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) spent the week checking anglers on area lakes and working snowmobile trails. Trout fishing has slowed but the crappie bite has picked up on a few remote lakes. While watching trout anglers from shore, the officer observed one fisherman walking to three different areas on the ice. As the officer approached the angler, the fisherman quickly threw his jacket and Carhartts over the extra lines he had down. Appropriate paperwork was issued. Questions about the potential wolf season have increased. Enforcement action was taken for snowmobile, motor vehicle and angling violations.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) and other officers checked snowmobilers during the Cook County Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club Fun Run. The violation rate for trail stickers and registration was very low and only two people were stopped for speeding. The riders and club are to be commended for putting on a very good event and stressing safety. The COs also came across another group of snowmobilers with no snowmobile safety certificates. They were made to return to the motel and take the online course. The proud graduates were encountered later that day with their new certificates in hand.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) checked anglers on area lakes. Slush has been problematic with the temperature warm-up. Manning also checked cross country ski passes and patrolled state parks. The officer patrolled sled trails and found good compliance for both registrations and trail stickers.
CO Dan Thomasen (Two Harbors) responded to the call of a wolf which had crawled into a brush pile along someone’s yard and died. Upon inspecting the animal, it was discovered to be a coyote. The animal was removed from the property as it was drawing the attention of the family’s pet. Thomasen also reports that anglers continue to fish Lake Superior from shore, pier and by boat with some success for salmon and the occasional trout.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports two trucks going through the ice on Little Pine Lake. A driver was using GPS guidance to leave the lake in heavy fog and drove into open water near where the Ottertail River enters the lake. The driver was able to get out of the water and walk home. The following morning a truck was driving about a mile away from the first site and broke through the ice. There were no indications of poor ice. The vehicle owners are brothers, who were fishing in the same shelter. Plans to remove a 2011 Ford and 2012 Jeep are underway.
CO Troy Richards (Fergus Falls) reports that a father and daughter angling together caught a catch of a lifetime over the weekend. They set up their underwater camera and discovered a trophy set of elk antlers. They were able to hook the antlers and bring them up through the ice after drilling additional holes. At this time it is unknown how long this treasure has been hanging out at the bottom of this Ottertail County lake.
CO Jeff Johanson (Osakis) caught one angler using an extra line, and while Johanson was in the fish house writing out the citation, there was a knock on the door followed by, “game warden!” The fish house owner sheepishly opened the door and a friend of his was standing there. The friend became rather quiet and the expression on his face changed drastically when he saw the real game warden in the fish house taking care of business!
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