Wisconsin Outdoor News Cuffs & Collars – Dec. 14, 2018

Northern Region

Antigo area

Wardens Brad Dahlquist, of Crandon, and Josh Voelker investigated a complaint of illegal road hunting near Alvin in October. Upon investigation, it was found an operator of a vehicle illegally shot a grouse while on a town road from inside the vehicle. Enforcement action was taken.

Northeast Region

Lake Winnebago area

Wardens Tom Sturdivant, of Neenah, and Amanda Kretschmer, of Winneconne, noticed an automatic deer feeder (solar-powered with timer) on private property in Winnebago County while on patrol in October. The law prohibits the use of mechanical, automatic and gravity deer feeders. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Michael Disher, of Chilton, investigated closed season waterfowl hunting activity during the southern zone split closure week in Calumet County. Disher contacted six waterfowl hunters over the span of several days who were hunting ducks and geese on public and private lands. The hunters all had shot at and/or harvested ducks or geese. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Disher investigated illegal deer shining activity in Calumet County in October. Disher contacted the operator and passenger of a pickup truck who were shining deer with a spotlight along several roads after the 10 p.m. closure. The driver was found to be on probation for a previous criminal offense. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Disher investigated a complaint of a littered deer carcass in the Sheboygan River at the Kiel Marsh State Wildlife Area in October. The carcass was wrapped in a blue tarp and was partially submerged in the water at the boat landing. A suspect was identified by a Kiel Police Department officer who conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driver leaving the boat landing after dark. An investigation revealed the suspect’s son picked up a car-killed buck about a week earlier, but didn’t have time to process the meat, which then spoiled. The buck was never registered, as required. The suspect then threw the carcass, wrapped in the tarp, into the river thinking it would float downstream and become food for other animals. Enforcement action was taken.

West-Central Region

Lower St. Croix area

Wardens from the Lower St. Croix team joined forces with other area wardens and police officers on several occasions in October to assist the Barron County Sheriff’s Department and federal investigators with searching for a missing 13-year-old Barron County girl following her parents’ murder.

Warden Kyle Kosin, of Pierce County, investigated a complaint of an individual who was trout fishing on the Rush River during the closed season. Kosin located the fisherman on a trout stream and contacted him. The man was a non-resident and stated he was unaware of the closure date for trout fishing in Wisconsin. Enforcement action was taken.

Wardens Isaac Kruse, of St. Croix County, and Madi Bryan assisted the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department and Wisconsin State Patrol with a fatal car accident on Hwy. 63 north of Baldwin. The wardens, who were working in the area at the time, were one of the first units to arrive on the scene. The wardens assisted with traffic direction, scene security and evidence collection.

Warden J.J. Redemann contacted a hunter in the Dunnville State Wildlife Area who had just shot a rooster pheasant well after the 2 p.m. closure time for the particular property. The hunter was parked in front of a sign noting the closing time. The hunter said he knew the rule but forgot because his heart was racing and he was so excited to see a pheasant. The hunter also hunted without a pheasant stamp. Enforcement action was taken.

Wardens Redemann and Jaime Mcdermid contacted a hunter who illegally hunted over bait in Dunn County. The hunter was initially untruthful about shooting a deer over the bait site and said he didn’t know about the baiting ban. The hunter later admitted to placing the bait and shooting the deer over the bait pile. He said he and his hunting partner did not tell the truth initially to the wardens because they thought it was illegal to shoot a deer over the bait. No baiting is allowed in Dunn County. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Redemann investigated a group of waterfowl hunters who hunted ducks over bait and left their decoys unattended. The hunters had thrown several cobs of corn in the water by their decoys and then left all their decoys unattended while they left the area after their morning hunt. Redemann contacted the hunters when they returned to hunt again in the afternoon. Redemann discovered multiple other waterfowl violations with the hunters. Enforcement action was taken.

Southeast Region

Sheboygan/Fond du Lac area

Warden Anthony Arndt, of Sheboygan County, took a report of late shots from a waterfowl hunter at the Sheboygan Marsh Wildlife Area. Arndt’s investigation found the responsible party resided in the city of Sheboygan. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden William Hankee, of Fond du Lac County, responded to a call in October from the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department on a report of a hunter who had been injured in a duck hunting incident. Hankee discovered the adult hunter was hunting from his boat in the Horicon Marsh with his dog, Chase. Chase retrieved a duck and after getting back into the boat stepped on the trigger guard of the shotgun, causing it to discharge in the hunter’s direction. The hunter received multiple pellet wounds to the leg. The hunter was able to gather his decoys and drive himself to the hospital, where he met with a Fond du Lac deputy and Hankee.

Warden Hankee received a DNR hotline call on two individuals hunting geese out of season in Dodge County. He located two individuals walking out of a farm field in possession of a dead Canada goose. Enforcement action was taken.

While on patrol in Fond du Lac County, warden Hankee observed an adult male, wearing camouflage and carrying archery equipment, walk into a wooded area by a farm residence. Using Go Wild, Hankee checked licenses at that residence and discovered an adult matching the description of the suspect who had not purchased an archery license since 2013. Hankee contacted the hunter at the residence and discovered the hunter has been actively deer hunting since he was 14 years old and stopped buying licenses in 2013.

