Weekly C. Officer Report

[Lee Borgersen]

District 4 - Walker area

CO Chelsey Best (Remer) worked fishing, ATV and trapping enforcement. Assistance was provided for a juvenile runaway call as well as a sick deer call in the Walker station. Enforcement action was taken for operating a motor vehicle on closed forest roads and fishing without a current license.


CO Randy Posner (Staples) reports checking a few anglers out trying their luck. The panfish bite has been slow and the spring thaw is making the ice more dangerous and unpredictable. A violation of no license in possession was observed. He worked on a complaint of deer feeding in a CWD zone. The landowner is an avid bird watcher and feeder. The suspect believes the deer come to eat the feed he puts out for the blue jays, black birds, crows and the spillage of the feed. Posner explained the rules and the man said he would be more careful regarding the spillage and only feed the birds out of his hanging feeders. Posner spent time in the Pillsbury State Forest and Rock Lake Campground. He found evidence of vehicles operating on closed roads and causing damage. He also discovered damage to an outhouse in the campground.

CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) reports anglers continue to have mixed success for panfish and perch on ice that has yet to weaken much. Anglers should, however, use caution moving forward as forecasted warmer weather will erode at a quick rate shorelines, shallow areas and areas near ridges and cracks. Some time was spent working ATVs and litter cases. Work also continues on Bear Committee items.

CO Colleen Adam (Park Rapids) spent time on commercial license and warrant issues and trespass and litter complaints. A check of public areas found one individual scouting for turkeys with a firearm in possession, illegal ATV use in a wildlife management area, driving after cancellation and illegal operation on a state highway. Trout stream anglers were greeted with cold and blustering winds.

CO Duke Broughten (Longville) spent the week monitoring angling and trapping activity. Anglers continue to report limited success. Recent weather and current ice conditions have fishermen wondering if ice will be out by fishing opener.

District 9 - Brainerd area

CO Jim Guida (Brainerd #2) worked sport fishing and recreational vehicle enforcement. He participated in a work detail on the Canadian border, checking anglers on the last day of the walleye and sauger season as part of Operation Stonegarden. Guida also assisted a snowmobile rider with a sled that broke down along the Arrowhead Trail.


CO Eric Sullivan (Pequot Lakes) reports area lakes still have large amounts of ice and snow, which has contributed to the limited success anglers are experiencing. ATV violations included illegal youth operation and expired registration.

CO Tim Collette (Crosslake) monitored seasonally closed state forests, checked the few ice fishermen still venturing out, followed up on some shoreline modifications done over the winter, and did a presentation for a class of natural resource law enforcement students at Central Lakes College. Even though ice still covers the lakes, fish are starting to run in area creeks.

CO Patrick McGowan (Pine River) patrolled for angling and snowmobile activity throughout the week. He also attended meetings and prepared training materials for the upcoming CO Academy. Enforcement action was taken for expired snowmobile registration and no angling license.

CO Bob Mlynar (Aitkin) worked ice fishing activity. He also handled calls regarding a car killed eagle and an overly aggressive turkey.

CO Scott Fitzgerald (CCSRA) reports checking area lakes for panfishing activity. A few fishermen were out but were having a hard time getting around with the snow-covered ice. The officer spent time patrolling the state recreation area for illegal ATV and ORV activity and answered many outdoor law-related questions. Fitzgerald patrolled via ATV for ATV activity, but cold weather limited participation. He issued a permit for a car kill deer.

District 10 - Mille Lacs area

CO Gregory Verkuilen (Garrison) checked anglers, some of whom still were driving three-quarter ton trucks on lakes. He also monitored ATV and snowmobile traffic. Snowmobilers planning to ride through the Fourth of July are reminded to renew their registration at the end of June.

CO Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) checked area lakes for anglers but found very few. State forest trail and road closures are in effect for the Pine County area. Please refer to the DNR website for more information. Speldrich assisted the State Patrol with personal injury and property damage accidents during the snowstorm that hit the area.

CO Dan Starr (Onamia) worked panfishing activity but found very few people out. Snowmobile riders are still out and about and riders are reminded that grant-in-aid trails are closed. Assistance was given to the sheriff’s office on equipment ideas for the recreational and search/rescue deputy. Starr came upon a stopped vehicle in the travel lane of a state highway during severe winter weather. Upon approaching the vehicle with two occupants, Starr found two elderly women who were lost on their way to the casino and had stopped to read a map. He gave them a brief coaching session about stopping in traffic.

CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) monitored wildlife management area and state forest roads for spring damage and also handled a complaint of ATV damage to a township road. The assistant area wildlife manager stated that while doing a sharp-tailed grouse survey, two wolves came out into a field and noticed him. He then started walking back to his truck and the wolves began to follow him until they noticed his vehicle.

District 11 - St. Cloud area

CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) assisted the Training Section with the upcoming Academy and investigated a call of a deer hanging in a front yard. It was found to be a legal road kill deer. Kuske spoke at the Royalton firearms safety class and handled calls about an injured owl, a dead eagle, deer feeding complaints, and questions about the upcoming turkey hunting seasons.

CO Caleb Silgjord (Sauk Centre) spent time during the week following up on cases and monitoring angling activity. He also prepared for an upcoming firearms safety class and provided a law and ethics presentation to the Meire Grove youth firearms safety class. A call regarding a sick coyote was also fielded and handled.

CO Todd VanderWeyst (Paynesville) found a few anglers out this week but they were having little to no luck. The officer assisted neighboring officer with a deer case. Snow over the weekend slowed activity and left many people wondering what the fishing opener will be like.

CO Frank Rezac (St. Cloud) reports checking ice fishermen and snowmobile riders during the week. Calls about regulation questions were also returned and dates set to speak to area hunter education/firearms safety classes. Enforcement contacts were made for no snowmobile safety certificate and expired snowmobile registration.

District 12 - Princeton area

CO Mike Krauel (Milaca) spent the week checking anglers and patrolling for ATV activity. Panfish anglers are still finding some success on area lakes. Krauel also gave law talks to two firearms safety classes. At one class, Krauel also had the opportunity to present one of the instructors with his 40-year award. Over those 40 years, it is estimated he has taught more than 1,000 students. A big thank you to all of the dedicated safety instructors!

CO Brandon McGaw (Mora) checked some ice anglers during the week. Ice conditions remain fairly stable. Panfish have been hit and miss due to fluctuating weather.Turkeys are still grouped up but one lone Tom was seen walking across a snow-covered field.

CO Tony Musatov (Sauk Rapids) spoke at a youth firearms safety class. Complaints about animals were handled and follow up was done on a big-game case. Musatov worked ATV complaint areas and followed up on property illegally left on WMAs.

Water Resource Enforcement Officers

WREO Mike Scott (NE) spent time in Brainerd collecting older WCA/PW cases to be input into RMS system for tracking. Scott handled administrative work on casework and worked with Ecological and Water Resources staff in preparation for an upcoming meeting regarding bloody red shrimp.