CO (Conservation Officer) Keith Bertram (Long Prairie) checked an angler using too many lines. The angler told Bertram he was switching lines and never pulled up the first two. His excuse was he became distracted trying to find a date using Match.com on his phone.
CO Keith Bertram (Long Prairie) checked an angler using too many lines. The angler told Bertram he was switching lines and never pulled up the first two. His excuse was he became distracted trying to find a date using Match.com on his phone.
CO Tou Vang (Pierz) checked ice anglers, snowmobile and ATV riders on area lakes, and snowmobile riders on trails. He responded to reports of accidental fishers caught by trappers, and an injured swan. Enforcement action was taken for not having angling licenses in possession, no ice shelter identification, unattended lines, and extra lines.
CO Adam Seifermann (St. Cloud) reports checking anglers and small-game hunters, and monitoring recreational vehicles. Seifermann also reports working a detail on Mille Lacs Lake with local officers. Enforcement action consisted of illegal-length walleyes, non-portable shelter violations, under 21 alcohol possession, unattended lines, people under 18 not wearing a helmet while riding a snowmobile, and angling without license in possession. Seifermann also assisted local police with an ATV pursuit and driving complaint on Interstate 94.
CO Caleb Silgjord (Sauk Centre) spent time during the past week conducting equipment maintenance. Follow up was also conducted on a big-game investigation. Calls regarding collector snowmobiles were handled as well.
CO Chad Thesing (Albany) spent the past week working angling activity. ATV and snowmobile activity was also monitored. Trappers turned in incidentally caught fishers from the bobcat season. A work crew on Mille Lacs Lake was worked. It resulted in several violations, including overlimit of walleyes, illegal-length walleyes, no shelter license, no fishing license, possession of marijuana and expired ATV registration. An ongoing deer investigation was concluded.
CO Todd VanderWeyst (Paynesville) worked angling activity this past week. He took calls of registration issues. Recommendations were given to obtain a bill of sale with a private purchase and transfer the equipment ownership immediately to avoid lost paperwork when it’s time to renew registration.
District 2 - Bemidji area
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports fishing on area lakes was slow this past week with a few panfish being caught. Trails have seen quite a bit of traffic and are showing wear. A TIP of coyote hunters trespassing was investigated and the group was talked to about making sure they know where they are and that permission was obtained. Vinton assisted the Perham Police Department with a missing child who was suspected of walking outside in the bitter cold in nothing but pajamas. Vinton arrived on scene and obtained a description and name for the child. When Vinton went to a neighboring house for permission to look for the child in a detached garage, he saw the child lying face-down in the snow and not moving. Vinton grabbed the child and carried them to the waiting ambulance, which transported them to the local hospital. Vinton learned the next day the child was going to be OK. Enforcement action was taken for failure to mark a fish house, no license in possession, failure to display ATV registration and trespass.
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports working on a big-game-related case and speaking at the Red Lake Falls snowmobile safety class. Time was further spent checking anglers, ATV operators, and snowmobile operators. Predator hunters were also checked.
CO Tim Gray (Bagley) tagged furs and checked anglers and a few snowmobile riders.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) monitored angling activity on area lakes. Anglers are finding some panfish, but the walleye bite has been slow. Snowmobilers enjoyed the freshly groomed trails over the weekend, but trail conditions deteriorated quickly. He registered several bobcats and otters.
CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent the past week patrolling area lakes and snowmobile trails. Trails are still not great and have areas where there is little to no snow cover, but many snowmobilers were seen in the Detroit Lakes area. Many lakes in the area had heavy angling pressure through the weekend, but most anglers found the fishing to be poor. Swedberg also assisted the Ultra Snowmobile Club with a snowmobile safety class. Swedberg was also able to present an area instructor with his 40-year instructor award. The instructor said he has been riding snowmobiles since 1968.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) assisted with fur registration, worked snowmobile and angling enforcement and assisted with a search warrant for an ongoing case. Peterson followed up on a possible illegal wolf kill. The animal’s head was removed. He also dealt with a trapper taking small game without a trapping or small-game license.
District 4 - Walker area
CO Jacque Hughes (Longville) assisted at the fur registration station and with a vehicle in the ditch. Enforcement action was taken for no license in possession.
