CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the week checking anglers on inland lakes and steelhead anglers along the North Shore. The officer saw some nice walleyes in the bag during the night bite. Wahlstrom helped teach ATV safety, both in the classroom and out in the field, where the kids showed their skill to demonstrate they know how to ride safely.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) checked anglers and boats on inland lakes. The officer took reports of illegal dumping of trash on state property and garbage burning at a residence, and helped teach ATV safety class in Grand Marais to a small, but attentive, class of students. Manning also participated in the DNR Honor Guard for National Law Enforcement Day in St. Paul honoring fallen peace officers at the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial.
CO Randy Hanzal (Duluth) reports contact with an angler who had a walleye clearly outside of the slot who tried to explain that he didn’t know how to properly measure the fish. However, after several attempts by the angler bending the fish and manipulating its tail, he was still unable to change the length enough to make it into a legal-length fish. The angler was issued a citation.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) encountered an intoxicated individual in a car at a public lake access. It was determined there was a warrant for his arrest and he was taken into custody. While the CO was handcuffing the subject, he began to boast about his criminal past and the fact he had done time in prison for armed robbery. A sheriff ’s deputy arrived and he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, which was his third drunk driving arrest in less than a month. He was also found with marijuana. His vehicle was littered with empty beer cans. At least they weren’t thrown onto the roadside ditches like some drinking drivers do. The CO also assisted at an ATV field day.
CO Marty Stage (Ely) worked a TIP complaint concerning fishermen taking illegal slot walleyes. Stage located the boat tied to the shore and crawled through the woods to get to the boat. The fishermen were giggling saying they would just tell the game warden they only had beans at the cabin. After six hours, the officer observed the fishermen keeping illegal slot length fish, using extra lines, using game fish for bait, sinking fish guts in the lake with lead sinkers, and chopping designs in a 200-yearold red pine on private property. Many thanks to those who paid attention to the resource and called in the TIP information.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) patrolled area lakes, checking anglers and boaters. Numerous individuals were issued citations for angling without a license. The excuse, “I was just going to release anything I caught anyway” does not work. Frericks reminds potential anglers that it is much cheaper to buy an angling license than pay a fine of around $135.
CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) received a complaint from a livestock owner about two calves being attacked and killed, presumably by a wolf. After looking at the type of injuries and tracks left in the area it was determined that the kills were made by someone’s dogs left to roam the area unattended. Assistance is being given to the farmer in identifying the dog’s owner.
CO Traci Hanson (Minnetonka) responded to a concern over a concrete restoration project that was going to threaten a hen mallard which was sitting on a clutch of 12 eggs. Hanson met with the contractor the next morning to discuss concerns over the project and a short while later, it was discovered the ducklings had hatched. Later that day the mother and ducklings made their way to a watercourse naturally.
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!
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