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FeedMInnesota Cuffs & Collars - June 15th, 2012
District 1 – Baudette area
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers on the Roseau River, Lake of the Woods, and Hayes Lake. Enforcement action on an illegal length northern taken from Lake of the Woods
CO Larry Milbridge (Warroad) checked ATV riders in the Beltrami Island State Forest.
CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls) handled calls concerning baby raccoons, deer, rabbits, and coyotes. Enforcement action included angling without license, no off-highway motorcycle registration, and allow unlawful operation of ATV by juvenile.
CO Angie Warren (Thief River Falls) worked boating and angling activity on area waterways.
CO Keith Backer (Blackduck) received complaints of nuisance bears, an orphaned fawn, and a dead loon.
CO Robert Gorecki (Baudette) monitored fishing, boating, and fire activity throughout the week. Anglers were reporting fair success with walleyes on Upper Red Lake with the best bite still in very shallow water despite the warmer temperatures.
District 2 – Bemidji area
CO Dan Malinowski (Fosston) responded to a home alarm, monitored ATV activity, checked a burning site, and investigated a complaint of encroaching on WMA property.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji) reports a conservation officer applicant background investigation continues. Vollbrecht had a lasershot and fur identification booth for kids at a fishing tournament. The kids learned the importance of firearms safety, and the variety of animals in Minnesota.
CO Stacey Sharp (Bemidji) checked boaters, anglers, and ATVs.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) investigated TIP calls related to over limits of fish. Anglers and boaters were checked. A background investigation of a conservation officer applicant continues.
CO Phil Seefeldt (Moorhead) continues to assist with training at the Conservation Officer Academy.
CO Joe Stattelman (Detroit Lakes) assisted with training at the Conservation Officer Academy.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) reports nuisance bear calls were checked, and AIS law compliance monitored.
CO Gary Forsberg (Pelican Rapids) reports fishing related TIP calls, PWC operation complaints, and animal carcasses dumped in a WPA were investigated.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
CO Troy Richards (Fergus Falls) reports angling pressure continues to increase with more nonresidents checked on the water.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) continues to work on background investigations. Plautz responded to a nuisance bear that was shot, and received numerous other nuisance bear calls.
CO Paul Nelson (Elbow Lake) focused efforts working fishermen, boaters, and AIS enforcement.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) reports a wetland drainage complaint was investigated; the SWCD will be working with the landowner to get the wetland restored.
CO Jeff Johanson (Osakis) reports great TIP information led to the discovery of three unlicensed anglers possessing an overlimit of fish in the triple digits. Charges are pending on three nonresident men with the restitution alone totaling over $1,000. Charges are also pending on a lake cabin owner who was caught in the act of chemically treating the lake water in front of his cabin without a permit.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Wheaton) fielded calls regarding goose complaints, fishing law questions, and people concerned about seeing fawn deer without the mother around.
CO Tony Anderson (Morris) reports anglers continue to ask how to transport live bait home legally after use on the lake.
CO Kurt Nelson (Glenwood) worked primarily fishing and boating safety enforcement.
District 4 – Wadena area
CO Sam Hunter (Park Rapids) reports Volunteer Trail Ambassadors worked area ATV trails, and AIS watercraft inspectors checked watercraft.
CO Greg Oldakowski (Wadena) reports firearms training was provided to DNR Wildlife personnel and scenarios were conducted at the Conservation Officer Academy. A TIP call regarding an over limit of fish was investigated.
CO Gary Sommers (Walker) received a call requesting that he remove a skunk from a yard. He provided suggestions on how they could care for it.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) received a TIP complaint regarding anglers keeping over limits of fish. A check revealed 20 anglers had 767 perch for several days of fishing. Lots of perch were present, but the anglers were not over limit.
CO Larry Francis (Remer) received calls regarding a logging operation blocking a trail, a possible fish kill, a suspicious minnow at a bait store and nuisance beaver issues.
CO Jeff Halverson (Staples) worked fishermen and handled bear complaints. Halverson worked at the Conservation Officer Academy during the boating enforcement training portion.
