6/8/2025-6/21/2025

DISTRICT 1

Conservation Officers (COs) Byron Parks and Brian Lasanen gave a presentation for the Copper Country Intermediate School District (CCISD) at Camp Nesbit. The CCISD runs a summer program at Camp Nesbit that helps people with cognitive disabilities experience camping for an entire week. COs Parks and Lasanen talked about what a conservation officer is and their duties. They also answered questions and showed the campers their patrol vehicle and equipment inside.

CO Pete Shambaugh was dispatched to a call with an Ontonagon County sheriff’s deputy of an intoxicated individual who was threatening harm to himself. The subject had advised that if any police showed up, he would shoot them. Upon arrival, family members of the individual were able to secure weapons but also stated he ingested the rest of his prescription pills. The subject was still belligerent when the officers arrived. CO Shambaugh was able to calm the subject down. Knowing the individual from prior contacts, while the subject has been fishing and hunting in the past, assisted in being able to defuse the situation. Eventually, due to a combination of prior health conditions, ingestion of substances, and being intoxicated the subject was transported to the emergency room.

CO Alex VanWagner checked a boat with four anglers bass fishing on Hagerman Lake in Iron County. Upon contact, two of the anglers admitted they did not have valid fishing licenses and citations were issued for the violations.

CO Steve Sajtar assisted with a hunter safety class at Normenco Sportsman’s Club in Menominee County. CO Sajtar helped teach the students the importance of safe and ethical hunting. Additionally, CO Sajtar taught the students what roles and responsibilities Michigan conservation officers have while on patrol.

In Menominee County, CO Steve Sajtar observed a vehicle being operated on a public roadway with an expired registration. CO Sajtar conducted a traffic stop and contacted the driver. It was determined the driver was returning from a salmon fishing tournament and was in possession of an over-limit of salmon. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Phil Helminen and Sergeant (Sgt.) Brian Bacon responded to a call from Dickinson County Dispatch of a vessel that had lost power out on a river.  The COs responded with a patrol boat and located the disabled vessel. The COs assisted with getting the vessel to a nearby boat launch and then gave the boat owner a ride back to his vehicle at another boat launch so he could retrieve his boat.

CO Phil Helminen and Sgt. Brian Bacon assisted the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office with a search for a 17- and 18-year-old who were lost in a remote part of the county on an extremely hot day.  The two had traveled down a two-track road looking for an off-road rally race that was going on and they became stuck in a swamp with their vehicle. They then left the vehicle to get cell phone service to call 911 when the battery died on their phone. The COs were able to locate the two several miles away from their vehicle. The COs provided them with water and transported them back to their vehicle, where the sheriff’s office assisted them in getting their vehicle out of the swamp.

CO Phil Helminen was on marine patrol when he stopped a boat with an expired watercraft registration. While speaking with the occupants on the boat, CO Helminen discovered that they did not have personal floatation devices (PFDs) on board. The boat driver stated they did not look to see if they had any before going out. Enforcement action was taken.

COs John Kamps and Tyler Sabuda worked together on an investigation which involved ORV trespass and malicious destruction of property (MDOP) to a camp gate. With the help of the complainant, the COs were able to identify the suspect and conduct an interview. A full confession was obtained for trespass and MDOP. The complainant and the suspect are now working together to fix the destroyed gate.

DISTRICT 2

CO Steve Butzin received a complaint of an individual taking waterfowl during the closed season in Au Train Township.  CO Butzin investigated the complaint and discovered that an individual had shot a 1911 pistol several times at geese on a private beach. The firearm was seized, and a report is being submitted to the Alger County District Court. Violations included take waterfowl during the closed season, several counts of safety zone violations, and take waterfowl with a single projectile/lead.

CO Scott Pankow was patrolling the St. Mary’s River when he observed an individual fishing from a kayak. CO Pankow approached the individual to check for a fishing license. Upon further inspection the individual was unable to provide a PFD, and a citation was issued for the violation.

COs Scott Pankow and Mike Olesen completed a dozen marine livery inspections in Chippewa County.

DISTRICT 3

Corporal (Cpl.) Todd Sumbera and CO Jon Sheppard followed up on a complaint of a large net on the surface of Lake Huron near the border of Alpena and Alcona Counties. The net was a potential hazard to any vessel operating in that area. Cpl. Sumbera and CO Sheppard responded to the area and located the net. The net was a portion of a legal commercial net that had separated and drifted near shore. The net was marked and removed two days later.

CO Jon Sheppard attended a hunter safety class at the Alpena Sportsman Club, discussing the law enforcement portion of the class and how that translates into safety. CO Sheppard also answered various questions and presented to the students what the duties are of a conservation officer.

