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 Lloyd Steen (Ray/Kabetogama) spoke with husband and wife campers from the metro area who had to return to the boat access at night in a fierce rain storm to rush 50 miles to the nearest town to find a vet to stitch up their dog from fighting with their other dog over a squirrel. They were astounded their cell phone call to 911 didn’t work on the Canadian border lakes!
CO Nikki Shoutz (Pine River) reports that one father who was fishing off the dock found out the hard way that it’s not lawful to flee from officers. He took off running while his adult son, who also did not have a fishing license, stayed behind. Dad then took off on his motorcycle to buy a license. Records show it was eight minutes too late — he was cited for both angling with no license and fleeing.
CO Brent Speldrich (McGregor) arrested an intoxicated boater who was operating his boat without the required navigational lights after sunset. Upon approaching the watercraft, the occupants were attempting to put light shafts into the sockets on the boat. The only problem was that they had the red/green light plugged into the rear socket and were attempting to place the white stern light into the bow light socket.
CO Dustie Heaton (Willow River) received a call of a deer with a green two-liter pop bottle stuck on its face. The caller was told to call back if she saw the deer again.
CO Mike Lee (Isle) reports while checking an access on Mille Lacs Lake he observed a boat coming into the docking area with the two parties on board pointing toward him. At that point the operator of the boat steered the boat to an area that was somewhat obscured from Lee’s vision, but not totally. After a period of time Lee observed the driver of the boat move to the center of the boat and disappear. Lee then observed two white objects that appeared to be fish floating belly up drifting from the boat’s location. The individuals then continued back toward the dock to begin loading their boat. Officer Lee went and retrieved the suspicious items from the water that turned out to be walleye. The fish were both measured 18 and 1/2 inches long.
Lee approached the individuals and questioned them on the walleye, but the parties denied they came from their boat. They stated that they saw the walleye floating in the water, but when they tried to retrieve them the walleye went under. As Officer Lee continued questioning them about the fish, two other individuals who were also loading their boat yelled out, “Quit lying to him, we saw you throw the fish out too.” At that point the two individuals’ heads dropped, and one stated, “A guy can’t get away with anything these days.” The operator of the boat was issued citations for illegal length walleye.
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