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 a meeting regarding a wetlands/public waters violation and pending restoration work. Beaver traps were checked and area lakes, rivers and trails were patrolled. Manning also worked a snowmobile detail in Ely for the annual Fun Run. Enforcement action was taken for no snowmobile safety certificate, fail to display registration and fail to transfer snowmobile registration.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) worked snowmobile and angling activity. The officer caught a group of ice anglers fishing with extra lines. After the officer issued the proper paperwork and was walking away, he heard one of the anglers address the rest of the group: “When I tell you to reel up the extra lines, I mean it!” The trout bite is still on while walleye fishing has slowed down. Enforcement action was taken for angling, ATV and snowmobile violations.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) patrolled remote trout lakes by snowmobile. When the rest of the state is without snow cover, many people have a hard time believing we have the snow that we do in the northeast. There wasn’t much for fishing or snowmobiling activity during the week days. The CO encountered a couple of fellows out moose antler hunting during the week as the antlers are beginning to fall as of last week.
Pilot Brad Maas (Brainerd) continued work on the NE moose survey. Snow conditions are holding up well despite the unusually warm weather. The remaining plots near Grand Marais are showing good numbers of moose. Only a few bulls with antlers, and a fair number of cow/calf combinations.
CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) reports last Thursday through Saturday brought out a large number of snowmobiles, but the warm weather and high traffic took their toll on the trails. Many of those stopped for speeding had excuses such as: they should get a break because they’re a local, their snowmobile wasn’t running right so they needed to open it up and clean it out, it’s too dangerous to look down at your speedometer when you’re going that fast, and they’re an experienced rider.
CO Tim Collette (Pequot Lakes) helped with a work detail at the Fishing Extravaganza on Gull Lake where several people unfamiliar with the lake conditions drove vehicles onto thin ice and broke through. All were able to escape without injuries including one truck where the occupants crawled out as it was sinking and stood on top of the truck where they were rescued by a couple of local anglers who were passing by.
CO Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) received a call of a black bear acting aggressively and entering the caller’s attached garage. The bear ended up being dispatched.
Contact local DNR Conservation Officers to report violations or ask questions:
Thomas
Wahlstrom
218-370-0244
Darin Fagerman
218-387-9751
Mary Manning
218-475-0121
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