DISTRICT 1 CO Zach Painter was on patrol in Gogebic County and responded to an officer calling for backup on a Department of Health and Human Safety assist. While assisting, CO Painter was shown a pet grey squirrel in a cage by one of the children in the home. CO Painter asked the child how he got the squirrel and…
Division of Wildlife Central Ohio – Wildlife District 1 During the 2019-2020 deer hunting season, state wildlife officer John Coffman, assigned to Fayette County, received a complaint about a deer that was caught in a snare. The deer was released unharmed. Further investigation found several untagged snares, and a dead deer in one snare. The snares went unchecked for a…
SOUTHCENTRAL REGION From the Game Commission Cumberland County Game Warden John Fetchkan reports that, even though Cumberland County had more bears harvested last season than ever before, there still have been some of the same nuisance issues with bears getting into birdfeeders, dumpsters, discarded food and outdoor pet food. If these food sources are eliminated, the problems often go away….
District 1 – Baudette area CO Ben Huener (Roseau) monitored area angling and ATV activity, as well as wildlife management areas around Roseau and Lake of the Woods counties. Assistance was given with a nuisance bear issue. CO Marc Johnson (Warroad South) primarily worked angling activity on Lake of the Woods and public accesses, and ATV enforcement on local trails….
Northwest Zone – Captain Laura Petreikis In Rock Island County, CPO Posateri responded to a complaint of someone trespassing on private property. CPO responded to the area and located a couple on an ATV. The Aledo man was cited for shed hunting without permission and his fiancé was issued a written warning. In Whiteside County, CPO Posateri completed an investigation…
(Editor’s note: A criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the state of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.) Fresh Tracks Lead to…
WEST-CENTRAL REGION Lower Chippewa Team/April Wardens Charles Ackerman, of Clark County, and Ken Thomson investigated a complaint concerning an individual who was baiting turkeys. They found the individual had placed corn in front of a ground blind and allowed a juvenile hunter to shoot a turkey at the illegal bait site. Wardens Kevin Christorf and Bob Kneeland investigated an illegal…
DISTRICT 1 CO Jenni Hanson received a complaint regarding potentially orphaned bear cubs in Ontonagon County. CO Hanson located the cubs but saw no sign of a sow nearby. After monitoring for a few weeks, it was determined the cubs were indeed orphaned. CO Hanson and DNR wildlife biologist Brad Johnson captured the cubs and transported them to a local…
Division of Wildlife Central Ohio – Wildlife District 1 During the deer gun season, state wildlife officer Matt Teders and state wildlife investigator Chris Rice were on patrol in Madison County. A group of hunters were observed exiting a woodlot. The officers contacted the group to check for license and bag limit compliance. Officer Teders recognized one of the individuals…
NORTHCENTRAL REGION From the Game Commission Lycoming County Game Warden Harold Cole reports game lands use increased with COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Unfortunately, it also was accompanied increased litter and tire tracks in areas closed to vehicles. Tioga County Game Warden Michael Smith reports seeing more and more vehicles on closed roads. McKean County Game Warden Jeffrey Orwig reports investigating the…
NORTHERN REGION Park Falls Team/April Warden Tom Heisler, Jr., of Winter, received multiple calls regarding two dead tundra swans, just feet apart, near the bridge on Moose Lake. Callers were not sure what caused their death. After viewing the area, Heisler was able to determine the pair flew into the power lines while crossing the river. This was apparent by…
Northwest Zone – Captain Laura Petreikis In Mercer County, CPO Francisko #349 completed an investigation into a Reynolds IL man’s poaching of a wild turkey. On Nov. 13, 2019, the subject was archery deer hunting. A wild turkey came into range and the man decided to harvest the turkey knowing full well he did not possess a fall wild turkey…
(Editor’s note: A criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the state of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.) Tractor Trailer Rollover (Queens…
