MN: Cuffs and Collars Issue: 39

District 1 – Baudette area

CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked early goose hunters during the week
and attended a trapping safety class in Roseau. Waterfowl hunters
were checked on Thief Lake and on small potholes around Roseau and
Kittson counties. Enforcement action for the week was taken
regarding a large fire burning prohibited materials, and for
hunting migratory birds with an unplugged shotgun.

CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls) spoke to a law
enforcement class at Northland College in Thief River Falls about
conservation officer roles and career opportunities. Small-game
hunting activity was monitored, and calls about the upcoming deer
and waterfowl seasons were answered.

CO Angie Warren (Thief River Falls) reports follow-up continued on
possible gray wolf depredation.

District 2 – Bemidji area

CO Dan Malinowski (Fosston) assisted with security and law
enforcement efforts during the Pagami Creek fire in the
Ely/Isabella area.

CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji) checked waterfowl hunters during the
season opener. The officer also spoke to a Bemidji State University
class about laws for the hunting seasons.

CO Chris Vinton (Perham) assisted Otter Tail County deputies with
the removal of cultivated marijuana plants from Maplewood State
Park. Anyone with information about the “grow operation” should
contact the sheriff’s office. Several TIP Calls were investigated,
and an investigation regarding the transporting of zebra mussels
continues.

CO Phil Seefeldt (Moorhead) reports a good start to the waterfowl
season. Hunters said it was the best opener in a long time.
Waterfowl hunters were reminded to clean their equipment of
vegetation, pull boat drain plugs, and drain water to prevent the
spread of invasive species.

Water Resources Officer Traci Hanson checked boaters and anglers
for aquatic invasive species law compliance. Hanson worked with
Ecological Services to inspect a boat lift with zebra mussels that
was placed in Rose Lake. The officer also assisted with a suspect
fleeing on foot call.

District 3 – Fergus Falls area

CO Troy Richards (Fergus Falls) investigated complaints about elk
roaming in the area.

CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) received a number of calls about bear
sightings. Most callers just wanted the officer to know there were
bears around.

CO Paul Nelson (Elbow Lake) checked anglers, boaters, and waterfowl
hunters. Invasive species law compliance checks were done at water
access sites.

CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) checked waterfowl hunters, small-game
hunters, and anglers. A number of license issues were
encountered.

CO Jeff Johanson (Osakis) checked waterfowl hunters, archery deer
hunters, small-game hunters, anglers, and boaters. Complaints about
deer baiting and leaving stands in WMAs were investigated.

CO Daniel Baumbarger (Wheaton) reports a good start to the
waterfowl season. Minnow transport permits were issued, and AIS law
compliance was done. Complaints regarding trespass and hunter
harassment were investigated.

CO Tony Anderson (Morris) focused enforcement efforts on dove
hunting, waterfowl hunting, angling, and boating activity. A
wetland draining complaint was investigated.

District 4 – Wadena area

CO Paul Parthun (Lake George) checked duck hunters, small-game
hunters, and archery deer hunters. Complaints about trespass and
hunter harassment were addressed. Parthun processed some evidence
and continued to work on an ongoing public waters violation. He
investigated a complaint regarding aquatic plants being destroyed
without a permit.

CO Sam Hunter (Park Rapids) investigated a timber trespass
complaint and received calls about baiting.

CO Duke Broughten (Longville) worked the waterfowl opener, where
hunters had mixed results, with few ducks in the bag. CO Broughten
also fielded calls concerning wild rice, nuisance beavers, and
invasive species.

CO Jeff Halverson (Staples) worked the duck season opener. One
first-time duck hunter, a 23-year-old, shot his first duck, a
blue-winged teal. His mentor/ hunting partner was his 86-year-old
grandfather.

Water Resource Enforcement Officer Shane Siltala assisted the
attorney general’s office in closing a wetland violation case this
week. Waterfowl hunters were checked during the opener. Invasive
species enforcement was performed, with enforcement action taken
for failing to remove a drain plug.

District 5 – Eveleth area

CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) worked waterfowl hunting
on Black Bay of Rainy Lake and Rat Root River; most hunters were
pleased with the number of ducks seen. Enforcement action was taken
for failure to obtain HIP certification, minors in possession of
alcohol, and unattended fire.

