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) patrolled ATV trails and checked area lakes. Manning assisted Cook County on a resort fire and assisted volunteer instructors with the field day for Firearms Safety Class. Several mute swans have been sighted in Cook County and Manning spent some time attempting to locate the very aggressive invasive birds. The officer also took complaints of personal watercraft operating after sunset and anglers behaving badly.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) responded to nuisance bear and mute swan complaints as well as ATV complaints. Anglers were checked on inland lakes with decent success. Equipment maintenance was done on the officer’s patrol squad and ATV.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked fishing and watercraft activity along the North Shore. Murray handled nuisance bear calls and a report of an injured eagle. Homeowners are reminded to remove any pet food and garbage containers to avoid enticing a bear to their home or cabin.
CO Brent Grewe (Minnetonka) responded to a call regarding a hen mallard nesting in a flower pot at a home in Plymouth.
CO Tony Anderson (Morris) investigated a complaint of a person from Morris selling ducklings on the Internet. The incident is still under investigation. People need to leave goslings, ducklings and fawns alone.
CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls) responded to boat fire on Rainy Lake which resulted in a complete loss of a boat but only minor injuries to one individual.
CO Jayson Hansen (Bigfork) reports fielding several calls concerning a collared bear in the Bigfork and Marcel areas. People have been seeing this bear on roads and sometimes near their homes. Wildlife researchers are aware of this bear and have been studying her for 32 years. She was collared in 1981 at 7 years old. She is currently 39 years old and in good health other than the ailments of age. She has been using roads and trails to get around her familiar home area, as she finds them easier to navigate than climbing over and under obstacles in the woods.
Wildlife researchers want to see her pass on naturally, not by a vehicle collision or by being shot in someone’s yard.
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