DNR Weekly Report for Feb. 10, 2020

TRAPPERS REPORT ™

Trapping Conservation and Self-Reliance News

DNR Weekly Report for Feb. 10, 2020 Feb 10, 2020 19:35 ET Original: DNR Weekly Report for Feb. 10, 2020 [Reprinted from original] District 5 - Eveleth area CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls #1) reports attending annual the annual Enforcement Division awards and training conference at Camp Ripley. Snowmobiling and ice fishing continue to be the main focuses of work activity. Animal-related complaints and a report of a bear possible being killed illegally were investigated. CO John Slatinski IV (Ray) followed up on abandoned property left on public lands and attended training at Camp Ripley. He also checked anglers, snowmobile activity, and trapping activity, and assisted with a medical emergency on Rainy Lake. CO Troy Fondie (Orr) checked area snowmobile trails, monitored area forest roads, and checked area lakes. Little angling activity noted. Snowmobile activity was light. Computer work and administrative tasks were completed. CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked anglers and snowmobile riders, finished a deer-license-violation case, monitored a fishing tournament and a vintage snowmobile run with over 200 sleds, and attended training at Camp Ripley. Enforcement action was taken for unattended lines, fish house violations, unlawful party hunting, taking deer with an invalid license, taking deer over the limit, and snowmobile violations consisting mainly of registration and speed. CO Duke Broughten (Aurora) spent the past week monitoring fishing and snowmobiling activity. Anglers reported limited success this past week. Snowmobiling activity remains high. Snowmobile trails are in decent shape but could use fresh snow. Virginia – vacant. International Falls #2 – vacant. District 6 - Two Harbors area CO Sean Williams (Ely #1) continued to focus on angler and snowmobile activity through the week. Fewer anglers were seen as success continued to slow and many lakes patrolled had few or no people. Violations included failure to display current snowmobile registration and no angling license in possession. CO John Velsvaag (Ely #2) attended training at Camp Ripley during the week. He also worked angling and snowmobile activity. CO Tom Wahlstrom (Grand Marais #1) attended annual training at Camp Ripley. Trout lakes and snowmobilers were worked throughout the week. Enforcement action was taken for multiple snowmobile and angling violations. CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) worked primarily snowmobile and angling enforcement this past week and attended the annual awards and training conference at Camp Ripley. Bermel came across a lone snowmobiler after dark who was standing on the trail after he had gone off trail and crashed into several smaller trees, causing damage and minor injury. Speed and alcohol consumption appeared to be factors and appropriate enforcement action was taken. The rider was very fortunate the crash wasn’t much worse. This is a good reminder that alcohol and snowmobiling don’t mix. It is also imperative to stay on the right side of the trail, especially on corners and hills, as this seems to be a continual problem. CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked area angling and snowmobile activity. He also attended training at Camp Ripley. CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) reports putting on many miles this past weekend on the snowmobile trails as gorgeous weather graced the North Shore. Compliance with snowmobile laws was outstanding with only one citation being issued to a rider for violating multiple laws. Ski pass compliance is getting better as word is getting out that officers are putting their time in checking passes. Time was put into cases from this past fall and equipment maintenance was handled. Hill also attended training at Camp Ripley. District 7 - Grand Rapids area CO Randy Patten (Northome) attended training at Camp Ripley, patrolled area lakes and snowmobile trails and worked ongoing cases. CO Jayson Hansen (Bigfork) checked anglers and worked small-game hunters and ATV and snowmobile activity. Numerous game and fish questions were answered. He also patrolled state parks and campgrounds. CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) patrolled the area snowmobile trails, checked anglers, responded to calls of OHVs stuck in the slush on area lakes and assisted the county with a barricaded suspect. Angler success was better this past week. Enforcement action was taken for license issues and registration issues. CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked snowmobiling, angling and trapping activity over the past week with enforcement action taken for operating an unregistered snowmobile and failing to transfer a title. CO Jimmy Van Asch (Pengilly) focused enforcement efforts on sport fishing and snowmobile enforcement. Snowmobilers were contacted in high numbers with area trails still in decent condition. Van Asch also attended Division training at Camp Ripley. Enforcement action was taken for several angling and snowmobile violations. CO Taylor Hochstein (Hill City) spent time monitoring a variety of outdoor activities. Fluctuating temperatures seemed to bring both good and poor fishing success throughout the week. Work was done with neighboring officers on ongoing investigations and assistance was given to local law enforcement agencies on calls for service. NE ATV officer – vacant. District 8 - Duluth area CO Jacob Willis (Brookston) attended Honor Guard team training at Camp Ripley this past week. The Division’s annual awards ceremony and safety training was also attended. Administrative details and phone calls were also handled. CO Andy Schmidt (Duluth West) attended meetings at Camp Ripley and participated in training with the Honor Guard. Time was spent handling ongoing investigations and meeting with vintage snowmobile owners to register snowmobiles for event use. CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth East) spent time at Camp Ripley for annual training. Winter fishing has picked up around the Duluth area. Area lakes are firming up, allowing vehicle traffic on a few of them. Snowmobile trails continue to be very busy. Duncan also worked area ski trails checking for ski passes. CO Jeff Humphrey (Cromwell) worked snowmobile and fishing enforcement. Area snowmobile trails continued to hold up well. Humphrey met with snowmobile club members regarding a vintage ride permit and attended Division training and an Honor Guard detail at Camp Ripley. Violations for snowmobile registration and safety training were encountered. Lake Superior Marine Unit CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) attended Division training during the week, checked anglers along the North Shore in the Duluth and Two Harbors areas, and worked snowmobile riders along the North Shore State Trail and the area trails around Duluth. He met with the U.S. Coast Guard in Duluth to discuss future training opportunities. Lake Superior Unit – vacant.

