This is the weekly report from Department of Natural Resources conservation officers in northwest Minnesota and adjacent areas of northern Minnesota for Monday, October 28, 2024.

Commander Tony Hams (Warroad North) I spent the week checking out small game hunters and fishermen in the area. Time was spent at the Northwest Angle following up on various complaints.

Commander Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week patrolling the Beltrami Island State Forest and following up on various cases. Enforcement action was taken for driving a vehicle on a closed road. Fontes also assisted in the investigation of a deceased bull elk.

CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) reports an increase in small game and fishing activity. Time was spent completing a commercial minnow survey. Enforcement action has been taken for the sale of minnows without a commercial retail license.

Commander Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) organized field training with COC Mooers. Area fishermen and small game hunters were tested, unfortunately the success rates seemed below average. Enforcement actions taken for ATV registration and minor violations, as well as operating a motor vehicle in a closed area of ​​the WMA and transporting a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle.

Commander Sarah Jahn (Thief River Falls East) conducted an investigation into wolf depredation. Time was also spent speaking to a high school class about collecting evidence with the State Patrol. A complaint regarding permanent structures on a WMA was recorded and investigated. Assistance was provided to Marshall County regarding a tractor fire.

Commander Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) I spent the week scouting waterfowl hunters with mixed success. Additional time was spent investigating big game violations. Enforcement action was taken for driving an ATV without registration.

Cmdr Brice Vollbrecht (Blackduck North) patrolled areas, ATV trails and forest roads for grouse hunting. Time was spent checking on fall fishermen and investigating a forest fire.

Baudette East – vacant.

Southern black duck – vacant.

Commander Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports working on taxidermy inspections. Time was also spent checking anglers, archery deer hunters and duck hunters.

Commander Andrew Ladzinski (Bemidji #1) spent time patrolling for hunting activities and following up on TIP calls. Several trail cameras were seized for hunting/trespassing violations. A detail was worked on with other agents, in a problem area. Enforcement action was taken for violations of the Beltrami County Food and Attractant Ban and for various ATV violations. As a reminder to citizens, the use of salt and mineral licks is not permitted in Beltrami County or other counties where feeding and attractants are prohibited.

Commander Andrew Goodman (Perham) continued to monitor waterfowl hunting and fishing in area waterways. Questions regarding trespassing and legal land display were common calls over the past two weeks. All hunting, fishing and recreational vehicle regulations booklets published annually by the MNR contain trespassing and posting guidelines. The trapping season got off to a bad start for one individual, his traps having been stolen a few hours after they were set. Anyone with information regarding trap tampering in the central Otter Tail County area is encouraged to make a TIP report.

CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) I spent the week monitoring small game hunters and migratory waterfowl hunters. It was a very quiet week for waterfowl hunters, as there weren’t many birds around. Some had luck finding mallards and whistling ducks, but otherwise the hunting was pretty slow. Commander Swedberg also conducted taxidermy inspections and checked on some fishermen.

Commander Jordan Anderson (Osage) completed training at the Towards Zero Death (TZD) conference and handled various animal-related complaints. There was a lull in the area and only a few waterfowl hunters were encountered. A moose and an elk have been sighted at the station, and it’s a good time to remind hunters to “be sure of your target” before the firearms deer season opens soon.

Commander William Monument (Moorhead) spent the week checking on archery deer hunters and doing taxidermy inspections. Very few ducks are present and most hunters now seem to focus on pheasants and deer. CO Landmark spoke at a youth deer hunt at Buffalo River State Park and answered questions from the public regarding upcoming seasons and regulations. Enforcement action was taken for serious misdemeanor use of artificial light to capture deer and other related violations.

CO Angela Warren (Mahnomen) reports patrols in WMAs and WPAs (waterfowl production areas) for hunting activities. Areas have been worked for illegal brightening. Angling activity was monitored. Time was also spent hunting small game, waterfowl, and archery. Officer Warren also assisted in the search for a missing juvenile.

Commander Brady Manteufel (Bagley) this week I checked on waterfowl hunters and archery and patrolled the logging roads on ATVs. A deer carcass and a bag of waste dumped at an access to the lake were examined and a detail of the area was worked. An antler possession permit was issued for two large bucks found locked together, and youth were taught about laws and ethics during a gun safety class.

CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #2) I spent the week monitoring mountain biking, angling and small game activities. He received reports of suspicious shiny activity and patrolled late at night looking for shiny ones. Time was also spent working with neighboring commanders on a deer decoy detail. Coercive measures have been taken for the wearing of the required youth ATV helmet.

Pelican Rapids – vacant.

Commander Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) continued to monitor angling and hunting activity throughout the week. Reports of various wildlife calls have been received and responded to.

Commander Shane Osborne (Evansville) and COC Petersen continued to monitor waterfowl and small game hunting activities. Several TIPs for small and large game were worked during the week. Officers are starting to see more success with waterfowl hunters as the weather gets cooler. The officers then participated in a trick-or-treating event hosted by local resort owners.

CO Jake Homan (Alexandria) spent the week patrolling Douglas County. An ongoing big game case has been addressed. Time was spent watching for waterfowl hunters, pheasant hunters and anglers. Enforcement actions taken for various hunting and ATV violations.

CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) I had a busy week checking on small game hunters and anglers while spending late nights keeping an eye out for bright complaints. She found several deer stands, blinds and cameras left on WMAs overnight. Trespass complaints and TIP calls were investigated.

Commander Emily Douvier (Morris) reports having worked monitoring small game and recreational vehicles throughout the week. Public water violations were also discussed and questions answered regarding the upcoming gun deer season.

Cmdr Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) Law enforcement efforts during the week focused on controlling fishermen, ATV drivers and waterfowl hunters, according to reports. Additional time was spent vetting pheasant hunters and investigating a trespassing complaint.

Wheaton – vacant.

Commander Corey Sura (Remer) small game work and mountain biking activity.

Commander Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the area for small game, waterfowl, big game and recreational vehicle traffic. Commander Baum continues to investigate various ongoing cases in the area. CO Baum would like to remind hunters to consult the rules regarding the handling of firearms within the State Game Refuge.

CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) performed commercial taxidermy inspections. He also used K9 Jet to locate evidence for other officers. It continues to investigate big game complaints and vet big game, small game and waterfowl hunters. Some enforcement actions included banning hunting in Scientific Natural Areas (SNA), night camping violations in WMAs, and lack of Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification for waterfowl hunting.

Commander Jacques Johnson (Longville) verified hunting activity and followed up on open files. She issued multiple possession permits and assisted the county.

Commander Patrick McGowan (Walker) I worked Leech Lake throughout the week doing waterfowl and angling activities. Anglers report a slow bite and waterfowl hunters report limited success due to warm fall temperatures. Commander McGowan also investigated a forest fire. Enforcement measures have been taken for many offenses related to waterfowl hunting.

Commander Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) checked out a wide variety of outdoor activities as hunters, fishermen and ATV riders continue to enjoy the beautiful fall. Mathy responded to an incident of hunter harassment in the national forest that led to enforcement action being taken. A call regarding a sick deer was forwarded to the DNR Wildlife Division. Enforcement measures were taken for offenses related to ATVs, angling and hunting.

ATV Reconnaissance Officer – vacant.