DISTRICT 1 CO Brian Lasanen worked a patrol in Keweenaw County related to smelting activity. CO Lasanen discovered the river did not hold many smelt but was full of walleyes attempting to spawn. CO Lasanen watched three subjects dipping for smelt and observed two of the subjects return to their truck. They retrieved a tackle box and a garbage bag…
Division of Wildlife Central Ohio – Wildlife District 1 This spring, state wildlife officer John Coffman, assigned to Fayette County, assisted at Deer Creek Wildlife Area with controlled burns on state-owned lands. Spring burns are a great way to manage warm season grass fields that are key habitat for a variety of wildlife species. Burning removes old grasses, and allows…
SOUTHWEST REGION From the Game Commission Allegheny County Game Warden Evan McDaniel reports two individuals were charged for illegally killing a gobbler during the spring turkey season. The turkeys were seized from the individuals, and they both pleaded guilty to the charges. Allegheny, Beaver and Washington counties Land Management Group Supervisor Dan Puhala reports two separate woodcock nests were found…
District 1 – Baudette area CO Ben Huener (Roseau) contacted an individual who admitted to doing damage in Beltrami Island State Forest, including driving through a metal gate. Assistance was given to the Lake of the Woods Sheriff’s Office with a drowning at the Northwest Angle. CO Corey Sura (Baudette East) focused efforts on ATV and OHM enforcement. Enforcement action…
Northwest Zone – Captain Laura Petreikis In Henry County, CPO Posateri responded to an illegal dumping complaint at the parking area of the Hennepin Canal where two prescription bottles were located in the pile of landscaping waste. The officer met with the elderly Geneseo man and discussed the issue. It was determined that the bottles were likely filled with seeds…
Illegal Turkey (Jefferson County) On May 1, while patrolling a Fort Drum training area, ECO Woyton observed vehicles parked in an area closed to hunting/recreation. One of the vehicles, a truck, contained a recently harvested turkey in its bed. Fort Drum Conservation Law Enforcement contacted the truck owner by phone and advised him to return to the vehicle. Officer Woyton…
SOUTH-CENTRAL REGION Madison Team/April Warden Kyle Johnson, of Janesville, contacted a person actively fishing at Traxler Park in Janesville and found the person did not have a valid fishing license. Johnson gave the person the opportunity to purchase a license within a set time frame, or a citation would be issued. DNR records indicated the person never purchased a license…
District 1 – Baudette area CO Corey Sura (Baudette) checked anglers fishing on Upper Red Lake and Lake of the Woods. Enforcement action was taken for overlimits of walleyes, fishing with extra lines, and fishing without a current license. Sura also worked an AIS detail in the Baudette area. CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls) instructed at the CO Academy…
DISTRICT 1 CO Zach Painter and Probationary Conservation Officer (PCO) Joshua Salas, while on patrol in Gogebic County, responded to a report of a vehicle stuck on a rural road near Marenisco. The COs located the vehicle and two subjects inside who stated they had been stuck for approximately two hours after attempting to find a waterfall in the area….
Division of Wildlife • Central Ohio – Wildlife District 1 During the winter, state wildlife officer Matt Teders, assigned to Madison County, observed flashlights shining along an access lane while he was on night patrol at Deer Creek Wildlife Area. Officer Teders approached the area and found two individuals whose car was stuck in the snow. Officer Teders requested the…
SOUTHWEST REGION From the Game Commission Allegheny County Game Warden Douglas Bergman reports an investigation is ongoing regarding several unlawful treestands that were left on Hunter Access property past the date they were required to be removed. The treestands also weren’t marked in a conspicuous manner with the hunter’s information. Allegheny County Game Warden Madison Pugh reports resolution to a…
District 1 – Baudette area CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls) answered numerous calls concerning allegedly abandoned deer fawns. People are reminded that wild animals should stay in the wild. He also responded to nuisance-bear complaints and assisted in a wildfire investigation. CO Tony Elwell (Thief River Falls) monitored angling and conducted ATV patrols in the Beltrami Island State Forest….
