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FeedMInnesota Cuffs & Collars - June 29th, 2012
District 1 – Baudette area
CO Larry Milbridge (Warroad) spent time this week tracking an escaped game farm deer. The fence was compromised by a fallen tree, and the deer escaped. Recovery efforts continue, although no sightings have been reported.
CO Jeff Birchem (Baudette) spent time checking anglers, assisting Wildlife officials with a breeding-bird survey, and conducting night patrols at the Northwest Angle on Lake of the Woods.
CO Keith Backer (Blackduck) monitored angling activity on area lakes, including those with special regulations. Officer Backer also checked ATV operation issues and regulations in the Chippewa National Forest.
District 2 – Bemidji area
CO Dan Malinowski (Fosston) reports a truckload of garbage was dumped in a ditch near a lake; the responsible party was ticketed and ordered to clean it up.
CO Tim Gray (Bagley) worked on a big game wanton waste case.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) started field training with recent CO academy graduate Mitch Lawler.
CO Joe Stattelman (Detroit Lakes) finished and turned in a background investigation. Several complaints regarding bears were dealt with this during the week.
CO Alan Peterson (Osage) reports a wolf depredation case was completed, with four wolves being trapped and removed by federal Wildlife Services personnel. An ongoing case of a possible overlimit of fish was initiated. One complaint from a watercraft inspector was received, with information about a disrespectful boater.
CO Stacey Sharp (Bemidji) checked anglers on area lakes and monitored AIS compliance. ATV activity on area trails is on the increase, most likely due to recent rain subduing dusty conditions.
WREO Traci Hanson (Detroit Lakes) worked AIS enforcement and education in Becker, Otter Tail, and Beltrami counties. Officer Hanson also inspected a possible wetland violation in Pennington County.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
CO Troy Richards (Fergus Falls) took multiple calls about nuisance beavers and reports of possible overlimits of fish. Officer Richards responded to a call regarding a loon that had fishing line wrapped on its body. The loon still had plenty of diving ability and wasn’t captured.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) investigated and retrieved a timber wolf that was shot by a landowner.
CO Paul Nelson (Elbow Lake) reports checking several fishermen and boaters this week. Additional time was spent working AIS enforcement at public access sites.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) graduated from the CO academy this week and started field training with CO Vinton in the Perham station. The officers checked on a reoccurring shoreline cross-section tampering issue as well as a carp-dumping site.
CO Jeff Johanson (Osakis), along with CO Keith Bertram, participated in” Operation Dry Water” during the weekend. As a result, one boater was arrested for gross misdemeanor BWI after he was found operating his boat while intoxicated with his 5-year-old daughter on board. The subject also had two active warrants and was in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. CO Keith Bertram, working with CO Johanson, had to remind himself to be professional and reserve his comments; the suspect’s shirt read: “World’s Greatest Dad.”
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Wheaton) checked ATV operators, fishermen, and boaters for boating safety equipment compliance. Officer Baumbarger issued minnow transportation permits, fielded complaint calls about crop depredation, and took questions regarding PWC operation rules.
District 4 – Wadena area
CO Greg Oldakowski (Wadena) received a call in the middle of the night about a boat that had capsized with several people on board. The operator was moving rapidly across the lake and pulled the throttle back. The bow of the boat dove down and took on water, sinking the boat in seconds. Another boat was there to pick up the passengers and get them to shore. There were no injuries, and the boat was recovered the next day; however, most of the gear was lost. Please wear your life jackets and be aware of the weight distribution in a boat.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) continued to check anglers, boaters, and ATV operators in the area. Enforcement action was taken for illegal-length fish and boating violations.
CO Duke Broughten (Longville) spent the week monitoring ATV and angling activity. Recent rainfall has brought flooding and water levels up, causing docks and boats to drift way. CO Broughten investigated a TIP call that resulted in an angler’s fish being seized and the angler being charged with an overlimit of northern pike.
District 5 – Eveleth area
CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) reports several fishing violation complaints were handled at the U.S. Customs Port Of Entry in International Falls.
C0 Troy Fondie (Orr) reports monitoring angling and boating activities during the week. Area forest roads were checked after a rainfall.
CO Brad Schultz (Cook) reports Parks and Trails was contacted to remove a beaver dam that was causing flooding at a local public access.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked anglers, ATVers, finished related forms for a BWI arrest from the previous weekend, checked for flooding problems, and handled the usual numerous call regarding nuisance wildlife.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) reports a high number of boaters don’t have a sufficient number of PFDs on board their watercraft. CO Frericks received an email from a person who assisted him in releasing a wolf from a snare two months earlier. At the time, the snare had cut through all of the wolf’s muscle and was firmly attached to its leg bone. The emailer told CO Frericks that he’d just seen the wolf and that it was alive and well and running with its pack, but with a limp.
District 6 – Two Harbors area
CO Marty Stage (Ely) assisted Duluth and Moose Lake in their flood-response efforts, and worked on both a nuisance bear complaint and a Border Patrol detail in the BWCAW.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled area lakes, boat accesses, and campgrounds. Officer Manning also assisted Cook County emergency personnel with a medical call in the BWCAW, and assisted with flood response in Moose Lake and Jay Cooke State Park.
CO Dan Thomasen (Two Harbors) assisted with flood response along the North Shore as well as in Moose Lake. CO Thomasen worked in Silver Bay during the weekend as an attempt was made to set a world record for the longest ATV parade.
District 7 – Grand Rapids area
Water Resource Enforcement Officer Tony Arhart worked aquatic invasive species, sportfishing, and boating-enforcement activities at Red Lake and other area lakes.
CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) spoke at an area lake association meeting, checked anglers, monitored OHV traffic, worked boat and water enforcement, and assisted the county with a call about the reckless discharge of a firearm. While CO Fairbanks checked some shore anglers, a female angler said she didn’t think she needed a license since she didn’t plan to keep any of the fish she’d caught.
CO Jayson Hansen (Bigfork) began field training new CO Shawn Wichmann. The officers patrolled the Bigfork area for boating, angling, and ATV activity. They also investigated a possible overlimit complaint. The officers encountered numerous violations, including boat registration, ATV registration, no license in possession, a small amount of marijuana, no fire extinguisher, failure to transfer ownership of a watercraft, and bow riding. The officers also made a DUI arrest, and assisted Itasca County regarding a dispute between neighbors during which one fired a shotgun to threaten the other. Officer Hansen also assisted with an apprehension of a suspect that fled from a deputy into the Prairie River. The officers pulled the man from the river into their boat, and turned him over to deputies on shore.
CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked localized flooding activity. CO Sutherland cleared river passages that were clogged, to free up river systems that weren’t properly draining.
Officer Speldrich (Northeast ATV) assisted the Carlton County Sheriff’s Department and Moose Lake Police Department with flood duty.
District 8 – Duluth area
CO Duncan and COC Mueller (Duluth) report this past week the area was hit with massive amounts of rain. The beginning of the week was spent assisting other agencies with flood relief.
CO Andy Schmidt (Brookston) worked with other officers, St. Louis County officials, and city of Duluth officials with the issued caused by flooding that swept through the area last Wednesday. Officer Schmidt provided security and assisted other emergency personnel.
CO Scott Staples (Cloquet) worked with Carlton County Sheriff’s Department and city of Moose Lake during the floods. Officer Staples provided security, and conducted liaison work with the sheriff’s department, as well as the Moose Lake Police Department. Officer Staples conducted photography flights with DNR aviation, documenting flood conditions in the Carlton County area.
Water Resource Enforcement Officer Mike Scott (Northeast) attended the new Conservation Officer Academy graduation at Camp Ripley. Officer Scott also worked with the Emergency Operations Center in Duluth/St. Louis County and Carlton County, allocating DNR resources and equipment for use in the flooded areas of northeastern Minnesota. Officer Scott coordinated conservation officers’ response in the flooded area.
