The Latest Minnesota Conservation Officer Report

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WEEKLY REPORT

6-24-2019

District 1 – Baudette area
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers on the Roseau River, Red Lake River, and Lake of the Woods. EVOC training was attended at Camp Ripley. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, angling with extra lines, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, and failure to transfer ownership of a watercraft.
CO Tony Elwell (Thief River Falls East) worked boat and water safety, angling enforcement and ATV enforcement this past week. Elwell also fielded a number of calls about nuisance bears, one of which was a young bear in the city of Thief River Falls. The bear was behaving itself as it traveled through town and there were no reports of bird feeder damage, trash-can pillaging, or stolen picnic baskets. Enforcement action was taken for failure to display current watercraft
registration, various PFD violations, failure to display valid ATV registration, and operating a Class I ATV on a county highway.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports working AIS, boating and angling activity on special regulation lakes throughout the past week. Time was spent patrolling area ATV trails and issuing wildlife possession permits. An ongoing trapping case was completed and enforcement action taken for trap-tending violations and failure to remove traps after the close of the trapping
seasons. Enforcement action for the week also included violations related to littering, boating equipment, safety equipment, possession of northern pike in the protected slot, and angling licenses.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) spent time at Camp Ripley training current officers in emergency vehicle operations. Time was spent working ATV, angling, and commercial minnow enforcement as well.
CO Hannah Mishler (Baudette East) focused on angling and ATV activity and enforcement. Follow up was completed on an overlimit of walleyes coming in from Ontario. Training was done with K9 Storm.

Baudette West – vacant.
Warroad South – vacant.
Karlstad – vacant.
District 2 – Bemidji area
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports spending time at Camp Ripley for training. Time was also spent checking anglers. A dual public waters/wetland violation site was inspected with area SWCD and BWSR staff.
CO Tim Gray (Bagley) handled numerous wildlife-related calls and attended training.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) worked boating and angling activity on area lakes. Anglers are reporting a good evening/night bite. He investigated a complaint with CO Regas regarding individuals taking snapping turtles out of season and throwing them into a fire. The investigation revealed numerous other violations. Several individuals will be receiving citations.

CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports conducting annual emergency vehicle operation training for Division officers and investigating TIPs of possible overlimits. Vinton responded to a call for assistance from the Becker County Sheriff’s Office about a missing 2-year-old. The child was found under the bed. He also assisted the Detroit Lakes Police Department with an accident involving an injured child. Vinton was the guest speaker for the Rush Lake association meeting. Several topics of concern from cabin owners were addressed. Enforcement action was taken for fishing without a license, burning prohibited materials and passing in a no passing zone.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the week working fishing, leech trapping and boating enforcement. Time this past week was also spent working nuisance beaver, bear, and goose complaints. Overall the fishing bite was steady all week and limits of walleyes and sunfish were
seen.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) attended fraud investigation training.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working sport fishing. Time was also spent assisting with EVOC training at Camp Ripley.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) worked boating and angling activity. Follow up on a complaint of a paddleboat left on an AMA was completed. A complaint of leeching on waterfowl production areas was received and worked on with Tribal conservation officers. Warren assisted a local resort with angling license sale issues and regulation questions. A complaint of ATV trespass was received with extra patrol requested. Warren assisted Becker County with a call of a possible intoxicated driver.

CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent the past week checking angling, ATV, AIS, and boat and water safety. Those anglers looking for panfish are finding a decent bite, while those searching for walleyes continue to struggle. Calls from the public included requests for possession permits and reports of “abandoned baby animals.” Landmark would like to remind people that young animals are often not abandoned and the mother is usually nearby. Landmark also spoke at a local lake association meeting and seized deer stands that were discovered in Maplewood State Park. Enforcement action was taken for off-highway motorcycle violations.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
CO Troy Richards (Fergus Falls) reports fishing continues to be good with water temperatures being stable. Some lakes had their first mayfly hatch of the year. Questions were answered about nuisance geese around lakeshore property. Enforcement efforts were mainly for fishing, boat safety, AIS, and ATVs.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) focused enforcement efforts on invasive species through the week and assisted at the Academy with scenario day. Plautz finalized a complaint where a muskie was shot by two bowfishers; charges are pending. Plautz responded to a TIP call where a lakeshore owner was irritated with a group of Canada Geese so he shot one with a 12 gauge shotgun. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Brian Holt (Osakis) checked anglers and ATV activity during the week. Complaints were received regarding car-killed deer and possible APM violations. Time was also spent on TIP complaints and assisting a neighboring officer with an ATV accident. Enforcement activity related to angling licenses, snapping turtles, AIS and boat registrations.
CO Dan Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers and following up on fishing complaints. Baumbarger fielded calls about injured/orphaned wildlife and answered questions regarding ATV operation rules.
Morris – vacant.
Wheaton – vacant.
District 4 – Walker area
CO Jacqueline Hughes (Longville) reports continued checks of anglers and ATV riders. She investigated a goose taken out of season and assisted Wildlife in catching three bear cubs that were brought to a wildlife rehab facility after the sow was killed by a car.

