This week’s Minnesota DNR Conservation Officer weekly reports

Nearly all ice fishing options came to an end over the course of the past week.

CO Sean Williams (Ely #1) reports ice conditions progressively got worse over the week as large areas of open water have appeared at shorelines and areas of current. Cooler weather arrived at the weekend but angling activity was still extremely low.

CO Brent Ihnen (Ely #2) spent the week patrolling his station primarily for fishing and fishing related activities. Additional time was spent checking ATV operators.

CO Hudson Ledeen (Grand Marais #2) reports anglers continue to make their way out on the ice chasing trout. Few fish have been observed being caught, but the ice conditions continue to hold. Enforcement action was taken for BWCA and angling violations.

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) reports nearly all ice fishing options came to an end over the course of the past week. Time was spent on clearing out past evidence. Enforcement action was taken for a burning violation and for a traffic violation.

CO Trent Anderson (Tofte) focused on trout fishing enforcement for the week. Time was spent patrolling the BWCA and monitoring trapping activity. Enforcement action was taken for angling with extra lines and for possessing aluminum cans in the BWCA. Area ice has continued to degrade with open water being observed along many lake shorelines.

CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked angling activity and handled nuisance- animal complaints during the week. Ice conditions have eroded in the area and should be considered unsafe for travel. Fire danger has increased and fire restrictions should be checked before attempting any outdoor burning.

District 5 - Eveleth area CO Darrin Kittelson (Int’l Falls #1) reports spring fishing activity on the Rainy River was busy during the beginning of last week, however as the weekend rolled around so did the wind, snow, and cold temperatures which sent most people home early. People are reminded to have current fishing licenses, boat registration, and all safety equipment.

CO Curtis Simonson (Int’l Falls #2) reports working the Rainy River this past week. Activity was busy early in the week with the weather being nice. Time was spent checking anglers and working boat and water safety. Common violations encountered this past week consisted of expired boat registration and fishing license violations. Simonson would like to remind people to double check their boat registrations before hitting the water.

CO John Slatinski IV (Ray) reports activity on area waterways has significantly dropped off due to unpredictable ice conditions. A second ATV was reported falling through the ice this past week. Shoreline and dock projects were monitored with several questions fielded and assistance provided for compliance with permits and reporting requirements. State recreation facilities were checked and monitored. Waterfowl have been observed moving into the area and with little open water groups have been observed on the ice trying not to look like they may have acted prematurely.

CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports monitoring area roads and trails as spring break up is in full swing. Lakes, rivers, and streams have started to open. Ice conditions are poor throughout the work area. Equipment work continues. Administrative tasks and training were completed.

CO Sean Cannon (Cook) spent time this week monitoring activity in state forests, along with monitoring trapping and ATV activities. Most anglers seem to have given up on ice fishing with the poor ice conditions. Time was also spent on equipment maintenance.

CO Aaron Larson (Tower) worked primarily angling and ATV enforcement. Larson spent time checking his station for ATV activity primarily around town and forest roads. Larson also checked lake conditions as they continue to deteriorate. Lake Vermilion has begun to open in several spots around islands, bays, and anywhere there is current. Spots that had opened remained open with the cool down due to wind. Larson also spent time on equipment maintenance.

CO Duke Broughten (Aurora) spent the week monitoring fishing, trapping, and ATV activity. Poor ice conditions limited fishing activity. Warmer weather during the week opened some smaller lakes, however, winter temperatures returned for the weekend slowing the process. Recreational activity will likely be in limbo due to inconsistent weather. Fire danger is increasing due to the lack of moisture and standing dead vegetation. Broughten also fielded calls regarding trail closures, ATV registration, littering, and youth safety classes.

Aviation Section

CO Pilot Jason Jensen (Brainerd) reports f lying a fire detection flight and attending a pilot meeting. Jensen observed wetland impacts/violations that will be sent to local officers.

CO Pilot Tim Gray (Bemidji) attended the quarterly pilots meeting, worked on fire detection and amphibious float training.

CO Pilot Bob Geving (Mankato) flew forestry wetland assessment photo inventory survey flights, attended a pilots meeting, and tended to other administrative tasks.

CO Pilot Charles Scott (Grand Rapids) conducted flight training with CO Pilot Gray. Fire detection routes were completed. He attended a quarterly pilot meeting. Attended to multiple maintenance items. NR Pilot Brad Maas (Brainerd) flew an enforcement mission at Namakan Lake. He attended a safety course on Flying in the Wires Environment, and attended the quarterly pilot meeting, where safety items, mission planning and maintenance items were all discussed. He also attended an aviation webinar and completed administrative tasks.

NR Pilot Gracie Zeller (Brainerd) attended a safety course for pilots with low level missions. She also attended the quarterly all pilots meeting. Vehicle maintenance was performed.

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 di rect questions to 1-800-366-8917 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!