11/29/09 Report (Dist. 1-5)

[Woody]

District 1 - Baudette area
11/29


CO Ben Huener (Roseau) monitored the areas last waterfowl activity as almost all duck and goose habitat is frozen over. CO Huener participated in a call-in radio show on KTRF, answering questions about baiting and TB issues. Muzzleloader hunters were checked. Trapping activity was also observed.

CO Larry Milbridge (Warroad) conducted follow up on trespass issues and worked on seasonal storage of equipment. Trapping activity was monitored.

CO Jeff Birchem (Baudette) continued to handle calls and investigations relating to the firearms deer season. Follow up was conducted on a protected waters violation.

CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls) worked the muzzleloader opener with Lt. Pat Znajda and Lt. Pilot Don Murray. Mild temperatures kept deer movement activity to a minimum and area hunters saw similar success. CO Woinarowicz taught the law and ethics portion of the Warren and Argyle Snowmobile Safety Classes. He received calls of injured deer, wanton waste of deer, and followed up on complaints from the firearms deer season.

CO Angie Warren (Thief River Falls) followed up on ongoing investigations from the firearms deer season. Areas were patrolled for ATV activity. Equipment maintenance was performed. Preparations were made for the upcoming muzzleloader season.

CO Brice Vollbrecht (Blackduck) continued to monitor shining activity in the area and checked trapping activity. ATV complaints were taken and investigated in the Kelliher area. With assistance from Conservation Officers out of the Hutchinson area, CO Vollbrecht continues to investigate a complaint of wanton waste of waterfowl.

CO Robert Gorecki (Baudette) conducted follow up on deer hunting investigations and monitored fishing activity throughout the week. The Rainy River is still completely open with anglers finding success in the early mornings and early afternoons. Several fires were investigated as the brush continues to stay dry without any snow cover. CO Gorecki also responded to a call of a Bald Eagle hit on the roadway and a public waters violation. Enforcement action was taken for fire, fishing, and hunting violations.

Karlstad - vacant.

Warroad #2 - vacant.


District 2 - Bemidji area
11/29

CO Dan Malinowski (Fosston) responded to calls for service regarding the muzzleloader deer season, a lost coon hound, wolf depredation, beaver trapping on a WMA, wanton waste, and deer carcasses disposed of inappropriately. A TIP call involving tribal members was turned over to Tribal Conservation Officers. The MN PCA was assisted with a complaint.

CO Tim Gray (Bagley) checked muzzle loader deer hunters and fisher/marten trappers. The officer spoke to the Clearbrook Sixth Grade Class regarding fur and trapping.

CO Chris Vinton (Perham) assisted the Missouri Department of Natural Resources by interviewing a MN hunter involved in a deer investigation. Muzzleloader deer hunters were checked. Many questions about muzzleloader hunting and antlerless permits were answered.

CO Phil Seefeldt (Moorhead) reports a slow start to the muzzleloader deer season. Deer continue to have plenty of cover in standing corn fields. The officer also assisted the Missouri DNR with a deer hunting investigation by interviewing MN hunters involved. Complaints of illegal trapping and deer baiting were investigated.

CO Joe Stattelman (Detroit Lakes) continues to investigate complaints and cases from the firearm deer season and a wildfire arson. Muzzleloader deer hunters were checked.

CO Al Peterson (Osage) checked muzzleloader deer hunters and trappers. The muzzleloader deer hunting pressure appears to be very light, especially in the lottery deer areas. State forests were patrolled for activity.

CO Gary Forsberg (Pelican Rapids) investigated a complaint of goose hunters shooting a swan. Pheasant, waterfowl, and muzzleloader deer hunters were checked. There are very few ducks in the area and the small ponds are icing over.


District 3 - Fergus Falls area
11/29

CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) concentrated on working small game hunters, handling trapping complaints and checking muzzleloader deer hunters. Plautz found several muzzleloader hunters out over the weekend having limited success.

CO Paul Nelson (Elbow Lake) primarily checked pheasant and deer hunters. Many of the cornfields in the area have not been harvested, making for tough hunting. He also investigated complaints of litter, 16 pheasants thrown in a road ditch and followed-up on deer season issues.

CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) continued to work on investigations from deer season. Osborne took calls in regards muzzleloader deer season and trapping questions. Osborne worked on equipment maintenance for the upcoming winter work season.

CO Mike Shelden (Alexandria) focused on late season waterfowl hunting activity this past week. There were lots of waterfowl hunters out for the last week of the duck season. Unfortunately there were few birds in the area for the hunters. Several muzzleloader deer hunters were checked with few deer reported taken. Pheasant hunting continues to improve as farmers harvest more corn.

CO Jeff Johanson (Osakis) continued to close out investigations from the firearms deer season, and spent time checking both muzzleloader and archery deer hunters. Additional time was spent checking waterfowl and pheasant hunters, monitoring the fishing activity, and working some ATV enforcement. Some time was spent checking trappers and a trapping investigation was completed where an individual was using land snares during the closed season and failing to tag his snares and traps.

