Warden Blotter: Speechless Skippy, illegal baiting, bagging the wrong birds and more
Rock, Dane and Jefferson counties
Conservation Wardens Boyd Richter and Keith Meverden of Janesville were on their way to a hunter safety class when they got involved in some boater safety. The wardens drove over the Rock River north of Janesville and observed a boater towing a skier on the river while failing to have an observer. The wardens did not have a boat, but were able to identify the boat by registration number and waved the operator to shore near the Traxler boat launch. Upon contact, wardens found there was an observer named “Skippy” in the boat. Unfortunately, “Skippy” was a mannequin. One citation was issued for towing a skier without a competent observer.
Conservation Wardens Boyd Richter and Keith Meverden of Janesville investigated a complaint of subjects driving onto state property past the parking area in Lima Marsh. Wardens located the suspects and spoke with them. One citation was issued for operating a vehicle in an unauthorized area.
Conservation Wardens Boyd Richter and Keith Meverden of Janesville investigated a baiting complaint near Harvey’s Marsh Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) north of Evansville. Wardens located bait placed in front of a trail camera on private property next to the WPA and corn placed on the ground in front of a permanent tree stand on the WPA. Wardens located a hunter in the stand over the bait. One citation was issued for the illegal baiting.
Conservation Wardens Boyd Richter and Keith Meverden of Janesville investigated a complaint of a subject registering a car-killed deer in Evansville as an archery-killed deer. Meverden spoke with the suspect who admitted to tagging a deer that was killed with his truck on Hwy 14. The suspect said he figured he would earn a buck sticker with the car-killed doe. One citation was issued for the tagging violation and the buck sticker was seized.
Conservation Wardens Boyd Richter and Keith Meverden of Janesville investigated a complaint of subjects shooting near Riverside Park in Janesville. Wardens found numerous waterfowl hunters in the area that were hunting outside the city limits, but on the opposite side of the river from the city park. Wardens checked several groups of hunters and found several violations including possession of lead shot shells, failure to provide the proper number of personal floatation devices, failure to cover boat batteries and hunting without a small game license.
Conservation Wardens Boyd Richter and Keith Meverden of Janesville were monitoring fishing activity at the Indianford Dam on the Rock River when they observed a subject drinking beer in the county park. Meverden traffic-stopped the driver and found he did not have a valid driver’s license. One citation was issued for the litter violation and a warning was given for dumping the minnows. Further checking revealed the driver was revoked in the state of North Carolina, but was still listed as valid in Wisconsin.
Conservation Warden Mike Dieckhoff of Janesville and Recruit Warden Bryan Harrenstein investigated 3 illegal bait locations on state lands in the Avon Bottoms Public Hunting Grounds. Also located at those locations was a climbing tree stand without any owner information affixed to it. Wardens also located 3 trail cameras illegally placed on state lands as well. A suspect was located hunting over one of the illegal baits from a tent blind. Further contact with that subject revealed that he and another hunter placed 2 illegal stands, 3 illegal baits and 3 illegal cameras on state land. Several citations were issued for illegal bait and illegally placed stands/cameras on state lands to each of the subjects.
Conservation Warden Mike Dieckhoff of Janesville and Recruit Warden Bryan Harrenstein conducted an investigation into several complaints of an individual who is revoked for 21 years as a result of shining and shooting deer in 2011. Complaints stated the individual was out fishing and further investigation proved he was fishing. The individual stated he believed he was only revoked for hunting and trapping. Charges have been filed.
Wardens Mike Dieckhoff and Bryan Harrenstein of Janesville investigated many trapping related complaints. Wardens investigated the complaints and found one subject trapping without a license and shining and shooting raccoons, several subjects trapping within 25 feet of sight exposed bait, trapping with untagged traps and trespassing.
Warden Ryan Ellifson of Jefferson worked waterfowl enforcement at Prince’s Point. Warden Ellifson issued a citation for shooting a Lesser Yellow Legs, a protected shore bird. Warden Ellifson also issued warnings during the day for transporting a loaded firearm in a motor boat and for failing to report goose harvest.
Warden Ryan Ellifson of Jefferson received a complaint of two individuals raccoon trapping in the water before the water trapping season opened in the southern zone. Upon investigation, Warden Ellifson was able to find numerous illegal water sets that were placed before the season. During this investigation Warden Ellifson also found other traps in the water belonging to another trapper who did not have a license. Warden Ellifson issued one citation to each trapper for the violations.
Warden Henry Bauman of Madison issued a citation to a local septic hauler for operating without a valid license.
Warden Jake Donar and Supervisor Nate Kroeplin, both of Madison, worked at the Mazomanie Beach for one day and made two disorderly conduct arrests for individuals engaged in illicit sexual activity.
Wardens Kyle Dilley and Jake Donar of Madison, and Recruit Warden Keith Meverden, investigated an untagged deer hanging in a tree. Citations were issued.
