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 Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) assisted DNR Forestry with a timber theft investigation. He also found where someone was cutting live cedar trees on federal lands. An interview was done on the theft of beaver traps. Questions about the AIS stickers on watercraft continue to pour in.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) attended annual training at Camp Ripley. Manning also taught a basic introduction to sidearms class, assisted with a trapper education class and checked river anglers.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent time at Camp Ripley instructing firearms qualification and training to officers.
CO Dan Thomasen (Two Harbors) continues to work area rivers and monitor fish run activities. Recent rains have put more water in the rivers, prompting a fresh run of fish and anglers. Continued cool weather has largely stalled the smelt run. Thomasen investigated a report of wolf depredation in which the property owner lost five goats. Equipment maintenance was taken care of in preparation for fishing opener.
CO Dan Malinowski (Fosston) responded to a call about a dead banded bird that turned out to be a racing pigeon from St. Louis.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) caught three people who were spearing walleyes at night. The suspects said they thought it was legal but could not explain why they drove into the stream with the vehicle lights off.
CO Tony Anderson (Morris) was asked for his assistance by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on a complaint of commercial minnow trapping on a federal waterfowl production area. After a multi-day surveillance operation one person was contacted about the operation and their equipment was seized.
CO Duke Broughten (Longville) responded to an incident where persons were shooting beaver from a pontoon with a high-powered rifle. A .30-06 rifle and a spotlight were seized and charges are being reviewed.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) took a report of a timber wolf that was caught in a snare. Upon arrival Frericks could see that the snare had cut into the wolf ’s leg down to the bone indicating that the animal had been there for some time. Frericks removed the snare from the timber wolf with assistance from members of the State Patrol and Hibbing Police Department. Once the wolf was removed the snare was examined and found to be untagged. The wolf was checked several hours later and had left the area.
Leave a Reply