CO Jon Sheppard assisted the Michigan State Police (MSP) and Alpena County Sheriff’s Department with a report of a loud argument followed by four gunshots and a door slamming. The officers arrived on scene and MSP troopers called out the residents using their public address system. There was no assault or danger at the residence. It was determined that the resident’s dog had been injured by a porcupine.  The porcupine was euthanized by the resident.

CO Jon Sheppard responded to a report of a missing juvenile near Atlanta. Upon arriving at the residence, CO Sheppard saw the family dog returned from the road to the east. The dog was reported to be with the children. The officers went east along that road and located a congregation of vehicles. The juvenile was sitting in a bystander’s vehicle who had seen him wandering along the roadway. The juvenile was returned home safely.

CO Jon Sklba responded to a complaint on East Twin Lake regarding riparian rights and public access to the lake. The parties involved have taken the issue to court and CO Sklba advised that the issue will need to be resolved by the civil court process.

CO Sidney LaLonde attended a dirt bike operations training at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center (RAM Center) for two days. CO LaLonde assisted with the organization and administration of the training and learned about advanced off-road operations.

CO Sidney LaLonde contacted a landowner in Montmorency County who was complaining about bears in their yard. The caller stated they wanted the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to trap and relocate the bear. CO LaLonde advised the caller to keep trash, bird feeders, and food inaccessible and once the food source was eliminated bears wouldn’t keep coming into the yard.

CO Jack Gorno received a guilty plea from a 2024 deer case which resulted in two years revocation of all hunting privileges from a subject in Cheboygan County.

CO Matt Theunick participated in the Indian River Safety Day at Marina Park. Several groups took part in educational talks on marine safety.

DISTRICT 4

CO William Kinney received a litter complaint in Grand Traverse County when an individual witnessed a lady dumping yard debris and building material on state land. The complainant was able to get a vehicle description and license plate. CO Kinney was able to locate the individual several days later, where they confessed to the dumping of the materials on state land. The individual was ticketed for littering.

COs Logan Turner, Ryan Jager, Cpl. Troy VanGelderen, and Sgt. Ben Shively attended the annual Pentwater Water Safety Day for kids in Oceana County. The event showcases several types of vessels that the DNR and Oceana County sheriff’s office use daily along with equipment for the Dive Team. Through donations from local businesses, associations, and clubs, free life jackets were handed out to kids, and they were taught the importance of safety around lakes and streams while recreating.

CO Angela Greenway attended the Haymarsh Hunt Club Hunter Safety Class in Mecosta County. After presenting on hunter safety, she answered questions for 60 kids who successfully completed the training.

While heading home from a training in Cadillac, CO Tim Barboza received a phone call from an MSP trooper who advised he was on his way to a missing person call. A male in his 70s was last seen the night prior at 10:00 PM at his residence in Newaygo County. It was now 6:00 PM with high temperatures outside. CO Barboza advised he would head that way. CO Barboza and the trooper talked to the family on scene and located a shirt belonging to the male in the front yard. An MSP K9 unit arrived on scene and the officers began a track into the woods adjacent the house the male had left from. While searching the woods, CO Barboza observed what he believed to be a person through the brush off to their right side and advised the troopers. As they got closer to where CO Barboza believed he saw someone, CO Barboza was able to identify a male who had stripped off his clothes and was wandering confused in the woods. The officers made contact and provided water and attempted to lead the male out of the woods. The male became combative as he was confused and unable to speak. The officers advised emergency medical services (EMS) where they were, they carried the male out on a litter and loaded him into the ambulance where he was transported to the hospital for treatment.

While on patrol, CO Tim Barboza responded to a dispatch call of a motorcycle personal injury accident. CO Barboza and the Newaygo County sheriff’s office arrived on scene. The officers located a male laying on his back with no helmet, breathing but unresponsive. The officers rendered first aid until fire and EMS arrived on scene. The male was flown by Aeromed to Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids. The subject had no wallet or identification on him, and the motorcycle was not registered to him. Later, when the wife called asking where her husband was flown, the officers were able to confirm his identity.

DISTRICT 5

CO Ryan Weakman noticed DNR fire personnel responding to a forest in Clare County. He contacted local dispatch to obtain an address for the fire and responded with the firefighters. Upon arrival at the origin of the fire, CO Weakman discovered it was located behind the berm of a private shooting range on a large section of property. He contacted several subjects who had been target shooting. The investigation led to one individual admitting to firing an incendiary shotgun round, commonly known as a “Dragon’s Breath” round, which had ignited the fire. A citation was issued for discharging an incendiary projectile across forest land. The fire burned approximately five acres and occurred during a high fire danger warning.