CO Randy Posner (Staples) worked on fishing enforcement this past week. The anglers are out and the walleye bite has slowed. The sunfish, bass and northern pike have been active and the most cooperative for anglers. Some of the violations he observed were no fishing license. Boating enforcement also received some time this past week; specifically, personal watercraft within 150 feet of shore and expired registration. He also worked on aquatic invasive species prevention on Fishtrap Lake and the Crow Wing river. Water in livewells and aquatic vegetation on trailers were found.

CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) reports a busy summer week in the area. Several anglers, boaters, and ATV riders were checked in the area. Separate complaints of cattails removal and illegal-length walleyes were investigated that led to enforcement action taken on both incidents. Mathy attended emergency vehicle operations training at Camp Ripley. Enforcement action was taken for extra lines, angling without a license, and boating and ATV violations.

Lake George – vacant.
Park Rapids – vacant.
Walker – vacant.
Remer – vacant.
District 5 – Eveleth area
CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls #1) reports the first part of last week was spent instructing fellow officers in emergency vehicle operations and response at Camp Ripley. Animal-related complaints and ATV operation complaints were handled throughout the week as well. The week ended with conducting a game and fish check at the International Falls U.S. Customs Port of Entry. Enforcement action for the week included an overlimit of fish, transporting unidentifiable and uncountable fish, and license violations.
CO Shane Zavodnik (International Falls #2) spent time working ATV and angling enforcement during the week. Water temperatures have risen and fishing success has noticeably seemed to pick up while talking to and checking anglers over the past week. Zavodnik reminds OHV operators to know the rules and regulations regarding them, including age restrictions, legal roadways for ATV travel, transfer of ownership, and general operations. He also spent time at U.S. Customs working angling and AIS enforcement. A few violations found over the week included possessing fish unlawfully taken or possessed in Canada, failure to drain a livewell, bilges, etc., failure to complete an independent study before continuing to operate an ATV, and a
parent/guardian allowing illegal operation of an ATV by a minor.
CO John Slatinski IV (Ray) reports boating and angling were the prominent activities this past week. Anglers reported that success has been better than the previous week. Commercial activity was monitored for compliance. A landowner was contacted when open fires were noted on their property in the middle of the day. It was found they did not have permit and the fires were extinguished. Along with a neighboring officer, Slatinski assisted with locating a canoe on the Littlefork River that had been reported by another paddler. The canoe was lodged up against a rock in the middle of the river and was full of water. The reporting party had also found camping
gear floating further downstream several days prior to getting off the river. The canoe was located and the owner was identified. The owner said everyone was accounted for and nobody was injured.

CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports monitoring area lakes for angling and boating activities. Public access sites were visited. Beaver complaints continue. Area forest roads were checked. Equipment work was completed and various office tasks were completed.
CO Duke Broughten (Cook) spent the week monitoring angling, boating, and ATV activity. Anglers reported limited success this past week. He worked compliance with AIS laws, assisted local law enforcement with a welfare check on a Lake Vermilion island and attended training at Camp Ripley.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) spoke at a firearms safety and bowhunter education class at the Laurentian Learning Center in Britt. Nice weather brought out plenty of boaters onto Virginia- area lakes. Enforcement action was taken for registration and PFD violations. ATV activity remains steady with a wide variety of violations including driving after revocation, registration issues and operating ATVs on snowmobile trails.
Aurora – vacant.
District 6 – Two Harbors area
CO Sean Williams (Ely #1) spent the week performing commercial inspections of local bait dealers and retailers. He also focused on aquatic invasive enforcement and found a very high level of compliance. Violations included expired watercraft registration, no throwable PFD and a dog chasing deer.