CO Daniel Baumbarger (Wheaton) reports time was spent checking deer, pheasant, and waterfowl hunters this past week. CO Baumbarger investigated a couple baiting complaints, and fielded calls on the muzzleloader deer season regulations. Enforcement action was taken for insufficient amount of blaze orange and no license in possession.

CO Tony Anderson (Morris) reports the muzzleloader deer season was met with lots of standing corn in the area; hunting was very slow. CO Anderson observed pheasant hunting activity has picked up but the pheasant take remains spotty at best. Just about every pheasant hunter group had a violation of the extra blaze orange requirement during the muzzleloader firearms deer season. Waterfowl numbers are dropping in the area as the small ponds are frozen over. He fielded calls about firearms case law and muzzleloader deer season questions.

CO Kurt Nelson (Glenwood) saw an increase in pheasant hunters. Success, however, wasn't great even though more of the corn has been harvested. Goose numbers in the area are increasing, but most hunters have given up. There are few ducks in the local area but the predominate birds that are around are goldeneyes and buffleheads. The muzzleloader deer season got under way over the weekend, but few were seen. Other activity included rescuing a deer caught in a fence and handled two calls of wounded deer from the past slug season.


District 4 - Wadena area
11/29

CO Paul Parthun (Lake George) continued to work big game cases and took complaints of illegal ATV operation and deer baiting. Officer Parthun also provided testimony in court at an omnibus hearing and met with a prosecutor to discuss other active cases.

CO Sam Hunter (Park Rapids) checked deer hunters in the Park Rapids area during the muzzleloader season opener. Hunting activity appeared to be very low. Officer Hunter noted very few hunters were out and about with even fewer success stories.

CO Greg Oldakowski (Wadena) reports a slow start to the muzzleloader season with few hunters out. He located two deer stands left overnight in a Wildlife Management Area and subsequently seized them. Officer Oldakowski also provided assistance was to local law enforcement in locating a burglary suspect.

CO Gary Sommers (Walker) focused on big game hunting activity. He completed follow-up investigation on firearms deer hunting cases and continued working on a case involving the illegal removal of aquatic vegetation without a permit case. CO Sommers continued to monitor areas of vehicle trespass in closed areas of the Paul Bunyan State Forest and assisted the Cass Lake CO with covering a TIP call in the Lake George station. As a result of the investigation three individuals were charged with hunting over bait. The public is advised to do their research, as not all products that are sold in a store are legal for use within the state.

CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) checked muzzleloader deer hunters and trappers. Officer Mathy and neighboring CO Sommers investigated a TIP complaint regarding baiting activity that resulted in enforcement action being taken on three individuals for taking deer over bait. CO Mathy received a complaint regarding a stolen trap and issued a permit regarding nuisance beaver activity. Ice fishermen are anxiously awaiting ice development but it appears it will take at least another ten days due to warm weather.

CO Larry Francis (Remer) worked on wrapping up issues from the deer season. He continued to receive calls regarding dumped deer carcasses. CO Francis also prepared for an upcoming snowmobile safety class.

CO Duke Broughten (Longville) completed follow up investigations relating to the regular firearms deer season. CO Broughten fielded several calls concerning nuisance beaver. Trappers in the area are having some success, however low fur prices have impacted trapping activity. CO Broughten also completed maintenance on patrol equipment and monitored muzzleloader deer hunting activity. Enforcement action was taken on no small game license in possession.

CO Jeff Halverson (Staples) monitored deer hunting activity in the Staples area during the muzzleloader opener. Officer Halverson also assisted the Cass Sheriff’s deputies with the recovery of a stolen ATV.


District 5 - Eveleth area
11/29

CO Troy Fondie (Orr) worked on administrative reporting and snowmobile maintenance. ATV activities continue to be monitored. Anglers and boating activities were not seen over the week. Hunting activities continue

CO Brad Schultz (Cook) reports no ice fishing or spearing activity due to no ice. The smaller bays of area lakes have skim ice less than a quarter inch in the morning. By noon it is gone. Trespass complaints from the firearm deer season were followed up on. Landowners must know the laws on legally posting their land if they wish to charge the trespasser. Hunters must know where they can legally hunt to avoid a conflict.

CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked the ongoing hunting and trapping seasons along with the deer muzzleloader and fisher, marten and bobcat trapping openers. Whitefish netters were also checked with slow going for those out. A hunter harassment case was investigated as well. Wearing blaze orange during the deer muzzleloader season has been a habitual problem for trappers and small game hunters and even a deer hunter, with about an 80 percent non-compliance rate for those encountered the first day of the season. Enforcement action was taken on no state park permit and no blaze orange during the firearms deer season.

CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) spent time preparing reports to be turned into court and met with the county attorney regarding some upcoming court trials. Some smaller lakes and ponds have received a thin coat of ice that is still far from being safe to walk on. Area trappers were checked with only a few seen out in the field.

CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) has received the annual complaints of processed deer being dumped in inappropriate places. He received a complaint of illegal juvenile ATV operation. Lots of open water and no snow in the area.

I. Falls # 2 - vacant.