WEEKLY DNR ENFORCEMENT REPORT: Fish house removal, late season snowmobiling, etc.

Here is the weekly report from Department of Natural Resources conservation officers in northwest Minnesota for March 31:

District 1 - Baudette area

CO Ben Huener (Roseau) monitored angling on Lake of the Woods and worked with several fish house owners as they figured out how to get frozen-in houses off the lake. CO Huener and CO Woinarowicz responded to a report of a possible sick moose by Lancaster. 

CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls) taught the law and ethics portion of the Firearms Safety Class in Warren and conducted taxidermy inspections. The possible taking of a gray wolf was investigated and assistance was provided to a local sheriff’s office with the recovery of a stolen snowmobile. Enforcement action was taken for failure to register a big game animal and commercial records violations.

CO Angie Warren (Thief River Falls) monitored activity on the Red Lake and Thief Rivers.  Snowmobile activity was worked with most trails deteriorating due to warm weather. Public access and WMAs were monitored. Questions were answered in regards to upcoming safety classes. 

CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck) checked anglers on Upper Red Lake and special regulation lakes, monitored the removal progress of the last fish house on Upper Red Lake and monitored snowmobile trail activity on area trails. Assistance was provided to the Blackduck firearms safety instructors with a class of 28 youth who successfully passed the final test and are now ready for the field day which will be held in late April. Time was spent investigating a TIP call and an interview was given to the Blackduck newspaper.

CO Robert Gorecki (Baudette) monitored fishing and snowmobiling activity throughout the week. Anglers continue to report spotty success on Lake of the Woods and difficulty removing fish houses from the lake. The Rainy River has made little progress opening up.  CO Gorecki handled numerous calls ranging from fish house removal to snowmobile complaints. Enforcement action was taken during the week included fishing and snowmobiling violations.

Baudette -vacant.

Blackduck #2 - vacant.

Karlstad - vacant.

Warroad #1 - vacant.

Warroad #2 - vacant.

District 2 - Bemidji area

CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports working on taxidermy inspections. Deer related cases from the 2013 deer seasons were also worked on. Ice anglers were checked on area lakes and a presentation was given at a firearms safety class in Fisher.

CO Dan Malinowski (Fosston) assisted other agencies, answered questions about ATV classes and spring turkey hunts. He taught at a FAS class, monitored anglers, crow hunters and the last couple snowmobiles left on the trail. A wolf that had made the winter died this spring with injuries from a snare and a trap, while a young moose was killed by a motor vehicle.

CO Tim Gray (Bagley) checked anglers and ATVers.

CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji) monitored ice angling and snowmobile activity throughout the week. Trail conditions were good at the start of the week, but deteriorated with the recent warm weather. CO Vollbrecht investigated a complaint of an individual taking walleye out of season, a person impersonating a DNR official and litter. Travel on the area lakes has improved with the snow melt and some ice anglers are still reporting over 36 inches of ice in places.

CO Brian Holt (Bemidji) checked angling and snowmobile activity throughout the week. Enforcement activity for the week included angling license and snowmobile registration violations.

CO Al Peterson (Osage) worked anglers, followed up on a wolf complaint and assisted a local PD on a domestic assault call.  

CO Gary Forsberg (Pelican Rapids) spent the week checking fishermen. Time was also spent on working on fishing tips, following up on fisherman trespass complaint, trapping complaint and a game farm application inspection was completed. A talk was also given for the Moorhead Firearms safety class and a minnow dealer’s meeting was attended.

WREO Joe Stattelman spent the week working on a public waters case. A minnow dealer meeting was attended. Topics discussed were commercial inspections and AIS. Time was spent investigating a complaint of fish over limits and anglers were checked.

Moorhead - vacant.

Detroit Lakes - vacant.

Aviation Section Pilot Chris Lofstuen (Bemidji) spent time on aviation training at Camp Ripley/Brainerd with Acting Chief Pilot Tom Buker. Aviation ground training was received and a low level waiver check ride was completed. NR Pilot John Heineman (Bemidji) flew wolf pack telemetry and counts all week.