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) focused enforcement efforts on angling and snowmobile activity. The snowmobile trails quickly deteriorated with the warm weather. Some nice pan fish were seen on the ice. The officer attended a meeting at Camp Ripley and returned calls regarding wildlife complaints. Enforcement action was taken for snowmobile ski pass violations.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) concentrated enforcement action on trout anglers and checked a few snowmobilers. Trail and ice conditions will change by the day. Many of the streams and flowages are opening back up into water bodies. There is still plenty of winter left in the Arrowhead, just use caution.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) reports some angling and snowmobiling activity, despite deteriorating conditions. One ATV operator decided to ride an unplowed forest road by himself and found himself stuck numerous times in the considerable amount of wet snow. Fortunately he was able to eventually get himself and his machine out so he could ride to the nearest working phone, another 15 miles down the road, and call for a ride home. The officer also followed up on pending cases from the past fall and winter.
CO Scott Staples (Carlton) investigated a report of a dead eagle found in a yard and turned the eagle over to the USFWS. Staples also gave assistance to a trapper with releasing a bobcat from a trap he had set for fox. CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) responded after an individual fell through the ice while attempting to fish, and then two more individuals also broke through while trying to reach the first unfortunate person. With the help of first responders, everyone was able to get back to shore and then be treated for hypothermia.
CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) received a call of a truck stopping near a residence, an occupant shooting at something up in a tree, then driving away. Inspecting the area CO Kuske found it was a bald eagle that had been shot. The suspect vehicle was located and two 17-year-olds were taken into custody. During an interview it was learned that they had also shot a redtailed hawk minutes before killing the eagle.
Kuske also assisted the Morrison County Sheriff ’s Department with a damage to property complaint which involved someone placing some muskrat carcasses in a mailbox then smashing it, along with dumping a dozen deer heads and pheasant carcasses on the driveway. A suspect has been identified and follow-up investigation is taking place.
Finally, one angler coming off the lake was checked for a 2016 license, who at that very moment realized he forget to get a new license March 1. As proof that he always buys a license the person actually had in his pocket an old license for every year going back to 2006. A warning was issued for the forgetfulness.
Leave a Reply