Warden Blotter: Mississippi River, Lower Chippewa and Southeast warden teams
La Crosse, Pepin, Jackson, Crawford counties
Warden Cody Adams of Crawford County was pulling off the Mississippi River around 11 p.m. when a houseboat went around Adams then darted back toward shore and crashed into shore. Adams motored over to the houseboat to ensure everyone was safe. The operator was later arrested for operating while intoxicated and had a blood alcohol concentration of .19. The state’s legal BAC limit is .08.
Warden Dale Hochhausen of Onalaska assisted Winona County Sheriff’s Department and other agencies with a boat accident on the Minnesota side of the Mississippi River below lock and dam #7. A tugboat went through the first roller gate and flipped on its side. Hochhausen assisted with searching for a missing person. A hazardous materials dive team recovered the body.
Warden Robert Jumbeck of Alma received information from the Pepin County Sheriff’s Department regarding an individual found shooting at crows from the road. Enforcement action was taken.
Warden Matt Modjeski of Sparta assisted a Jackson County Sheriff's Deputy with an intoxicated person seated in a pickup truck parked at a club in Millston. The officers observed a raccoon inside the truck. The intoxicated person said he found the raccoon along the roadway. The Black River Falls ambulance took the intoxicated person to a facility and Modjeski released the raccoon back to the wild.
Wardens Edward McCann of La Crosse and Recruit Warden Dustin Gabrielson observed an all-terrain vehicle being operated down a sidewalk at a high rate of speed in front of a business. After contacting the subject, the wardens discovered the ATV was not registered, the operator had not taken an ATV safety class as required, and was operating in the highway right of way. Enforcement action was taken.
Chippewa, Eau Claire and Clark counties
Warden Adam Hanna took a complaint from a concerned citizen about runoff from gasoline-contaminated soil used as fill near the Black River. Warden Hanna investigated and found that clean fill from an old gas station was used by a local business, but that contaminated soil had been discovered and hauled to a landfill for evaporative treatment. Stormwater runoff measures were taken to prevent the fill from eroding and washing into the river.
Warden Hanna took two complaints about birds suspected to have West Nile virus. Warden Hanna made arrangements for the birds to be rehabilitated or tested for the disease. In both instances, local police departments (Thorp and Neillsville) located the sick birds and recognized the possible disease threat. Warden Hanna was thankful for their willingness to involve themselves with non-traditional police work.
Wardens Shaun Deeney and Kurt Haas were patrolling by boat on Lake Wissota when they encountered two male subjects fishing by the Highway K bridge. Both men said they were fishing without licenses. They were also found in possession of drug paraphernalia and marijuana. Citations were issued for the fishing violations and the drugs were seized by a Chippewa County Sheriff’s Deputy.
Warden Deeney and Warden Supervisor Jeremy Peery were patrolling Long Lake by boat when they observed a man hovering 20 feet above the water’s surface. As they got closer they found the man was operating a jet-pack connected by a hose to a PWC. This new form of water recreation is known as a JetLev or Flyboard.
Warden Randy Dunkel of Cornell received a Hotline complaint that 3 young males were netting fish below the dam in Chippewa Falls. Dunkel responded to the area and found that the juvenile fishermen were netting lake sturgeon as they porpoised near the bank. When the juveniles had the fish in the nets, they took photos and released the sturgeon back into the river. Dunkel talked with the young fishermen at length, explaining the rules and regulations and seriousness of their actions. The fishermen were given warning for their actions.
Warden Scott Thiede of Eau Claire had two anglers attempt to identify themselves as other people. A man from North Carolina used the name of a friend, and a woman from Eau Claire identified herself as her sister. In both cases computer records revealed the truth. Citations were issued for fish without a license, and criminal charges are pending for obstructing an officer.
Warden Ken Thomson investigated a Hotline complaint of people who were tearing down a house that had asbestos siding and burying the siding on the property. During investigation, Thomson discovered the group was burying the items on the property and luckily the siding did not contain asbestos. Thomson informed the men that they could not bury the siding and shingles as it was in violation of the state solid waste laws. The men made arrangements to get a dumpster and properly dispose of the waste.
Forest, in locating an individual who had a fire he did not extinguish at the end of Haugsted Road on the Black River State Forest property. The suspect left his fire burning as well as left numerous soda cans and other litter along the shoreline of the Black River. This was during a dry period of the month when forest fires was a high concern. Upon investigation, a suspect was identified and enforcement action was taken.
