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) spent
the week answering several questions and
phone calls regarding the winter BWCA
stream trout season. New rules were passed
after the synopsis was printed, making the
dates wrong in the 2012 synopsis. All lakes
completely within the BWCA are now open
for lake and stream trout. Anglers were
checked in the BWCA. Many people were
happy with the easy going and very good
fishing so far. Enforcement action was taken
for failing to register a deer before it was
processed.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled
State and GIA snowmobile trails and
saw good compliance. Manning and CO
Wahlstrom checked lakes and trails in
the Isabella area and in the BWCAW.
Enforcement action was taken for no license
in possession, under 21 alcohol possession
and underage consumption.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the
week working anglers on inland remote
lakes. Ice conditions continue to improve.
The crappie bite is starting to pick up while
only a few walleyes were seen in the bag. The
officer used snowshoes to check trout lakes
in the BWCA. A few fishermen were seen
with their limit of lakers. Snowmobile trails
are starting to improve, but more snow is
still needed. Enforcement action was taken
for no license in possession and under 21 in
possession of alcohol.
CO Dan Starr (Tower) encountered a nonresident fishing without a license, stating that
since he didn’t catch anything, he should not
receive a citation. Needless to say, CO Starr
did not agree with this logic and issued the
summons.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) patrolled
area lakes checking anglers and dark house
fishermen. On one particular lake, Frericks
knocked on the door to a dark house and
announced “game warden.” After entering
he found a husband and wife looking down
two separate spear holes. There was a decoy
down both holes and the husband and
wife each had a spear next to them. After
checking the husband’s licenses Frericks
asked the wife for her spearing license. The
wife looked right at Frericks and said, “I’m
not spearing.” After a short conversation
about what was considered spearing, the
wife apologized and accepted a citation for
spearing without a license.
CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) assisted
with a search for a missing 8-year-old girl
and her dog on New Year’s Day. Fairbanks
and a county deputy tracked the little girl
and her dog by the tracks in the snow from
her residence to the snowmobile trail. The
little girl traveled about five miles up the trail
with her dog pulling her in a sled most of the
way. She was eventually found at a warming
shed on the trail sleeping. She was checked
out by medical staff and all was well.
CO Amber Peterson (Maplewood)
responded to many snowmobile questions
and injured animal calls as well as one call of
a dead turkey with an arrow in it. The archer
was eventually located and enforcement
action was taken for taking a turkey out of
season and wanton waste.
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