Dozens of items for needy pets in the community are being collected by Kallie Kantos-Fritz, left, and Robin Ramquist for delivery to the Falls Hunger Coalition. In its fifth year, food, toys, treats and other pet accessories are collected at the pet tree at The Journal/North Star Publishing in a team effort with the Borderland Humane Society. Donations may continue to be brought to The Journal, Highway 71 into the new year. Kantos-Fritz, who serves as BHS volunteer coordinator, and Ramquist, BHS Board member, said the donations are greatly appreciated.

12-22-2014

District 5 - Eveleth area

• CO Jim Van Asch (International Falls) spent the week checking ice anglers on Rainy Lake. Anglers are reporting enough success to keep them coming back. The water clarity seems to be helping in the spearing efforts. CO Van Asch witnessed several fish approach decoys while checking the individuals. A complaint of a possible wanton waste violation was taken and investigation is ongoing. Enforcement action was taken for fail to display valid ATV registration, no angling license in possession, angling without a license, ATV passenger under 18 without a helmet, and possession of marijuana.
• CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports monitoring angling activities over the week. Local forest roads were monitored as were public water access sites. State timber sales were monitored. Administrative items continue to be worked on as does equipment upkeep.
• CO Brad Schultz (Cook) reports checking angling, spearing, and trapping activity throughout the week. A few small northerns and panfish were observed. A small amount of snow fell in the area, however no snowmobile activity was observed. The snowmobile trail marker stakes were placed on the west end of Lake Vermilion over the weekend. The land trail on the Wak-em-up Village road was moved this year due to a landowner not allowing access through their property.
• CO Marc Hopkins (Tower) started the week investigating a complaint of wolves chasing cattle. After investigating it was coyotes and not wolves chasing the cattle. The Officer also spent time checking trails and procuring facilities for upcoming snowmobile training. The officer spent many hours on Lake Vermilion checking anglers and recreational vehicles. The fish bite on Lake Vermilion has slowed, but some anglers are still seeing success, and some large walleye were being caught. Enforcement action was taken on the following issues: unattended lines, angling with extra lines, failure to register ice shelter, fail to display proper information on ice shelter, operate unregistered ATV, operate ATV without helmet, no angling license in possession, and narcotics.
• CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked angling and spearing activity, worked a complaint of ATV’s operating in the state park, an accidentally caught fisher and a dog, and finished up open cases and sent out citations from deer hunting season. The officer dealt with an elderly angler that was having medical issues while fishing with his son and grandson. Enforcement action was taken on angling without a license, angling without a license in possession, unmarked fish house, ATV’s in a state park, and a number of deer hunting violations.
• CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) spent a lot of time checking people spearing from dark houses and angling for northern pike. Those going after the toothy predator have been doing well on almost every lake CO Frericks looked at. Crappies have been cooperating with anglers on some Virginia area lakes to the point that enforcement action was taken for an over-limit of them for one angler. More garbage is being found dumped on the side of the road and down dead end roads. After searching through one particular pile, CO Frericks located the name of a 17-year-old. When CO Frericks spoke with the juvenile he called himself a “sportsman”. With the approval of his father, the juvenile was ordered to clean up the garbage he dumped plus a few other garbage piles that were dumped.    
• CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) checked fishing activity throughout the week and found some crappies being caught along with a walleye here and there. A few northern are being speared but nothing of any great size. A few snowmobilers were seen riding on area lakes. Violation of no angling license in possession, angling with extra lines, unattended lines, and expired ATV registration were found. Fredin gave a brief presentation to Aurora Cub Scouts who found his squad truck with lights on to be the most interesting aspect of his job.
• Ray - vacant.

