Minnesota #DNR Conservation Officer Reports-July 29,2024 | The Mighty 790 KFGO

CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week working on a pre-employment background.

CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week patrolling Lake of the Woods and the Beltrami Island State Forest, as well as assisting local law enforcement agencies. Enforcement action was taken against ATV operators for failure to stop at a stop sign, failure to operate with required lighting, and failure to complete ATV safety training.

CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) reports increased ATV activity in the area. Time was spent working high traffic ATV areas and following up on ongoing investigations.

CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) conducted a youth ATV safety class during the Marshall County Fair, patrolled area trails for ATV activity, responded to an injured-deer call, and prepared for upcoming instruction at the CO Academy. Enforcement action was taken for ATV registration and angling without a license in possession violations.

CO Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) assisted in teaching an ATV safety class in Warren. Assistance was given to the Minnesota State Patrol in controlling traffic after a diesel tanker tipped over.

CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) monitored angling and ATV activity throughout the week. Time was spent assisting local agencies with calls for service.

Baudette East vacant.

Blackduck South vacant.

District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2024-07-29
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports attending a training meeting at Camp Ripley. Time was also spent checking anglers and watercraft operators. Various angling and boating related violations were encountered.

CO Andrew Ladzinski (Bemidji #1) followed up on various calls for service and answered questions relating to a bridge obstructing navigation on the Turtle River. Time was also spent preparing for the Beltrami County Fair.

CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) patrolled area lakes and rivers during the week. Water levels have remained steady through the month providing easy lake access and river navigation, which is a huge improvement over the previous three years. The fish bite has ranged from hot to nonexistent with many variables to consider this time of year. Additional time was spent on ATV and commercial enforcement.

CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) continues to spend time on fishing, boating and ATV enforcement. Several nuisance-animal complaints were fielded, and time was spent preparing for the upcoming field training process.

CO William Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week checking boating and angling activity, as well as following up with aquatic plant, wetland, and nuisance-animal complaints. Nuisance-bear calls have been common, but so far removing the food sources have discouraged them from returning. Enforcement action was taken for unauthorized weed rollers, angling without a license, and gunwale riding.

CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on ATV and off-road vehicle activity. Angling and boating activities were also worked. Leeching regulation questions were answered, and a complaint of removal of a beaver dam and house is under investigation.

CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) checked anglers and worked boating safety at a catfish tournament on the Red River. Good-sized fish were seen throughout the day. Assistance was provided to an area county on a call about a fight at a local swim beach. Calls about bears were addressed again. He would like to remind everyone to keep everything cleaned up, secured, and give the bears time and space to move on.

CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #2) monitored area angling and ATV activity. Additional time was spent handling numerous nuisance-bear complaints, answering calls from the public, assisting Itasca State Park staff with an injured cyclist, and training with the DNR intern. Enforcement action was taken for failure to have a legal lifesaving device on a watercraft, watercraft registration issues, operating an ATV without lights, failure to display ATV registration, and operating an ATV on roads and rights-of-way where prohibited.

Pelican Rapids vacant.

District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2024-07-29
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports attending a training meeting at Camp Ripley. Time was also spent checking anglers and watercraft operators. Various angling and boating related violations were encountered.

CO Andrew Ladzinski (Bemidji #1) followed up on various calls for service and answered questions relating to a bridge obstructing navigation on the Turtle River. Time was also spent preparing for the Beltrami County Fair.

CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) patrolled area lakes and rivers during the week. Water levels have remained steady through the month providing easy lake access and river navigation, which is a huge improvement over the previous three years. The fish bite has ranged from hot to nonexistent with many variables to consider this time of year. Additional time was spent on ATV and commercial enforcement.

CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) continues to spend time on fishing, boating and ATV enforcement. Several nuisance-animal complaints were fielded, and time was spent preparing for the upcoming field training process.

CO William Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week checking boating and angling activity, as well as following up with aquatic plant, wetland, and nuisance-animal complaints. Nuisance-bear calls have been common, but so far removing the food sources have discouraged them from returning. Enforcement action was taken for unauthorized weed rollers, angling without a license, and gunwale riding.

CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on ATV and off-road vehicle activity. Angling and boating activities were also worked. Leeching regulation questions were answered, and a complaint of removal of a beaver dam and house is under investigation.

CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) checked anglers and worked boating safety at a catfish tournament on the Red River. Good-sized fish were seen throughout the day. Assistance was provided to an area county on a call about a fight at a local swim beach. Calls about bears were addressed again. He would like to remind everyone to keep everything cleaned up, secured, and give the bears time and space to move on.

CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #2) monitored area angling and ATV activity. Additional time was spent handling numerous nuisance-bear complaints, answering calls from the public, assisting Itasca State Park staff with an injured cyclist, and training with the DNR intern. Enforcement action was taken for failure to have a legal lifesaving device on a watercraft, watercraft registration issues, operating an ATV without lights, failure to display ATV registration, and operating an ATV on roads and rights-of-way where prohibited.

Pelican Rapids vacant.

District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2024-07-29
CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the area for angling, boating, and recreational vehicle traffic. Baum followed up on multiple beaver-related complaints throughout the area. Baum also followed up on several aquatic plant and public water violations. Baum wants to remind waterfront property owners to review ?Do I Need a Permit? section on the DNR website before conducting work along the water edge or in the water.

CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) spent a majority of the week working ATV enforcement. Several people were in the area for the Menahga Midsummer Music Festival. Enforcement action for the week included failure to display ATV registration, operating an off-highway motorcycle on a public highway, operating an unlicensed watercraft, and fishing without a license. A firearms safety laws and ethics presentation was presented to 22 students at the Verndale Fire Hall.

CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) spoke at a lake association meeting. She also took multiple nuisance-bear calls and a netting TIP. Enforcement action taken on AIS violations.

CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports assisting with the CO Academy at Camp Ripley. He has also started a new employee pre-employment background investigation. He also reports assisting another agency with locating a missing adult.

CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily taught at the CO Academy and worked on a pre-employment background investigation. Mathy also investigated an incident where a bear was killed and took a call of a separate unrelated incident where a bear was found dead. ATV riders and anglers were checked, and enforcement action was taken for an ATV violation.

CO Michael Cross (Lake George) reports assisting with the CO Academy, conducting a background investigation, and fielding multiple calls about nuisance bears and possible wolf depredations.

ATV rec officer vacancy.