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) handled a report of a nuisance wolf in the city of Grand Marais. The officer helped with spring firearms and defensive tactics qualifications in Hibbing and attended three ECHO emergency response training sessions in Cook County. Manning also helped teach firearms safety class, conducted commercial inspections and worked a detail with CO Schottenbauer.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) spent the week working on the wildfire investigation team. Several fires were investigated including some suspicious fires. Enforcement action was taken for negligent/careless fires, burning during a burning ban, and open burning of garbage and prohibited materials. Associated costs for fires that get out of control can be staggering.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) checked anglers along the North Shore. The officer helped the volunteer instructors out with covering the law and ethics curriculum at the firearms safety class. Wahlstrom assisted running the firing line for handgun, shotgun and rifle qualifications in Hibbing.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji) received a call regarding an individual dumping large boulders into a lake where people land their boats. The individual was attempting to stop people from accessing the lake. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) saw one angler out in a boat after sunset with no navigation lights who admitted to having no luck fishing; however, when asked to look inside a bucket, he had three largemouth bass in possession. He had his reasons for keeping them but a citation was issued.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) took action after three individuals were seen drinking beer along a river with one deciding to throw his empty beer bottle into the rapids, followed by manning his fishing pole to catch a fish without a fishing license.
CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) reports that a person mentoring a 9-year-old boy took him turkey hunting, but by accident the youth killed three jakes in one shot. After experiencing the thrill of the hunt, the mentor showed the boy what to do when mistakes are made and promptly called the CO to report the incident. No enforcement action was taken and the extra birds will be donated.
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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