CO Dan Starr (Tower) had a busy week with bear issues, fishing
pressure, grouse hunters, and the duck opener. CO Starr observed a
large walleye that was caught by a novice angler; it weighed over
12 pounds. Enforcement action was taken for loaded gun in a
vehicle, leaving duck decoys out overnight, unsigned duck stamp,
and unregistered OHM. A reminder to waterfowl hunters using small
boats and canoes, to dump your water out or use a large sponge to
get the water out of your boats. Transporting this swamp water to
the next lake or river is illegal.

CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked the ongoing small game, early
goose and archery deer seasons, the waterfowl opener and checked
duck-hunting boats for aquatic plant transport. Hunters should take
extra care to remove plants from trailers, boats, and the
easy-to-overlook decoy lines.

CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) spent time checking grouse hunters.
Hunters are reporting seeing more and more birds as the amount of
foliage decreases. An investigation regarding a nonresident
purchasing resident licenses is being looked into with CO Starr.
Duck hunters were checked during opening weekend. Reports of
hunters leaving decoys on the lake overnight are being
investigated. CO Frericks observed a boat moving slowly across the
lake. The CO soon realized the boater was angling. When CO Frericks
pulled up to the boat, he noticed a stringer holding four northern
pike. The angler said he was just about to let one go. The angler
was issued a citation for the overlimit of northern pike.

CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) reports a grouse hunter saw a bird walking
through grass and shot it, only to find it was a rooster pheasant,
well out of its normal area. Fredin assisted state troopers by
stopping a vehicle. The driver had no driver’s license, no
insurance, and the vehicle was unregistered. He checked duck
hunters and a few ducks were taken.

District 6 – Two Harbors area

CO John Velsvaag (Ely) checked grouse and duck hunters this past
week. Duck hunting was poor but grouse hunters did well. CO
Velsvaag also checked a few anglers and worked a trespassing
complaint.

CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) checked what few grouse hunters
that were out during the week. The CO reminded some people that you
can’t set up camp on forest recreation campsites and leave them
unattended for future use.

District 7 – Grand Rapids area

CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked waterfowl hunters during
the past weekend. CO Sutherland also worked small-game hunters and
bowhunters who had some succes.

CO Randy Patten (Northome) spent the week checking grouse hunters,
looking for concentrations of ducks, investigating complaints
regarding the upcoming waterfowl season, and working waterfowl
enforcement.

CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) worked the waterfowl opener, checked
anglers, checked archery hunters, and worked invasive species
enforcement.

CO Sarah Sindelir (Grand Rapids) worked duck-hunting activity this
week. She also followed up on a TIP call and worked ATV
activity.

District 8 – Duluth area

CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth) spent time working archery deer hunting and
small-game enforcement. Two moose were hit by vehicles during the
week. A possible wetland violation is being investigated.

CO Jeff Humphrey (Cromwell) worked small-game, archery, and
off-highway vehicle enforcement throughout the week. CO Humphrey
also patrolled the Fond du Lac State Forest. CO Humphrey also
attended a water summit put on by Carlton County Zoning and
SWCD.

CO Scott Staples (Carlton) reports several waterfowl hunters were
checked in the area. A Minnesota Trappers Association meeting was
attended and assistance was given at a local trapper education
course. A few complaints about wetlands violations were received
and are under investigation. Extra patrols were done in Jay Cooke
State Park after a recent rash of car break-ins. Assistance was
given to the sheriff’s office when a report of two individuals seen
going through a car was reported at a local football game. The
individuals were stopped, and the money stolen from the vehicle was
returned.

CO Andy Schmidt (Brookston) worked area bear hunters and archery
hunters. Small-game hunters also were checked. Violations for
possessing lead shot, hunting without a license, no HIP
certification, no life jackets, and miscellaneous ATV violations
were encountered.

CO Randy Hanzal (Duluth) reports a driver escaped injury despite
the fact her car collided with a large bull moose, but
unfortunately the animal was seriously injured and the officer had
to put the moose down. Samples from the moose were collected as
part of the ongoing moose study, and the meat was then processed
and donated. A baiting case involving an archery hunter was made
during the week.

Water Resource Enforcement Officer Mike Scott (Northeast) reports
several wetland violations were investigated, and one inspection
for compliance was conducted with local government. Officer Scott
also worked the waterfowl opener. Enforcement action was taken for
no federal waterfowl stamp in possession, failing to remove drain
plugs from watercraft, and transporting aquatic vegetation on
public roads.