CO Colleen Adam (OHV Recreation Officer – Park Rapids) reports spending time patrolling forest roads and trails. Adam spoke to an ATV Safety Class, in Akeley, about laws, safety, and riding ethics.
CO Shane Siltala (Water Resource Enforcement Officer) checked bowfishermen.
District 5 – Eveleth area
CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) spent time on fishing and boating activity on Lake Kabetogama and Rainy Lake, where enforcement action was taken for over limit of walleye, no fishing license in possession, and insufficient number of PFDs.
CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports monitoring area lakes and streams for angling activities, area forest roads were monitored for motorized (ATV, OHM, ORV) activities, equipment work continues, as does computer and administrative tasks.
CO Brad Schultz (Cook) reports warmer weather brought a few more people into the outdoors.
CO Dan Starr (Tower) reports working on background investigations for new conservation officer recruits.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) found an angler with an overlimit of 13 northern pike after checking the angler’s home. He faces nearly $800 in fines and restitution. The officer dealt with a June snowmobile violation when a snowmobiler water-skipped the length of a ¾-mile-long lake, with a spectator crowd of about 25 people. The driver was cited for unregistered snowmobile and advised it was not the safest thing to do. A couple who turned out not to be married were cited for false application for a fishing license after they fraudulently bought licenses only married people can purchase. Campers in a state park campground had been warned by park security and later cited by the officer when he heard profanities, loud music, and the continuation of alcohol consumption.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) issued car killed deer permits and has started to receive reports of fawns and does that are separated. People are reminded that if they find a fawn that the best thing to do is leave it alone and leave the area. The doe is very likely in the area and will come back.
District 6 – Two Harbors area
CO John Velsvaag (Ely) received an ATV complaint in Ely and a call about a nuisance coyote.
CO Marty Stage (Ely) worked angling and ATV enforcement.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports nuisance bear problems are starting to build. One bear ate a 25-pound bag of wood smoking pellets, so they are getting hungry. A couple of people went out of their way to run over nesting turtles on the side back roads.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) took a report of one nuisance bear that tried to enter a home through the front door and was lawfully killed by the homeowner, who reported the shooting well within the 48 hours he was required.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) followed up on a deer case with the USFS LEO which resulted in seized equipment.
CO Dan Thomasen (Two Harbors) reports that bear complaints have been coming in frequently. Home and cabin owners should be reminded that bears follow their stomachs and if bird seed, garbage or even picnic baskets are where a bear can access it, you will have problems.
District 7 – Grand Rapids area
CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) responded to car-injured black bears. The area angler success was better this week. Enforcement action was taken for no angling license in possession, fail to pull drain plug, transport lake water and possess illegal length fish.
CO Brent Speldrich (NE ATV REC) worked the Foothills State Forest over the weekend. During the work, he encountered individuals that were not displaying current registration, operators that were rounding corners in the oncoming lane because they were going too fast and assisted an ATVer who had broken down along the trail. He also had contact with an OHM operator that failed to stop when signaled to stop. The incident is still under investigation.
CO Randy Patten (Northome) investigated possible slot fish violations, a stolen boat, and an ATV complaint.
CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) took enforcement action for angling without a license and not having enough life saving devices on board a watercraft.
District 8 – Duluth area
CO Scott Staples (Carlton) worked a detail on the Canadian border with K9 Schody and the rest of the DNR K9 unit. Several contacts were made for fish transportation violations and AIS violations. Enforcement action was taken for people swimming in a closed area at Jay Cooke State Park.
CO Andy Schmidt (Brookston) issued special beaver permits to landowners experiencing issues with damage due to beavers.
CO Jeff Humphrey (Cromwell) worked angling, boating, OHV, and aquatic invasive species enforcement throughout the week.
Lake Superior Marine Unit
CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) met with USCG personnel for planning on upcoming summer events in the Duluth Harbor. Bear complaints are on the increase in Duluth.
CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) reports some nice salmon are starting to show up near Duluth.
District 9 – Brainerd area
CO Bob Mlynar (Aitkin) inspected a new mink ranch.
