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) reports that he assisted with a snowmobile safety field day. Numbers of students were way down this year. Please encourage your children to take safety courses. Once they reach 14, they no longer can ride a snowmobile on public lands or trails without a safety certificate. As snowmobile and ski clubs kick off their seasons, please consider joining a club where you live or where you ride or ski. Support your sport because every little bit helps. Fur registration was way down this year for pine marten and fisher. Enforcement action was taken for trapping violations. CO Mary Manning (Hovland) checked anglers, spearers and trappers. Taking the time to read the regulations would have saved some trappers money and the pelts they had harvested. Overall, marten and fisher season was slower than last season. Enforcement action was taken for no small game license, lynx zone trapping violations, and lend/borrow tags. CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the week checking trappers and ice anglers. Fishing remains slow on area lakes. The officer investigated a trapping case that resulted in traps and furs seized. Fur registration was worked in Finland with Officer Schottenbauer. Enforcement action was taken for lend/borrow tags, illegal set traps and untagged traps. CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) heard complaints from some about poor luck during the deer season; it must not have been from a lack of deer as the number of car kills lately has been way higher than normal. A muzzleloader deer hunter was reported to be using a rifle while hunting. When investigated, Kuske didn’t find a rifle but did find a scope that the person hid in the snow as he saw the CO approach his stand. Parents were cited after dropping off their 15-yearold son at a lake to stay overnight in the fish house while they went out for dinner. The boy was found operating an ATV without safety training, no helmet and no registration on the machine. Finally, concerned citizens reported several bears denning up in a culvert. Kuske crawled in to investigate and found a sow and two cubs snug as bugs in their winter home. People are encouraged not to disturb bears in their den not only for the bear’s safety but people as well. CO Eric Schettler (Fairmont) reports that a deer hunter called in a poached deer that he had found. Upon investigating, it turned out the deer was a road kill and was being used for coyote bait. The complainant, however, was using an illegal scope on his muzzleloader and enforcement action was taken.
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