CO Calie Kunst (Remer) spent time working snowmobile and sport fishing enforcement. Trail conditions in the Remer area are getting better with the few inches of snow that have fallen in the past week. Multiple snowmobile rider contacts were made over the week. Enforcement action was taken on a variety of violations found between snowmobile and sport fishing contacts.
CO Michael Cross (Lake George) reports activity for the week consisted of ice angling enforcement, snowmobiling enforcement, and assisting with a highway rollover. Cross reports that fishing was slower this past week, but there was an increase in snowmobile trail usage. Enforcement action for the past week included no license in possession, allowing youth to operate an ATV on a public roadway, no trout stamp, live minnows on a designated trout lake, and extra fishing lines.
CO Jordan Anderson (Wadena) worked primarily on fishing and snowmobile enforcement. The trails are getting a fair amount of travel, but conditions are not great. Time was also spent at furbearer registration. Enforcement action during the past week consisted of no angling license, no shelter license, loud snowmobile exhaust and no snowmobile safety. Litter continues to be an issue on lakes, especially among anglers who are camping on the ice.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) checked anglers and snowmobile trail riding. The trails need more snow and are starting to degrade. Mathy attended a Bear Committee meeting and also responded to a call where someone dumped and wasted 14 northern pike. Enforcement action was taken for angling and snowmobile violations.
District 9 - Brainerd area
CO Chelsey Best (Crosslake) spent time this past week on various winter activities. Snowmobile traffic was higher this past weekend and lots of folks were out ice fishing. Trapping investigations continue and nuisance-animal calls were handled. Enforcement action was taken for unattended lines, illegal-length northern pike, and various license and registration issues.
CO Patrick McGowan (Pine River) patrolled for angling and snowmobile activity. He also spent time following up on cases from this past fall.
CO Bob Mlynar (Aitkin) worked angling, cross-country skiing and snowmobile activity. A deer-feeding complaint was addressed and outdoor recreation topics were covered on the local radio station. He also assisted Wildlife staff with fur tagging.
CO Tony Flerlage (Crosby) checked a few anglers on the ice. It was reported to be a slow bite all over the station. Snowmobilers weren’t much happier, finding rough spots on many trails.
CO Scott Fitzgerald (CCSRA) reports patrolling the area trails for snowmobile activity. Even with the rough trails, quite a few snowmobilers were out riding and enjoying the nice weather. He checked area lakes and mine pits for fishing activity and answered many outdoor-related questions. Time was spent patrolling the SRA for illegal vehicle activity and checking for state park vehicle permits. Enforcement action for the past week included various fishing, ATV, snowmobile and state park violations.
CO Eric Sullivan (Brainerd) was accompanied by COC (Conservation Officer Candidate) Nicholas Baum this past week. Sullivan and Baum primarily worked sport fishing and recreational vehicle enforcement. Sullivan and Baum observed violations of extra lines, no shelter ID and license, no reflective material on a shelter, angling without a license, no license in possession, tip-up farther away than 200 feet, unattended lines, and failure to tend traps. Sullivan and Baum responded to complaints on small and big game as well.
District 10 - Mille Lacs area
CO Gregory Verkuilen (Garrison) checked hunting activity. Little snow is making it easy to get around and see targets. Lakes were checked; ice thickness is still behind for this time or year. Verkuilen also monitored snowmobile traffic and fielded turkey hunting questions.
CO Victoria Griffith (Isle) monitored snowmobile and ATV activity in the Isle area and on Mille Lacs Lake. Angling activity was also monitored. A few anglers reported success throughout the week, but the bite was overall slower. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, fishing with extra lines, being in possession of drug paraphernalia and a shelter on ice without a shelter tag.
CO Ashley Whiteoak (Malmo) spent time patrolling Mille Lacs Lake for fishing activity. Enforcement action was taken for unmeasurable fish, possession of dressed fish on the lake, ice shelter on the ice without a license, failure to display an ice shelter tag, failure to display shelter identification markings, fishing without an angling license, no fishing license in possession, unattended lines, failure to affix an unexpired decal on a snowmobile, and unregistered snowmobiles. She assisted at the fur registration at the Aitkin DNR office and spent time patrolling Jay Cooke State Park. Along with CO Dustie Speldrich, Whiteoak saved a domesticated farm duck that was found on a busy road and nearly got hit by cars. The duck made it home to its owners. The owners where happy to have their duck, named Mo, back. They explained that Mo is known as their watchdog.