While conducting an ORV patrol in Roscommon County, COs Mathew Zultak and Ben McAteer stopped a group of side-by-sides coming off a closed hill climb. Upon contacting the last operator, CO Zultak detected a strong odor of intoxicants. The subject admitted to drinking four beers and stated, “Everyone comes here to drink.” Standard field sobriety tests (SFSTs) were conducted, resulting in an arrest for operating while intoxicated (OWI). The subject was lodged at the Roscommon County Jail.

CO Jesse Grzechowski received a complaint from a private property owner in Alcona County about an angler trespassing to fish a stretch of the Black River. CO Grzechowski located the angler sitting on shore, directly in front of a “No Trespassing” sign. The angler argued that the county road commission easement gave him the right to access the river. CO Grzechowski explained the law, clarified the misconception, and issued a citation for recreational trespass.

CO Alex Bourgeois was conducting an aquatic invasive species (AIS) patrol during a busy fishing tournament in Iosco County. While observing boaters loading their boats, he saw one individual power load his boat onto the trailer and leave without removing seaweed from the trailer. CO Bourgeois conducted a traffic stop and issued a ticket for failing to remove aquatic vegetation and a warning for the power loading violation.

CO Kyle Bader taught an introductory firearm and shooting class at a “Becoming an Outdoors Woman” event held at the Ralph A. MacMullan Center in Roscommon. He was assisted by COs Lisa Taube and Duane Budreau. Most of the participants had no prior experience with firearms. By the end of the class, they had developed a solid understanding of firearm operation, components, ammunition types, and safety. All participants fired rifles, shotguns, and pistols at various ranges. Nearly all chose to stay an hour past the scheduled end time to continue practicing.

CO Josh Russell was on patrol in Gladwin County when he observed a side-by-side being driven down the middle of the road. During the stop, he observed several open containers of alcohol in the vehicle. The operator stated they were unaware it was illegal to drink and drive. A citation was issued for the open intoxicants.

DISTRICT 6

While patrolling the Saginaw River, Bay County COs noticed kids riding on the front of a cabin cruiser boat. One of them was reaching down trying to touch the water. A stop was conducted on the vessel. The operator of the boat was cited for the bow riding violation.

CO Jacob Robinson was on patrol in Montcalm County when he noticed a vehicle with expired registration operating down the roadway. The CO conducted a traffic stop and contacted the subjects in the vehicle. The operator of the vehicle had a revoked driver’s license and had a warrant out of Ionia County. The Ionia County Sheriff’s Department arranged a meeting location and the CO detained and transported the subject to the agreed meeting location. The CO issued the subject a citation for the expired registration and transferred custody to the Ionia County Sheriff’s Department.

CO Michael Lator was patrolling Gratiot County when he was dispatched by Gratiot County Central Dispatch to the area of White Pine Trail in the Gratiot-Saginaw State Game Area (SGA) for a lost hiker. Dispatch advised the CO that the male hiker was uninjured but had gotten turned around while off-trail and had fallen in the water, becoming wet and tired. CO Lator arrived on scene and led a search for the lost hiker, utilizing his knowledge of the area and a location phone app, “What Three Words”. Through utilization of OnX, What Three Words, and constant communication with dispatch who was on the phone with the lost hiker, CO Lator was able to locate the 76-year-old male nearly 400 yards off-trail between two large, swampy areas. The CO escorted the hiker a mile back to the parking area where he was able to drive home without injury. The Gratiot County Sheriff’s Office assisted.

COs Adam Schiller and Michael Lator were patrolling Rainbow Lake in Gratiot County when they observed several anglers fishing from a pontoon boat. Upon contact with the anglers, CO Lator observed three channel catfish on the deck of the boat that appeared to be much shorter than the legal size. Upon questioning the anglers, the COs learned that one angler had caught all three fish. The COs measured the fish which were all several inches shorter than the required 12 inches. One of the anglers stated he was planning on throwing the fish back, but CO Lator advised him that all three fish were dead and had clearly been dead for some time. All three anglers admitted they needed to read the Michigan Fishing Regulations Summary to better understand laws regarding size and possession limits for fish. A citation was issued for possessing the undersized channel catfish.

DISTRICT 7

CO Carter Woodwyk was patrolling Allegan County when a call for a nearby structure fire came out. The CO responded to the scene and spoke with the property owner/caller. The CO learned the caller was gutting a mobile home on the property and burning the pieces/parts in an open ground fire nearby. The caller believed that a spark from this fire blew into the mobile home causing it to all catch on fire. Fire departments arrived on scene shortly after to extinguish the fire and a citation was issued for the open burning of solid waste.