CO John Velsvaag (Ely #2) checked boaters and anglers this past week. He also conducted AIS work and a special boat and water project. Velsvaag took multiple nuisance-animal calls and questions about the new northern pike regulations

CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) checked anglers and ATV operators throughout the week. The area was quiet, with many anglers heading to the Canadian side of the border.

CO Mary Manning (Hovland) contacted numerous ATV operators. One couple had gotten turned around. They had a map but they had no idea where they were and had not stopped at the previous intersection to check the street sign. Manning checked anglers and boaters on inland lakes and at state and Forest Service campgrounds. She also assisted Cook County searching for a person on a welfare check and took a complaint about foxes killing chickens.

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) worked angling, boating, and AIS enforcement throughout the week. A stripped-out boat was dumped at the One Pine access with all identifying information painted over or removed. Bermel was able to scrape paint away from the registration number and track down the owner of the boat. They removed it and a litter citation was issued. Other enforcement action included failure to display watercraft registration and no PFDs.

CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked area boating and angling activity this past week. Time was also spent working AIS laws at accesses and roads.

CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked ATV and boating activity during the week. Fishing began to pick up early in the week with some nice fish being caught, but bring your bug spray at the boat landing. Murray also completed commercial inspections and attended a training session at Camp Ripley.
District 7 – Grand Rapids area
CO Jayson Hansen (Big Fork) worked fishing, AIS, boating, and ATV enforcement. He
answered wildlife-related calls and patrolled parks and campgrounds. He also attended training and provided training.

CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) checked anglers, instructed EVOC, monitored OHV activity and investigated a fire. Fairbanks and his K9 partner Si also attended the USPCA Region 12 PD1 K9 trials and assisted the county in locating stolen firearms. Area anglers had good success this past week. Enforcement action was taken for license issues and angling with extra lines.

CO Jimmy Van Asch (Pengilly) reports working angling, boating, AIS, and ATV enforcement. Nuisance-bear complaints remain a constant in the area. The public is reminded to remove all food sources (bird feeders, for example) in the area to prevent any further bear complaints. Van Asch also spent time assisting the DNR K9 Unit with patrol trials and instructing at annual EVOC training held at Camp Ripley.

CO Taylor Hochstein (Hill City) continued to focus on ATV and fishing enforcement. Time was spent working with the Itasca County Sheriff’s Department putting on a boating safety course for youth students on Pokegama Lake. Enforcement action was taken for various ATV, ORV, and fishing violations.

NE ATV officer – vacant.
District 8 – Duluth area
CO Jacob Willis (Brookston) responded to a fire on an ATV bridge near Meadowlands. The cause is still under investigation. Training was attended and anglers were checked on local waters. Enforcement action was taken for expired ATV registration and for transporting fish without the required skin patch.
CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth East) continued to work fishing and boating enforcement around the Duluth area. Time was also spent checking accesses and talking with people about invasive species, including livewell water, weeds on trailers and removal of drain plugs. ATV activity was also monitored during the week. Duncan also followed up on a wetland violation that required paperwork to be served to a landowner. Time was also spent investigating illegal work activity within an aquatic management area.
CO Scott Staples (Carlton) attended annual K9 certification trials in Lino Lakes where K9 Schody got certified for another year of patrol work. Complaints of nuisance beavers and bears were handled in the area. People are reminded to remove food sources (including bird feeders) if you do not want to attract bears. Extra patrols were conducted in area state parks. Lake Superior Marine Unit
CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) fielded complaints on bears wreaking havoc within the City of Duluth. Please keep trash cans in until the pickup day and remember that bird feeders are also bear feeders. Please take them in! Olson worked AIS enforcement on area lakes north of Duluth. Compliance remains good with most boaters aware of the laws.

CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) prepared materials for a boating safety class. Trollers were checked on Lake Superior and charter records issues followed up on. Equipment maintenance items were handled and ATV complaints checked. A report of dogs killing a young deer was determined to be scavenging on roadkill. Enforcement action was taken for angling violations.
Lake Superior Unit – vacant.
District 9 – Brainerd area
CO Eric Sullivan (Pequot Lakes) reports heavy ORV use in the Foot Hills State Forest continued this past week, even with reports of very dry and dusty trails. Violation rates were also high as operators are illegally operating in the road right-of-way, failing to display valid registration, and not purchasing trail passes. Youth operation with no helmets was also observed. Sullivan also was involved with an aquatic invasive species enforcement detail. Violations observed during the
detail were failure to remove drain plugs and transporting aquatic macrophytes. An abandoned SUV was also located stuck in a mud hole.
CO Bob Mlynar (Aitkin) worked angling, boating and invasive species activity. A law
presentation was given at an MDHA Forkhorn camp. Lakeshore properties were also monitored for lakebed and aquatic vegetation removal.
CO Jim Guida (Brainerd East) worked sport fishing and boat and water safety enforcement this past week. Guida detected violations relating to personal floatation devices, required sound- producing devices, and watercraft registration. A call was received and investigated regarding a loon and her chicks nearly being run over by a watercraft on an area lake.
CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) reports activity this past week of patrolling area lakes and the Mississippi River for boating, fishing, and AIS activity. A complaint of somebody illegally shooting and killing a great blue heron while it stood in the caller’s driveway was investigated. Numerous enforcement contacts were made for violations including tampering with a beaver dam without a permit and miscellaneous boating equipment and fishing license issues.
CO Scott Fitzgerald (CCSRA) reports assisting with defensive tactics training at Camp Ripley with the new CO cadets. He followed up on illegal vehicle complaints in the SRA and many outdoor law-related questions were answered. Fitzgerald patrolled the Mississippi River with neighboring officer and checked quite a few anglers. Most had reported catching some fish. Area mine lakes were checked for fishing and boating activity and time was spent checking for illegal dispersed camping in the SRA. Time was also spent working AIS enforcement during the weekend. Assistance was given to the Minnesota State Patrol on several calls for service. Enforcement action was taken for various fishing and boating related violations.
CO Amber Ladd (McGregor) assisted with Academy training at Camp Ripley. Ladd also assisted in instructing a boating safety class on Pokegama Lake to a large group of youth eager to get out on the water.
District 10 – Mille Lacs area
CO Gregory Verkuilen (Garrison) worked lake activity and saw in influx of nonresidents as summer vacations ramp up. Several bear reports were taken from different areas of the station, indicating natural food may be scarce. Verkuilen also checked invasive species as several plugs were seen in boats and lake weeds have grown lush enough to grab trailers.
CO Ben Karon (Isle) spent time following up and closing previous cases. Enforcement action was taken for burning prohibited material and leaving a fire unattended. Remember to remain with your fire or fully extinguish it. Time was spent on ATV patrol and checking anglers and boaters.
CO Ashley Whiteoak (Malmo) worked fishing, boating, invasive species, and ATV enforcement. Enforcement action was taken for fishing without a license, expired boat registration, failing to transfer watercraft ownership, boating without legal life jackets, failure to remove a drain plug while transporting watercraft, transporting watercraft with aquatic plants attached, and operating an ATV without lights. Whiteoak also followed up on a nuisance bear that was shot without
notifying a conservation officer afterward. The subject also trespassed to dump the bear onto another person’s property.
CO Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) worked AIS enforcement throughout the week.
Enforcement action was taken for failing to remove a drain plug. Speldrich followed up on an ongoing investigation and answered ATV and boating questions. She also issued a cease and desist order for a wetland violation.
CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) worked with ranchers who continued to struggle with wolves harassing livestock and killing calves. Reports of hungry black bears on porches and decks also kept homeowners on their toes and making sure garbage and bird feeders were locked up and put out of reach. A couple of the reports involved bears hanging out near graduation parties, likely checking out the smells of outdoor cooking and extra garbage.
CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) assisted with Academy training during the week, providing instruction on making observations of baiting and other violations. Time was also spent checking boaters for invasive species violations and checking for ATV violations.
District 11 – St. Cloud area

CO Annette Kyllo (Pierz) reports spending a busy week checking boaters and anglers. Most anglers seem to be having moderate success. Kyllo also contacted an individual who is kayaking down the Mississippi River, starting in Itasca State Park three weeks ago. The individual was happy to talk about his trip, but had to get going much too soon as he planned on paddling 15 more miles to his next campsite before sundown.

CO Todd VanderWeyst (Paynesville) worked angling and boating activity this past week. He received calls of injured and road-killed animals. He also handled administrative and maintenance tasks.

