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 that he did a remote patrol of the BWCA, checked area walleye lakes and remote designated trout lakes. He assisted campers with an aggressive bear that wouldn’t allow the campers to pack up and leave. Every time they got out of their vehicle to pack up, the bear charged in and got up on its hind legs to chase the campers back to their vehicle. The CO and a deputy responded to help the men pack up and go to another campground.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) worked ATVs, boating and angling enforcement. The officer checked wetland complaint areas in the Silver Bay area with the Silver Bay PD. Inland anglers were checked on area lakes. Several individuals were caught trying their luck without a fishing license. Nuisance bear, wolf and beaver calls were handled along the North Shore.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) worked boating and angling activities as well as some ATVs. Warm weather mixed with frequent rains has the forest alive with bugs and mosquitoes. Manning spent time investigating a wolf depredation complaint in which a young heifer was taken down by a pack.
CO Bob Mlynar (Aitkin) reports that the unusual contact of the week award goes to three teenagers who went for a dip in front of the officer at a public access. They came to the access on an ATV and were trying to get rid of their “itches.” The officer was told they had been wakeboarding in the road ditch behind the ATV and found out one becomes “itchy” when wakeboarding in the road ditch. Mom was not happy.
CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) dropped off (with good timing) a car kill deer to an elderly woman who was so happy to get it she had tears in her eyes and said she had just had her last package of meat that week and didn’t know what she was going to do.
Kuske was also there when an unusual call came in from a citizen that there was a python on the highway. A deputy responded and lo and behold a 7-foot python was found that the CO had to dispatch.
CO Caleb Silgjord (Sauk Centre) spoke to an angler who was in possession of two illegal slot fish. The fisherman admitted he did not think he would be checked by a conservation officer. He was mistaken.
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