Wardens southeast to central areas handle license fraud, animal abuse, illegal fishing, education
May 7, 2013
By: Bureau of Law Enforcement
Waupaca, Marquette, Waushara, Shawano and Outagamie counties
Warden Ted Dremel of Waupaca assisted with the Learn to Turkey Hunt event held annually in Waupaca. Twenty-two new hunters and mentors managed to harvest 11 turkeys despite cold temperatures and deep snow. He also participated in a Trapper Education class held at Hartman Creek State Park. Nineteen students graduated from this class.
Warden Ben Mott of Wautoma assisted an Alaska Wildlife Trooper with an Alaskan license residency fraud case. Mott was able to forward enough current information for the wildlife trooper to make contact with one suspect and discuss enforcement.
Wautoma-area wardens have been assisting Division of Forestry staff by relaying information of ongoing commercial logging operations. There has been an increase in the number of cutting permits not being obtained prior to logging operations and the wardens are assisting by relaying these locations so a check for permits can be made. This cooperation is saving time and the mileage budget for forestry.
The Wautoma-based warden team report the 2012-13 trapping season had a large increase in trapping complaints with trap theft, trap molesting and failure to check traps being the top three complaints received. Many of these complaints were called in by trappers.
An investigation into an illegally shot bobcat in Marquette County was successfully completed. Warden Matt Groppi of Waukesha contacted the hunter who had claimed the bobcat was shot in self-defense. Groppi was assisted by Warden Judi Nigbor of Montello in determining through the investigation that the hunter had seen the bobcat and planned a way to purposely shoot the animal. Enforcement action completed.
Warden Nate Ackerman of Berlin observed an ATV operator drive off Big Green Lake and onto a county highway. Ackerman stopped the ATV and found the driver to be intoxicated. Enforcement action was taken for operating an ATV on a roadway and operating an ATV while intoxicated. Blood results showed the subject to be over .20 blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The legal limit is .08.
Warden Ackerman gave the warden presentation to the Kingston, Princeton and Amish hunter education classes.
Warden Ted Dremel of Waupaca responded to a call of an injured deer north of Waupaca. Upon arriving it was found the deer was dead and very thin looking. Dremel believes the deer may have been killed by predators when the deer was sick. Dremel found the deer had two broken back legs and it was believed to be hit by a vehicle.
Wardens Dremel and Jeff Knorr of Fremont worked on a case involving two persons who had transported an unregistered otter illegally and one was trapping without a license. Enforcement action is pending.
Warden Judi Nigbor of Montello gave a presentation and assisted with a trapper education class near Endeavor.
Warden Mark Schraufnagel of Clintonville spoke at the Bonduel Lutheran Church annual game feed charity fundraiser and Briarton Sportsman’s Club Banquet.
Warden Young staffed the Sport Fishing Show in Appleton, answering questions from the participants. He also gave presentations at Black Creek hunter safety, Oneida hunter safety and Hortonville hunter safety.
Racine, Kenosha and Walworth counties
Warden Juan Gomez of Walworth County organized a youth learn to turkey hunt in Walworth County. Twelve LTH Turkey participants headed to the field on April 6 and harvested two birds and missed two. Everyone heard birds and all had a great time. Helping out with the hunt were Wardens Mike Katzenberg, Jason Roberts and Isaac Kruse.
Wardens Isaac Kruse of Racine County, John Sinclair of Kenosha and Warden Supervisor Jen Niemeyer assisted Pleasant Prairie Police Department in a search warrant of a home. The suspects were charged with felony animal abuse to some horses that were located on the property. They also housed a few wild mallards and geese. The ducks and geese were taken to a local rehabilitator to eventually be released back into the wild. During the execution of the search warrant, many dead protected species were found in the freezer to include a whippoorwill, an owl and several other protected birds native to the State. Charges are pending.
Wardens Mike Hirschboeck of Racine County and John Sinclair assisted with a disabled hunt at Halter Wildlife in Pleasant Prairie. The hunt is focused on hunters who may have a disability and do not have the advantages of walking, shooting or hearing. The mentors assisted the hunters to be successful in harvesting many pheasants.
Warden Isaac Kruse investigated a complaint regarding kids who were dumping oil into water that feeds into the Fox River. Kruse responded to the scene and found that several young children dumped about one-quarter of a gallon of motor oil into a drainage ditch. Kruse contacted the parents, educated the children and instructed the children to pick up garbage around the ditch.
Warden Kyle Dilley of Kenosha and Warden Supervisor Jen Niemeyer worked hours on a dam that was failing in Kenosha County Richard Bong State Park. The area saw significant amounts of rain (over 4 inches in a three-day period), as well as a strong west wind, pushing the limits of the dam. For six days straight, a 24-hour watch was set up on the dam to monitor the changes. Warden Dilley and Niemeyer worked with local emergency management groups, Kansasville Fire, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Town of Brighton and Wisconsin State Parks to rectify what could had been something tragic to a minimal issue.
Warden John Sinclair of Kenosha County assisted the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department with a report of two armed robbery suspects who ran into a wooded area. The subjects were not located, but the deputies on scene thanked Warden Sinclair for his help.
Warden Mike Katzenberg of Walworth County and Gomez investigated two individuals who were fishing for walleye on the White River in Lake Geneva during the closed game fishing season. Through investigation by Katzenberg and Gomez, it was found the two individuals had caught and kept 10 walleyes. The other individual was also found to have taken over his daily bag limit of walleye. Katzenberg and Gomez issued citations for fishing during closed season and over bagging on walleye.
If you have information regarding natural resource violations, please call: VIOLATION HOTLINE: 1-800-TIP-WDNR or 1-800-847-9367. The hotline is in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Trained staff relay reported information to conservation wardens. Anyone who calls the Violation Hotline or provides information can remain anonymous.