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) spent time investigating wildfires during the week. He also checked steelheads in the Lake Superior tributaries. Some people reported some pretty good steelhead action. Enforcement action was taken for failing to report a fire, open burning of garbage, and burning prohibited materials. The CO assisted in a firearms safety field day. It was the nicest day in quite some time for the field day.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) helped with hunter safety class and field day in Grand Marais. A brush pile burned over the winter re-ignited and firefighters found trash in the smoldering pile. Steelhead anglers were checked and the officer also assisted Fond du Lac Conservation Officers during spring spearing by band members on area lakes. The bears are out and hungry with one caller reporting a bag of feed was taken from an old outhouse after the bear removed the door.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the week checking anglers along the North Shore tributaries and providing security for Fond du Lac band members while they were spearing in area lakes. The officer helped out at a Firearms Safety field day, returned calls and worked on station equipment. Enforcement action was taken for angling violations and driving while suspended.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) responded to a call on a Lake Superior boat access where a vehicle became submerged when it slipped out of gear and rolled into the lake. The angler was unhurt and his vehicle was recovered but a total loss. A good reminder to engage your parking brake while launching or retrieving your watercraft.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette) reports that an individual attempted taking his limit using a fish trap placed in the Baudette River. It was an effective, but illegal, way of catching the fish. The individual had just emptied the trap when Prachar arrived. The trap was seized and enforcement action was taken
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) took a TIP call of a deer that had been dumped in a ditch outside of Mountain Iron. The “deer” turned out to be an illegal-length sturgeon.
CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) took enforcement action on one individual who, when the CO approached, threw a fish back into the lake. Unfortunately for the angler the largemouth bass was dead and couldn’t swim away. The fish was netted out of the lake and the angler was given a citation for taking a fish out of season.
CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) got a report of some people who took up feeding deer with corn on the shoulder of a public road, causing deer to congregate in the road and creating a safety hazard to motorists and the deer.
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