CO Randy Posner (Brainerd) checked horse riders and campers and looked for ATVs in the Pillsbury Forest.
CO Nikki Shoutz (Pine River) handled complaints of dogs chasing deer, nuisance beaver, nuisance muskrat, and suspected over limit of sunfish. An investigation continues involving dumping of ashes in the creek bed on an area lake.
CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) reports activity included giving presentations on furbearing animals at the Brainerd Northland Arboretum’s Kid’s Camp event.
CO Jim Guida (Brainerd) worked the Outdoor Wall of Shame at an area youth expo.
CO Jim Tischler (Cuyuna Country State Rec. Area) reports the 2nd annual Cuyuna Lakes mountain bike festival held in the SRA and the Crosby city park was well attended and bike traffic was heavy all weekend. Officer Tischler located a juvenile biker lost along the trail and reunited him with his group.
District 10 – Mille Lacs area
WREO Robert Haberman (Brainerd) investigated a wetland draining complaint.
CO Mike Lee (Isle) received a call of a young moose walking around on Hwy 65 north of McGrath. Upon arrival, Officer Lee observed the young bull moose attempting to eat peacefully in the bottom of the ditch, but with all the onlookers and individuals trying to take pictures, it was tough for the young moose. After a period of time, Officer Lee was able to clear all the traffic and assist the moose in traveling further away from the roadway.
CO Greg Verkuilen (Garrison) worked local fishing activity, including the last week of Mille Lacs night ban. Anglers generally were doing well but some were still pushing their luck with extra lines, keeping long fish and staying out past 10 p.m./leaving the landings before 6 a.m.
CO Eugene Wynn (Pine City) reports most docks at the public access areas are now reachable without having to wade out to get to them.
CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) gave assistance to the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office in recovering a stolen canoe on the Mississippi River.
CO Scott Fitzgerald (Malmo) provided assistance at Camp Ripley with the instructing of new conservation officers in operating multiple types of boats.
CO Dustie Heaton (Willow River) observed ATVs operating on the Willard Munger Bike Trail and enforcement action was taken for operating on the non-motorized trail.
District 11 – St. Cloud area
CO Todd VanderWeyst (Paynesville) worked fishing and boating activity in the area.
CO Brian Mies (Annandale) gave a talk at Fairhaven to a lake association.
CO Keith Bertram (WREO) issued two cease and desist orders on wetland violations.
Conservation Officer Mike Martin (St Cloud) answered several TIP calls and checked anglers and watercraft operators as well.
CO Rhonda Friese (Long Prairie) handled numerous animal complaints: nuisance bear; nuisance muskrats; nuisance beaver; and an injured loon.
CO Chad Thesing, (Albany) worked anglers, boaters, and TIP calls. Time was spent assisting at the CO Academy. Thesing spoke at the Two Rivers Lake.
CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) answered inquiries about nuisance bear, beaver, geese and cranes.
District 12 – Princeton area
CO Tony Musatov (Sauk Rapids) reports a group of bow fishermen was checked and was in possession of a snapping turtle out of season.
CO Angela Londgren (Princeton) worked a detail on Red Lake over the weekend, checked anglers/ boaters/PWC, and continued to educate boaters on invasive species.
CO Mitch Sladek (Big Lake) worked fishermen on area lakes and rivers. He worked a boat and water detail on the Wright County lakes with CO Reller. A number of summonses and written warnings issued.
CO Rick Reller (Buffalo) conducted a boating detail in Wright County with several violations related to PWC activity.
CO Todd Langevin (Center City) checked anglers and worked state parks.
CO Brian Dobbick (Cambridge) checked anglers and boaters on area lakes and rivers throughout the week.
District 13 – West Metro area
CO Steve Walter (Waconia) checked watercraft for AIS violations.
CO Tony Salzer (Osseo) continued background investigations for the next conservation officer academy.
CO Jackie Glaser (Mound) responded to several TIP calls in the area for fishermen using too many lines. She also followed up on a littering case.
