Pheasant hunters continue to struggle

District 15 - Marshall area

CO Doug Lage (Marshall) reports that farming fieldwork has come to a stop and pheasant hunters are frustrated. Goose hunters are seeing more birds. Enforcement action was taken on no license and uncased firearms.

CO Matt Loftness (Marshall) states that pheasant hunters continue to struggle with persistent rain making for slow soybean and corn harvest. With duck numbers down, a lot of waterfowl hunters have turned to goose hunting with good success. Assistance was given to DNR Wildlife and the MN Board of Animal Health with a missing game farm elk that was seen in southern Lyon County. An inspection was also conducted on a ginseng dealer. Archery and firearm deer hunters are reminded, again, to read about the new regulations dealing with the new “Youth Antlerless Only Areas.”

CO Neil Henriksen (Benson) reports enforcement time was sent checking fishermen, hunters and ATV operators. Waterfowl and pheasant hunting remained slow this past week. The fall walleye bite is hot at the Marsh Lake Dam near Appleton.

CO Ed Picht (Montevideo) reports ducks and geese are slowly starting to trickle into the area. Pheasant success remains slow and walleye anglers continue to have good success. A group of hunters were charged with taking geese during the closed west-central goose zone season on Marsh Lake.

CO Jim Robinson (Slayton) spent the week checking hunters. Pheasant and duck success is poor. Archery deer hunters are out in full force. Enforcement action was taken for fail to tag deer, transport illegally taken deer, trespass, no blaze orange, camping on a WMA and license/stamp/registration violations.

CO Craig Miska (Ortonville) monitored pheasant, waterfowl, and fishing activity throughout the week. More waterfowl have moved into the area, but standing crops and wet conditions have hampered the pheasant hunt. Infractions for the week: over limit of duck in season, angle w/extra lines, and no HIP certification. This officer also spent time picking up trash left by hunters and anglers. Please take the time to put trash in its proper place.

CO Gary Nordseth (Worthington) checked duck and pheasant hunters, and issued several out-of-state minnow transport permits. The Worthington Pheasants Forever Chapter hosted a youth pheasant hunt. Numerous members volunteered their time, dogs and expertise to mentor youngsters who might not otherwise have the opportunity to hunt. Many area landowners graciously made more than 1,500 privately owned acres available to the young hunters. The youngsters were able to hone their shooting skills at the Worthington Gun Club. CO Nordseth attended their pre-hunt meeting and had an opportunity to visit with the young hunters.

Madison - vacant.

Redwood Falls - vacant.

District 16 - New Ulm area

CO Wayne Hatlestad (Litchfield) checked pheasant, waterfowl, and archery deer hunting activity. Additional time was spent checking angling, boating, and ATV activity. Hatlestad also investigated solid waste violations, and patrolled state lands.

CO Jim Steffen (Willmar) spent the week checking waterfowl hunters, archery deer hunters, atv and ohm users and fall fishermen. Time was also spent investigating two deer killed illegally at night in a state park; the investigation continues. Fishing remains good for panfish and walleyes. The duck hunting remains quite slow and the pheasant hunting is also slow.

CO Jeff Denz (Willmar) worked on cattail cutting and wetland violations. He also checked waterfowl and pheasant hunters and noted a significant decrease in hunters observed in the field. He monitored fall fishing activity which has picked up with some walleyes being caught.

CO Mike Gruhlke (Jackson) continued to work small game, waterfowl, deer and angling seasons. Gruhlke patrolled Jackson and Cottonwood counties encountering the use of lead shot on WPAs, no pheasant stamp validation, no license in possession violations. Anglers are out for fall fishing along with many individuals’ pheasant hunting. Officer Gruhlke observed there are still few ducks in the area.

CO Eric Schettler (Fairmont) worked waterfowl and small game hunters. Archery deer hunters are out and doing fine. The Faribault Co. Pheasants Forever chapter was attended at their annual youth hunt. Investigations into poaching of deer are ongoing.

CO Brett Oberg (Hutchinson) helped out at the 2nd annual DNR and Pheasants Forever youth mentored pheasant hunt in McLeod County. It was a successful hunt with everyone having fun and most able to down a rooster. Thanks to McLeod Pheasants Forever for putting on a great event. CO Oberg also spent time checking waterfowl hunters. Mallard and teal were the most common birds in the bag. Bufflehead, ruddy ducks, and canvasbacks also are starting to show up more often. Enforcement action was taken for transport loaded gun in a motor vehicle, no Federal Waterfowl Stamp, failure to tag waterfowl, no PFD, and no license in possession. CO Oberg also responded to two trespassing complaints.