Lake Superior Marine Unit
CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) assisted local agencies with flood response in Lake County, Duluth, and Carlton County. The incredible amounts of rain will certainly change the face of some area rivers for the coming years, and many area roads will remain closed for some time.
CO Troy Ter Meer (Lake Superior Marine Unit) prepared for and attended court regarding a case from November.
District 9 – Brainerd area
CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) responded to numerous high water-related issues resulting from the recent record rainfall in the area. Several public water accesses in the area sustained flooding and wash-out damage.
CO Randy Posner (Brainerd) reports that invasive species enforcement work on Gull Lake continues. The most common violation observed was that of people transporting watercraft with the plug in the boat.
CO Bob Mlynar (Aitkin) worked angling, boating, and AIS enforcement. He also assisted with flood work at Moose Lake and Jay Cooke State Park.
District 10 – Mille Lacs area
CO Gregory Verkuilen (Garrison) worked angling activity that included complaints about extra lines and using illegal bait. He also assisted with emergency flood response by working road checkpoints and patrolling evacuated residential areas.
CO Dustie Heaton (Willow River) assisted with flooding issues in the local area. Officer Heaton provided assistance to Moose Lake police with road/bridge closures. She also assisted with the closure of Jay Cooke State Park in Carlton County. Many curious onlookers were turned away from areas with raging waters and unstable ground.
CO Eugene Wynn (Pine City) spent the early part of the week checking anglers and boaters. St. Croix State Park had flooding issues, with many areas inaccessible due to high water levels on the Kettle River. One individual and his son had the south end of the park all to themselves as the road they used to get in became flooded Thursday evening. CO Wynn checked on them during the weekend, and they were busy camping and fishing and didn’t need assistance getting out. They were going to wait for the water levels to go down and then drive out whenever that occurred.
CO Scott E. Fitzgerald (Malmo) started field training with new CO Amber Peterson. Lake Mille Lacs fishermen were checked and AIS enforcement was accomplished around the lake.
CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) spent time responding to flood emergencies and assisting with evacuations in Pine and Carlton counties. Wolf-trapping activity was wrapped up on local farms. Several gray wolves were removed from areas in which cattle were killed by the wolves.
District 11 – St. Cloud area
CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) conducted AIS checks at public access sites and patrolled area lakes for boating and fishing activity. CO Kuske also handled a trespass complaint in Crow Wing County.
CO Brian Mies (Annandale) checked anglers, investigated a waters complaint, and took part in the bail meeting.
CO Todd VanderWeyst (Paynesville) reports working boating detail during the weekend with a neighboring officer. Fishing, boating, and AIS work were the primary focuses this week.
District 12 – Princeton area
CO Tony Musatov (Sauk Rapids) checked anglers and boaters. A wetlands complaint was investigated, and a trespass/water access issue was received.
CO Reller (Buffalo) checked area lakes and rivers for angling activity. Fishing has slowed due to the high water in the area. Two anglers were over their limit on sunfish by 59 fish. Officer Reller also observed one angler smoking meth in his boat; the subject was so worried about getting caught that he was spending most of his time watching the area with his binoculars, which was a big clue that he was doing something illegal. The paranoia caused from the illegal drug use also didn’t help. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Todd Langevin (Center City) reports receiving several calls about a man sitting by Hwy. 8 with a fawn deer on a leash. CO Langevin was able to make contact with the man, who had a fawn in a dog pen in a back yard. He stated that the mother was killed by a car and he was giving the deer “basic training” to stay away from the highway before he released it. The man was charged with possession of a live deer.
District 13 – West Metro area
CO Tony Salzer (Osseo) checked anglers and boaters throughout the week and worked invasive species enforcement.
CO Jackie Glaser (Mound) reports that with the assistance of the DNR airplane, an ATV operator was apprehended after fleeing from the officer. The operator tried to hide by changing his clothes and altering the appearance of his ATV. He stated he knew he was caught after he heard and saw the DNR airplane hovering over him.
CO Aaron Kahre (Minnetonka) participated in a flight over his area to look for illegal shoreline alterations and weed roller use.