District 1 – Baudette area CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers on the Roseau River and Lake of the Woods. A fire was investigated, and enforcement action was taken for burning without a permit. A deer season license issue also was investigated. CO Marc Johnson (Warroad) worked primarily angling and ATVing enforcement. Violations encountered included illegal-length walleyes, expired boat registration,…
DISTRICT 1 CO Jeffrey Dell received a complaint from a subject whose residence and vehicle had been struck by a bullet. CO Dell was able to determine the bullet had originated from a neighboring property. CO Dell contacted the owner of the neighboring property and observed several targets that were in the direction of the victim’s residence. Also observed was…
Division of Wildlife Central Ohio – Wildlife District 1 During the deer gun season, state wildlife officer Josh Elster, assigned to Pickaway County, was contacted regarding a possible deer hunting violation. Two subjects were observed walking across a field carrying guns, and only one subject was wearing the required hunter orange. Officer Elster arrived and observed the subjects walking out…
SOUTHWEST REGION From the Game Commission Allegheny, Beaver and Washington counties Land Management Group Supervisor Dan Puhala reports Game Commission habitat crews were hard at work during COVID-19 shooting range closures. Crews had the opportunity to make the most of a difficult situation and completed several needed repairs and restorations to the State Game Land 203 ranges that will be…
District 1 – Baudette area CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers on the Roseau River and Lake of the Woods. A barred owl was rescued from the Roseau River. It had become entangled in fishing line that was attached to a snagged lure in a tree. The wet, hypothermic owl was untangled, dried off, warmed up, and released to the…
Northwest Zone – Captain Laura Petreikis In Henry County, CPO Posateri recovered a dead bald eagle at an interstate rest area. The eagle was turned over to the USFWS where it will then be shipped to the Eagle Repository as required by law. In JoDaviess County, Despite the state wide closure of the state park system a man from Chicago…
(Editor’s note: A criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the state of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.) DEC personnel from across…
SOUTHEAST REGION Racine/Kenosha/Walworth counties March team report Warden Brandon Smith, of Twin Lake, in cooperation with Illinois DNR, finished an investigation involving a person found to have been hunting along the Wisconsin-Illinois state line in violation of multiple hunting and baiting laws in both states. Enforcement action was taken for placing and hunting over illegal bait, hunting during closed season,…
District 1 – Baudette area CO Ben Huener (Roseau) worked angling enforcement and assisted the Roseau Police Department with a search warrant. A report was received and investigated concerning a decapitated bear that was illegally dumped. CO Aaron Larson (Baudette) worked angling, ATVing, and trapping enforcement. With high winds and cold weather during the opening weekend, anglers mainly fished the…
DISTRICT 1 COs Jared Ferguson and Jeff Dell combined efforts to serve an individual who shot two 8-point antlered deer in the 2019 rifle firearm season. CO Dell was able to track the subject down at his place of residence and serve him his misdemeanor warrants. While on patrol in southern Iron County, Corporal (Cpl.) Dave Painter and CO Anna…
Division of Wildlife Central Ohio – Wildlife District 1 While on boat patrol at Indian Lake, state wildlife officer Adam Smith, assigned to Logan County, observed an angler fishing from a golf cart that was backed up to the water’s edge. It was discovered that this 17-year-old angler was fishing without a license and did not have a valid driver’s…
SOUTHCENTRALREGION From the Game Commission Blair and Bedford counties Game Warden Brandon Pfister reports that a Blair County man has pleaded guilty to the unlawful taking of game and wildlife, using a vehicle to locate game, unlawful transportation of game and wildlife, along with various other corresponding charges. There were a total of 67 charges against the defendant. About $30,000…
District 1 – Baudette area CO Ben Huener (Roseau) worked ATV enforcement, turkey hunting, and beaver trapping around Roseau, Marshall, and Kittson counties. He also monitored sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River. CO Marc Johnson (Warroad) worked angling activity on the Rainy River and at local public accesses. In addition, he patrolled area state forests and assisted DNR Forestry with…
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