District 11 - St. Cloud area

Last updated: 2013-06-04

CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) received a number of complaints about carp and other rough fish being dumped along roadsides. Inspection of these fish found wounds consistent with being taken by bow and arrow. CO Kuske inspected boats and trailers for AIS at a lake that had a bass tournament. CO Kuske patrolled ATV trails and took enforcement action for several violations.

CO Brian Mies (Annandale) checked anglers. CO Mies had two reports of carp dumped from bow fishermen on the side of the road. One of the dumpings was near Clearwater Lake and one by Cokato Lake.

Conservation Officer Mike Martin (St Cloud) checked anglers and ATV operators in the local counties. Officer Martin answered several TIP calls and completed end of the month paperwork as well. Officer Martin spoke at Stride Academy about conservation officer duties and responsibilities and assisted Dist. 12 during a big game investigation.

CO Chad Thesing (Albany) worked aquatic invasive species enforcement, boaters, and anglers. Poor weather had many inside over the week. A TIP call was investigated dealing with over limit walleye. Enforcement action for the week included, fail to remove boat plug, lake service provider doing work with no permit, no angling license, no PFD, and illegal parking at boat access.

WREO Keith Bertram spent the week checking boats and anglers. Enforcement action was taken for no registration, no license, insufficient safety equipment, and AIS violations. WREO Bertram also spoke about AIS at the Greater Lake Sylvia Association in Annandale.

CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) handled a TIP call in the St. Cloud station of a group of juveniles catching dogfish, beating them with a stick and throwing them back in the Mississippi River. The juveniles were also found to have a small mouth bass that was an illegal length to keep. A call of a nuisance bear in a woman?s bird feeder was taken and CO Kuske encountered a woman in her yard trying to break up her two pit bull dogs that were fighting. Both dogs were pretty torn up and bleeding heavy. CO Kuske was able to separate them using a large log.

CO Rhonda Friese (Long Prairie) reports weather conditions continued to hamper outdoor activities. As soon as the wind died down, and the sun came out (for one day?), anglers came out to give it a try. There was moderate angling success. A lot of boat lifts remain empty along lakeshores.

CO Caleb Silgjord (Sauk Centre) checked anglers and boaters on Memorial Day. CO Silgjord had the privilege of checking several military veterans on Memorial Day. A TIP complaint regarding an over limit of panfish on an area lake was investigated. A pair of concerned citizens informed the officer of a bald eagle?s nest that had fallen into an area lake. Upon investigating the nest the officer located two fledgling eagles still occupying the nest. A call was made to the UM Raptor Center and information along with photographs were forwarded to UM staff. CO Silgjord was informed that there was enough nest above water for the young birds to survive. Enforcement action for the week included angle with extra lines, angle without a license and insufficient PFDs.

CO Todd VanderWeyst (Paynesville) reported focusing on seasonal activities. Fishing continues throughout the area with many unfounded TIP calls regarding over limit violations. AIS enforcement was also a focus for the week.