DNR Weekly Report for Feb. 10, 2020 Feb 10, 2020 19:35 ET Original: DNR Weekly Report for Feb. 10, 2020 [Reprinted from original] District 5 - Eveleth area CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls #1) reports attending annual the annual Enforcement Division awards and training conference at Camp Ripley. Snowmobiling and ice fishing continue to be the main focuses of work activity. Animal-related complaints and a report of a bear possible being killed illegally were investigated. CO John Slatinski IV (Ray) followed up on abandoned property left on public lands and attended training at Camp Ripley. He also checked anglers, snowmobile activity, and trapping activity, and assisted with a medical emergency on Rainy Lake. CO Troy Fondie (Orr) checked area snowmobile trails, monitored area forest roads, and checked area lakes. Little angling activity noted. Snowmobile activity was light. Computer work and administrative tasks were completed. CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked anglers and snowmobile riders, finished a deer-license-violation case, monitored a fishing tournament and a vintage snowmobile run with over 200 sleds, and attended training at Camp Ripley. Enforcement action was taken for unattended lines, fish house violations, unlawful party hunting, taking deer with an invalid license, taking deer over the limit, and snowmobile violations consisting mainly of registration and speed. CO Duke Broughten (Aurora) spent the past week monitoring fishing and snowmobiling activity. Anglers reported limited success this past week. Snowmobiling activity remains high. Snowmobile trails are in decent shape but could use fresh snow. Virginia – vacant. International Falls #2 – vacant. District 6 - Two Harbors area CO Sean Williams (Ely #1) continued to focus on angler and snowmobile activity through the week. Fewer anglers were seen as success continued to slow and many lakes patrolled had few or no people. Violations included failure to display current snowmobile registration and no angling license in possession. CO John Velsvaag (Ely #2) attended training at Camp Ripley during the week. He also worked angling and snowmobile activity. CO Tom Wahlstrom (Grand Marais #1) attended annual training at Camp Ripley. Trout lakes and snowmobilers were worked throughout the week. Enforcement action was taken for multiple snowmobile and angling violations. CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) worked primarily snowmobile and angling enforcement this past week and attended the annual awards and training conference at Camp Ripley. Bermel came across a lone snowmobiler after dark who was standing on the trail after he had gone off trail and crashed into several smaller trees, causing damage and minor injury. Speed and alcohol consumption appeared to be factors and appropriate enforcement action was taken. The rider was very fortunate the crash wasn’t much worse. This is a good reminder that alcohol and snowmobiling don’t mix. It is also imperative to stay on the right side of the trail, especially on corners and hills, as this seems to be a continual problem. CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked area angling and snowmobile activity. He also attended training at Camp Ripley. CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) reports putting on many miles this past weekend on the snowmobile trails as gorgeous weather graced the North Shore. Compliance with snowmobile laws was outstanding with only one citation being issued to a rider for violating multiple laws. Ski pass compliance is getting better as word is getting out that officers are putting their time in checking passes. Time was put into cases from this past fall and equipment maintenance was handled. Hill also attended training at Camp Ripley. District 7 - Grand Rapids area CO Randy Patten (Northome) attended training at Camp Ripley, patrolled area lakes and snowmobile trails and worked ongoing cases. CO Jayson Hansen (Bigfork) checked anglers and worked small-game hunters and ATV and snowmobile activity. Numerous game and fish questions were answered. He also patrolled state parks and campgrounds. CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) patrolled the area snowmobile trails, checked anglers, responded to calls of OHVs stuck in the slush on area lakes and assisted the county with a barricaded suspect. Angler success was better this past week. Enforcement action was taken for license issues and registration issues. CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked snowmobiling, angling and trapping activity over the past week with enforcement action taken for operating an unregistered snowmobile and failing to transfer a title. CO Jimmy Van Asch (Pengilly) focused enforcement efforts on sport fishing and snowmobile enforcement. Snowmobilers were contacted in high numbers with area trails still in decent condition. Van Asch also attended Division training at Camp Ripley. Enforcement action was taken for several angling and snowmobile violations. CO Taylor Hochstein (Hill City) spent time monitoring a variety of outdoor activities. Fluctuating temperatures seemed to bring both good and poor fishing success throughout the week. Work was done with neighboring officers on ongoing investigations and assistance was given to local law enforcement agencies on calls for service. NE ATV officer – vacant. District 8 - Duluth area CO Jacob Willis (Brookston) attended Honor Guard team training at Camp Ripley this past week. The Division’s annual awards ceremony and safety training was also attended. Administrative details and phone calls were also handled. CO Andy Schmidt (Duluth West) attended meetings at Camp Ripley and participated in training with the Honor Guard. Time was spent handling ongoing investigations and meeting with vintage snowmobile owners to register snowmobiles for event use. CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth East) spent time at Camp Ripley for annual training. Winter fishing has picked up around the Duluth area. Area lakes are firming up, allowing vehicle traffic on a few of them. Snowmobile trails continue to be very busy. Duncan also worked area ski trails checking for ski passes. CO Jeff Humphrey (Cromwell) worked snowmobile and fishing enforcement. Area snowmobile trails continued to hold up well. Humphrey met with snowmobile club members regarding a vintage ride permit and attended Division training and an Honor Guard detail at Camp Ripley. Violations for snowmobile registration and safety training were encountered. Lake Superior Marine Unit CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) attended Division training during the week, checked anglers along the North Shore in the Duluth and Two Harbors areas, and worked snowmobile riders along the North Shore State Trail and the area trails around Duluth. He met with the U.S. Coast Guard in Duluth to discuss future training opportunities. Lake Superior Unit – vacant.