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 Mary Manning (Hovland) attended Firearms Instructor training at Camp Ripley. The officer also assisted Lake County with a call about an armed suicidal male who had made threats against law enforcement officers.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) checked anglers, responded to nuisance animal complaints, and monitored ATV trails in Silver Bay. Wahlstrom worked a task force detail on Lake Superior with Officer Lee. Enforcement action was taken for boating, angling and OHM violations.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) fielded a call of a woodchuck in the yard, the caller claiming it was as big as the dog. Dog-owning anglers in a boat were checked, but had their fishing licenses at the cabin. While at the dock, after going to the cabin, the officer was told that the dog was OK, but it once bit a National Park Service Ranger in the boat. One would think that the owners would have mentioned this information while alongside the boat in the first place. Maybe the dog preferred a CO uniform, as he came away unscathed.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) responded to a complaint of juveniles shooting at a water tower, which resulted in a foot pursuit and ended with two suspects caught and arrested. Peterson also responded to an indecent exposure complaint in a public campground. The suspect was caught and admitted to “exposing himself ” and walking around the campground nude. Citations were issued for indecent exposure and failure to pay campsite fee. He was then told to leave the campground and return home to his wife in North Dakota.
CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers and boaters on Lake of the Woods. Enforcement action was taken for wanton waste after an angler was observed killing a smallmouth bass and throwing it back into the lake because the individual thought it was a “trash fish.” A complaint was also investigated involving someone who caught a skunk in a live trap and intentionally left it in the trap to starve to death rather than risk being sprayed.
CO Jeff Johanson (Osakis) witnessed a “first of his career” when he observed two goose hunters swimming after a crippled goose on an area lake. He deployed his kayak and after checking with the two hunters/swimmers to make sure they were OK, dispatched the goose and retrieved it for them. The two hunters were very appreciative of the help. They were given an A+ for the effort, but advised that it wasn’t worth drowning over since the water was quite deep and they had no PFDs with them.
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