District 5

CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports monitoring area forest roads for fall activity. The youth deer hunt was a nonevent locally as no youth hunters were observed. ATV traffic was monitored and small-game hunting from ATV was common. Few grouse were observed harvested and numbers appear down considerably from last year. Duck hunters continue trying their luck, with mixed results. Other time was spent on administrative reporting, issuing permits, and returning phone calls.

CO Sean Cannon (Cook) spent time investigating illegal decorative materials harvesting, checking anglers, monitoring ATV activity, and checking waterfowl hunters and grouse hunters. Time was also spent monitoring the youth deer hunt over the long MEA weekend. Many people were out enjoying the fall weather throughout the week. Cannon also assisted St. Louis County on calls throughout the week. Enforcement activity this week included theft/illegal harvest of decorative materials and shooting from a vehicle.

CO Aaron Larson (Tower) worked primarily ATV, small-game, and waterfowl enforcement. Time was spent checking grouse hunters and local ATV trails. Violations were related to ATV helmet violations, operating ATVs on the highway, non-resident ATV trail passes, and ATV registration issues. Time was also spent investigating a trespass complaint.

CO Shane Zavodnik (Virginia) spent time working on ATV, patrolling for ATV activity and small-game hunters. Additional time was spent completing a deer farm inspection and assisting surrounding law enforcement agencies with calls. There was a fair number of successful youth deer hunters over the weekend. Duck numbers remain low, but grouse activity seems to have picked up.

CO Duke Broughten (Aurora) spent the week monitoring hunting and ATV activity. Grouse hunters reported moderate success. Waterfowl hunters continued to report limited success. Few youth deer hunters were encountered during the youth firearm deer season. Broughten fielded calls regarding ATV use during the firearms deer season, youth firearms safety requirements, and trespass. Broughten also assisted local law enforcement with a structure fire and vehicle rollover crash.

District 6

CO Sean Williams (Ely #1) reports the trails and forest roads were packed for the always-busy MEA weekend. Grouse-hunting success was some of the poorest in memory as hunters greatly outnumbered grouse seen. Violations included juvenile ATV passengers without a helmet, failure to display ATV registration, and taking grouse with no blaze orange.

CO Brent Ihnen (Ely #2) patrolled his station this week checking grouse and waterfowl hunters. Ihnen also patrolled for fishing and boating activity. Additional time was spent monitoring AIS compliance near area public water accesses.

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) worked grouse hunters, youth deer hunters, ATV enforcement, and decorative materials theft. A huge number of ATVs were out over the MEA weekend. Grouse numbers continue to be lower, and with the extreme pressure on them are very educated and cautious. Enforcement action was taken for youth ATV passengers and operators without helmets, failure to display registration, operating a motor vehicle on an ATV/snowmobile trail, open bottle, and transporting grouse without an attached wing.