! Although the Cook County News-Herald knows that the majority of sportsmen and women are lawabiding 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 Mary Manning (Hovland) continued to work bear hunters; overall baits have been clean and hunters report good success this season. Complaints were taken on hunter harassment by other hunters and a hunter driving through a trout stream to reach his bait station. While investigating the latter, the officer located a couple wetlands violations and a second bear stand that was being accessed by a different, illegal cross-country trail that crossed a different trout stream. Hunters are reminded that the hunter exemption only applies to retrieving harvested bears during September, not getting to and from the stand and not through unfrozen public waters. Manning also attended regional training, handled a call about an injured mallard, completed office work, and patrolled area SNAs.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports that the majority of the bear hunters either had success or have moved on. There aren’t many left in the woods. The fishing has slowed as August patterns have crept into September. PFD violations were encountered. The CO also attended a regional meeting.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) checked bear hunters and bear bait sites. The harvest success picked up this last week for bear hunters. The officer attended a regional meeting in Grand Rapids and Use of Force training in Hibbing. Wahlstrom checked stream trout anglers along the rivers with limited success. Injured and nuisance animal complaints were handled.
CO Dan McBroom (Rochester) handled a call about a buck with an antler caught in a hammock swing chair. The buck was attempting to free itself by running back and forth, but each time it did it would swing into the air and fall back to the ground. The buck was mature with what appeared to be a previously injured front leg. The homeowner stated that the buck had been around for a couple of years. McBroom was able to climb the tree and free the rope holding the deer. After lying down and resting for quite some time the buck ran off.
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