CO Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) assisted with fur tagging and took a complaint of a nuisance fox. Speldrich worked area lakes checking anglers and assisted Mille Lacs Lake COs with fishing enforcement on Mille Lacs near Isle Bay. Enforcement action was taken for expired snowmobile registration, no angling license in possession, and fish house identification issues. She patrolled area snowmobile trails. Most of the trails are in fair to good condition. Snowmobile owners are reminded to renew their registration. It can be done online and DMV offices are open.
CO Dan Starr (Onamia) worked fishing, trapping, and snowmobile activities. Incidentally caught fishers were turned in and taken care of. Mille Lacs Lake was busy with very few fish found to be caught. Several violations for extra lines and license violations were found. Starr assisted his neighboring officer with a snowmobile crash in which a beginner sled driver drove into the woods off a steep ditch. The novice operator was not hurt and was coached on how to avoid future predicaments.
CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) found an increase in ice fishing pressure on area lakes during the past week. Improved ice conditions had lakes full of anglers. Higher fishing activity also created a high number of fishing violations found, with the most common violation being fishing with too many lines. Anglers were found using up to seven lines at a time. The most common excuse heard for violating the two-line law basically blamed it on the fish for not biting and causing the anglers to be bored.
CO Mikeena Mattson (Wealthwood) worked sport fishing and snowmobile enforcement this past week. She spent time on Mille Lacs Lake, where enforcement action was taken for fishing without a license, fishing with an extra line, unattended lines, illegal-length walleyes, and various shelter violations. A call was taken about target shooting in a wildlife management area.
CO Ben Karon (Pine City) spent time on Mille Lacs Lake checking many anglers. Most were in good spirits even though the bite was slow. Time was also spent checking local lakes and on snowmobile patrol.
District 12 - Princeton area
CO Mike Krauel (Mora) spent the past week checking anglers and patrolling for snowmobile activity. Several anglers were attempting to jumpstart their fishing by using extra lines. One angler tried to hide his extra line by throwing his rattle reel down the hole, but the reel and bracket got stuck in on the ice and he was unable to kick it down before Krauel saw it. Another angler attempted to cut a tail on a walleye to get it into the legal slot limit. When Krauel pointed out that walleyes don’t normally have tails that go in a straight line and usually have longer tails, the angler admitted to cutting the tail. Throughout the week, enforcement action was taken for illegal-length fish, possession of marijuana, angling with extra lines, expired snowmobile registration, and several fish shelter violations.
CO Nate Benkofske (Milaca) reports spending the past week answering TIP calls and checking snowmobilers. Evidence was sorted and case files were completed for upcoming court hearings.
CO Tony Musatov (Sauk Rapids) checked small-game hunters and ice anglers. Violations were found for no angling license and no ATV registration. Animal-related complaints were handled.
Aviation Section
Standby CO Pilot Tim Gray (Bemidji) attended online training from FAA.
NR Pilot John Heineman (Bemidji) flew a wolf-pack telemetry count and tended to maintenance on the airplane.
CO Pilot Jason Jensen (Brainerd) reports a week of creel survey flights and wolf-pack counts.
NR Pilot Brad Maas (Brainerd) worked on helicopter maintenance and more preparation for upcoming classes. He also attended more aviation webinars.
CO Pilot Charles Scott (Grand Rapids) continued toward completion of his training tasks. Duluth creel survey flights were completed, as were wolf-telemetry flights. Vehicle maintenance issues were addressed.
Water Resource Enforcement Officers
WREO Joseph Stattelman (NW) spent the past week working on open cases and updating cases after consulting with COs and local government units. Otter Tail, Becker and Wadena county areas were patrolled for fishing, snowmobile and outdoor activity. Time was spent monitoring area trails. Response was given to a call of a missing toddler in Perham.
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Joe Albert, Communications coordinator | Division of Enforcement
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February 02, 2021 at 04:00PM
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CO Reports: Fisherman with too many lines blames it all on Match.com - Brainerd Dispatch
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