District 1 - Baudette area

• CO Eric Benjamin (Warroad) worked trapping, ATV and angling enforcement throughout Warroad, the Northwest Angle, Lake of the Woods and the Beltrami Island State Forest. Calls for service included a report of a possible obstruction to snowmobilers on the Warroad River caused by kids throwing objects, to include large rocks and a TV, into the river earlier in the fall. This complaint is being investigated. Enforcement action taken for failure to properly display ATV registration, no angling license in possession, and angling without a license.
• CO Hannah Cowden (Warroad) spent most of the week checking trapping activity and fishing activity. Most anglers have reported that the walleye bite is still a little slow. Violations for the week include failure to tend traps, failure to report accidentally taken animal, angling without a license, and no angling license in possession.
• CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette) reports that trapping activity still seems steady in the area. A few reports of accidental wolf catches in bobcat snares were investigated. Trappers are reminded they should be aware of how and where they are placing their sets. Anglers, remember to bring your license with you when you go onto the lake. Enforcement action taken includes no angling license in possession, angling with extra lines, possessing unmeasurable fish and operating an ATV under the influence of alcohol.
• CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls) conducted follow up investigations from deer season and monitored angling activity in the area. Assistance was provided to the sheriff’s department with a trespass call that resulted in enforcement action for hunting deer over bait as well as the trespass charge. Other enforcement action for the week included failure to register big game animal and angling license violations.
• CO Traci Hanson (Thief River Falls) worked ice anglers, ATV and snowmobile enforcement including a Lake of the Woods detail. CO Hanson assisted with the snowmobile safety class in Thief River Falls.
• CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck) reports working small game, trapping, snowmobiling and angling activity on Upper Red Lake and special regulation lakes throughout the week. A special detail was worked with another Officer on Upper Red Lake with a wide variety of violations encountered. One angler was contacted and found to be in possession of a protected slot limit Upper Red Lake walleye. The angler stated that the “beer factor” may have influenced the group’s fish measuring abilities. Time was spent handling reports of accidental catches of fisher and pine marten. Enforcement action for the week included for several over limits of Red Lake walleye, angling with extra lines, possession of protected slot limit walleye, possession of unmeasurable fish while on the ice, no skin patch and angling without license in possession.
• Baudette #2 -vacant.
• Blackduck #2 - vacant.
• Karlstad - vacant.

District 2 - Bemidji area

• CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports spending time checking ice anglers on area lakes and rivers.  ATV operators, archery deer hunters, and trappers were also checked. Complaints about dumped deer carcasses were also received. Violations included fail to check traps, fail to display ATV registration, no ATV safety training, and take/possess fish over-limit.
•  CO Dan Malinowski (Fosston) worked snowmobile, angling and deer hunting activities. An investigation on a shot moose continues along with a complaint of dumped deer parts in a ditch.
• CO Tim Gray (Bagley) checked anglers, trappers and a few ATVs.
• CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji) monitored angling on area lakes. Ice conditions continue to improve and angling activity has increased. CO Vollbrecht worked a detail on Upper Red Lake with CO Holt. Anglers reported a good catch and several people were observed with limits of walleye. While working the lake a vehicle was reported to have gone through the ice. The occupants safely got out of the vehicle, but the vehicle went through the ice. Anglers are advised to use caution when traveling over or near pressure ridges.
• CO Brian Holt (Bemidji) spent most of the week checking anglers and trapping activity. Officer Holt also worked a few days on Upper Red Lake with Officer Vollbrecht. While working on Upper Red officers responded to a call of a truck that went thru the ice. All occupants were able to get out of the vehicle safely. Officer Holt also checked angling activity in Itasca State Park. Time was spent following up on a lake pollution complaint. Enforcement activity for the week included trapping violations, angling with extra lines, angling without a license in possession, possessing unmeasurable walleye, possession of marijuana and an ATV safety violation.
• CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports having contact with a minnow dealer that was not displaying the proper markings on the vehicle he was using to transport minnows. Enforcement action was taken. CO Vinton checked anglers and ice conditions, which seemed to improve with colder temperatures. A complaint of trespassing coyote hunters was received and the landowner was given the information to properly post their property. Car kill deer permits and follow-up on a couple of cases from deer season were also completed.
• CO Al Peterson (Osage) worked trapping and angling enforcement, attended training at camp Ripley and followed up on on-going cases.
• CO Gary Forsberg (Pelican Rapids) spent the week checking anglers on area lakes. Ice conditions vary across the area and anglers should use caution when traveling on lakes. CO Forsberg followed up on reports of fish over-limits and registered otters.
• CO Angie Warren (Detroit Lakes) worked angling activity on area waters with anglers finding varying success. Ice conditions continue to vary throughout the area. ATV activity was monitored as was snowmobile complaint areas.  Warren met with the county attorney to discuss ongoing cases. A car kill deer permit was issued. CO Warren assisted another Conservation Officer with an open case.
• CO Bill Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week monitoring ice anglers on local lakes. Anglers are reminded to be aware of changing ice conditions with the rain and warm weather. CO Landmark investigated a wanton waste complaint, a TIP call regarding a possible over limit of deer, and potential duplicate license violations. CO Landmark answered questions from the public regarding ice conditions, ice house regulations, and registering otter.
• WREO Joe Stattelman spent the week focusing efforts on restoration orders, RPNs, CDOs and open PW, APM and WCA cases. Time was spent filing new cases and following up with Conservation Officers and LGUs. Time was spent attending a Use of Force meeting and training at Camp Ripley. Fishermen were checked as well as snowmobile and ATV registrations around the Otter Tail and Becker county areas.