Although the Cook County News-Herald knows
that the majority of sportsmen and women
are law-abiding folks, there are a few who 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)
continued to follow up on complaints from the deer season. Illegal deer baiting activity was monitored and trespass issues are being investigated. Reports from hunters on the amount of deer harvested seem to be down from previous years. The officer also checked trapping activity.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais)
took complaints of road hunting and trespass during the week. The CO found a few bear bait stations still up in the woods in violation of the law. Once the Vikings’ game started Sunday, the deer season was pretty much over for most.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland)
checked deer and grouse hunters. Manning also continued investigating reports of deer being hunted over bait. Theofficercontinues to receive calls from individuals confused by the new uncased gun laws; hunters are reminded that long guns must be cased, in addition to being unloaded when in a city that doesn’t allow the discharge of firearms (like Grand Marais). Manning also investigated a party who drove a truck on the state snowmobile trail to dump a pair of deer carcasses and followed up on a complaint of a person living on MnDOT land.
CO Scott Staples (Carlton)
received a call this past weekend from a hunter who reported he shot a bear. An investigation was conducted and it was found that the hunter was sitting on the ground near an edge of a field deer hunting and fell asleep. When he woke up, a bear was standing less than two feet from where he was. Immediately fearing for his life he shot the bear. Thebear was given to a person in the area that is going to use it so it does not go to waste.
CO Joel Heyn (Plainview)
worked deer and goose hunters during the week. Hunter success was mixed. One hunter was very lucky. While sitting on stand for deer an arrow went through the hunter’s blaze orange coat sleeve and shirts. It’s unknown where the arrow came from.
CO Al Peterson (Osage)
responded to calls of deer hit and injured by vehicles, and three dogs fighting with a bear. The bear was gone on arrival and the dogs appeared to be unharmed.
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