3/16/2025-3/29/2025

DISTRICT 1

Conservation Officer (CO) Steve Sajtar responded to an occupied structure fire in the City of Menominee. CO Sajtar arrived on scene and assisted Menominee Police Department with confirming all occupants made it out of the burning house. All four juveniles and both family pets were accounted for. One of the four juveniles was transported by emergency medical services (EMS) to a nearby hospital and treated for minor injuries.

CO Alex VanWagner responded to an address in Bates Township, Iron County for a domestic in progress with Michigan State Police (MSP) troopers. The CO conducted interviews on scene and the adult male subject at the residence was arrested for two counts of domestic assault.

DISTRICT 2

CO Steve Butzin received a littering complaint in Delta County where a mattress and a bag of garbage were dumped in an area that generates many littering complaints. Information was located which led the CO to interview several suspects. A citation was issued for littering, and the responsible person was instructed to clean up the mess.

COs Cole VanOosten, Justin Vinson, and Sergeant (Sgt.) Mark Pomroy conducted simultaneous interviews on three individuals in the Upper Peninsula (UP) who were suspected of fraudulent hunting license purchases in the state of Kansas. Following the interviews, the information was compiled and sent to the investigating Kansas game wardens.

COs Mike Olesen and Scott Pankow assisted the United States Coast Guard (USCG) with an incident in which a vehicle and Kubota tractor fell through the ice on Munuscong Bay. Both the vehicle and tractor were removed.

Widespread power outages across the district have occurred after an ice storm hit on Sunday March 30th. This storm blanketed a large portion of the UP and northern Michigan. As of Monday morning March 31st, there were over 10,000 power outages in the eastern UP alone, with many trees down on roads and across power lines, creating hazardous situations.

DISTRICT 3

No Report

DISTRICT 4

CO Angela Greenway responded to two different fires within a couple miles of each other on the same day in Mecosta County. The first fire spread to two neighboring properties burning a garage and several outbuildings. Eleven different fire departments responded and contained the fire rather quickly. While on scene with the first fire, CO Greenway was advised that she was needed to investigate a second fire approximately two miles away. This fire burned a hay field and several large round bales. Again, with the quick response of the fire departments, the fire was contained rather quickly.

CO Angela Greenway received a complaint of an abandoned vessel on a small inland lake in Mecosta County. The registration was run, and it was reported stolen. The Mecosta County Sheriff’s Office took the original complaint back in 2024. CO Greenway, along with the Mecosta County Sheriff’s Office, responded and attempted to retrieve the stolen vessel. The owner of the vessel was notified and responded to the location as well. The boat was recovered and returned to the owner.

CO Cameron Wright assisted with a breaking and entering in progress in Newaygo County. CO Wright and two Newaygo County deputies arrived at the same time and located the suspect standing behind his vehicle and moving around various items that he had taken from inside the caller’s garage. It was discovered that the subject also had multiple warrants out of Newaygo County and was arrested. Enforcement action is being handled by the Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office.

CO Cameron Wright received a complaint from Newaygo Central Dispatch of a pile of dead baby goats had been dumped in the Manistee National Forest. CO Wright responded to the area and confirmed the complaint but was not able to find any information to locate a suspect. The information was forwarded to the United States Forest Service (USFS) officer who covers Newaygo County. A few days later, the USFS Officer contacted CO Wright and informed him that additional piles of dead baby goats had been called in, totaling over 70, that had been found dumped in the national forest. The USFS officer was able to find an ear tag that was left on one of the baby goats. With that information, he was able to locate a suspect. The USFS officer conducted interviews and was told by the suspect that the goats were still alive-and-well and were at his farm on the south side of the county. COs Wright and Tim Barboza went to the farm and were able to interview the suspect’s wife there. CO Wright located approximately 20 baby goats inside the barn that looked very similar to the dead ones that had been dumped. Unfortunately, one of those baby goats was discovered dead in the pen. CO Wright observed the poor conditions that the goats were being kept in and documented it. This case has been turned over to Newaygo County Animal Control for further investigation.

COs Cameron Wright, Tim Barboza, and Josiah Killingbeck, along with a USFS K9 officer, conducted a felony warrant arrest in Lake County. The warrant was for CO Wright’s felon in possession of a firearm subject who he had located firearm deer hunting back in January of 2025. The suspect had been previously convicted twice of armed robbery and was not allowed to possess firearms due to being a felon. The officers were able to locate the suspect at his residence in Baldwin and arrested him on the warrant without incident.

While CO Logan Turner was patrolling state land in Grand Traverse County, he heard several gunshots before hearing an explosion which shook his truck. Knowing there was a sand pit about half a mile away, he went to the area. CO Turner located three individuals shooting large amounts of Tannerite blowing up appliances. CO Turner cited the individuals for using explosive targets on state land.

