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) spent time in the BWCAW with area officers checking trout anglers during the opener. The extremely cold temperatures kept the majority of the anglers at home. Snowmobile trails were monitored and equipment maintenance was completed.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) worked with other officers for the BWCA trout opener. Trout anglers are the hardiest of people as brutal temps and winds didn’t keep many from wetting or icing up a line. Several people were encountered winter camping. The COs found the going pretty good in the BWCA as most lakes didn’t require snowshoes. The slush is freezing up and has disappeared on several lakes. The CO is always amazed that people remember everything needed to survive, fish, and camp in the very challenging conditions, but forget their fishing licenses and BWCA self-issue permits. One person said he didn’t even think that he needed to bring his license into the BWCA because he believed he’d never be checked on a remote lake when it was -30. He thanked the COs for doing their job proving him wrong.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) worked a very cold and quiet BWCA trout fishing opener. The officer also checked snowmobile trails and sledders; slush is still a concern even on marked trails across area lakes. Cross country skiers showed much improved compliance with trail pass possession.
CO Sam Hunter (Park Rapids) received a call of a fisherman who put his fish house 7 feet from someone else’s fish house. Remember that you must be at least 10 feet from someone else’s fish house and while you are inside, crack a door or window from time to time to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
CO Jim Guida (Brainerd) checked some anglers who had not had their licenses signed. Officer Guida offered his pen to one individual who proceeded to accidentally drop it down the hole. An attempt was made to recover it but resulted in the angler getting wet. One of the anglers said that they hadn’t been checked in 15 years of fishing and blamed the other angler for the bad luck.
CO Scott Fitzgerald (Malmo) responded to a lake where a vehicle had broken partially through the ice and two others got stuck in the slush attempting to pull the first one out. Eventually the first vehicle did go all the way through the ice. It is a good reminder to be careful on area lakes. Even though we have had cold weather there are still places on the lakes with little ice. The officer answered a call of someone putting barbed wire across a GIA snowmobile trail and the barbed wire was removed. He also checked on a possible theft of firewood from the state forest.
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