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 most of the time working from his patrol snowmobile. The officer monitored snowmobile trails and checked anglers on area lakes. Cross country skiers were checked, equipment maintenance was completed and trout lakes in the BWCA were monitored.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports that the conditions for the upcoming trout opener should be close to excellent. There are some pockets of slush, but most of it is gone due to the frigid weather. Many of the lakes have 14-18 inches of good ice. The CO checked a few snowmobilers and anglers during the week, but the overall activity has been a little slow.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled GIA and state snowmobile trails. Deep snow off trail means that many four-legged critters are using the trails to move about. A gray wolf seen by the officer was reluctant to yield the trail and take the plunge into the snow. Sled drivers are advised to watch for them as well as other sledders. Manning also checked ski passes and area lakes and anglers.
CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) checked snowmobiles and ice anglers. Ice fishing picked up for a few days on Agate Bay in Two Harbors, where several ice houses were seen on the ice. A 60-year-old local angler reported using a snow shovel to try to move some of the snow and gain access at the public launch.
CO Sam Hunter (Park Rapids) responded to a snowmobile accident where the operator of the machine was thrown from it and landed 25 feet past where the sled hit a group of mature trees. He was transported to a Bemidji hospital by ambulance.
CO Duke Broughten (Longville) was assisting a Cass County officer on a separate complaint when it became evident the anglers he was questioning may have been over the limit of sunfish. The two officers investigated further and found the two anglers had approximately 100 sunfish in their possession. Fish were seized and enforcement action was taken.
CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) worked fur tagging in Eveleth with a few otter and bobcats registered. One individual was found to have used his otter tag to registers another’s otter. He received a complaint of found snares with a bobcat partially eaten by wolves. The snare owner was located, interviewed and found to be over limit on bobcat.
CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) responded when a group of small game hunters decided to drive their SUV down a snowmobile trail and got buried, cutting off the trail to sleds over the weekend. Luckily for them a group of snowmobilers helped them get turned around and back off the trail. A citation was written for operating a road vehicle on a snowmobile trail.
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