CO Frank Rezac (St. Cloud) reports investigating a fish overlimit complaint, checking ATV operators, and checking boaters/anglers on area lakes. Equipment maintenance and repairs were also completed.

CO Leah Kampa (Annandale) spent the week working AIS, fishing and boating activity. Time was spent on a littering complaint. Enforcement action for the week included
possessing/transporting prohibited invasive species without a permit, fishing without a license, failure to display valid registration on a watercraft and failure to have a throwable flotation device on board a watercraft.

CO Keith Bertram (Long Prairie) reports handling a number of odd calls last week. Examples include a reported cougar sighting that was actually a fisher, a person in possession of a fawn deer, and an angler who became upset watching a pelican eat fish near his dock. He decided to shoot the pelican. Bears and beavers continue to cause problems in the area.
District 12 – Princeton area
CO Angela Londgren (Cambridge) attended EVOC training at Camp Ripley, checked anglers and boating activity, and patrolled state lands. Londgren also took nuisance animal-related complaints and patrolled ATV complaint areas.

CO Nathan Benkofske (Milaca) reports checking anglers and boaters over the past week. AIS prevention work was also completed. The most common violation this past week was not having enough life jackets for the number of people on board. Benkofske wants to remind everyone to be safe while on the water.

CO Mike Krauel (Mora) spent the week checking anglers and for AIS compliance. Time was also spent at Division training. Krauel also assisted at the CO Academy.

CO Rick Reller (Buffalo) responded to several wildlife-related calls this past week involving a deer doe being protective of her fawn and kicking a dog that got too close and a hen mallard that had a nest in a flower planter in a busy mall parking lot. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, failure to transfer ownership of watercraft and transporting watercraft with aquatic vegetation on it.

CO Trent Seamans (Big Lake) focused enforcement efforts on anglers and boaters. More drift- boats were observed as Mississippi River levels continue to drop. Additional time was spent attending emergency vehicle operations training and helping with the Academy. Nuisance beaver complaints were addressed.

CO Blong Lor (Center City) spent the week working anglers and boaters. Numerous bear and nuisance animal-related complaints were handled. He also spent time investigating ongoing complaints in the area.
District 13 – West Metro area
CO Brent Grewe (Minnetonka) spent time this past week monitoring anglers and AIS
compliance and training with K9 Shelby. Grewe also spoke at a water safety fair and attended a fishing clinic for kids. Violations this past week included failing to remove a boat drain plug while in transport and failing to remove aquatic vegetation from a boat and trailer.
CO Vang Lee (ELCOP) worked shore anglers and patrolled the Gateway State Trail. He attended EVOC training at Camp Ripley and handled a nuisance-animal complaint in Minneapolis. Lee also returned phone calls from the Asian community on youth firearms safety classes and fishing regulations.
CO Thephong Le (ELCOP) attended a POST-mandated EVOC training at Camp Ripley. He worked boating, fishing and AIS activities in the district. He took enforcement action for no angling license, no angling license in possession, taking/possessing more than one walleye over 20 inches, and failure to display valid boat registration.
CO Mike Lerchen (Bloomington) reports spending time working an AIS detail. Time was also spent following up on a call of an injured deer near a local cemetery. Enforcement action was taken for extra lines and fishing without a fishing license.
CO Alexander Birdsall (Waconia) reports recreational boating is increasing as temperatures slowly increase. Remember to remain vigilant on the lakes for jet skis and smaller watercraft such as kayaks and paddleboards. Enforcement action was taken for no angling license and PWCs were stopped for unsafe operation on the lakes.
CO Arnaud Kpachavi (Mound) focused activity on boat and water safety and angling
enforcement. Kpachavi attended a fishing event for kids and patrolled area lakes. Enforcement action was taken for license and registration violations and angling with multiple lines.
CO James Fogarty (Prior Lake) reports working primarily angling activity. He patrolled area lakes and handled multiple wildlife-related complaints.
Ft. Snelling – vacant.
District 14 – East Metro area

CO Garrett Thomas (Eagan) patrolled for illegal ATV activity within a local AMA and
monitored fishing activity at local lakes. He also responded to calls regarding illegal netting, damage to property, and nuisance beavers. Enforcement action was taken for a variety of things including fishing without a license and littering. Thomas also arrested an individual found to have a felony drug warrant.

