CO Sean Williams (Ely #1) reports there was no hunting activity in the normal places on the opening day of the regular waterfowl season. A combination of unseasonably warm weather, a marathon happening over a large swath of the town, and a pending thunderstorm made the first half of the day a wash. The following day, however, a good number of hunters were located and success was good, with geese and mallards primarily being seen.

CO John Velsvaag (Ely #2) checked anglers and hunters this past week. Fishing was slow and grouse hunters had little success. Velsvaag followed up on a litter complaint and took several nuisance-animal calls.

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Grand Marais) checked grouse hunters and remote trout lakes, and monitored bear-hunting activity. He attended a rifle-armoring class at Camp Ripley and took enforcement action for ATV violations.

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) worked the duck opener, which was fairly successful for those hunters who went out. Birds noted in the bag included geese, mallards, wood ducks and black ducks. Bermel watched one hunter shoot a grebe and then throw it in the weeds. The hunters also had lead shot. Time was spent working grouse hunters and checking off-highway vehicles. Assistance was provided to the county on a search warrant where the subject of the warrant was also a litter suspect on a large garbage dump in the woods. Additional enforcement action included litter, expired canoe registration, and no OHM registration.

CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked the waterfowl opener, small-game hunting, and angling activity this past week. He checked ATV activity and assisted with an injured person on the Superior Hiking Trail.

CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked small-game and waterfowl-hunting activity during the past week. A few more grouse were showing up but cover remains thick, making it hard to see birds. Bowhunting checks were made and illegal deer-baiting complaints are being investigated.

Tofte – vacant.