MN DNR Weekly Report

[Lee Borgersen]

MN DNR Weekly Report for Jan. 12, 2015

 

outdoors District 5 - Eveleth area CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) reports ice fishing activity on Rainy Lake is slow and snowmobile activity is starting to pick up with increased snow levels and conditions. Enforcement action for week involved assisting State Patrol and Koochiching Co. Sheriffs...
Duluth , 424 W. First St. 55802
(218) 723-5281 ,
2015-01-12 14:35:28
District 5 - Eveleth area

CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls)  reports ice fishing activity on Rainy Lake is slow and snowmobile activity is starting to pick up with increased snow levels and conditions.  Enforcement action for week involved assisting State Patrol and Koochiching Co. Sheriffs with an impaired driver.


CO Jim Van Asch (International Falls) monitored fishing and snowmobiling activity in the Rainy and Kabetogama Lake area. Anglers are having good success on Kabetogama with nice looking walleyes and perch being caught. Spearing activity on Rainy continues to be productive with several pictures of large fish being shown to CO Van Asch by proud individuals. CO Van Asch attended a division snowmobile training class with several other officers from across the state. Time was also spent closing a deer season case that had been ongoing; citations were issued. Enforcement action included angling without a license in possession, wanton waste, and parent or guardian responsibility violation.

CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports little activity over the week with temps -20 and colder throughout the week. Snowmobile trails remain poor due to lack of snow. Computer work, equipment research, and equipment repairs were worked on.

CO Brad Schultz (Cook) reports the snowmobile trails in the area are now groomed however they are in less than ideal condition and more snow is needed. A snowmobile safety class was attended and 26 students from the Cook, Orr, Virginia, and Britt area participated. Ice fishing activity was monitored; however, few folks were fishing, likely due to the cold temperatures.

CO Marc Hopkins (Tower) attended snowmobile training and worked snowmobilers and angling activity in the area. Low temperatures kept both activities at a low participation rate.

CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked angling, spearing and trapping activity and worked snowmobiles that have shown up since accumulating snow has finally allowed riding. The officer registered otter and bobcat and found one trapper registering a limit of bobcats did not have a trapping license. The officer also dealt with a call of a deer with a snare around its leg. Other enforcement action was taken on angling with extra lines and snowmobile violations.

CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) checked anglers on Virginia area lakes. It appears that the larger number of ice shelters and dark houses CO Frericks has been seeing seem to be directly related to the lack of snow on local snowmobile trails. Of the higher number of anglers and shelter owners a common violation encountered was failure to display ownership information on the ice shelters. Trapping violations continue to be followed up on and investigated.

CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) worked some snowmobile trail enforcement and found little sled activity due to limited snow amounts. Fishing was checked and some nice pan fish were seen. A complaint was received of a “sickly wolf” hanging around a residence and foot prints in the snow clearly show the wolf walked into the garage and within 5 feet of the residence main door. Time was spent on equipment maintenance and office work.

Ray - vacant.

District 6 - Two Harbors area

CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports wolves are still grabbing suet balls off of bird feeders. One wolf ate about a gallon of sunflower seeds out of a bucket under a bird feeder. CO’s ask people not to feed birds in the summer so as not to attract bears. Attracting wolves hasn’t been an issue until lately. If you feed with suet balls, hang them high.

CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked angling and ATV activity in the area. Freezing temperatures and lack of snow have prevented much snowmobile activity in the area but Officer Murray assisted volunteer safety instructors with a youth snowmobile safety class which certified 26 youth snowmobilers.

CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked area angling, and snowmobile activity. CO Schottenbauer spoke at an event in Silver Bay for a Veteran’s snowmobile ride. Time was also spent on equipment issues.

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) worked primarily angling activity and some snowmobile activity. A few of the trails have been groomed once, but trail conditions are not ideal. The cold weather kept angling activity low as well, although some success was noted. Enforcement action for the week included no shelter license, unmarked fish house, and angle with an extra line.

CO Marty Stage (Ely) worked fishermen and snowmobilers throughout the week. People are starting to venture out on snowmobiles and many are getting ready for the trout season next weekend. The ice is in good shape and there is a pretty reasonable base of snow, but the portages are still a little rough. Fishermen are asked to please take the litter home with you when they are leaving the lake.

CO Sean Williams (Ely) reported fishing activity remained steady despite the severe cold weather with a fair amount of walleye and crappie success reported. Snowmobiling activity has increased but the cold weather is still deterring some riders. Violations included: angling with no license in possession, and fail to display snowmobile license.

