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) checked ATV and small game hunting activity in Cook and Lake counties. Nuisance bear complaints are still coming in and a lot of questions about the upcoming deer season were answered.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) handled another nuisance bear call; the bear was so hungry he returned to raid the freezer again after having been lawfully shot and injured the previous day. The animal was dispatched and meat salvaged by a needy family. The officer checked area hunters, handled equipment repairs and maintenance, and took calls regarding small game hunting. One caller was more concerned with questions about road rights of way and legal posting of property than being certain he was far enough from occupied dwellings; houses not visible from the road do still count and can easily be within 500 feet of a hunter’s location.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked a complaint of a white phase gray wolf that was shot northwest of Hibbing (near Hibbing Taconite lands) which turned out to be a male white German shepherd that someone shot and left. Information would be appreciated.
CO Chris Tetrault (Isle) investigated a party bow hunting deer over bait. The party stated that the stand that was baited was not his. However, his personal keys were able to unlock the padlock securing the stand to the tree. It was discovered shortly afterwards that the bait in the area was his as well, and that he had been hunting it. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) responded when a call came in one night from a concerned citizen of a buck that ran off after they hit it on the road. The driver was concerned it was still alive but badly wounded. The next morning the dead deer was located and had already been dinner for the coyotes.
Leave a Reply