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 Mary Manning (Hovland) spent the week at Camp Ripley helping with arrest and control tactics and firearms training for the current academy.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked boating and fishing enforcement efforts during the week. Fishing seems to be improving in the area but high winds over the weekend made for difficult fishing. Enforcement action was taken for licensing violations. Murray assisted Lake County Search and Rescue when a child and adult fell into the Gooseberry River. Both were able to swim to shore but sustained bumps and bruises from the ordeal.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) investigated a complaint that involved a lakeshore owner who installed and operated his weedroller before receiving his permit to do so. When the APM (Aquatic Plant Management) specialist came to inspect the weedroller the owner had the weedroller going. The specialist told him that he couldn’t have it running before a permit was issued. His response was if I get a ticket, then I get a ticket. He was obliged.
CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) handled calls of an escaped game farm elk, a nuisance turkey that took up residence on a woman’s deck and garbage dumping that occurred right next to a “No Dumping” sign on state land.
Kuske also investigated calls of a young hungry bear that broke into a house and pulled out the oatmeal and hot cocoa in the kitchen, pulled down the clothes in the bedroom closet and visited the bathroom, leaving nose prints all over the mirror. The same week the bear attempted to break into another house, presumably looking for more porridge.
CO Paul Kuske (Pierz) received a nuisance wildlife complaint from a person who is experiencing six bears routinely visiting her residence. The bears have done damage and are not scared of warnings from the person. A nuisance bear hunter will be utilized to reduce the threat.
CO Tony Salzer (Ham Lake) investigated the illegal possession of rabbits that had been removed from a nest.
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