CO Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled lakes and checked anglers. Officer Manning also patrolled GIA snowmobile trails and forest roads. Extreme cold temperatures made for light traffic on the trails and vehicle issues for many. Travelers are reminded to prepare their vehicle with emergency supplies and talk to a local person before venturing onto forest roads as logging activity changes and roads plowed last year may not be plowed this year.   

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) checked anglers on area lakes and a few sleds out on the trails. Trails still could use more snow. The officer spent time at Camp Ripley armoring the division’s shotguns.

District 7 - Grand Rapids area

CO Randy Patten (Northome) checked anglers and worked on cases from the firearms deer season and recently closed trapping seasons. Enforcement action taken for untagged snares.

CO Jayson Hansen (Bigfork) last week checked anglers. He handled road kill deer permits. Enforcement action was taken for snowmobile registration violations.

CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) checked anglers, assisted with fur registration, investigated trapping complaints and attended K-9 training. Enforcement action was taken for no license in possession and trapping violations.

CO Sarah Sindelir (Grand Rapids) spent time finishing a trapping violation investigation. She continues to work on another trapping and big game case. Another vehicle went through the ice on Pokegama Lake, please use caution heading onto the ice. Fishing activity is good on many lakes right now. She and CO Lefebvre handled a call concerning a bobcat that was causing property damage in Pengilly.

CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked ice angling activity during the past week with  no shortage of anglers out trying to catch fish. The fish didn’t seem to be cooperating though with the typical January slowdown present on most lakes. Due to the low snowfall totals snowmobile activity has been at a minimum  with most sleds being used to transport ice angling gear.

CO Gary Lefebvre (Pengilly) worked fishermen, snowmobiles, trappers and ATVs.  He also attended a division of trails meeting during the week.

CO Shawn Wichmann (Hill City) worked on investigations and reports. CO Wichmann followed up with small game and fishing questions. Snowmobile activity has been slow due to minimal amount of snow accumulations.

CO John Velsvaag (NE Region ATV officer) checked ATV activity and snowmobilers this past week. CO Velsvaag saw few fish while checking anglers. Activity was low due to cold weather.

District 8 - Duluth area

CO Andy Schmidt (Brookston) spent much of the week working snowmobiles and anglers on area lakes and rivers. Trespassing complaints were investigated and questions regarding postings were answered. The officer completed investigations from deer season, equipment maintenance was completed and nuisance/injured animal complaints handled.

CO Randy Hanzal (Duluth) reports checking anglers. Staying warm seems to be most anglers concern as fishing seems to have really slowed. Issues with litter are being reported. A talk was given at a local snowmobile safety class where over 20 young students received their certificates.

CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth) spent time working snowmobile enforcement around the Duluth area. A trapping and deer hunting investigation continues to be worked. Several telephone calls from the public were also taken during the week. Officer Duncan assisted with several road kill deer.

CO Jeff Humphrey (Cromwell) checked angling activity on area lakes throughout the week.  Anglers were reporting a slow to fair bite. Ice conditions varied from 12-24 inches. CO Humphrey attended fur registration in Cloquet. He received numerous questions and comments on the wolf relisting. CO Humphrey also followed up on trespass and burning complaints. Angling, OHV, and illegal burning violations were encountered.

CO Scott Staples (Carlton) assisted the DNR Wildlife division with tagging otter and bobcat fur at the Cloquet office. Complaints were signed at the county attorney’s office on cases from the past deer season. Fishing activity was fairly slow in the area. The few anglers checked were not having much luck. A complaint of a van left on an area lake for weeks was looked into. Turns out the van was completely gutted out and made into a fish house. There was no violation. Deer possession tags continued to be issued for car hit deer in the area.

WREO Mike Scott attended a meeting in Carlton County discussing current wetland violations in Carlton County as well as current project for a person improving a current road on state land to access their private property. Officer Scott staffed an AIS booth at the St. Paul Sports Show at the River Center in St. Paul. Discussion with people at the show about AIS issues in the state and the new AIS decal for transporting trailers in that state was had with most everyone stopping at the booth. Various comments and acceptance or not of the new law was heard from people and the release of the information website for compliance with the new law was discussed at length. Officer Scott conducted a 15 minute Radio interview with a local radio station in the Twin Cities area about AIS issues and the new trailer decal law which goes into effect July 1, 2015.

Lake Superior Marine Unit

Sgt. Keith Olson (Marine Unit) checked anglers in the Duluth Harbor area.

CO Matt Miller (Marine Unit) checked ice anglers braving the cold wind. A multiagency meeting was attended in Duluth and questions answered about the changes in wolf management. Assistance was given to a local agency with two daytime burglaries. Enforcement action taken for public access, ATV and angling violations

CO Troy Ter Meer (Marine Unit) worked snowmobile and big game enforcement throughout week.  Reports were completed and court preparation was done.