CO Luke Gutzwiller (White Bear Lake) spent time working angling and recreational
enforcement. Enforcement action was taken for transporting prohibited invasive species without a permit, angling without a license, allowing a minor to violate fish and game laws and the use of game fish for bait. Gutzwiller issued a cease and desist order involving a wetland violation. Time was also spent assisting with a safety camp for youth held in Fridley.

CO Chris Tetrault (Maplewood) checked anglers over the week. He received mixed reports on the bite. Tetrault looked for compliance with aquatic invasive species laws. Follow up was conducted regarding ongoing investigations and equipment maintenance was conducted.

CO Joe Kulhanek (Hastings) spent the week monitoring anglers in the area. He also spent time at Camp Ripley instructing emergency vehicle operations. Enforcement action for the week included fishing violations.

Metro Officer – vacant.
District 15 – Marshall area
CO Andrew Dirks (Worthington) spent time during the week checking anglers and recreational watercraft and attending training for emergency vehicle operation at Camp Ripley. Enforcement action included license violations.
CO Matt Loftness (Marshall) spent the week working fishing, boating, AIS, and ATV
enforcement. With lake water temperatures continuing to climb, most anglers have switched to pulling artificial lures to find the walleyes. There continues to be a good walleye bite on plenty of area lakes. ATV enforcement continues to focus on illegal road operation and the Ag Zone ditch restrictions. Training was attended at Camp Ripley.
CO Craig Miska (Ortonville) monitored AIS, angling, boating and OHV activity during the week. Time was spent assisting with emergency vehicle operation training at Camp Ripley.
Lake Benton – vacant.
Benson – vacant.
Montevideo – vacant.
District 16 – New Ulm area

CO Jeff Denz (Willmar-West) followed up on wetland and animal-related complaints. Time was also spent following up on investigations.
CO Shane Vernier (Willmar-East) worked boating and angling activity. He assisted with scenarios at Camp Ripley for Academy 19. Vernier also attended Division training and followed up on a wetland complaint.
CO Nicholas Klehr (Litchfield) spent the majority of the week at Camp Ripley training officers on emergency vehicle operations. Klehr also assisted with the Academy scenarios where new hires had to deal with situations dealing with fire investigation and litter. Other time was spent at an ATV safety class and following up on reports of dogs chasing deer.
CO Thor Nelson (New Ulm) assisted sheriff’s deputies attempting to locate possible burglary suspects. He also attended emergency driving training. Nelson worked boating, angling, ATV, and invasive species activities.
CO Dustin Miller (Windom) worked a TIP event in the north metro and attended training at Camp Ripley over the past week. Enforcement efforts focused around boating and angling activity.
CO Mike Gruhlke (Jackson) continued to center his activity on boat and water safety, AIS, and motor vehicle enforcement. Some crappie action has taken place on a couple of lakes in the county. Gruhlke and CO Schettler worked an AIS detail in Jackson County with very good compliance.
CO Eric Schettler (Fairmont) checked anglers and boaters. Public accesses were patrolled. AIS efforts and inspection continue on water and at accesses. Nuisance animal-related calls were responded to.
District 17 – Mankato area
CO Chris Howe (St. Peter) spent much of the week enforcing laws related to angling, boating, and aquatic invasive species. Activity was moderate to heavy, depending on the day’s weather. Panfish and walleyes are both coming off of area lakes. An AIS “saturation detail” was conducted in the Le Sueur/Blue Earth county lakes area with neighboring officers. In general, compliance was good, except related to bait containers coming back in off the lake. Anglers are reminded that the law requires all water to be drained from portable bait containers before leaving the water access or riparian property, including bait containers that haven’t been placed in lake or river water. Numerous anglers were educated on the law, preventing them from inadvertently violating it when leaving the public water access. The week was capped off by participating in “Casting with Cops,” an excellent youth angling program in St. Peter. It was very well attended, and got rave reviews from participants, parents, and the law enforcement officers assisting with the event.