Waukesha/Walworth area

Warden Brad Wilson investigated a baiting complaint from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department in October and found the individual was dumping apples near his hunting spot while also trespassing. Enforcement action was taken by Wilson and the county sheriff’s department.

Wardens Wilson and Steve Swiertz were working Oak Creek when they observed three males; two of which were snagging and netting fish. Multiple license and stamp violations were also uncovered. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Wilson observed four individuals fishing the waters of Oak Creek for salmon. When contacted the individuals did not have Great Lakes trout and salmon stamps. When asked if they have fished for salmon in that area before, three of the four stated they did and they never knew that they need the Great Lakes trout and salmon stamp. Wilson ran them through a Go Wild check. It was found that the three individuals had purchased the stamp in the past and knew they needed it. Enforcement actions were taken.

Wardens joined the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department in October in response to a citizen call from the Kettle Moraine State Forest regarding an individual who allegedly pointed a firearm at a bowhunter. The individual was found to be hunting squirrels and pointed his firearm at a tree that he heard a noise in. The individual was warned for his actions and general firearm safety was reviewed.

Warden Jason Swaney, of East Troy, joined the town of East Troy Police Department on an investigation of an individual believed to be trespassing on private property and hunting over bait. The individual was found to have hunted over bait on multiple properties, harvested an antlerless deer over bait in October 2018, and failed to register a turkey in spring 2018. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Steve Sanidas received a complaint of individuals hunting inside a wildlife refuge at Vernon Marsh State Wildlife Area. Three individuals were contacted at the location and were found to have been waterfowl hunting in a closed refuge. Other hunters in the area clearly expressed their opposition to the actions of the refuge violators. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Sanidas was on routine patrol in October when he observed a UTV being illegally operated on a county highway in southern Waukesha County. Sanidas conducted a traffic stop of the UTV and found that the operator was 15 years old. The operator did not meet the minimum age to legally operate a UTV in public areas, the operator was not wearing a helmet or seatbelt, and was illegally operating on a highway. Sanidas provided education to the operator and the parents.

Warden Andrew Starch investigated a complaint of vehicles operators off-roading on state property near Rome Pond in Jefferson County. The vehicles caused a substantial amount of damage. An investigation was later conducted and two teenagers were found to be responsible. Enforcement action was taken including repairs of the damage.

South-Central Region

Madison area

Warden Nick King, of Green County, assisted the Green County Sheriff’s Department with a motorist stranded between two high water areas on a roadway in October. King had equipment that was able to transport the two persons back to an open roadway.

Warden King responded to the Badger State Ethanol Plant after an explosion occurred at the plant early one morning in October. King and other DNR staff investigated to ensure there were no environmental concerns as a result of the explosion.

Warden Paul Nadolski, of Portage, followed up on recovery of items from a smash-and-grab earlier this summer at Devil’s Lake State Park near Baraboo. He also investigated possible damage to state property at the Sauk-Prairie Recreational Area.

Wardens Pete McCormick, of Columbia County, and Nick King were on patrol in the Paradise Marsh State Wildlife Area when they observed two men hunting waterfowl. One decided to take aim at a sandhill crane flying high overhead. The wardens heard the hunter say he was going to shoot it if it came close enough. A few minutes later a red-winged black bird flew over and the other hunter took aim and shot it. The other man stated he wasn’t hunting and was just carrying a second shotgun for the other hunter because his gun jams often. McCormick asked the two men for their hunting licenses and only one of them had a valid license. King inspected the firearms and found that both were hunting waterfowl with lead shot. Enforcement action was taken.

Dodgeville area

Wardens David Youngquist, of Iowa County, was checking waterfowl hunters along the Wisconsin River and heard two late shots at 29 minutes after the close of season. A duck hunter came back some time later and had shot at some wood ducks after hours and had an unplugged shotgun. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden David Youngquist responded to a report of five dead trumpeter swans west of Fennimore that had been found dumped in trash cans at a wayside. The birds were, in fact, breasted-out Canada geese.

Rock River team, Dodge/Jefferson/Rock counties

Warden Pearl Worden, of Watertown, investigated a property owner suspected to have placed illegal bait for deer hunting. The investigation showed the property owner placed apples to attract deer for hunting in his backyard and also on another piece of property nearby. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Worden investigated a report of three individuals keeping undersized walleyes in the city of Fort Atkinson. When contacted, group members were found to be fishing without licenses, fishing with more than three hooks per person, and in possession of two walleyes under the legal size of 15 inches. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Kyle Johnson, of Janesville,  observed a hunter harvest a goose. Upon making contact and checking for a license, the hunter was found not to have a valid exterior zone goose permit. Enforcement action was taken.

Warden Johnson responded to a complaint of a crossbow bolt found stuck in the ground near a house. It was discovered that a hunter had been given permission to hunt nearby. Upon locating the treestand, Johnson observed an illegal salt block bait. The hunter had placed and hunted over the salt block. Enforcement action was taken.

Sauk City area

Warden Rich Maki, of Sauk County, contacted an individual in October archery hunting over illegal bait. It was found that the hunter had three other stands that were also baited and hunted this year. Enforcement action was taken.

Wardens Keith Meverden and Sean Neverman, both of Sauk County, conducted follow-up investigations into smash-and-grab vehicle theft cases that occurred at Pewit’s Nest State Natural Area. Criminal charges will be referred for the thefts.