Conservation Officer Tales

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) worked the salmon classic fishing tournament on Lake Superior with Officer Schottenbauer. The weather was great on the big lake and there were some nice salmon and trout caught. The officer completed firearms and DT training during In-Service at Camp Ripley. ATV trails were patrolled in the Tofte and Hovland areas. Enforcement action was taken for angling and boating activity.

CO Mary Manning (Hovland) attended annual in-service training covering firearms use and defensive tactics for Use of Force instructors at Camp Ripley. Manning checked anglers and boaters; boating violations included registration issues, no throwable device and no horn or whistle. Nuisance bears continue to be a problem; the officer took a report of another that broke into an area resort and one that raided the trash awaiting pick-up. Manning also patrolled ATV trails and checked Hovland Woods and Spring Beauty SNAs.

CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) followed up on a complaint of an alligator in an area lake. No alligator was found.

CO Gary Forsberg (Pelican Rapids), while assisting a muskie angler, heard a shot from a nearby home on the lake. Numerous geese were seen swimming away from the area of the shot, minus one goose flopping on the shoreline. Upon talking with the home owner it was found that he had shot the goose because they were in his garden and defecating on his shoreline. The garden was fenced and no visible sign of goose damage was seen. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Duke Broughten (Longville) responded to a complaint of a boater who refused invasive species inspection. The boat owner claimed he did not believe in the invasive species laws and that he didn’t have to obey inspection because he paid taxes. The boat owner was issued the appropriate paperwork and was advised if he wanted to use his boat in Minnesota he will have to comply with Minnesota’s invasive species laws.

CO Steve Chihak (Spring Valley) received a report of a great horned owl following homing pigeons back to their loft, where it then proceeded to kill and consume several of the returning birds. The owner was given several recommendations to try and prevent any future occurrences.

Contact local DNR Conservation Officers to report violations or ask questions: