MN DNR Weekly Report

[Lee Borgersen]

                             :fishing2: MN DNR Weekly Report

Sep 12, 2014


  Big Brother Is Watching You!
 

District 5 - Eveleth area

 


CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) reports checking bear hunting activity in area with some hunters having success, and lots of activity in the woods over the weekend. Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, Trails End Chapter Youth day event was attended and a presentation on tree stand safety was given. CO Kittelson responded to an ATV accident were two adult individuals were seriously injured. People are reminded to slow down, use caution, drive responsibly, and don't drink alcohol while operating an ATV.

CO Troy Fondie (Orr) monitored the start of the bear season and checked area lakes for fishing activity.

CO Brad Schultz (Cook) reports numerous questions related to the upcoming hunting seasons were dealt with. An orientation meeting about a city deer hunt was attended in Cook. Another meeting was attended in Duluth. Angling activity was checked but few people were observed fishing. The leaves are changing in the area and frost is possible soon.

CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked boating, angling, OHV, bear baiting and hunting season, attended training in Duluth, and worked Lake Superior with COs Wahlstrom and Murray. Enforcement action was taken on angling, bear baiting, and ATV violations.

CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) attended annual law refresher training and took calls from concerned City of Virginia residents about coyotes on the edge of town. CO Frericks patrolled and checked early season goose hunters. Complaints concerning trespass from goose hunters have already come in and are being investigated. A long eared owl with a broken wing was transported to an animal rehab facility for further transport to the raptor center.

CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) checked bear baiting and hunting activity throughout the week. Fishing and boating activity was checked with few boats out and few fish seen. He also attended a class on law updates.

International Falls # 2 - vacant.

Ray - vacant.

Tower - vacant.

District 6 - Two Harbors area

CO Sean Williams (Ely) reports bear hunting activity steadily increased from last week's opener, with the number of registered baits doubling in just a few days. The forecast for the grouse season looks promising with many birds reported and seen. Violations included operating an unregistered ATV, and no ID on bear bait sign.

CO Marty Stage (Ely) worked boating enforcement and bear hunters. Boaters are reminded that lights are required at sunset. That is about a half hour before complete darkness, so officers often encounter people still busily engaged in the evening walleye bite with no lights available in their boats.

CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports that he dealt with a bear hunter who shot two very small cubs. The round passed through the first one striking the one behind it. When asked how he could mistake a 32 inch cub for an adult bear, he stated that they look a lot bigger when they are standing on the bait pile. The CO responded to two more dog attacks by a wolf in Grand Marais. Enforcement action was taken for shooting a bear cub, bear over limit, riding an ATV after license suspended, unregistered bear bait station and unregistered canoe.

CO Mary Manning (Hovland) worked anglers on Lake Superior and checked bear hunters and bait stations. One hunter told the officer he didn't think anyone so far up north would notice that he ignored nearly all regulations; the misconception was corrected with a healthy dose of paperwork. Numerous hunters have apparently decided that registering their bait stations is optional or too difficult to do this year despite having paper and online options to do so. The officer also responded to a report of a lost hunter; a compass would have saved him a good bit of walking and stress.   

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) arrested an individual for a warrant from an unpaid snowmobile registration citation he issued last winter. The arrestee was issued a citation this time for operating an unregistered ATV. A district meeting was attended. Bear baiting / hunting was monitored. Other enforcement action included additional ATV violations and no license in possession.

CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked area angling activity, and bear hunters. Time was spent working ATV trails as well. CO Schottenbauer is still monitoring the field training process for the new COCs as well.

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the week checking bear hunters and anglers. The officer saw some nice sized bear taken in the last few days. Lake Superior was worked with area officers. Enforcement action was taken for extra lines and bear hunting violations.

CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked bear hunting and fishing activity over the busy weekend. A case was made on illegally taking geese in closed season during the week along with the use of toxic shot. Fishing was slower with very few fish being caught.
District 7 - Grand Rapids area

CO Randy Patten (Northome) checked boaters and anglers, worked bear hunting activity, patrolled for illegal ATV operation, and assisted the Sheriff's Department.  He also handled calls on various permits, problem beavers, trespass, and bear hunting violations. Enforcement action was taken for possessing an illegal length walleye and failure to validate a bear tag.

CO Jayson Hansen (Bigfork) checked anglers, worked boating enforcement, ATV activity, OHM activity, AIS activity, and checked bear hunters. Violations included ATV on a roadway, failure to display registration, operate unregistered, fail to drain water related equipment, transport fish w/o skin patch, uncountable fish, and fail to validate bear tag. 

CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) continued field training with a COC. They checked anglers, performed safety inspections on watercraft, worked the early goose opener, taught a laws and ethics portion of a Firearms Safety Class and monitored wild rice harvesting activity. The rice harvest is on the down side this year. CO Fairbanks also attended the Hill City "National Night Out" event, where he and his K-9 partner Si gave a K-9 demonstration. Enforcement action was taken for take geese without license, no HIP certification and insufficient PFDs.

CO Sarah Sindelir (Grand Rapids) spent time checking bear hunters and baits this past week. She also spent time working the Two Harbors area for commercial fishing activity. She assisted the Two Harbors Conservation Officer with investigating a complaint involving the illegal shooting of Canada geese where a suspect was cited and a firearm was seized. She checked angling and boating activity. Enforcement action was taken for both.

CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked another week with a COC checking anglers and hunters alike. Enforcement action was taken during the early goose opener for hunting without a Federal stamp, a state stamp, small game license, an early season goose stamp and for not having HIP certification. A firearms safety law talk was also given by the COC to a local youth group.

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

CO Shawn Wichmann (Hill City) checked angling, bear hunting and ATV activity.

CO John Velsvaag (Region 2 ATV Officer) checked ORV activity this past week. CO Velsvaag also checked bear hunting activities. CO Velsvaag took multiple complaints prior to the deadline for the wolf season application. The complaints were centered on wolf season applicants not receiving a preference point for the last several years.

Water Resource Enforcement Officer Tony Arhart (Grand Rapids) worked aquatic invasive species, sport fishing, ATVing, boating and bear hunting activities. Crappies over limit and bear bait complaints were investigated. Wetland Conservation Act restoration order and public waters cases were closed. A Camp Ripley meeting was attended and injured animal complaints were received.

District 8 - Duluth area
CO Randy Hanzal (Duluth) reports early season goose hunters were checked for compliance this past weekend. Bear hunters were also checked throughout the week. Time was spent working and enforcing laws designed to slow the spread of invasive species. Several miscellaneous nuisance wildlife calls were also received. A regional meeting was attended.

CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth) spent a large part of the week working bear hunting enforcement.  Several calls were taken from sportsman inquiring on upcoming hunting seasons. Fishing and boating enforcement was worked on area lakes. A district meeting was attended. Officer Duncan also worked ATV enforcement at past complaint locations.

CO Scott Staples (Carlton) continued working on K9 training with Schody. A district meeting was attended where law updates and administrative stuff was taken care of. Ricing and ATV activity was worked in the area. Enforcement action was taken for operating ATV on a roadway and failing to stop at road crossing. Early goose and bear hunters were checked in the area and all were found to be in good compliance with the law. A law and ethics talk was given to a trapper education class in Cromwell. Invasive species laws continue to be watched for and enforced in the area with enforcement action taken for transporting watercraft with plug in.

CO Andy Schmidt (Brookston) followed up on bear baiting sites and checked bear hunters in the area.  Time was spent on area lakes for angling and boating enforcement. ATV trails and complaint areas were worked. The officer attended a district meeting.

WREO Mike Scott checked anglers on Lake Superior and noted improved fishing conditions there with many anglers catching trout and more King Salmon seen. Enforcement action was taken for fishing without an angling license, no trout stamp. Followed up on new WCA and Public Waters case. A property owner filled in wetlands on property next to public waters for a driveway and built concrete piling in public waters for a dock. Scott assisted Duluth Police Department with a despondent person who was threatening to harm themselves. He also attended a district meeting in Duluth. A WREO meeting was attended at Camp Ripley.

Lake Superior Marine Unit
Sgt. Keith Olson (Marine Unit) reports many boaters and anglers spent Labor Day enjoying the nice weather on area lakes and Lake Superior. The evenings where spent checking bear hunting activities north of Duluth. Bear success seems to be down early in the season. The berry crop in the woods are plentiful and not helping the hunters with bears coming to baits.  A district meeting was attended in Duluth. He worked with St. Louis County deputies on a boating safety detail.

CO Matt Miller (Marine Unit) a COC spent their time working bear activity in the area. Bear hunters have reported limited success during the first week. The officers spent some time checking anglers on Lake Superior. Anglers are finding more lake trout willing to bite. Officers also checked ATV traffic in the area. Enforcement action was taken for no identification on bear baits, unregistered bear baits, no fishing license in possession, and failure to display ATV registration.

CO Troy Ter Meer (Marine Unit) finished phase 2 field training of a COC. The officers attended a district meeting. The officers worked on finishing reports, work ATV, boating, fishing, and hunting enforcement. Enforcement action was taken for angling, boating, and ATV violations