DISTRICT 5

CO Kevin Bunce recently attended the Mecosta/Osceola Intermediate School District career fair. CO Bunce was able to share the job duties and responsibilities of a Michigan conservation officer with over 150 students from several school districts.

CO Casey Pullum responded to a call for a juvenile female who jumped out of her bedroom window after an argument with her foster mom and was in the roadway attempting to get hit by a vehicle. All other local law enforcement officers were tied up on other calls and CO Pullum was about five minutes away. Upon arrival, CO Pullum found the juvenile, visibly upset, back at the house. Once the scene was deemed safe and no one was in immediate danger, he spoke with the foster mom and then the juvenile. The juvenile was transported by EMS to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. 

On March 25, at 2:30 PM, COs Jeff Panich and Casey Pullum responded to a report of a man struggling to breathe after falling into the AuSable River. After searching the area without success, they followed a trail where they found a man in a camouflage jacket, bloodied and unresponsive. CO Panich called for help as the man leaned on him, his breathing becoming shallow. The COs carried him to a nearby parking lot and turned him over to EMS. It was later revealed the man had fallen from a Jon boat while fishing, and one of his dogs was found with him, while the other, an elderly beagle, likely perished in the river. The water was about 39 degrees and the air was around 32 degrees.

COs Craig Neal and Josh Jobin were checking anglers near Saginaw Bay. They contacted two anglers and counting their fish, it was determined that they were 35 perch over their legal limit. Upon further investigation, an additional 25 perch were in the truck bed of the suspect's vehicle, bringing the total to 60 perch over the limit. Enforcement action was taken.

COs Jeff Goss and Sgt. Phil Hudson were checking anglers along the Rifle River. CO Goss observed two men fishing and made contact to check licenses. One of the men was unable to produce a license, so CO Goss ran the subject’s information through Station 20. Turns out that not only did the man not have a fishing license but he had two outstanding warrants for his arrest. The man was subsequently arrested on the warrants, lodged in Arenac County Jail, and issued a ticket for fishing without a license.

CO Kyle Bader responded to a wildfire in Ogemaw County at the request of the DNR Forest Resources Division. After leaving the fire, CO Bader was updating his daily report when two dirt bikes passed him, along with a tractor pulling a manure spreader, headed in the same direction. Noticing the dirt bikes lacked ORV licenses, CO Bader proceeded past the tractor and initiated a traffic stop on them. During the stop, the farmer on the tractor pulled up behind CO Bader’s patrol truck. CO Bader spoke with the farmer who suspected that the two riders had just crossed his field. CO Bader instructed him to check while he completed the stop. The farmer returned to confirm that they had indeed driven across the field. The riders admitted they were searching for a state land trail and acknowledged riding across the field. The landowner chose not to pursue trespassing charges, so the riders received a warning for the violation and were cited for not having valid ORV licenses attached to their dirt bikes.

District 5 COs responded to a search and rescue call for two campers in Roscommon County who were unprepared for cold weather during their camping trip in the Dead Stream swamp. After the temperature dropped to 20 degrees following rain and snow, the campers contacted the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Report All Poaching (RAP) hotline at 5:00 in the morning and asked for assistance. COs Ben McAteer and Sgt. Brian Olsen located them after a mile trek through the swamp. They started a fire to warm the campers and assisted with their gear as neither wore adequate clothing for the conditions. COs Matthew Zultak and Jimmy Garrett assisted in carrying the campers' backpacks and guided them back through the tough terrain. After an hour, all were out of the woods and the campers were checked by EMS and cleared.

DISTRICT 6

While patrolling northern Isabella County, CO Mike Haas witnessed an ORV operating in the roadway. When the subject saw the CO, he quickly turned off the roadway and attempted to hide behind a gas station. CO Haas contacted the subject behind the gas station and advised the subject he needed a helmet and ORV license to operate his four-wheeler on the public roadway. After further discussion, it was also discovered that the subject had a revoked driver’s license. A citation and multiple warnings were issued.

After receiving numerous complaints of party refuse left on state land in Isabella County, CO Mike Haas planned a late evening patrol on a Friday night to find those responsible. The CO located a large social gathering around a pallet fire in the complaint area of state land. While observing the event, the CO witnessed an intoxicated individual get into his large truck and repeatedly rev his very loud engine. A citation was issued to the subject for loud and disorderly behavior on state land. CO Haas contacted the subjects at the fire and collected multiple names of individuals that claimed responsibility for the party. The individuals ensured that the fire would be extinguished, and all garbage would be cleaned up after the gathering. CO Haas followed up at the site the next day and noted that the area was cleaner than it had been in months.

