Area MnDNR Conservation Officer Weekly Reports - July 3, 2018

District 4 - Walker area

CO Randy Posner (Staples) reports working on fishing enforcement this past week. Anglers are out and the panfish have been the most cooperative. Violations he observed were transporting live fish and no license in possession. He worked on aquatic invasive species prevention on the Crow Wing River. Posner also worked a report of loud music from campers at Rock Lake in the Pillsbury State Forest and a TIP report of people shooting at a nuisance bear. Boaters and people floating the Crow Wing River on tubes were out in full force. Watercraft registration violations were observed. He reminded tubers to be sure to dispose of their cans and trash appropriately.

CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) checked anglers and worked AIS enforcement. A shift was worked on Cass Lake for Operation Dry Water. Several boaters were checked. Mathy testified in court on a big-game case. Enforcement action was taken for boating violations and possessing an illegal-size bass on a special regulation lake.

CO Duke Broughten (Longville) spent the week monitoring angling, boating, and ATV activity. Anglers reported limited success. Broughten also worked compliance with AIS laws, gave a presentation to a local lake association, and attended training.

District 9 - Brainerd area

CO Patrick McGowan (Pine River) reports a busy weekend on area lakes. McGowan spent time instructing boating school at the CO Academy at Camp Ripley. Enforcement action was taken for numerous boating violations including an arrest for boating while intoxicated.

CO Jim Guida (Brainerd East) dedicated time toward training on new computer software this past week. Guida also participated in a large aquatic invasive species detail where public support was evident. Violations were addressed. Patrol on an area lake as part of the National Operation Dry Water weekend lead to numerous watercraft operation and equipment violations.

CO Eric Sullivan (Pequot Lakes) assisted with finishing boating training for Academy 18 at Camp Ripley. Sullivan also made contact with an ATV operator who was impaired and arrested for impaired operation. Area lakes were very busy over the weekend and numerous contacts resulted in warnings for various watercraft safety regulations.

CO Tim Collette (Brainerd) checked night anglers, recreational boaters, ATVs, and assisted with a boating accident on Gull Lake. Violations included no angling license, lack of life jackets, allowing riders on a boat transoms or sides, personal watercraft jumping boat wakes and operating within 150 feet of shore at high speed, and off-highway motorcycles being operated in the road right-of-way.

CO Bob Mlynar (Aitkin) worked angling, watercraft and ATV activity. A car kill bear was handled, laws were covered at an MDHA Forkhorn camp and an invasive species road check was worked.

CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) reports a busy week including investigating complaints of shoreline alteration and dumping debris in area lakes, patrol of boating activity on area lakes as part of the Operation Dry Water initiative, working a special assignment in the Duluth area, checking fishing and ATV trail activity, and patrol of the Crow Wing State Forest and Cuyuna Country State Recreational Area. Numerous enforcement contacts were made for miscellaneous boating registration and equipment violations, and no fishing licenses or trout stamps.

CO Chelsey Best (Crosslake) worked her first weekend in the Crosslake station. Training was attended for new computer programs, and logistics handled for the station transfer. Best began investigations into ongoing complaints of illegal ATV activity, shoreline violations and trespassing.

CO Scott Fitzgerald (CCSRA) reports helping at Camp Ripley with scenario day for the new CO cadets. He worked area lakes for boat and water safety and also fishing activity. A call of an injured juvenile eagle was taken and Fitzgerald responded and secured the eagle and transported it to the Garrison vet clinic for treatment. He assisted a local agency with a medical call and fielded many outdoor law-related questions throughout the week and weekend. Some Division training was attended and assistance was given to the Minnesota State Patrol with a hazard on a highway. Fitzgerald patrolled the SRA for illegal camping and park violations and ATV activity was monitored on local roads around the park.

District 10 - Mille Lacs area

CO Gregory Verkuilen (Garrison) worked lake activity where the water is high and warm. The holiday weekend created spikes in water recreation, angling activity, and ATV traffic. Verkuilen also attended training and answered a lot of turtle questions from concerned motorists.

CO Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) patrolled complaint areas for ATV violations. Enforcement action was taken for failure to display registration and an owner allowing illegal operation of an OHV by a juvenile. An AIS check station was worked in a neighboring district. Many contacts were made for AIS violations. Speldrich checked boaters and anglers, finding good compliance.

CO Dan Starr (Onamia) worked fishing, ATV, and boating activities. PWC violations were found, with juvenile operation issues addressed. Walleye fishing has been good lately. An overturned boat situation was handled and the two occupants were lucky to have PFDs available when the boat swamped.

CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) patrolled area lakes and Mille Lacs during the week and weekend. The heat over the weekend slowed the daytime bite but it was good during the evenings on Mille Lacs. ATV activity was monitored on state lands and time was spent training on a new CAD system.

District 11 - St. Cloud area

CO Caleb Silgjord (Sauk Centre) spent time during the week monitoring angling and boating activity. AIS monitoring was also conducted at area access sites. A high compliance rate was seen and most boaters were familiar with the AIS requirements. Silgjord also assisted with computer training at Camp Ripley. Violations for the week included a juvenile passenger without a helmet on an ATV, operating an OHM on a roadway, no OHM registration and no fishing license in possession.

CO Frank Rezac (St. Cloud) reports attending training at Camp Ripley and maintaining equipment. Area lakes in Wright and Stearns counties were patrolled with a focus on watercraft regulation enforcement. Enforcement contacts were made for watercraft registration, equipment and operation violations.

CO Keith Bertram (Long Prairie) spent most of the week on the water checking anglers and boaters. One group fishing from a pontoon could do no right. The group was missing PFDs, boat registration, and angling licenses. Enforcement action was taken and then they parked the pontoon for the night.

District 12 - Princeton area

CO Angela Londgren (Cambridge) worked boat and water safety and Operation Dry Water over the weekend. Calls were taken on nuisance/injured animals, trespassing, illegal trapping, and boaters harassing wildlife. Londgren also spent time at Camp Ripley interviewing candidates for upcoming conservation officer positions.

CO Tony Musatov (Sauk Rapids) checked anglers and boaters. Violations were found for no angling license, no PFDs, and no registration. Several calls about animals were handled.

CO Mike Krauel (Mora) worked mostly boat and water safety over the weekend. Operation Dry Water was the focus. Time was also spent following up on animal complaints and checking anglers. Krauel also patrolled for ATV and OHM activity. Violations included fishing with extra lines, no wearable PFD, no throwable PFD, no PFD on youth while boat is moving and no license in possession.

Aviation Section

NR Pilot Brad Maas (Brainerd) worked on helicopter maintenance items, the aerial fish stocking tank, and continued with preparation of cattail spraying equipment. He also took part in a flight with Wildlife personnel to check on the results of last summer’s cattail spraying in regions 3 and 4. Those areas had high percentages of dead cattails and it looks like a good start at helping the Section of Wildlife work towards getting rid of hybrid cattails, which are invasives.

NR Pilot John Heineman (Bemidji) flew a training mission and attended to administrative tasks. Stormy weather canceled flights.

Water Resource Enforcement Officers

WREO Joseph Stattelman (NW) spent the week instructing use of force at the Academy. He also attended training at Camp Ripley. Fishing and boating activity was worked for Operation Dry Water over the weekend. Calls and complaints were followed up on.

WREO Robert Haberman (North Central) worked on cases in his assigned area. Training was conducted for new computer software. Haberman also worked Operation Dry Water over the weekend in the Crosslake area.

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Joe Albert, Communications coordinator | Division of Enforcement