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) followed up on TIP calls about taking fish out of season. Lake Superior tributaries were checked with only a few fish being caught. Water is still very low. The officer did commercial inspections on minnow retailers and dealers and noted a few violations. Ice anglers were checked on area lakes where two feet of ice still remains on some lakes.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports there was at least one guy finding enough snow to ride his snowmobile during the week. Lakes are just begging to pull away from shore, but there is lots of ice left. The CO checked remote lakes and lakes along the border during the week. A moose shed hunter was encountered during the week with a couple of nice trophy antlers found in a faraway secret spot.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) responded to a TIP call of a person shooting a rabbit in a neighboring yard. When Vinton contacted the young man he found that the rabbit was already in the frying pan. The juvenile was warned about seasons and his father said it won’t happen again.
CO Bill Landmark (Moorhead) received a report of an injured goose in Moorhead. On arrival the officer observed it was merely sitting on its nest in the median of the highway.
CO Andy Schmidt (Brookston) assisted Duluth Police Department with a bear that was climbing a tree in a residential area and came into contact with a power line.
CO Scott Staples (Carlton) reported that a TIP call resulted in charges on two individuals who were shooting a turkey from the back of their pickup truck off of the road. An individual witnessed the violation and reported it. Enforcement action was taken on both individuals for trespass, take turkey out of season, transport loaded uncased firearm, and discharging a firearm at a wild animal from a motor vehicle.
CO Todd Langevin (Center City) received a call of a resident who was bitten by a raccoon. The resident was advised to seek medical attention for a possible rabies infection and not to get that close to raccoons anymore.
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