CO Jacob Robinson was on patrol in Montcalm County when he located two subjects small game hunting in the Flat River State Game Area (SGA) without wearing hunter orange. The CO walked with the subjects back to their vehicle and told them to case up their long guns where they admitted to not having cases for the firearms in the vehicle. After making sure that all firearms were unloaded and safe, it was determined there was a third firearm inside of the vehicle, also uncased. Citations were issued, and multiple warnings were given, including a warning for expired registration on the vehicle.

CO Michael Lator was patrolling Gratiot County for ORV activity when he observed a quad being operated by a man with a child on the seat in front of him. Neither individual was wearing a helmet or eye protection. The CO stopped the ORV, and the operator admitted he knew he needed to wear a helmet, but was unaware he could not ride double on the machine. A citation was issued to the man for operating the ORV without a helmet or eye protection and a warning for operating the quad with more passengers than designed.

CO Kyle Romzek received a complaint that a trap was still in a ditch with multiple critters in it. The CO was able to locate the trap and locate the owner of the trap. The colony trap contained four muskrats and a racoon. A citation was issued for trap muskrat during the closed season.

DISTRICT 7

CO Ryan Jager was in the City of Kalamazoo when he heard several gunshots nearby. CO Jager and a Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Officer saw four juveniles fleeing from the area. Three of the juveniles were quickly detained and a stolen firearm was located nearby. Two of the juveniles were released to parents while the suspect in possession of the firearm was lodged at the Kalamazoo Juvenile Detention Center.

CO Carter Woodwyk received a tip from the RAP dispatch center of two separate deer carcass dumping sites in the Allegan SGA, where visitors regularly park vehicles to enjoy the outdoors. Two separate suspects were developed throughout the investigation and upon further follow-up, the CO was able to confirm that both suspects did in fact illegally dump their carcasses on the public land. Enforcement action was taken on both suspects.

CO Sam Schluckbier observed two ORVs operating in a careless manner in the Allegan SGA. A four-wheeler and a dirt bike were found to be riding off trail and spinning donuts at intersections. A stop was made and CO Schluckbier found them to both to be juveniles. The two were brothers and lived a few miles away. Their father was contacted and educated on the law requiring them to have ORV safety certification and parental supervision. The juveniles were ordered to return home, and enforcement action was taken against the father.

COs Jeff Robinette and Zach Bauer were on patrol when they received a complaint of three anglers fishing a closed trout stream. The COs responded to the location and located the anglers. The COs contacted the anglers who had three steelhead that were illegally taken from the closed stream. Further investigation revealed one of the anglers had a warrant for their arrest and one angler did not have a valid Michigan fishing license. The COs arrested the subject on the warrant and the angler was lodged in the Berrien County Jail. A total of five citations were issued for possessing fish illegally taken, fishing license violations, and fishing a closed stream.

CO Travis Dragomer contacted a group of anglers fishing in the St. Joseph River at the Berrien Springs Dam. One of the anglers did not have a fishing license and after further investigation, a seven-pound steelhead was located inside the angler’s vehicle. The fish was seized, and a citation was issued for illegally possessing the steelhead without a fishing license.

While patrolling, CO Tyler Cole received a complaint via the RAP line referencing a subject fishing the Little Bear Lake drain. The caller stated that he had spoken to a subject about what he was fishing for and the subject stated that, “I’m snagging steelhead and took five last night. I have another pole with a snag rig if you want to join.”  The caller declined and notified the RAP line. CO Cole responded and located the subject, who was well known to CO Cole due to having 11 DNR prior violations. CO Cole observed the subject fishing with a treble hook greater than 3/8 inch and a weight suspended below a multi-pointed hook. CO Cole asked the subject about any fish he had caught any previous days. The subject denied to catching any fish earlier. Tickets were issued for the violations.

DISTRICT 8

CO Zack Smith followed up on cases he submitted to the prosecutor’s office from 2024. A case was submitted for taking a 9-point and a 10-point without a license and using a kill tag of another. The offender from the case pleaded guilty to one charge of taking a deer without a license and one charge of using the kill tag of another and was ordered to pay $13,410 in reimbursement plus fines and court costs for the two deer he illegally killed.

While on patrol in Ionia County, CO Jeremy Beavers checked angler activity along the Flat River in Belding. During his checks, CO Beavers spotted a subject fishing from a restricted area at the Belding Dam. CO Beavers was able to drive to the location before the angler left. As he approached on foot, two subjects across the river attempted to alert the subject to CO Beaver’s presence, but they were unsuccessful. CO Beavers made contact and instructed the angler to gather his gear and return to the parking lot. The subject then walked past multiple no trespassing signs, which CO Beavers pointed out. When he returned to the lot, the subject was also unable to produce a fishing license. The subject was cited for the offenses.

