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) attended a wildland fire investigator’s meeting and training at Camp Ripley. He was also called out to investigate a suspicious wildland fire north of Motley.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) checked anglers on Lake Superior and its tributaries. The officer also checked state parks and campgrounds as well as taking calls about ice fishing shelter removal. Members of one camping party were found with numerous violations and two of the group members thought lying about their identities would be a good idea; additionally, more serious charges were added to their paperwork.
CO Marty Stage (Ely) reports that the lake ice is getting bad. The rivers are open and a lot of open water is visible now on any of the lakes with current; the ice is deteriorating on the edges of the smaller lakes. The geese and swans are back and spring is really here. A very few people are still chasing crappies, but it’s getting to be a dangerous proposition around Ely. Be careful.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck) provided assistance to a young driver whose vehicle became stuck in a local lake access. The driver explained he was trying to see how thick the ice was.
CO Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) encountered a Class II ATV stuck in a wetland. Three and a half hours and two tow trucks later, the ATV was pulled out. The operator received a hefty tow bill, damage to the ATV and a citation for operating an ATV in a wetland.
CO Rhonda Friese (Long Prairie) reports bears are waking up, and handled the first bear-in-the-bird-feeder complaint.
CO Tony Anderson (Morris) handled a call of a deer caught in a fence by cutting the fence to free the deer, and received calls regarding problems with seagulls.
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