CO James Nason evicted and cited multiple groups of people camping illegally in the Gourdneck SGA. One group continues to elude the CO. Investigations are ongoing.

CO Sam Schluckbier was patrolling on Hutchins Lake in Allegan County when he encountered three separate anglers fishing for panfish. The occupants on each boat did not possess fishing licenses for the year 2025. One subject claimed they did not need one because the boat owner had one and that covered everyone fishing with him. CO Schluckbier educated them on the requirements of obtaining a fishing license as an adult. One of the vessels had not been registered since the year 2012. Several citations were issued for the violations.

DISTRICT 8

CO Nick Thornton was given a tip regarding an individual who was posting pictures of suspiciously large numbers of bluegills on social media outlets. CO Thornton was familiar with the individual from prior fish and game related violations. CO Thornton located the individual for an interview. The individual proceeded to claim that no one was more legal than him, however, he was unable to provide a fishing license for the 2025 season. Michigan DNR licensing verified the individual had not purchased a fishing license for the 2025 season. Further investigation revealed that his social media posts were based on false information as he was embellishing his claims, however, he did admit to fishing without a license this year. Charges are being sought through the prosecutor’s office regarding fishing without a license.

CO James Rowley attended the Family Fishing Night at Moore’s Park in Lansing. The event was held on June 11th from 6:30 PM until 8:30 PM. The event coincided with the City of Lansing Concert in the Park music concert on the Grand River. The fishing event gave kids the opportunity to fish on the river right at the park. Fishing poles, tackle, instruction, and bait were provided. It was a great time for several of the kids who had never fished before.

DISTRICT 9

CO Joshua Salas was on patrol for ORV activity when he encountered two individuals operating four-wheelers on a roadway without helmets or eye protection. The CO stopped the individuals for operating on a public roadway, not wearing helmets, and for not having ORV licenses. The owner of the two four-wheelers was issued a citation.

COs Sydney Griffor and Dave Schaumburger were patrolling Lake St. Clair when they observed a vessel operating with a few individuals riding on the bow of the boat, not in proper seats. CO Sydney Griffor issued the owner of the vessel a citation for bow riding and a warning for failure to display valid registration.

CO Sydney Griffor observed a fishing vessel come into a launch without navigation lights.  While continuing to check for marine safety equipment, the owner of the vessel did not have a fire extinguisher or Type IV throwable PFD on board. The owner of the vessel was issued citations for operating with improper navigation lights, failure to have a Type IV throwable PFD on board, and a warning for no fire extinguisher on board.

DISTRICT 10

While patrolling the Detroit International Wildlife Refuge for fishing activity, CO Martin Lawrence issued a citation to an angler for keeping a largemouth bass out of season.

CO Les Bleil was conducting angler checks in Pointe Mouille on US Turnpike. During one of the contacts, a pickup truck flew past CO Bleil at a high rate of speed and proceeded to squeal his tires. CO Bleil caught up to the individual and initiated a traffic stop. CO Bleil issued the individual a citation for careless driving and a warning for a child not being in the proper restraints.

CO Les Bleil conducted angler checks at the refuge pier in Trenton. During the checks, CO Bleil contacted a man and his daughter. The man was in possession of a largemouth bass of a decent size. However, the bass was confiscated due to the season being only catch and immediate release. The man was cited for possessing bass during the catch and immediate release season.

CO Les Bleil assisted CO Martin Lawrence in checking anglers at the refuge pier where CO Bleil found a 19-inch smallmouth bass. CO Lawrence confiscated the bass due to it being taken during the catch and immediate release season. The individual was issued a citation for possessing a bass during the catch and immediate release season.

COs Dave Schaumburger and Sydney Griffor were on marine patrol when they came upon two vessels in the Detroit River that did not have lights on around midnight.  One of the boats, “forgot to turn them on” and the other boat said this was the first trip out and “they were working earlier”. Both operators received citations for operating their vessels with improper lights.

CO Mike Drexler was patrolling Ypsilanti Township for anglers when a woman on a four-wheeler drove out of the township park. The woman was not wearing a helmet, operating on the roadway and the ORV was not licensed. A citation was issued for operating an ORV without a helmet and warnings issued for the other violations.

COs Joseph Deppen and Brandon Benedict were working a Belle Isle shift in the afternoon.  A call came out for a brush fire near the lighthouse. CO Benedict headed up to the lighthouse to assess the situation. CO Deppen grabbed some extra fire extinguishers from the office building and headed up to the lighthouse. There was a large brush fire, and the COs started at the downwind side of the fire and put out all fire progressing with the wind. Using three large fire extinguishers, they worked their way back to the starting point and were successful in putting out the large fire. The local fire department showed up soon after and doused the whole area with a large amount of water so that another fire would not start.

COs Pete Purdy, Martin Lawrence, Joe Deppen, and Ariel Young participated in a group patrol targeting speeding issues at Belle Isle Park. The COs issued 14 citations for speed exceeding 20 mph over the posted speed limit. Several other tickets were issued for various violations including no recreation passport, no seatbelt, no proof of insurance, no registration on person, and a broken windshield. Park goers were reminded that the speed limit at the park, including the bridge, is 25 mph.

CO Ariel Young was working a very busy afternoon shift at Belle Isle Park. CO Young was writing parking tickets to park patrons who were parked in prohibited places when she observed a vehicle drive by with one of the occupants holding an infant in their lap with the window down. Upon stopping the vehicle, it was determined that grandma was driving, and the mother of the child was the one who had been holding the baby. When questioned, the mother stated that she was just trying to show the baby some stuff. CO Young tried to explain the importance of having the baby properly secured in a car seat while travelling but the mother was not interested in what CO Young had to say. The mother continued to get upset about the whole situation, stating more than once that they were just driving a short distance. Over the course of the investigation, it was also determined that the car seat was not even attached to the vehicle and that there was a second unrestrained five-year-old in the backseat as well. It took nearly 20 minutes to get the infant properly restrained in the vehicle. Enforcement action was taken, and a citation was issued for the unrestrained infant. Written warnings were also issued for the second unrestrained child, no proof of insurance, and no proof of registration.

CO Brandon Hartleben worked a Belle Isle shift during the week. During the shift, CO Hartleben was able to locate a missing mother and reconnect her with her two sons. CO Hartleben also contacted a gentleman who drove around the split rail fence at the lighthouse parking lot. The man proceeded to drive his truck through approximately 75 yards of knee-high grass to load up his kayak which was in Blue Heron Lagoon. CO Hartleben contacted the subject loading up his kayak, explained the laws, and issued him a citation for operating a motor vehicle in a non-designated area.

GREAT LAKES ENFORCEMENT UNIT

Corporals (Cpls.) Brett DeLonge, Pat Hartsig, and Troy Van Gelderen conducted several days of fish identification and enforcement training for Training Academy 13 at the RAM Center. Instruction included hands-on identification, AIS enforcement training, patrol tactics, and various training scenarios. 

Cpls. Troy Van Gelderen, Pat Hartsig, and Brett DeLonge taught an impromptu fish identification course and answered questions about conservation officers to the Trout Unlimited Youth Trout Camp held at the RAM Center. The camp happened to coincide with the Training Academy 13 fish identification and enforcement training, and the officers offered their time to the group. The students were kids from around the state who came to the camp to learn about science, habitat, trout fishing, and conservation. The group was thrilled to learn about the job of a conservation officer, as well as the crash course in hands-on fish identification.

Cpl. Cole VanOosten assisted the Michigan State Police in covert surveillance of a residence in preparation for a search warrant related to a criminal sexual conduct (CSC) case. Cpl. VanOosten was able to provide photographs of the residence needed for entry teams to enter the residence. The search warrant was conducted, and the suspect was arrested without incident for first-degree CSC.

Cpl. Cole VanOosten conducted follow-up on a Fish Hawk trolling probe that was recovered from an abandoned gill net in Northern Lake Huron. A report from last fall was referenced and it was determined that an angler had reported losing a probe in the same general area. Contact was made with the angler, who confirmed that the recovered probe was the same device he had lost the previous fall. The angler was very pleased to recover the equipment. Cpl. VanOosten was also able to return fishing gear to two other individuals who had reported net entanglements in Northern Lake Huron. The gear had been recovered in two separate net lifts of abandoned netting equipment in Northern Lake Huron. A 10-lb canon ball was recovered and returned to an angler who lost his gear in an abandoned net in Detour Passage. Two cannonballs and a Fish Hawk trolling probe were returned to an angler who had reported losing his gear in an abandoned net near Cedarville.

Cpl. Tom Peterson contacted a group of young adults fishing in a closed area below a hydroelectric dam in Baraga County. Cpl. Peterson escorted the individuals off the property and warned them of the closure.

2nd Lt. Kevin Postma instructed new conservation officer recruits on how to handle tribal contacts and enforcement. This presentation was followed up by tribal cultural training put on by staff from Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.