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) worked a border detail with several COs, Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection. He did a remote patrol by ATV checking designated trout lakes. Enforcement action was taken for fish transport violations and failing to remove drain plugs from boats.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) participated in a detail at the Pigeon River U.S. Port of Entry checking anglers and boaters both in and out of the country. Several overlimits of fish were found inbound and many boaters were educated about Minnesota’s laws on aquatic invasive species and boat transportation. The officer assisted Cook County with a search and rescue operation for a couple missing boaters; turned out they had already gotten off the lake and into town. Manning also helped teach for the latest academy at Camp Ripley.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the week checking anglers, boaters and ATV riders. The officer worked a detail at the Pigeon River port of entry. Bear and fox complaints were handled. Enforcement action was taken for angling, illegally transporting fish, and AIS violations.
CO Randy Patten (Northome) took a bear complaint where the bear somehow opened the door of the truck and got inside the cab, causing damage which included chewing up the steering wheel.
CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) received a TIP call of two people fishing with extra lines on the Mississippi River. Kuske located the anglers and watched them fish with extra lines before they packed up and started to leave. When checked coming out, one angler said he really wasn’t technically using extra lines. The officer informed the angler that using one pole with a bobber and one for casting at the same time is fishing with an extra line
CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) investigated a video posting on social media of a person hitting a deer with their vehicle. The reporting party questioned whether it was done intentionally or not.
Two persons fishing from a dock abruptly walked away when Kuske approached. Grandma, still fishing on the dock, explained they were her two 14-year-old grandkids and that they didn’t need licenses. The two were found up at the cabin, not 14 but 17 and had no fishing licenses. The youth were given warnings and sent to buy licenses. Grandma chose to make no further comments.
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