CO Tony Flerlage (Spring Valley) checked anglers in the area. Trout and crappies were seen. He spoke at Hormel Foods for a safety day and at Austin’s Welcome Center about fishing regulations.
CO Tyler Lusignan (Faribault) reports working boat and water safety and checking anglers on local lakes. Lusignan is investigating a case of cutting aquatic plants and not removing them from the lake.
CO Brent Ihnen (Waseca) spent the week checking anglers, boaters, and PWC operators. He also patrolled for ATV and OHM activity. Additional time was spent monitoring AIS compliance near area lakes.
CO Jamie VanThuyne (Mankato #1) focused on fishing and boating activity. VanThuyne also checked boats for AIS compliance, assisted local agencies, and enforced recreational vehicle laws.
CO Corey Wiebusch (Mankato #2) checked anglers and boaters this past week. AIS activity was monitored at public access points. He traveled to Camp Ripley and assisted with Academy training. An ATV complaint was also handled.
District 18 – Rochester area
CO Tyler Ramaker (La Crescent) spent time checking anglers on pools 7, 8 and 9 of the
Mississippi River and the Root River. An event was attended put on by Kids and Mentors Outdoors (K.A.M.O.) in Hokah. K.A.M.O. is a group that provides Wisconsin and Minnesota communities with outdoor education activities for children and families.
CO Tom Hemker (Winona) reports good fishing success in the area as the boat landings have opened. He followed up on taxidermist and fishing investigations. He also found a person who was fishing without a license and smoking marijuana to have an arrest warrant. The nuisance and baby wild animal-related calls continue.
CO Brittany Hauser (Red Wing) spent the week patrolling for area angling and boating activity. A trespass complaint was followed up on and a presentation was given to a community group. Enforcement action was taken for unattended lines, extra lines and failure to display valid registration.
CO Clint Fitzgerald (Rochester #2) spent the week checking anglers. The sunfish bite seems to have tapered off at most reservoirs but many anglers were still able to get a few. Enforcement action was taken for no OHM registration, bass and crappies overlimits and no angling license.

CO Kevin Prodzinski (Wabasha) reports working the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin this past week. Fishing continues to be good for both walleyes and sauger on the lake. The panfish and white bass action is also picking up and limits and near-limits were counted. Measuring fish and transporting them without skin patch-issues were addressed again this week. Finally, some boating, ATV and AIS enforcement work was completed in the station.

CO Mitch Boyum (Rushford) reports heavy rains and high water have slowed or stopped most activities on area streams and rivers. Time was spent patrolling ATV trails, complaint areas and teaching at the Academy at Camp Ripley.
Rochester #1 – vacant.
Training Section
Planning is ongoing for training activities, including ordering equipment and supplies and
reserving training areas at Camp Ripley.
Aviation Section
CO Pilot Bob Geving (New Ulm) conducted training flight activities, worked on administrative
tasks, and gave an Aviation Unit overview presentation to the current CO Academy.

NR Pilot John Heineman (Bemidji) flew two wolf telemetry locations and a Leech Lake creel
survey. Heineman also flew some training flights and attended an FAA Wings seminar on float
flying. Maintenance was also performed on the Bemidji aircraft.

Standby NR Pilot Jessica Holmes (Grand Rapids) reports completing a Leech Lake watercraft
survey. Another flight was cut short due to weather. Annual maintenance was completed on the
aircraft and maintenance logs were updated.
Water Resource Enforcement Officers
WREO Joseph Stattelman (NW) spent the week working with LGUs on WCA and PW
violations. New and ongoing cases were worked on in RMS and documents updated. AIS
training materials and information was passed on to several sheriff’s offices in Region 1.
Wildlife and fishing questions were fielded. Time was spent doing site checks on complaints.
AIS law compliance was worked and inspectors spoken to around the Detroit Lakes area.

WREO Mike Scott (NE) spent the week working in the BWCA checking campers, canoers,
anglers and those visiting the BWCA. People from around the country were talked to and all
were in great spirts enjoying the wilderness. Fishing was slow but most folks were catching some
fish.

WREO Robert Haberman (North Central) worked on AIS enforcement in his assigned area. An
AIS saturation detail was worked in Garrison. Haberman also worked on oversized docks on
Gull Lake.

WREO Leah Weyandt (Central) spent a day at Camp Ripley for emergency vehicle training. A
restoration order was issued for a public water and wetland violation in Stearns County. A cease
and desist order was issued for fill in a public water in Scott County.

WREO Luke Belgard (SW) worked angling, boating, and ATV enforcement this past week.
Time was spent investigating wetland and waters cases. A local AIS saturation detail was
worked.

WREO Julie Siems (SE) worked AIS and angling enforcement. Boaters are reminded to pull the
plugs before traveling on any roadways. Violations included failing to remove the drain plug and
no license in possession. New complaints are also being addressed regarding shoreline work.