CO Aaron Kahre (Minnetonka) attended a meeting with local officials regarding bowfishing on Lake Minnetonka.
CO Thor Nelson (Bloomington) gave youth instruction at the LaserShot booth at a youth outdoor adventure day at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis.
CO Kevin Neitzke (Ft. Snelling) investigated a complaint of an illegal sand blanket and an aquatic plant management violation.
CO Adam Block (Prior Lake) handled a call regarding a submerged boat on the Minnesota River.
CO Thephong Le (ELCOP) responded to an injured deer in Maplewood.
District 14 – East Metro area
CO Jason Jensen (Metro WREO) spoke to an angling group on AIS issues.
CO Travis Muyres (Ham Lake) worked a K9 detail at the Grand Portage border crossing.
CO Patrick McGowan (Hastings) trained with K9 Axel. CO McGowan also participated in a Canadian border crossing detail in Grand Portage, where hundreds of boats where checked.
CO Vuthy Pril (ELCOP) worked TIP complaints and answered nuisance animal calls
CO Lisa Kruse (White Bear Lake) handled a complaint of a minnow retailer selling minnows without a license
District 15 – Marshall area
CO Neil Henriksen (Benson) reports wetland drainage and altering a protected waterway were investigated.
CO Matt Loftness (Marshall) reports ATV problems continue with illegal youth operation.
CO Ed Picht (Montevideo) wrote minnow import permits, checked on a possible public waters violation, and received complaints about burning prohibited materials.
CO Doug Lage (Marshall) reports beaver problems along with geese eating soybeans have been a daily phone call. Information was passed on to the local DNR Wildlife.
CO Gary Nordseth (Worthington) reports that the warm and windy conditions this past weekend were ideal for the annual Wind-Surfing Regatta in Worthington.
CO Craig Miska (Ortonville) received a call from a citizen stating that anglers were double tripping at several locations.
CO Jim Robinson (Slayton) spent the week checking anglers and enforcing boating laws.
WREO Larry Hanson (Southern Region) assisted with three AIS Law Enforcement training classes.
District 16 – New Ulm area
CO Jim Steffen (Willmar) made multiple litter cases by watching anglers from a distance and watching them leave all their trash when they were done fishing. One angler got his ticket for litter and then proceeded to drive away with his driving rights being revoked and having no insurance. Willmar PD was happy to assist in dealing with these violations.
CO Jeff Denz (Willmar) received a number of complaints during the week regarding carp being taken and left on the shoreline or dumped in other locations. In one instance numerous carp were dumped on the shoulder of a busy roadway in front of a house which resulted in multiple calls.
CO Eric Schettler (Fairmont) issued restoration orders on a public waters violation.
CO Brett Oberg (Hutchinson) investigated shots fired in a state game refuge.
CO Wayne Hatlestad (Litchfield) continued work on a pre-employment background investigation.
CO Greg Abraham (New Ulm) assisted the Board of Animal Health with a game farm (deer) inspection.
District 17 – Mankato area
CO Chris Howe (St. Peter) attended a Glock armorer recertification course.
CO Brent Ihnen (Waseca) patrolled his station for fishing, boating, and ATV activity.
CO Bob Geving (Mankato) assisted with an investigation involving dumping antifreeze into a city storm drain system. Geving also assisted sheriff’s deputies with enforcing a restricted area on a nearby lake while the Blue Angels practiced for an air show.
CO Tom Hutchins (Albert Lea) completed a taxidermy inspection that resulted in several violations.
WREO Julie Siems (SE) reports continuing work on division backgrounds.
District 18 – Rochester area
CO Tyler Quandt (Red Wing) reports the river has started to drop and fishing activity has picked up a little in the back channels and on Lake Pepin.
CO Phil George (Rochester) reports too many watercraft were found without having any PFDs onboard and ATVs without registration; enforcement action was taken.
CO Tom Hemker (Winona) reports the river has been very high with many flooded areas. He prepared for and testified in court for a trespass and deer baiting case.
CO Joel Heyn (Plainview) spoke to a FAS class in Plainview.