CO Neitzke (Ft. Snelling) started field training with CO Arntzen. They did fishing and boating enforcement in Dakota and Hennepin counties and patrolled Ft. Snelling State Park.
CO Thephong Le (ELCOP) checked boaters and anglers in Ramsey County. He also worked invasive species enforcement efforts.
District 14 – East Metro area
CO Vuthy Pril (ELCOP) assisted a neighboring conservation officer with a possible dock violation. CO Pril also handled several calls and complaints about animals.
CO Patrick McGowan (Hastings) patrolled the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers throughout the weekend. Several boaters were out despite the higher water. Numerous violations were detected, including one boater who was arrested for boating while intoxicated. CO McGowan continues training with K9 Axel.
CO Jason Jensen (Metro WREO) found a violation of a convenience store selling bait without the required retail minnow license. Enforcement action was taken, and the store owner was advised to get a retail minnow license. The store has not had a retail minnow license for the past three years.
CO Lisa Kruse (White Bear Lake) worked aquatic invasive species enforcement at area accesses and issued a nuisance beaver permit in Anoka County.
District 15 – Marshall area
CO Matt Loftness (Marshall) reports ATV complaints regarding illegal youth operation on roadways were received.
CO Doug Lage (Marshall) has started field training with COC Jason Beckmann, who will be working at the Windom station. Enforcement action was taken on Sylvan Lake with an individual who had been using two lines.
CO Ed Picht (Montevideo) patrolled the Minnesota River. He is investigating a dumping case after someone decided to use the public landing as a compost location. Enforcement action was taken for an overlimit of catfish and no license in possession.
WREO Larry Hanson (Southern Region) took enforcement action for failing to comply with a restoration/replacement order in Redwood County. He also assisted with a TIP call regarding a possible wetland violation in Pipestone County.
District 16 – New Ulm area
CO Brett Oberg (Hutchison) worked mostly angling and AIS enforcement this week. Shore anglers were reminded they cannot transport live fish or water from the shoreline.
CO Mike Gruhlke (Jackson) primarily worked boat and water safety enforcement this weekend. Enforcement action was taken for PWC violations and angling with no license.
District 17 – Mankato area
CO Chris Howe (St. Peter) checked angling, boating, and ATV activity this week. CO Howe also responded to a call about a possibly intoxicated boater harassing anglers.
CO Brent Ihnen (Waseca) spent the week checking anglers, boaters, and ATV operators. Officer Ihnen also patrolled his station for AIS violations and assisted CO Howe with an ATV presentation for area youth.
CO Corey Wiebusch (Mankato) checked rivers and lakes for boating activity. Operation Dry Water was worked; compliance was high. A report of an injured eagle was investigated with no eagle found in the location reported.
CO Tom Hutchins (Albert Lea) reports working mostly angling enforcement this week. Boaters and ATV operators also were checked.
WREO Julie Siems (SE) worked on closing public waters cases. Several meetings were attended. A check station also was conducted in Meeker County with excellent AIS compliance.
District 18 – Rochester area
CO Kevin Prodzinski (Zumbrota) reports assisting with flood-relief efforts in the Moose Lake area. He began field training with COC Anthony Bermel.
CO Scott Fritz (La Crescent) reports the national bass tournament went well. CO Fritz assisted Wisconsin wardens with the recovery of a boat that had capsized the previous night. Three men were rescued by good Samaritans who were camping along the river. Alcohol was a factor in the incident. Officer Fritz also pulled in a stranded boater with boat motor problems.
CO Tyler Quandt (Red Wing) started training new COC Napoleon Genereux. They worked anglers and boating activity.
CO Mitch Boyum (Rushford) reports attending a National Wild Turkey Federation “Jakes” event held at the Spring Valley Sportsmen’s Club. Time also was spent on a dumping complaint in which a citation was issued. Anglers were checked. Violations encountered included an overlimit of trout and no trout stamp.
CO Phil George (Rochester) checked boaters and anglers; miscellaneous boating violations were encountered. He also took reports regarding an injured goose and a suspicious dead deer.
