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District 6 - Two Harbors
CO Sean Williams (Ely #1) reports problem-animal complaints were investigated within the BWCA. Boating safety compliance was found to be extremely high over the week on every lake checked. Violations included angling without a license in possession.
CO Brent Ihnen (Ely #2) focused primarily on fishing, boating and AIS enforcement this week. Additional time was spent patrolling his station for ATV activity.
CO Hudson Ledeen (Grand Marais #2) spent the week patrolling in the BWCA. Many folks were contacted, and ahandfulofviolationswerediscovered and addressed. Outside of the wilderness area time was spent patrolling angling and ATV activities. Enforcement action was taken for multiple violations.
CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) spent most of the week in the BWCAW patrolling with other district officers. The wilderness was busy, and quite a few violations were detected. Time was also spent patrolling area ATV trails. Enforcement action included no angling license, expired canoe registration, no PFDs, and cans/glass in the BWCAW. Bear-related complaints continue to come in.
CO Trent Anderson (Tofte) focused on angling and boating enforcement for the week. Time was spent patrolling the BWCA and following up with bearbaiting related violations. Enforcement action was taken for multiple angling license and ATV-related concerns.
District 5 - Eveleth area
CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls #1) continued training a new conservation officer candidate. Most enforcement was conducted on Rainy Lake with violations dealing with fishing licenses and safety equipment.
CO John Slatinski IV (Ray) continued work on abackground investigation for the next Academy applicants. Training was attended and time was spent fieldingseveralanimal-complaintcalls. Problem bears continue to be the top complaint.
CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports monitoring area lakes, checking local forest roads, and returning phone calls over the week. Other time was spentworking on equipment and completing administrative tasks. CO Sean Cannon (Cook) spent time this week checking anglers, monitoring boating activity, patrolling area ATV trails and state forest roads, and monitoring bear-baiting activity. A report of feral hogs in the area was investigated. It ended up being someone’s pigs that had gotten loose. They were quickly rounded up by their owner.
CO Aaron Larson (Tower) worked primarily big-game and ATV enforcement. Larson spent time checking for bear baits in his station as the bearhunting season quickly approaches. He spent time checking for ATVs around Tower and area trails and worked a shift at the State Fair DNR information booth. Wildlife-related calls and other questions were fielded.
CO Shane Zavodnik (Virginia) and COC Matt Boyle report that ATV traffic is high with summer coming to an end. Multiple ATVs were stopped, and enforcement action was taken for operating on roadways without headlights and operating on state highways. Bear baits were located and investigated. Time was spent on Lake Vermillion where enforcement action was taken for multiple boating safety and angling violations.ZavodnikandBoylealsoperformed multiple taxidermyinspections.
CO Duke Broughten (Aurora) spent the week monitoring fishing, boating, ATV, and bear-baiting activity. Anglers reported moderate success this week. Warmer weather brought on higher boating activity. Lack of natural foods in the woods should increase success for bear hunters. Canada goose numbers appear to be down. Broughten also fielded calls regarding bear-bait registration and personal watercraft operation. He investigated a wetland violation.
District 7 - Grand Rapids area CO Vinny Brown (Northome) monitored bear-baiting activity and wild rice harvesting activity and answered wildlife-related calls. ATV enforcement was conducted, and enforcement action was taken for operating an ATV without headlights and in the roadway. Enforcement action was also taken for illegal storage of a duck boat and duckhunting equipment on state forest land.
COJaysonHansen(Bigfork)worked ATV operators and anglers. He patrolled campgrounds and trails. Numerous gameandfish-relatedquestions were answered. He also responded to wildlife-related complaints.
CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) checked anglers, handled nuisanceanimal complaints, and monitored wild rice harvesting. Fairbanks and his K9 partner Fennec also attended training and were a part of K9 demo at the State Fair.
CO Jimmy Van Asch (Pengilly) worked big-game, ATV, boating, and sport fishing enforcement. Numerous bear hunters were contacted with bear baiting in full swing. Work was also done at the State Fair, as well. Enforcement action was taken for various ATVrelated violations.
Water Resource Enforcement
WREO Joe Stattelman (NW) spent the week working on background investigations.
Time was spent updating cases and fielding calls from local government units,hydrologists,andCOsregarding cases and new reports of illegal waters/ wetland activity. An RTO meeting was attended.
WREO Dustie Speldrich (North Metro)followeduponongoingcasesand answered water resource enforcement questions. She also answered nuisancebear questions.
Aviation Section
CO Pilot Tim Gray (Bemidji) flew fisheries survey flights and attended the pilots meeting. Gray also checked bear baits with a local officer on a poor weather day.
CO Pilot Jason Jensen (Brainerd) reports flying a CO into a remote lake area and attending a pilots meeting.
CO Pilot Charles Scott (Grand Rapids) attended the quarterly pilots meeting and completed sketch mapping flights. Scott scheduled upcoming sketch mapping and wild rice flights.
NR Pilot Brad Maas (Brainerd) worked on cattail spray project records and plans for the remaining work. He attended the quarterly pilots meeting, where safety items and maintenance items and upcoming field work was discussed. He also attended a webinar and completed administrative tasks.
NR Pilot Gracie Zeller (Brainerd) flew invasive cattail eradication flights near Willmar, Fairmont, and Mankato. Shealsoflewaphotorequestflightnear Willmar.
Enforcement Education
Please check the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov for a current class listing of all DNR Enforcement Education Courses and instructor training sessions.
If you missed a fall class and are over 18, check online for the online course information. (It’s also at www. mndnr.gov.)
Please check the DNR website www. mndnr.gov for a current class listing of all DNR Enforcement Youth and Adult Snowmobile Safety Courses and instructor training sessions.
Please direct questions to 1-800-3668917 or 1-888-MINNDNR.
Reminder: Anyone born after December 31, 1979 cannot purchase a license to hunt in Minnesota without first taking a DNR Safety Training Course and receiving a certificate. In addition, many states have even more stringent mandatory Hunter Education requirements. Check before you go!
Reminder: Any resident born after December 31, 1976, who operates a snowmobileinMinnesotamustpossess a snowmobile certificate. Two options are available to complete certification. Ages 11 and older can take the online course and hands-on day or attend the traditional youth course. Those 16 or older can take the online course.
Reminder: Anyone born after July 1, 1987, who operates an ATV on public lands and waters in Minnesota must successfully complete the ATV Safety Training online course. People under age 16 must complete the ATV online course and riding component before riding on public lands. Please direct questions to 1-800-366-8917 or 1-888-MINNDNR.
