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) checked anglers both inside and outside the BWCA. Canoeists are reminded that, to be legal, canoes need current registration from their home state or Minnesota. Mosquitoes and biting insects are still as aggressive as ever.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) worked angling and boating activity throughout the week, as well as patrolling state parks and campgrounds. A remote BWCA patrol was conducted with other officers.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck) gave assistance to the Beltrami County Sheriff ’s Office with a fire call where a gentleman had obtained a burning permit to burn a brush pile. However, while obtaining the burning permit from a local fire warden the gentleman failed to inform the fire warden that the brush pile was inside his aging chicken coop. Upon ignition of the brush pile the coop burned and the fire spread to an equipment shed and one other structure, neither of which the gentleman intended to burn down. Enforcement action was taken for failure to control a permit fire.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) spoke with a number of fishermen. One angler first said he had a license, but changed his answer after a short time, while another angler without a license thought that as long as he didn’t keep any fish he didn’t need a license. However he learned that he was wrong. Yet another angler said he had purchased his fishing license the day checked, but didn’t have it with him, and signed the affidavit of having a license. In reality, he purchased his license less than an hour after he was checked and is now the recipient of two citations instead of one.
CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) received a call from a homeowner near the Mississippi River who was concerned about a beaver attacking their kids. It turns out the homeowner did not live on the river and the dangerous animal in question ended up being a woodchuck, not a beaver. The homeowner was reassured the woodchuck was not dangerous but given direction on how to dissuade it from digging holes in his yard.
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