Lake Superior Marine Unit

CO Troy Ter Meer (Lake Superior Marine Unit) was on fire duty most
of the week near Ely. He also checked anglers.

CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) assisted inland officers
with calls about car-hit moose and wolves. Reports were received
about ATVers doing damage to area snowmobile trails.

District 9 – Brainerd area

CO Nikki Shoutz (Pine River) checked hunters during the waterfowl
opener. Shoutz assisted with hunter education class in Breezy
Point. She also followed up on a trespass complaint on private
property and unauthorized use of county land with violator(s)
illegally posting public land, planting a food plot, and setting
out bait and a deer stand, complete with a trail camera. A
complaint also was responded to involving work in public waters and
the shore impact zone (bluff) on the Whitefish chain. The landowner
had no permit.

CO Jim Guida (Nisswa) worked the waterfowl opener. Some violations
that were addressed were no federal waterfowl stamp, failing to
sign a waterfowl stamp, and no license in possession. Officer Guida
attended a court trial in which the violator did not appear and a
warrant was issued for the suspect’s arrest.

CO Tim Collette (Pequot Lakes) spent time with commercial dock and
boat lift-removal companies, going over protocol for removals from
zebra mussel infested waters. He also handled a call regarding wolf
depredation in which the rancher has had 13 calves killed or
injured this year. Collette also investigated a call about a hunter
placing bait at his stand. The hunter seemed to think taking a
chance at getting caught was worth it, even with the stiff fine,
but became upset when he realized his bow was being seized, as
well.

District 10 – Mille Lacs area

CO Eugene Wynn (Pine City) spent the week checking hunters and
anglers. The focus was the waterfowl opener. Nice weather saw
numerous hunters out opening day, with ducks and geese being seen
early. Fishermen also were checked throughout the week.

CO Scott Fitzgerald (Malmo) reports working waterfowl hunters over
the weekend. Small game hunters were checked, but the hunting is
tough with lots of cover for the birds. TIP complaints for the week
included fishing violations on mille Lacs Lake, possible illegally
taken deer, and hunting waterfowl during closed hours. A wolf
depredation complaint was handled.

CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) spent the weekend checking waterfowl
hunters. Quite a bit of grouse-hunting activity also was found on
public lands.

CO Jim Tischler (Water Resources, Brainerd) worked boating details
around Gull Lake, with several anglers found transporting fish in
their boat livewell without draining water; enforcement action was
taken for leaving a lake without removing plugs and draining
water.

District 11 – St. Cloud area

CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) checked waterfowl-hunting activity in
Morrison and Crow Wing counties. CO Kuske also answered TIP calls
regarding baited deer stands, small-game hunters, and trespass
complaints. CO Kuske completed work on a lake shore violation in
Crow Wing County.

CO Todd VanderWeyst (Paynesville) worked with a neighboring officer
on a deer case, resulting in enforcement action taken for lending,
borrowing, and transfering a license and littering.

CO Keith Bertram (Sauk Centre) spent the week checking fishermen
and hunters. Enforcement action was taken for license violations
and possessing lead shot. CO Bertram also assisted Sauk Centre
Police with two hunters shooting ducks within the city limits. One
on the hunters did not have a license.

CO Mike Martin (St. Cloud) checked waterfowl hunters and anglers
during the past week. Officer Martin also worked on a deer-baiting
case and assisted other officers on waterfowl wanton waste, duck
overlimit, and walleye overlimit cases.

CO Robert Haberman (Little Falls) worked shining complaint areas,
and checked archery and small-game hunters.

CO Chad Thesing (Albany) worked anglers, bowhunters, and waterfowl
hunters. Several people checked had short plugs in their
shotguns.

District 12 – Princeton area

CO Mitch Sladek (Big Lake) worked waterfowl hunters on area lakes
and rivers. CO Sladek was on patrol in his kayak on a small WMA
when he flushed a green heron from a muskrat house. The heron flew
over a group of hunters where it was shot within yards of CO
Sladek. Sladek approached the group of hunters and asked who had
shot and what they had shot. One of the hunters responded
immediately, saying, “I think a bluewing teal.” CO Sladek told him
he shot a green heron and issued the hunter a summons for his
actions.

CO Rick Reller (Buffalo) reports the opening duck-hunting weekend
was busy with a fantastic hunt for local hunters. Some hunters
found it hard to resist the number of birds around and took
overlimits of ducks, and even some cases of wanton waste were
observed. On a happier note, Reller checked a group of
80-plus-year-olds celebrating 50 consecutive hunting openers
together.