Northwest Zone – Captain Laura Petreikis In JoDaviess County, CPO Hoftender is currently investigating a complaint of a subject discharging a firearm in the campground at Apple River Canyon State Park. When CPO Hoftender contacted the subject, he advised he was shooting at a cougar and was in fear for his life. When asked if he saw the cougar, he…
Get Greedy and Get Caught (Ulster County) On April 20, DEC Fisheries spent the day stocking trout in Rondout Creek and ECOs Walraven and Johnson patrolled the area to ensure anglers were taking fish in accordance with DEC regulations. The Officers decided to conduct a check of a fisherman taking trout and keeping them on a stringer. The fisherman was…
NORTHERN REGION Ashland Team/April Warden Lynna Martin, of Bayfield, investigated information from a local hunter who said the turkey he had shot was full of sunflower seeds. Martin checked the area and found a ground blind baited with seed. She returned the next morning and found a turkey hunter hunting over the seed. Spooner Team/April Warden Dustin Gabrielson, of Webster,…
District 1 – Baudette area CO Corey Sura (Baudette) spent time working ATV enforcement and checking anglers on Lake of the Woods throughout the week. Sura and CO Huener assisted with a field trip for Warroad elementary first-graders held at the historic Norris Camp. The officers talked to students about wildland survival and safety, and took the students on a…
DISTRICT 1 COs Phil Helminen, Jared Ferguson, and PCOs Josh Salas and Jacob Daniel were observing fishing activity during the spring walleye runs in the Menominee River. CO Helminen and PCO Salas observed a group of anglers catching walleyes and placing them on shore. The COs observed one individual take a walleye back to their vehicle and then return to…
Division of Wildlife Central Ohio – Wildlife District 1 During the statewide white-tailed deer gun hunting season last year, state wildlife officer Josh Elster, assigned to Pickaway County, was contacted about a butchered deer carcass, pizza box, and other trash observed along a road. The pizza box had a receipt with personal information attached. Officer Elster checked the harvest records…
SOUTHWEST REGION From the Game Commission Allegheny County Game Warden Evan McDaniel gave a warning for an expired range permit at State Game Land 203 shooting range. The shooter thought the year permit lasted a year from the date that it was purchased. The public is reminded that permits are valid July 1 through June 30. Armstrong and southern…
District 1 – Baudette area CO Corey Sura (Baudette) worked on an ongoing wetlands violation and followed up on a burning complaint in which an individual had been burning during a ban as well as burning prohibited materials such as tires and shingles. Anglers were checked at area accesses. CO Tony Elwell (Thief River Falls) monitored angling and boating activity…
Northwest Zone – Captain Laura Petreikis In JoDaviess County, CPO Hoftender checked a turkey hunter on opening day in the North Zone. The hunter was hunting without a valid hunting license or habitat stamp and his permit was not signed. CPO Hoftender issued a citation for hunting without a license and issued written warning for no habitat stamp and failure…
Fishing Violations (Warren County) On the morning of April 15, Lieutenant Higgins and ECO Brassard patrolled a small trout pond in Queensbury and discovered several anglers catching freshly stocked trout without incident. However, some anglers also possessed out-of-season chain pickerel. In addition, two fishermen had failed to buy a fishing license, resulting in tickets to the offenders. Later that afternoon,…
NORTHERN REGION Woodruff Team/April Warden Tim Ebert, of Minocqua, responded to a complaint of illegal activities along a lakeshore at an area residence. Upon investigation, Ebert found the landowner had directed the illegal removal of materials from the lake bed by a heavy equipment excavator. Multiple enforcement actions were taken. Antigo Team/April Warden Brad Dahlquist, of Langlade County, responded to…
District 1 – Baudette area CO Ben Huener (Roseau) went to Camp Ripley to instruct boat operation to new boat and water deputies. Anglers were checked on the Warroad River and Lake of the Woods. High winds made access to the lake challenging, and fishing overall was quite slow. CO Ryan Brown (Karlstad) reports working the fishing opener as well…
DISTRICT 1 CO Alex VanWagner followed up on a prior complaint regarding a collapsed ice shanty, which was left out on a lake in Iron County for multiple weeks. The subject previously stated the shanty was left out there after the Free Fishing Weekend. The CO recontacted the subject and the shanty was now sunk in and frozen in the…
Division of Wildlife Central Ohio – Wildlife District 1 State wildlife officer Chad Grote, assigned to Marion County, and wildlife officer supervisor Josh Shields attended the dedication of the Mallett Family Tract near Big Island Wildlife Area in April. The 415-acre tract was dedicated as public land for hunting, fishing, birding, and outdoor recreational opportunities. It was purchased in partnership…
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