Although the Cook County News-Herald knows that the majority of sportsmen and women are law-abiding folks, there are a few that run afoul of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Conservation Officers. Periodically, the DNR provides a report of some of the miscreants the Conservation Officers (CO) have encountered. The News-Herald shares these stories as a reminder to all to be safe and to follow the rules!
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) checked several hunters. He noticed the grouse hunters were having good success. Wahlstrom assisted wildlife biologists with registering bull moose that were taken. He spoke with several anglers about Aquatic Invasive Species issues in the rivers and on Lake Superior.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports that some of the designated trout lakes are producing some beautiful brook trout. The brookies are in their fall colors and some are close to shore in shallow water. Some anglers were able to do well from shore. Some nice splake were also seen. Hunting pressure for grouse was less and the grouse really started to show up better without the underbrush leaves. Moose hunting parties were checked. They weren’t only bummed about not getting a moose, but were also concerned with the overall lack of sign.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) checked grouse and moose hunters. Recent changes to gun transportation and grouse hunting regulations appear to have an impact on numbers of grouse seen along the forest roads. Unfortunately, trash and litter was as plentiful as birds. The officer also took a complaint from a party who was upset when a hunter on an ATV passed him on a roadway with an uncased gun across his lap (while he drove) pointed at the complainant. Manning also checked anglers, patrolled campgrounds, and put out a campfire left behind by careless campers. Enforcement action was taken for no hunter orange, no trout stamp, and illegal angling equipment.
CO Greg Oldakowski (Wadena) assisted local law enforcement on a shots fired call in town that turned out to be a “spud gun.”
CO Gary Sommers (Walker) assisted the Longville CO with a swan shooting complaint which also resulted in an investigation of a hunter under the influence.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) assisted with an individual who shot a trumpeter swan and also had an assault rifle in his possession while hunting migratory waterfowl. He also investigated two wolf depredations resulting in a compensation claim for one lamb kill.
CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) was brought by one phone call out to where a nice whitetail buck had attempted to cross a fence when his antlers got tangled in the fence. After a short rodeo event and some help from area hunters the buck was released from the fence.
CO Nikki Shoutz (Pine River) responded to a report of a capsized boat on the Whitefish Chain. The sole occupant, an angler, was out of the water and the 14-foot boat was being pulled to shore. The boat swamped from the heavy wind when he was pulling up his anchor and he found himself in the lake. He was not wearing a PFD, but was rescued shortly after the incident.
Apparently the heavy wind also ignited debris in an area where there were ashes from a fire two weeks earlier in that location. For the second weekend in a row, an archery hunter reported seeing grouse hunters with guns and dog hunting in the Crosslake State Game Refuge.
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