CO Todd Langevin (Center City) reports a busy waterfowl opener.
Violations included unsigned federal stamps, no license in
possession, and unplugged shotguns.

District 13 – West Metro area

CO Steve Walter (Waconia) investigated calls about deer, duck, and
goose carcasses dumped in road ditches. The waterfowl opener was
good for most hunters. Every hunter checked had ducks, and it was
the first time in 25 years no one shot before legal shooting hours.
Enforcement action was taken for unplugged guns, no state waterfowl
stamp, unsigned federal stamps, no personal flotation devices in
duck boats, and overloaded watercraft.

CO Tony Salzer (Osseo) investigated a wanton waste incident in
Maple Plain. Officer Salzer also assisted another officer in
checking an area for bait in Dayton.

CO Thor Nelson (Bloomington) followed up on deer, residency fraud,
and littering cases. He received calls regarding waterfowl hunting
complaints, shooting non-game, protected species, and trespassing.
CO Nelson assisted Prior Lake Police Department and other local
agencies in attempting to find a fleeing suspect.

CO Vang Lee (ELCOP) assisted CO Le with interpretation and
interviewed an individual regarding a small-game violation in
Minneapolis. He worked the duck opener, checked small-game hunters,
and returned many phone calls about small game regulations and
firearms safety classes.

District 14 – East Metro area

CO Lisa Kruse (White Bear Lake) worked AIS enforcement at area
accesses and handled nuisance animal calls. She also checked
numerous waterfowl hunters.

CO Vuthy Pril (ELCOP) checked waterfowl, small-game, and archery
hunters. He also monitored and checked anglers on some lakes and
rivers and spoke at a firearms safety class in St. Paul.

District 15 – Marshall area

CO Craig Miska (Ortonville) checked many hunters during the opening
weekend of waterfowl hunting. Violations for the week included no
hunting license in possession, no HIP certification, no federal
duck stamp, and operating a motorized watercraft on a WPA.

CO Ed Picht (Montevideo) reports hunter success was good regarding
ducks. There were several WMAs and WPAs patrolled that had good
numbers of ducks and geese, but no hunters.

WREO Larry Hanson attended a District 15 meeting in Marshall. Duck
hunters were checked during the opener. Invasive information and
education was given to hunters.

District 16 – New Ulm area

CO Wayne Hatlestad (Litchfield) checked dove, waterfowl, and
archery deer-hunting activity. Additional time was spent check
angling and boating activity.

CO Jeff Denz (Willmar) worked a busy waterfowl opener with many
hunters contacted. He also worked ATV activity in addition to
archery hunters.

CO Eric Schettler (Fairmont) worked a very busy two-day waterfowl
opener. Complaints were fielded, and investigations were conducted.
Early shooting and trespassing took top priority. Investigations
are ongoing for possible deer violations. A wetland impact site was
inspected and forwarded to the proper legal governing unit.

CO Mike Gruhlke (Jackson) noted a utility vehicle in a peculiar
position on a WMA – high-centered on a log and up against a tree.
Finding that unusual, he called the Jackson County Sheriff’s
Department and asked if they had any vehicles like that reported
stolen, which was the case. The vehicle was turned over to the
sheriff’s office, the owner was notified, and the vehicle was
removed.

District 17 – Mankato area

CO Brent Ihnen (Waseca) spent the week checking fishermen,
waterfowl hunters and ATV operators. Time was spent educating
recreational boaters as well as waterfowl hunters to remind them to
drain all water and remove all aquatic weeds from their boats
.

CO Corey Wiebusch (Mankato) reports the 2011 duck opener provided
decent weather and plenty of shooting for area hunters. Many limits
of ducks were seen. Trespassing complaints and hunter harassment
cases are being investigated.

District 18 – Rochester area

CO Dan McBroom (Rochester) spent the week on fishing, ATV, invasive
species, big game, and migratory waterfowl enforcement. He also
worked two invasive species details.

CO Tom Hemker (Winona) reports a duck opener with many hunters and
good success. One adult hunter said he shot 50 times but did not
get a duck. After hunting, he found out his shells did not pattern
with his shotgun.

CO Phil George (Rochester) worked opening weekend of the duck
season. Limits of ducks were seen. Enforcement action was taken for
no life jackets in a watercraft, transportation of fully dressed
birds, and attempting to take an overlimit of wood ducks.