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) reports the snowmobile trails and lakes looked more like mid-February than the end of April. By the looks of some of the deer coming out of the winter, they’ve had about all they can take. The calls for troopers and COs to dispatch deer that have been hit on the highway have increased. Many of them are congregating where the walking is a little easier. Looper and steelhead anglers are reporting a little better luck down toward Duluth as the rivers up toward Grand Marais weren’t fishable due to being iced in. The CO presented a big game case to the local prosecutor.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) met with the assistant county attorney to discuss multiple upcoming charges related to big game violations. Wahlstrom conducted interviews and completed reports associated with the same case. The officer taught the law and ethics part of firearms safety for the Cook County class. Anglers along the shore of Lake Superior were checked and preparation for in-service was completed.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) worked the Rainy River sturgeon anglers with CO Sindelir. All fish checked were safely within the legal slot and the most common violation was no audible warning devices on boats. Manning checked anglers on Lake Superior and its tributaries; a few fish are being caught up the shore. The officer also took a report of a car-injured deer and patrolled state parks. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, operating a motorized watercraft without required lighting, and no throwable device on boat.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) responded to several car-injured deer calls during the week on Highway 61 along the North Shore. Deer are hanging out on roadways trying to get to grassy areas for food this time of year. Drivers need to be cautious and expect to encounter deer on the North Shore.
CO Dan Malinowski (Fosston) had a call about a moose and a request for more deer crossing signs on a state highway since the avid hunter thought too many were getting killed on the road.
CO Brian Holt (Bemidji) received a complaint of an individual skinning a deer in his back yard. Upon further investigation it was discovered the animal in question was a pig, not a deer.
CO Duke Broughten (Longville) responded to five different incidents where recreational vehicles had gone through the ice, luckily no one was injured. Four out of five machines will still have to be removed from area lakes. Broughten was advised the average cost of having an ATV removed from the lake is near $2,500.
CO Mike Lee (Crosslake) received a call of a raccoon being stuck in the egress window well at a residence and appeared to be rabid. The raccoon was freed from the window well and was not rabid. Lee also received a call of coyotes causing some problems with a party’s horse. The owner was advised that the coyotes could be dispatched.
CO Dustie Heaton (Willow River) received a call from a concerned resident who wanted to report that her neighbor had bee hives in city limits in violation of city ordinance. To make matters worse, she reported the bees were swarming her house and that she was scared to leave her home due to an extreme allergy to bee stings. Heaton worked with the city council to remedy the situation and forwarded the ordinance violation to the sheriff ’s office.
CO Adam Block (Prior Lake) assisted with an injured horse rider after she was thrown from the horse on a state trail which was posted closed to horse riding at the time of the incident. The officer also located the injured horse which had run off after the incident.
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