Sheboygan, Ozaukee, Washington and Milwaukee counties
Warden Bob Lee investigated a call received from the Germantown Police Department about a snake found in a furniture shipment from Texas. The snake was ultimately identified as a rat snake which is not considered harmful. The snake got outside and it hasn’t been seen since.
Warden Sean Neverman investigated a report of 2 possible feral pigs being harvesting in Washington County. Warden Neverman contacted the landowner that reported the harvests and obtained information about the pigs including pictures. WDNR wildlife staff determined that the pigs were escapees from a pig farm that had been in the wild for a period of time.
Deputy Warden Bill Mitchell of Washington County with Wardens Nick Blankenheim and Mike Clutter assisted the Milwaukee Police Department look for a women who reportedly drowned in the Milwaukee River. The wardens used the SAFE boat which is equipped with a side scan sonar. A witness placed the person last observed within 10 feet of the echo location received by the sonar equipment.
While assisting Milwaukee Police Department with an issue on the Milwaukee River, Wardens Mike Clutter, Nick Blankenheim and Deputy Warden Bill Mitchell were made aware of a seagull entangled in fishing line. The wardens retrieved the gull, performed some emergency rehabilitation work, untangled the gull and set it free.
Waupaca and Waushara counties
Warden Ted Dremel of Waupaca has started to receive complaints of persons placing bait/feed on their property to attract deer. Hunters are reminded to not place bait/feed for deer prior to 24 hours before the hunting season.
Warden Mark Schraufnagel of Clintonville concluded a turkey baiting investigation. Enforcement action was taken on the landowner responsible for the violation. Warnings were issued for hunting near the bait or assisting in placing bait.
Warden Nate Ackerman of Berlin and Recruit Mick Wallor responded to a Hotline complaint of ATV and a UTV operating on a roadway. Wardens found the machines to be operating on a roadway and the UTV had no registration. Enforcement action was taken.
Warden Nate Ackerman of Berlin and Recruit Nick Wallor conducted an interview on a subject who had left illegal bank poles in the water on the Fox River. The subject admitted to not checking the lines as required. Enforcement action was taken.
Racine, Kenosha and Walworth counties
Warden Isaac Kruse of Racine County organized and participated in an aquatic invasive group. Wardens Blankenheim, Mitchell, Groppi and Clutter worked at the Milwaukee Harbor and Warden Kruse and Waterguard Lindquist worked at the Racine Harbor. Wardens contacted approximately 20-25 boaters and educated them about aquatic invasive species. Warden Kruse checked sport fishermen at the Racine boat landing while conducting an AIS group check. Salmon-A-Rama was in progress.
Warden Isaac Kruse, Hirschboeck, Gomez, Katzenberg, Niemeyer and Sinclair worked at the Concerns of Police Survivors Kids Camp in July. Wardens taught outdoor skills to young kids that had lost a parent in the line of duty (law enforcement). Wardens taught boat safety, fishing, canoeing, .22 rifle shooting, air rifle shooting and archery.
Wardens Kruse and Warden Niemeyer contacted a woman operating a pontoon boat without registration numbers on Tichigan Lake. The woman admitted to consuming three mixed drinks earlier in the day, and stated she was on four different prescription medications. After failing field sobriety tests, the woman was arrested for intoxicated operation of a motorboat.
Warden Juan Gomez of Walworth County worked the Tichigan fireworks on the 4th of July. Gomez was working on the Fox River and arrested an individual for operating a boat while under the influence of an intoxicant. The boater had a blood alcohol concentration of .13. Gomez also worked boating enforcement on Lake Beulah. Gomez stopped a boater for a seat back violation. It is illegal to ride on the back of a seat or on the rail while a boat is under way. And he found three individuals who were under the age of 21 consuming alcohol. The individuals were turned over to Town of East Troy Police where enforcement action was taken.
Warden Mike Katzenberg of Walworth County completed an investigation of a fatal boat accident that occurred on Twin Lakes. Wardens Mike Hirschboeck, Jake Link, Isaac Kruse and Jen Niemeyer assisted with the investigation and interviews. A boat operator was moving out to deeper water when the boat began taking on water. All individuals on board abandoned the boat. One individual in the boat jumped out and began swimming to shore. The individual was observed going under the surface of the water and not returning. The victim was later pronounced dead at the local hospital.
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.