District 3 - Fergus Falls area

Last updated: 2013-05-07

CO Troy Richards (Fergus Falls) attended training at Camp Ripley, attended the DU Greenwing Duck Fair in Fergus Falls, worked fish run activity, and enforced illegal fires. Turkey hunting along with other spring sports is in full spring mode. Anglers should expect ice on many of the areas popular lakes for the opener. Enforcement for the week included trapping, angling, and burning violations. Richards also assisted the Otter Tail County Sheriff?s Office with an investigation of a 30-inch walleye being speared.

CO Paul Nelson (Elbow Lake) focused work efforts on handling complaints of beaver damage and enforcing ATV regulations. Additional time was spent working on equipment maintenance and bringing two hawks in to the Fergus Falls USFWS. Nelson reports there are lots of dead fish at Lake Christina.

CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) attended training at Camp Ripley. Calls about injured animals and lake shore alterations were received. Osborne checked streams for fish run activity and checked folks attempting to spear and dip net rough fish.

CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) spent time speaking at different events. The annual ?Safety Day Camp? of over 200 Douglas County 5th graders was held last week and CO?s Lawler, Johanson, Plautz and Osborne taught the Firearms Safety seminars. Lawler spoke at the Alexandria ?Let?s Go Fishing? chapter about AIS laws and assisted on an interview panel for Douglas County hiring Level II watercraft inspectors. Bow fishermen were checked and citations were issued for two ATV operators causing problems for Alexandria PD on unregistered machines.

CO Jeff Johanson (Osakis) reports checking fishermen this past week. The spearing and archery opener for rough fish was slow due to cold water and the lack of fish moving up to spawn. There are, however, numerous game fish still spawning in the waterways and approximately 20 northern pike were found archery shot and left along the banks of the Sauk River near the Lake Osakis outlet. The pike were spawning, full of eggs, and wasted, and the incident remains under investigation anyone with information is urged to call the TIP line. An investigation was completed in which a beaver trapper was found to have caught two otter, failed to report the catches, and then wasted the animals. Enforcement action will be taken. Additional time was spent checking turkey hunters, monitoring ATV and fire activity, teaching firearms safety to kids at the annual safety day in Alexandria, and presenting at the Osakis Lake Association meeting.

CO Tony Anderson (Morris) focused enforcement efforts on anglers and turkey hunters. Anderson assisted at the Pope County firearms safety class this weekend. Annual in-service training was attended at Camp Ripley. A complaint was investigated about some persons trespassing on private property with off-road vehicles. CO Anderson responded to a call of an injured eagle, captured it and made arrangements to have it transported to the Raptor Rehabilitation Center. Calls were fielded regarding an injured eagle, safety classes, fishing questions and turkey hunting questions.

CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) taught the all-day range and field day firearms safety class in Pope County this past week. Time was also spent attending annual training at Camp Ripley, and monitoring fish run activity. Other enforcement activity included checking fishermen, ATV, and OHM operators. Bow fishermen are reminded if they are going to shoot rough fish, do not leave the fish on the bank, or throw them back into the water. Enforcement action was taken for fishing without a license in possession.

Wheaton - vacant.