MN DNR Weekly Report

[Lee Borgersen]

         MN DNR Weekly Report
 
 Feb 2, 2016

District 5 - Eveleth area
CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) reports finishing up Field Training process with new CO Michael Krauel. Warm weather has brought out lot more people who were out enjoying winter activities such as snowmobiling and ice fishing. Enforcement action taken for week included snowmobile speeding and no snowmobile registration displayed.

CO Jimmy Van Asch (Ray) reports a busy week of fishing and snowmobiling in the Rainy and Kabetogama Lake areas. Anglers continue to see poor success. The snowmobile trails and portages are in rough shape after seeing some of the highest use this season. A snowmobile work detail with several neighboring officers was attended at the Tower Fun Run. Time was also spent investigating a gray wolf that was found dead and the investigation is ongoing. Enforcement action was taken for snowmobile speeds, operate an unregistered snowmobile, fail to display valid registration, fail to stop at a roadway, and angle with unattended lines.

CO Marc Hopkins (Tower) spent the week checking anglers, snowmobiles, and ice shelters. A number of shelters had registration issues. The officer also assisted with a personal injury crash that required extrication. The officer worked with a number of CO’s monitoring snowmobilers during the Fun-Run, in the Tower area. There were a couple of incidents with speeding and registration, however, for the most part everyone was operating safely.

CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked anglers, snowmobiles, ATVs, followed up on a truck load of litter investigation, and worked a snowmobile work detail in the Lake Vermilion and Tower area. Enforcement action was taken on angling without a license, fish house violations and a number of ATV violations.

CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) gave a presentation to a class at the Parkview Elementary School in Virginia about furbearers of northeastern Minnesota. Warmer temps brought people outside and time was spent checking anglers on Virginia area lakes. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license. Strong numbers of snowmobilers were seen out over the last weekend with events in Tower, Ely and Babbitt. Enforcement action was taken for various equipment related violations.

CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) worked the snowmobile Fun Run around Tower with other district officers. Warm temps and new snowfalls bought out more sleds than past weeks. Fredin received a report of a dead deer by Whitewater Lake. Time was spent checking anglers and most report slow fishing.

Cook - vacant.

International Falls #2  - vacant.

District 6 - Two Harbors area

CO Sean Williams (Ely) reports along with several other Conservation Officers patrolled the snowmobile trails during the annual Ely “Fun Run”. Although most riders in attendance observed speed limits, some significant speeds were seen. Violations included: snowmobile speed, operating an unregistered snowmobile, and possess live bait on a designated trout lake.

CO Marty Stage (Ely) worked fishing and snowmobile enforcement. Lake herring that were sold by an Ely bait store were found on the trout lakes in packages that are from Missouri and are not certified VHS free. If you have purchased any of these lake herring from the Ely bait store, please destroy them or at least keep them out of our lakes. Please don’t be the one responsible for a VHS fish infection in our local trout lakes.

CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports that ever single lake he was on this past weekend had lots of slush.  Being that the snow is not too deep on many lakes, most people had no problem sledding through it. Angling activity was way down even with the nice warm weather. The CO saw some catches of pretty nice splake and brook trout. Enforcement action was taken for angling and snowmobile violations.

CO Mary Manning (Hovland) worked snowmobile and angling activity throughout the week. Time was also spent checking state parks along the North Shore as well as cross country ski trails and passes. Snowmobilers did a good job of staying safe and kept speeds down while the John Beargrease sled dog race was utilizing the North Shore State Trail.

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) reports a busy week of snowmobile enforcement, including working the 2016 area Fun Run. Snowmobile trails went into the weekend in very nice shape after recent snows, but now the slush is awful after the warmth. Numerous contacts were made throughout the week for snowmobile registration violations, speed, and loud exhaust. The beginning of the week the officer assisted with a serious snowmobile accident on a local river in which the victim sustained neck and back injuries. His helmet certainly saved his life as he struck a rock after being thrown from the sled.

CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked area anglers and snowmobile activity. Time was spent in law review. CO Schottenbauer also worked on some equipment committee needs.

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) checked anglers on area lakes and monitored snowmobile trails. Snowmobile and ski trails are in good condition with the recent snowfall. The Officer assisted a State Trooper with an uncooperative individual during a traffic stop. Enforcement action was taken for snowmobile violations.

CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked snowmobile and angling activity during the week. Trail conditions were excellent in the area with many folks out enjoying the spring like temperatures. Some lakes are still showing areas of slush and angling activity has improved. Enforcement action was taken for failure to stop at road crossings and snowmobile speed violations.

District 7 - Grand Rapids area

CO Randy Patten (Northome) checked anglers, patrolled area snowmobile trails, performed a station inventory, worked ongoing cases, and monitored trappers for check intervals on snares.

CO Jayson Hansen (Big Fork) continued Phase 4 Field Training with a COC. CO Hansen worked snowmobile, sport fishing, and small game enforcement. Improving snow and ice conditions are allowing more people to get outside. Violations for the week included no license in possession, angle with extra line, unattended line, unmeasurable fish, shelter ID, and over-limit.

CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) checked anglers, monitored snowmobile activity and followed up on pending court cases. Enforcement action was taken for license and registration issues.

CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked anglers over the past week with pan fishing action heating up on area lakes. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, angling without a license in possession and failing to have a license on a permanent fish house.

CO Gary Lefebvre (Pengilly) worked fishermen, ATVs, ski and snowmobile trails. He also spoke at several preschool classes and handled trespass and trapping complaints during the week.

CO John Velsvaag (NE Region ATV Officer) checked ATV and ORV activity.  CO Velsvaag also checked snowmobilers and anglers. The slush became a problem with the warm up and snowfall. Anglers were having little success.

District 8 - Duluth area

CO Andy Schmidt (Brookston) checked anglers on area lakes. Snowmobile trails were worked and trails were in good condition. Time was spent on a trapping complaint and equipment maintenance was completed

CO Randy Hanzal (Duluth) reports snowmobilers were out in numbers this last week. Most all trails are being groomed regularly and are in good shape. People using snowmobiles are reminded that not only do you need the current registration sticker display but you also need to display the registration numbers. Lots of anglers were also seen out on lakes but success has been limited.

CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth) spent the majority of the week working fishing and snowmobile enforcement. Warmer temperature brought out many people on area lakes. Snowmobile activity was high during the week and local trails were in good condition. Other activities included enforcing local ski trails for passes, continued work on a couple TIP calls, and talking on a local radio station about current winter enforcement activities.

CO Scott Staples (Carlton) worked snowmobile and fishing activity in the station this past week. Enforcement action was taken for registration, license, and unattended line violations. K9 assistance was given to the local sheriff’s office when suspects in a stolen vehicle rammed one of their squads and fled on foot. Both suspects were caught and K9 Schody located evidence that dumped while they were fleeing. Warmer weather has snowmobile trails deteriorating quickly. A complaint of ORVs tearing up snowmobile trails in the Nemadji State Forest was investigated.

Lake Superior Marine Unit

CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) worked ice fishing on area lakes in the Duluth area, slush on area lakes is becoming a concern for most, and the warm temps over the weekend did not help matters. Local snowmobile trails have also showed the effects of the warmer weather, the grooming crews worked over the weekend. Enforcement actions were taken for license violations.

CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) checked anglers on the St Louis Harbor and inland lakes. Snowmobiles trail activity was monitored on a very warm weekend, with riders commenting on the need for sunscreen when they stopped. A report of a butchered and buried deer carcass was checked with investigation ongoing. Enforcement action taken for snowmobile, ATV, and angling violations.