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) checked anglers, paddlers on remote lakes and ATV riders. The officer assisted the county with an arrest of an unwanted person. Wahlstrom responded to calls and spoke with the county attorney about a big game case.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) checked anglers during the week. When one group was asked where they were going, they told the CO they were going to shore to get some snow to put in their cooler. Sure enough, there was snow under some cedars on the south shore of the lake. Cheaper than buying ice. CO Murray and CO Fagerman were eating dinner one night at a picnic table when along came a trouble-maker bear. He was snapping his teeth and circling around hoping the COs would run off and he would then finish their dinner, but too bad for him the COs stood their ground and he wouldn’t get a picnic basket on this night. It was a very enjoyable moment which will be remembered for a long time.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled area forest roads and trails on ATV. Manning assisted CO Wahlstrom with a complaint of coyote pups living under a cabin; the mother apparently decided the area was a bit busy and relocated the animals herself. The officer also assisted U.S. Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection officers in locating a party who illegally entered the country at a remote location.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) took enforcement action after a citizen observed an employee of a local golf course chase, run over, and kill three goose goslings with a lawnmower while mowing the fairway. The suspect was located, interviewed, and cited for the violation. He was advised to coexist with them as they are abundant on every course in the county and his actions were illegal.
CO Jeff Johanson (Osakis) found one man who was fishing without a license. The man said he tried to buy a license but was unable to because he has not paid a fine from a previous fishing without a license citation. The man went fishing anyway and received more citations.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) was contacted by a person walking along the Mesabi Bike Trail in Virginia who advised him about a deer head that was discarded along the side of the trail. When the CO located the deer head it was covered in maggots but a site tag was found. The owner of the site tag said he wanted to let nature take its course on the deer head so he could later do a European mount with the skull. After a little bit of digging CO Frericks learned the deer had never been registered and had been shot by another person. Citations were issued for failure to register a big game animal and unlawful party hunting.
Leave a Reply