Although the Cook County News-Herald knows that the majority of sportsmen and women are law-abiding folks, there are a few who 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 Mary Manning (Hovland) cleaned up office work, tended to boat maintenance, and attended a meeting to review payable citation fines. Manning followed up on a couple of wetland issues from Operation Bird’s Eye View and on a complaint from Magney State Park on a large group of campers behaving badly. Manning also met with a couple of property owners to discuss ways to improve a private driveway crossing a designated trout stream to reduce degradation of the river.
CO Dan Thomasen (Two Harbors) attended a public meeting regarding a proposed ATV trail in Lake County. Work continued with DNR Forestry on a plan to remove illegally stored boats from state land adjacent to a remote lake. Equipment issues were attended to as well as checking area lakes. Some berries are starting to ripen in the woods, which will hopefully slow down some of the bear complaints. Home owners are reminded that if you do not like bears in your garbage can or bird feeder, you need to remove the food source so bears cannot get into them. Bears are simply trying to satisfy their stomachs.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) received a call from a local logger who has had a male timber wolf visit his logging site on a few occasions. He stated that the wolf acts a little domesticated, coming within 20 feet of him while he is working. He is more curious and hasn’t acted aggressive. This logger has worked in the woods his whole life and has never encountered a wolf like this. The CO took a different type of bear call this week — one where a cabin owner wants to keep a bear from hibernating in a seasonal cabin. CO Posner and CO Fagerman assisted the Sheriff ‘s Department with an armed standoff with a fugitive from Illinois on the Gunflint Trail.
Officer Nikki Shoutz (Pine River) handled a call just before midnight one night this week from a very upset woman begging for forgiveness because she believed she had just shot a timber wolf. She said it acted funny and had come after her and her dog. The morning investigation revealed it was a dog — not a wolf.
CO Greg Oldakowski (Wadena) checked anglers and ATV operators this week. After observing three people fishing in a boat, he conducted a license check and found that all individuals had left their licenses back at the cabin, along with their PFDs. Oldakowski agreed to meet them back at the cabin; however their motor would not start so the officergave them a tow back to the cabin with his boat. After getting to the cabin one of the anglers admitted to not having an angling license. Oldakowski issued a citation and was thanked for the tow.
CO Jeff Halverson (Staples) participated in the Motley and Leader parades. While in Leader, Halverson was approached by a lone man on horseback in search of a set of jumper cables. Theofficerwas able to fulfill the mysterious rider’s request. The cowboy rode off into the sunset on his trusty steed…after using the jumper cables to start a riding lawn mower for the parade.
CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) responded to a call of an injured moose and upon arrival found someone already put the moose down because it had a severe broken leg. Although we can understand the sympathy to put down an injured animal, this action should be left to Law Enforcement. Additionally, due to the shot placement this action hampers DNR Wildlife from being able to perform necessary testing in the ongoing moose survey/sampling.
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