CO Angela Graham (Hutchinson) checked anglers, boaters, ATV/OHMs, small game and archery hunters. Waterfowl hunters reported seeing more birds this past week, and shore anglers have been having more success in the last week. CO Graham also responded to calls of trespassing, shooting from road, angling with extra lines and over limit.

CO Greg Abraham (New Ulm) reports working the raccoon/fox/badger/opossum opener. Duck hunter success still low, pheasants fair. A decent walleye bite is going on and many deer season questions coming in.

Windom - vacant.

District 17 - Mankato area

CO Bob Geving (Mankato) attended an 800MHz radio training class in Rochester. Geving also worked angling and hunting activities. The sunfish and crappie bite was hot at the beginning of the week on local lakes.

CO Brent Ihnen (Waseca) continued checking waterfowl, pheasant, and deer hunters. Bird numbers are still down with only a few northern flocks seen by hunters in the field. Time was also spent attending training in Rochester with area officers.

CO Corey Wiebusch (Mankato) attended training in Rochester this past week. Several questions regarding the upcoming deer season were handled. Administrative duties were attended to and several snowmobile safety classes were scheduled.

CO Julie Siems (Faribault) reports working small game and angling enforcement. Training was received on the use of the new 800 MHz radio system. A complaint of early trapping was also investigated. A presentation was given at a local youth pheasant hunt. Violations include illegally possess road kill deer, unplugged gun and no license in possession.

CO Chris Howe (St. Peter) checked waterfowl, small game, and archery deer hunters. Pheasant hunting is still slow with lots of crops still in the fields. Some waterfowl are moving into the area, with noticeable increases in the number of geese seen. He spoke on laws and ethics to a youth Firearms Safety class in LeSueur with nearly 100 students, and attended 800 MHz radio training in Rochester.

CO Phil George (Mantorville) checked waterfowl and small game hunters. He attended training and gave a safety talk to a group going on a youth pheasant hunt. He took complaints of shining, trespass, baiting, and shooting during closed hours.

Spring Valley - vacant.

District 18 - Rochester area

CO Dan McBroom (Rochester) spent the week on fishing, small game, turkey hunting, archery deer, and migratory waterfowl. Fields in the Rochester area are starting to come out and more fields are opening up for goose hunting. The wet weather at the end of the week slowed the harvest. Training was attended for new radios.

CO Joel Heyn (Plainview) worked anglers and hunters during the week. Canvasbacks were seen in almost every duck hunter’s bag. Heyn also assisted neighboring officers on a deer investigation and helped teach radio training.

CO Kevin Prodzinski (Zumbrota) reports working a verity of enforcement activities over the weekend. Ducks and pheasants were a little slow but some bow hunters were seeing and taking a few more deer. Enforcement action involved toxic shot, PFDs and drugs.

CO Tom Hemker (Winona) continues to work on night hunting complaints. In one night he had two different car loads of people out smoking marijuana. Ducks continue to be hit and miss with one group of five hunters getting 30 ducks. Saugers are biting but are very small. Deer law questions on the 3A season are everywhere.

CO Scott Fritz (LaCrescent) reports one really good day for the duck hunters. Saw many hunters with 3-4 birds per hunter. The rest of the week was poor with most hunters asking, “Where are all of the ducks?” The refuges have large number of ducks and the swans are beginning to show up. Enforcement for the week included an over limit of sauger, artificial lights after legal hours, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

CO Mitch Boyum (Rushford) reports checking archery deer hunters and turkey hunters. Many hunters were out with the new snow fall. Reports from hunters are that the deer are starting to become more active and the hunting is getting better. A few trappers were also out this weekend as well as some raccoon hunters.

CO Tyler Quandt (Red Wing) reports working waterfowl hunting, small game hunting, fishing and shining activity this past week and weekend. The fall fishing bite is going strong. Some anglers reported catching over 100 fish a day with over 200 boats at times on the river. Some fishing and hunting violations were detected.

CO Scott Moran (Wabasha) reports the cool wet weather has discouraged some people from spending a lot of time outside. Some anglers are doing well but it is still spotty. A TIP of a swan being shot was investigated but the shooter was gone before the information was called in and the swan was nowhere to be found. Turkey hunters have been finding things a little slow.

Rochester #1 - vacant.