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 Mary Manning (Hovland) saw a busy week. The officer fielded numerous complaints about campers, bears and bear baiters. While following up on a reported unattended fire from the previous weekend, the officer discovered another smoldering fire left unattended at the same hunters’ camp; paperwork was issued. The officer also taught a second handgun class for women. While en route to regional training in Grand Rapids with CO Wahlstrom, the officers observed a towed boat with its drain plug in. Once the vehicles were stopped, officers also found aquatic vegetation on the trailer and boat and a live well full of water; paperwork was issued to the boat owner.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the week checking bear bait stations. The officer attended the regional meeting in Grand Rapids. Bear bait complaints and mangy wolfs were investigated and anglers were checked along the North Shore streams.
CO Tim Gray (Bagley) responded to complaint of an elk cape left in a Dumpster, which was determined to be a game farm animal.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) responded to a complaint from a farmer who discovered injuries to six calves, four of which were dead and buried; the other two are partially healed. The incident remains under investigation.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) responded to a complaint of an injured hawk. Plautz and CO Kurt Nelson rescued the hawk from the railroad tracks and relocated the cooper’s hawk to another location.
CO Sam Hunter (Park Rapids) received a call from an individual who had shot a fox which he believed was sick. Subsequent investigation resulted in the individual being arrested for illegal possession of a firearm by a felon.
CO Greg Oldakowski (Wadena) received a call in the middle of the night about a boat that had capsized with several people on board. The operator was going quickly across the lake, pulled the throttle back, and the bow of the boat dove down and took on water, sinking the boat in seconds. Another boat was there to pick up the passengers and get them to shore. There were no injuries and the boat was recovered the next day, however most of the gear was lost.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) spent time checking anglers and boaters on Virginia area lakes and rivers. Citations were issued to those anglers and boaters who decided to not bother with the formalities of purchasing licenses, having enough PFDs, or having their lights on past sunset.
Frericks responded to a call with CO Starr where a deer fell into a dry well. Upon arrival COs looked down into the dry well that was about 10-12 feet in depth to find a doe looking up at them. After a few minutes of scheming the COs and a deputy for the sheriff ’s office pulled the deer from the well using a tow strap and manpower. After the deer was released from the strap it immediately ran from the area and should survive.
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