Ortonville) monitored pheasant and waterfowl hunting activity throughout the week. Bird harvest has been varied between hunting groups. An archery hunter received a summons for harvesting an antlerless deer in a youth only area. Remember, it is the responsibility of the individual hunter to know where antlerless deer can be harvested.

CO Neil Henriksen (Benson) reports enforcement time was sent checking fishermen, hunters and ATV operators. The waterfowl / pheasant hunting remained slow this past week. A youth firearm safety class was attended in Benson.

CO Gary Nordseth (Worthington) spent the week checking duck and pheasant hunters. Another week of cool wet weather continues to postpone the harvest, making it challenging to consistently find pheasants. The walleye bite on area lakes has picked up over the last 10 days with several nice fish observed on the stringer.

CO Jim Robinson (Slayton) reports that pheasant and duck success is still marginal at best. Enforcement action was taken for shoot from motor vehicle, trespass, transport loaded firearm, toxic shot, no blaze orange and license/stamp/registration violations.

CO Doug Lage (Marshall) assisted South Dakota Game & Fish officers with an illegally taken deer case. He assisted the Marshall Police Department with the search for an armed robbery suspect who fled into a cornfield. The suspect was apprehended. Enforcement action was taken on illegal transport of small game and loaded firearms in a motor vehicle.

CO Ed Picht (Montevideo) reports that there are only 2250 geese on the LQP Refuge. The geese are staged in Canada and will likely remain there until they get some snow up there. Pheasant and duck hunters remain to have only fair success. The walleye anglers are having the greatest success.

Madison - vacant.

Redwood Falls - vacant.

District 16 - New Ulm area
10/18

CO Jim Steffen (Willmar) spent the week checking waterfowl, pheasant and archery deer hunters. Time was also spent checking fall fishermen. Duck hunting remains very slow but geese are providing some shooting. Fall fishing for crappie has been good and walleye are biting in areas that have a flowing current around the lakes.

CO Wayne Hatlestad (Litchfield) checked waterfowl, pheasant, and archery deer hunting activity. Additional time was spent checking angling, boating, and ATV activity. Hatlestad also enforced state forestry fire laws, advised boaters of exotic species, and assisted other law enforcement agencies. He also spoke to a FAS class in Dassel and an ATV class in Cedar Mills.

CO Brett Oberg (Hutchinson) reports the warm wind out of the south didn’t help waterfowl hunters much last week. However, waterfowl hunters that put in time scouting have found birds with some near limits being taken. Blue and green wing teal are still being taken in the area. Officer Oberg also reports checking pheasant hunters with a poor overall success rate. Pheasant hunting should pickup as crops come out. CO Oberg reports very limited harvesting of beans and of corn has started in the area. Enforcement action was taken for transport loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, unsigned federal stamp, no PFD, no HIP certification and no license in possession.

CO Angela Graham (Hutchinson) checked small game, waterfowl and archery hunters. Anglers and ATVs activity has also increased the last week. Enforcement action was taken on: no license in possession, allowing youthful operation of ATV, expired ATV registration, and trespassing.

CO Mike Gruhlke (Jackson) completed his weekly radio program discussing topics concerning pheasant opener and area activity. Gruhlke assisted the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department with an investigation of a hunter getting hit by another person’s shot. Both the victim and shooter were in same party. Hunter numbers remained lower than in the past. Some pheasant and ducks were taken over the week. Duck numbers still not what hunter’s would like to see. Returned calls concerning deer season, boat registration and ATV's.

CO Jeff Denz (Willmar) worked waterfowl hunters, fishermen, archery, and pheasant hunters. He also spent time following up on hunter harassment and trespassing issues. He followed up on a complaint of a duck that was shot with a pellet gun within city limits.

CO Greg Abraham (New Ulm) reports duck hunter success remains poor with very few ducks in the area. Pheasant hunter success unchanged since last week with all or most of the crop still in the fields. Walleye bite has slowed with the weather change.

Windom - vacant.

District 17 - Albert Lea area
10/18

CO Julie Siems (Faribault) reports working mostly small game hunters and anglers. A presentation was made to a local high school class on the requirements to become a CO and the job duties. A gun found the previous week was returned to the owner. She delivered a Restoration Order for a Wetlands Conservation Act violation.

CO Tom Hutchins (Albert Lea) reports spending much of last week checking waterfowl hunters. A few additional ducks arrived in the area early last week. Hunters were bagging various puddle and diver ducks on area lakes. Time was also spent checking anglers, boaters, small game hunters, pheasant hunters, and archery deer hunters. The law portion of a firearms safety class was presented in Glenville to area youth. Violations included no blaze orange, no watercraft registration, possession of marijuana, and a deer violation that involved a non-resident who had purchased a resident deer hunting license.

CO Bob Geving (Mankato) assisted with giving a snowmobile law enforcement class to other agencies enforcement officers and gave a law & ethic presentation for a firearm safety class. He also conducted aviation night training exercises. Geving worked waterfowl and pheasant hunting activities.

CO Chris Howe (St. Peter) checked angling, small game, waterfowl, and ATV activity. Angling activity is low, though a few folks were out on area lakes and rivers. Pheasant activity has been slow, as there is still a lot of corn in the fields. Waterfowl hunting continues to be slow. On Saturday evening, there was only one boat trailer at the north access and one boat trailer at the south access of Swan Lake. ATV complaints continue to come in, and CO Howe met with a concerned landowner. COs Howe and Geving taught a “Snowmobile Enforcement for Law Enforcement” class at South Central Technical College.

CO Brent Ihnen (Waseca) patrolled his station checking anglers, as well as pheasant, deer and waterfowl hunters. Many sportsmen have made mention of very low numbers of waterfowl seen while afield. Area pheasant hunters seem to be doing fair. CO Ihnen also checked ATV operators who were out enjoying the turn of nice weather late last week.

CO Phil George (Mantorville) spent the week checking small game and waterfowl hunters. Took complaint of shining activity and shooting waterfowl during closed hours. Enforcement action was taken on two people shooting waterfowl after sunset and no license in possession. He taught the laws and ethics portion of a Firearms Safety class and took a complaint of a deer tangled in wires.

Spring Valley - vacant.