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 Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) checked anglers and snowmobilers. Trails are shaping up with the fresh snow. Inventory and equipment maintenance was completed throughout the week.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked snowmobile and angling activity during the week. Enforcement action was taken for snowmobile registration violations. High winds and drifting snow made for difficult travel on area lakes. Murray also assisted with a youth firearms safety class and responded to a vehicle rollover on Highway 2 north of Two Harbors.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) checked anglers in remote trout lakes during the week. Frigid weather kept most people off the lakes, but there were some who staked down the portable shelters and fought the high winds. The bigger lakes are very rough from the high winds, but slush remains scarce.
CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) checked two groups of anglers on a designated trout lake and discovered everyone was using live minnows. One angler stated that they decided to take a chance in order to improve their chances of catching fish since they did so poorly last time out. After receiving citations and losing their minnows they figured the chance hadn’t been worth taking.
CO Traci Hanson (Thief River Falls) reports that while checking a trio of anglers on the Red Lake River, two of them asked if they could go to their house along the river to get their licenses. A short time later Hanson saw a vehicle back out of their driveway. Several minutes later the vehicle returned and the two men walked out to Hanson. The licenses they provided were shelter licenses, not angling licenses. They swore they had not just purchased the licenses until the CO showed them the date and time stamp on the bottom of the license. The men were disappointed they had purchased the wrong licenses in haste.
CO Mike Lee (Crosslake) received a complaint of dogs chasing deer. Upon investigation it appeared that along with dogs running in the area a couple wolves were also spotted, and they were chasing a deer at the time.
CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) entered a fish house and noticed the sole occupant was using extra lines to fish. The CO stated to the person, “So you are using four lines today.” The person replied, “Actually five, I have one more in the corner over here.” A citation was issued, but for his honesty in admitting the violation he was rewarded with being able to keep his fishing equipment.
CO Craig Miska (Ortonville) reports that a local man was startled while ice fishing when a river otter decided to take a breather and swam up the hole the ice angler was fishing in. The angler and otter were both equally surprised and the otter swam back down the hole.
Leave a Reply