DNR Conservation Officer Reports – District 9 (Brainerd area)

District 9 – Brainerd area
Last updated: 2022-11-07
CO Eric Sullivan (Brainerd) focused on deer hunting activity this past week. During the opening weekend of firearms season Sullivan contacted hunters that were transporting loaded firearms in a motor vehicle, hunting deer with the aid of bait and trespassing. During the investigations firearms and illegally taken deer were seized. Sullivan also contacted a subject that was operating a motor vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance. Hunters reported seeing good numbers of deer.

CO Calie Cook (Crosslake) spent time checking multiple deer hunters over the weekend. Success rates were average for local hunters. Enforcement action was taken for various deer hunting violations.

CO Chelsey Best (Pequot Lakes) and COC Ohnstad saw heavy hunting pressure on both public and private lands in the areas around the Foothills State Forest. Enforcement action taken for hunting over bait, CWD violations, transporting loaded guns, fail to validate tags, operate ATVs on closed trails, unattended fires and various license and vehicle registration issues.

CO Andrew Dirks (CCSRA) spent time checking hunters over the busy firearms deer season opener. Cooler temps had hunters going into the weekend had hunters feeling hopeful. Many deer were seen in the bag throughout the area, and in talking with CWD check station staff harvest was comparable to opener last year. Enforcement action included license violations and transporting loaded firearms.

CO Tony Flerlage (Crosby) worked the deer season opener. He assisted with an injured hunter and took calls of dumped deer carcasses. It?s a shame to see so many deer carcasses dumped in illegal places, because there are dumpsters at CWD check stations that provide a free and legal place to dispose the deer. The high wind on Sunday had many hunters out of the woods.

CO Jim Guida (Brainerd East) worked a busy firearms deer opener and monitored angling activity. Casework prior to the opener lead to illegal hunting of big game over bait violations resulting in numerous firearms and archery equipment seizures. Guida fielded a trespassing complaint where a landowner was posting public property for personal gain. In addition to the trespassing violation, the landowner contact revealed an untagged big game animal hanging from a tree in their yard and the suspect failing to validate his big game site tag. Enforcement action was taken.

Pine River vacant.