Wardens Kyle Dilley of Madison and Mike Hirschboeck of Racine gave a fur collection presentation to Raymond Elementary School third graders.
Richland, Grant and Iowa counties
Warden Mike Nice of Richland Center and Cody Adams of Prairie du Chien contacted three waterfowl hunters who failed to possess stamps, had unplugged shotguns, and failed to report geese they had harvested in the early season. Citations are pending. Wardens also issued a citation to another hunter for an unregistered boat.
Warden Nice worked early waterfowl hunting on Semrad Slough and determined two suspects killed a goose 10 minutes prior to season and had 3 other geese which they failed to validate their tags. The suspects had no life jackets and one did not have a federal stamp on his person. Citations are pending.
Warden Caputo received an after-the-fact complaint about an individual who hunted geese during the one week waterfowl closure in the Southern Zone. The subject hunted during the closed season and was found to have not called in geese on two separate occasions. Enforcement action was taken.
Warden Dave Youngquist of Spring Green worked waterfowl enforcement in the Bakkens Pond area. Warden Youngquist took enforcement action on one hunter with lead shells. Youngquist found two hunters with unsigned federal stamps that did not call in their geese and one of the two had not validated his goose permit. Enforcement action was taken.
Warden Rick DeWitte of Cassville, Recruit Warden Chris Weller and Warden Al Erickson of Dodgeville assisted the Grant County Outdoor Sport Alliance at the Stitzer Sportsmen Club with a learn to squirrel hunt event.
Warden DeWitte received a citizen complaint of a vehicle shining on private lands at 4:45 a.m. in the area of a previous shots fired complaint. The citizen provided a license plate and DeWitte made a contact. Enforcement action was taken for shining after hours.
Wardens Erickson and Warden Supervisor Joe Frost of Dodgeville contacted two subjects fishing after dark from the banks of the Lower Wisconsin River with live bluegills and bullheads as bait which they had caught and transported in a bucket of lake water from the Tenney Park lagoon in Madison. It is illegal to transport water away from any water body and to transport live fish. Enforcement action was taken.
Warden Erickson investigated a hunting incident that occurred at the Pecatonica River Woods State Natural Area. A male subject was squirrel hunting by himself when he when he tripped and stumbled on some underbrush while trying to move closer to a squirrel. The firearm discharged a round into his big toe.
Wardens Erickson and Weller contacted a group of hunting a property adjacent to and on a state property. Wardens discovered multiple violations including hunting over bait, tree stand left on state property without being removed daily as required, unlabeled trail camera left out on state property, damage to natural resource for illegally posting no trespassing signs over 100 yards onto state property, operating ATVs on state property, failure to display ATV decal and fail to display ATV license plate. Enforcement action was taken.
La Crosse, Trempealeau and Crawford counties
Wardens Dale Hochhausen of Onalaska and Supervisor Tyler Strelow worked waterfowl hunting enforcement on Lake Onalaska. The wardens discovered several violations including overbagging on ducks, fail to validate goose harvest permit, unplugged shotguns and unsigned federal stamps. Enforcement action was taken.
Warden Supervisor Tyler Strelow put on a Learn To Trap event in the City of La Crosse. The event took place on the La Crosse River Marsh property. Students were mentored by experienced trappers and learned everything about running a trap line. All 19 students received their trapper education certificate upon completing the event.
Warden Shawna Stringham of Viroqua and recruit Warden Lynna Gurnoe received information of an illegal bait site for deer. Wardens were able to find the baited site and documented the evidence. While investigating the baiting complaint, wardens located a marijuana grow on the property. Information was passed along to the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department. The Sheriff’s Department later arrested the subject and found a house full of marijuana plants that were processed for distribution. The charges for illegal bait are pending.
Wardens Edward McCann of La Crosse and Chris Shea of Trempealeau checked a group of waterfowl hunters who thought they harvested two limits of snipe, but, to their dismay, the birds were actually dowitchers which are protected shorebirds. Citations were issued.
Warden Cody Adams of Crawford County and recruit Warden Nick Wallor conducted surveillance regarding a Hotline complaint of illegal traps that had no identification tags. The wardens found identical coon cuff traps with no identification tags. The trapper was identified and enforcement action was taken.
Warden Bob Jumbeck of Alma while working waterfowl enforcement found three individuals hunting without licenses, hunting in a closed area, hunting with an unplugged shotgun, operating a motorboat without navigation lights, failure to have personal floatation devices and littering beer cans. Enforcement action was taken.
Warden Chris Shea of Trempealeau investigated a complaint involving an archery deer hunter illegally feeding and baiting deer. During the investigation Warden Shea found the hunter to be hunting over too much bait, using an illegal gravity feeder, trespassing, and operating an unregistered UTV. Enforcement action was taken.
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.