CO Thomas Jaakkola had noticed an increase of ORV tracks on the roadway in the Sharonville SGA over the last several weeks. Jackson County is closed to ORV traffic. CO Jaakkola was sitting stationary in one of the state game area parking lots when he observed a side-by-side traveling down the roadway at a high rate of speed. CO Jaakkola made a traffic stop on the side-by-side and tried to explain to the driver that ORVs were not allowed on the roadway and if they were the speed limit would be 25 mph. The driver stated that he knew the laws. CO Jaakkola issued the driver a citation for operating an ORV on a roadway.

CO Ed Rice and Sgt. Chris Maher interviewed a couple about a suspicious license purchase. The wife was unable to remember specific details about her first deer harvest ever. The COs uncovered the husband shot a 6-point buck using his restricted license and improperly tagged multiple deer. A report will be submitted to the Hillsdale County Prosecutor’s Office for antler point restrictions and tagging violations.

CO Nick Thornton initiated an investigation regarding an illegally taken 8-point antlered deer during the 2024 deer season. CO Thornton learned the individual had taken the deer on the opening day of archery season and had not purchased any deer tags. During the suspect interview, he initially denied these allegations, however, retracted his denial upon showing the CO the date/time stamped photos of the deer he had taken on opening day. The suspect ultimately confessed, and charges are being sought through the prosecutor’s office.

CO Mark Reffitt was patrolling the north end of the Ionia State Recreation Area when he noticed a large plume of white smoke coming from state land. As he neared the smoke, he observed a tanker truck from the Berlin-Orange Fire Department (FD) and two volunteer firefighters working the hose to put out a several-acre wildfire. CO Reffitt worked the far perimeter of the fire with his issued shovel, preventing it from spreading further before the firefighters could get the hose down into the wooded area along a local mountain bike trail. Working together, CO Reffitt and the crew from Berlin-Orange FD were able to successfully extinguish the fire and limit the amount of state land affected.

DISTRICT 9

CO Joshua Salas was checking anglers when he encountered a group with a pike on a stringer. The CO informed them it was out of season and measured the fish, which was undersized. One of the anglers stated that they were only keeping it to take photos with. The CO explained the laws to the anglers for pike and issued a citation to the angler who caught the fish.

COs Joseph Deppen and Sgt. Danielle Zubek were going over performance objectives at a local access site, when CO Deppen noticed a man get out of his vehicle, face the COs, and relieve himself in public. The COs drove up to the man as he was entering his vehicle to leave and conducted a traffic stop. At first, when confronted by COs about urinating in public, the man denied it. After further investigation and evidence, the man confessed and said he was sorry. The male was cited for disorderly conduct in a state access site and failing to have a recreation passport.

CO Joseph Deppen was checking for fishing activity along the Salt River when he was flagged down by a city official stating the vehicles at the dead end were passing something between them, acting suspiciously, and she just called local police to let them know. CO Deppen contacted local deputies as the call went out over the radio. CO Deppen contacted two subjects in the vehicle and found two individuals smoking marijuana in a public park and having open intoxicants in the vehicle. CO Deppen obtained identification from both, and it showed they both had warrants for their arrest. Local deputies showed up and CO Deppen detained the driver. The deputies detained the passenger while the warrants were being verified. One subject was taken into custody, and the other was advised and released. Both subjects received citations for smoking marijuana in public.

CO Les Bleil assisted CO Dave Schaumburger with two subjects who were caught trespassing in Belle Isle Zoo. The subjects stated that they did not know that it was illegal to enter. Both subjects were written citations for trespassing.

While working on Belle Isle, CO Dave Schaumburger noticed several vehicles parked by the abandoned zoo. Curious as to where the people were, the CO drove around the perimeter of the zoo and, low and behold, saw two people walking around inside. The pair of explorers told the CO they saw it on TikTok and thought it would be a good place to take pictures by all the graffiti. The CO advised them it was not smart to walk through the barricaded fence and left them with a citation for occupying state land contrary to the “No trespassing” signs.

GREAT LAKES ENFORCEMENT UNIT (GLEU)

Corporal (Cpl.) Mike Hammill took several complaints of people targeting walleyes through the ice even though the season has been closed.  Cpl. Hammill responded to the area, knew the anglers, and recognized the area that they were fishing as a perch area.  The anglers had several large perch and advised that they had caught several Ruffe as well.

Cpl. Mike Hammill was working the Menominee River when an in-progress recreational trespass complaint came out.  Cpl. Hammill responded with a city officer and made contact.  The anglers were aware of the law and how they must stay in the water and not walk the private property above the water line.

Cpls. Pat Hartsig and Nick Atkin worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) officers at the Michigan/Ontario border targeting incoming Canadian mail for AIS and Marine Mammal parts.  During this patrol, items found were marijuana, dried fish, and art made of marine shells and bone. No prohibited live species were found.