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 Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) monitored trapping and small game hunting activity. Complaints were received about traps on trails, tampering with traps, stolen traps and night shooting. A shining detail was worked and archery hunters were checked.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) worked trapping complaints and located numerous traps which did not comply with Lynx Management Zone requirements. The officer also investigated reports of bait placed by deer hunters and worked shining complaint areas. A landowner reported several ATV riders compromised a beaver dam on private property resulting in flooding of the private roadway; everyone had cleared out and the water on the road was low by the time the call came in.
CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) spoke with an archery hunter who called concerning his safety after being followed out to the woods by two timber wolves. He stated the wolves followed him on both sides while he was briskly walking to get to his vehicle.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) received a TIP call about waterfowl hunters shooting a swan on Lake Johanna. The party was located and the individual responsible for shooting the swan said he mistook the bird with a seven-foot wing span for a snow goose. Enforcement action was taken for shooting the swan.
CO Tim Collette (Pequot Lakes) fielded calls for a trespass complaint involving a disputed property line and deer stands and of somebody who had three of his dogs poisoned.
CO Caleb Silgjord (Sauk Centre) took a dumping complaint after a couch was reported to have been thrown off a bridge into the Sauk River. Silgjord located the couch and although it would make for scenic viewing, efforts to remove the lounger will be made before ice up.
CO Tyler Quandt (Red Wing) received a report of bow hunters who had a pack of six coyotes approach them while they were in their tree stand. The hunter was able to shoot all four of his arrows at the coyotes.
Leave a Reply