District 7 - Grand Rapids area

Last updated: 2013-05-07

Water Resource Enforcement Officer Tony Arhart (Grand Rapids) worked ice anglers and tracked Wetland Conservation Act and protected waters cases. Ice anglers are doing well on area lakes as ice conditions are still very deep with slush conditions increasing again. Arhart also attended training at Camp Ripley.

CO John Velsvaag (Region II ATV officer) assisted with a Law Enforcement ATV class in Babbitt. CO Velsvaag also attended several meetings about trail development for ATVs and OHMs. CO Velsvaag worked on the Rainy River over the weekend with boating conditions were less than ideal with some areas having lots of floating ice.

CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) worked the Rainy River with CO Wahlstrom. He also checked anglers and attended in-service training. Angler success was poor. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, no license in possession, no type IV lifesaving device on board watercraft and failure to display current registration on a watercraft.

CO Shawn Wichmann (Hill City) attended in-service training at Camp Ripley. Wichmann spent the week patrolling for ATV and fishing activity. Enforcement action was taken for driving under the influence on an ATV, failure to display registration and recreational trespass. Wichmann assisted CO Sutherland with a subject fishing while under revocation.

CO Gary Lefebvre (Pengilly) worked fishermen, ATVs and littering complaints. He also attended a training session and handled a timber wolf complaint during the week.

CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) worked late season ice anglers, ATV enthusiasts and the start of the smelt run in Pokegama Lake. CO Sutherland took enforcement action for trucks in a wetland that tore up a sensitive area, for attempting to take a wild animal after revocation of licenses and for ATV?s without registration.

CO Randy Patten (Northome) checked anglers, attended training at Camp Ripley, prepared equipment for opener, and continued follow up on fish houses left after the deadline.

CO Jayson Hansen (Bigfork) removed fish houses and fish house floors, answered nuisance wildlife calls, and assisted with in-service training at Camp Ripley. Enforcement contacts were made for fish house and ATV violations.

CO Sarah Sindelir (Grand Rapids) attended annual training this past week at Camp Ripley. She also took several calls related to the fishing opener and ice conditions. Please be careful on the lakes this weekend as most are still ice covered and aren?t stable. She responded to a fire at the Wendigo Golf Course, which involved several spot fires lit to burn dead vegetation around the course. Spring cleanup is in full swing and so is fire season. Permits are required to burn vegetation and are available at the DNR office in Grand Rapids. A list of permit conditions can be found on the back of the permit. Please check with your local DNR office for further information.