Conservation Officer Report:

[Lee Borgersen]

Conservation Officer Report: Officer's request - Don't pick up fawns tut_tut-3315.gif

5/22/17



Conservation officer Sam Hunter (Park Rapids) checked fishermen and boaters over the opening weekend of fishing. Officer Hunter received a complaint of a bear on someone's deck and of a dead eagle.

A reminder to NOT pick up baby critters. This time of year we start seeing fawns and other animals with the mother not in sight. Deer feed away from their fawns so this is very natural.

Please do not pick up the fawns. tut_tut-3315.gif

Officer Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) reports a busy fishing opener in the Cass Lake area. Walleye fishing was spotty and perch fishing was good. One group of perch anglers was issued citations for an over limit of 39 perch. A trapping and litter tip were investigated. A law presentation was given to Chippewa National Forest employees. Enforcement action for the week included angling, boating, and AIS violations.

Officer Duke Broughten (Longville) spent the week monitoring angling, boating, aquatic invasive species, and all-terrain vehicle activity. Broughten worked a busy fishing opener on Leech Lake. Angling success over the fishing opener was moderate. Broughten fielded calls regarding ATVs, nuisance beaver, and nuisance bear. He also assisted local law enforcement with locating a suicidal individual.

Enforcement action included no angling license in possession, no Type IV PFD, failure to display boat registration, transport aquatic vegetation, fail to remove drain plug from watercraft, possess small amount of marijuana, and possess drug paraphernalia.

Officer Jeff Halverson (Staples) worked fishing opener. Contacts were made for extra lines, no license, no PFDs, and fishing during closed season. First complaint ever on boating and texting, when a driver of a pontoon was texting and nearly hit a fishing boat.

Officer Tim Collette (Crosslake) worked the walleye fishing opener on several area lakes where

angling success was better at night than during the bright sunny days. Some anglers took limits of walleyes home while many targeted panfish still in the shallows. Other activity included nuisance beaver calls, picking up an accidental caught otter, calls of a couple sick foxes, and a call of a family concerned that a coyote had taken up residence under their cabin and they were afraid it would attack their dog. It turned out it was a fox with a litter of pups that kept out of sight most of the time. Enforcement activity included angling without a valid license, several cases of not enough life jackets in the boat, weed rollers in operation without the required permit, an individual dumping chemicals into the lake at the end of his dock, and several ATVers that went past closed state forest signs.

Officer Jim Guida (Brainerd 2) checked anglers this week during the busy fishing opener. Boating violations were detected and enforcement action was taken. Other violations included angle without license. Officer Guida also recorded a radio spot on boating safety.

Officer Eric Sullivan (Pequot Lakes) worked ATV activity, burning violations, and fishing activity over the opening weekend. Sullivan contacted two anglers using planer boards and rapalas prior to opener. Subjects informed Sullivan they were definitely going to release any northern and walleyes they caught. Enforcement action was also taken for possession of largemouth bass out of season, transport aquatic macrophytes, and possession of controlled substances.

Officer Karl Hadrits (Crosby) reports activity this week of patrolling opening weekend fishing and boating activity, the Cuyuna Country State Recreational area, and responding to issues of nuisance beaver, sick and injured wildlife, dogs chasing deer, and suspicious fishing activity.

Enforcement contacts were made for keeping bass in closed season, possession of alcohol in the CCSRA, motor vehicles on bike trail, license violations, and watercraft registration and equipment violations.

Officer Amber Ladd (McGregor) contacted several ATVs this week as the weather warmed up. She stayed busy for the opener checking several boats and shore anglers on area lakes and rivers.

ATV traffic also remained busy over the weekend. Ladd contacted boaters who were drinking responsibly as their operator was not. It was refreshing to see and she hopes that other boaters do the same. As summer is approaching remember that drinking and operating a motor vehicle do not mix!

Officer Robert Mlynar (Aitkin) received several wildlife related calls including an eagle in a beaver trap. He was also on a fishing opener show on the local radio station with the Aitkin Fisheries supervisor. Turkey hunting and angling activity was worked throughout the week. Assistance was given to the Aitkin Sheriff's Department with a watercraft accident on Big Sandy as well as a pursuit which ended up in the Mississippi River. Bad choices in both incidents resulted in only minor injuries.

Officer Patrick McGowan (Pine River) patrolled Cass and Crow Wing County lakes on a busy opening weekend of fishing. Numerous anglers were out enjoying the warm weather and anglers were having various success with fishing. Enforcement action was taken for numerous angling and boating violations.



A doe watches with her triplet fawns surrounding her. Photo courtesy Minnesota DNR