Conservation Officer Tales

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) worked with other officers from around the state in the Tofte station for a bear hunting enforcement effort. A few enforcement contacts were made for unregistered bait stations. Other than that, the bear baits were properly signed with no garbage in the bait piles. A few bears were taken, but overall it was a relatively quiet opening weekend.

CO Mary Manning (Hovland) checked bear baiting activity during the week as well as monitoring angling and boating activity on area lakes. Manning worked with several other officers during the opening weekend of bear season. Opening weekend success rates seemed a little down from previous years, but the warm, windy weather and abundant natural food in the woods probably didn’t work in the hunters’ favor.

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the week checking bear baits, ATVs and fishermen. The officer attended Emergency Vehicle Operation training at Camp Ripley and armored the division’s new M4 rifles with several other armors. Officers Wahlstrom and Schettler responded to a TIP call that led to the prevention of an individual transporting a large amount of infested water. Wahlstrom worked a bear detail with area officers over the opening weekend.

CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) located and stopped a vehicle that was reported to have been involved in a shoplifting incident. The driver’s license turned out to be revoked, all three adult occupants had open alcohol containers, and the stolen items were recovered.

CO Marty Stage (Ely) worked bear baits and fishermen this past week. While driving home off duty one night, the officer passed a truck in the ditch and saw a faint flicker of light in the woods. The officer stopped to see if there was trouble or possibly a deer had been hit, but was surprised to be told, “Everything is fine, get out of here,” and “Get of my land.” Neighboring officers and a deputy were called and the intoxicated man was found to have shot a bear after hours, not registered a bear bait (among other things), and even had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. The bear was seized and the man was transported to jail.

Contact local DNR Conservation Officers to report violations or ask questions: