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) reports great winter conditions for both anglers and snowmobilers alike. He patrolled by snowmobile checking remote designated trout lakes and checking snowmobile activity. Angling success has been mixed depending on skill level and lake.
CO Mary Manning (Grand Marais East) patrolled area lakes checking anglers and fishing shacks. The officer also patrolled the Ramstad State and GIA snowmobile trails. One angler learned the hard way that reading the regulation book every year is a good thing – he could have saved himself a fine and a ticket had he read about and gotten the “Non-Trail Registration” for his sled rather than hoping that a CO would not notice the 2011 registration he never renewed.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the week checking snowmobiles on area trails. The trails are in excellent condition. Anglers were checked on lakes in Lake and Cook counties. Some nice pan fish were seen in the bag. Enforcement action was taken for careless operation, snowmobiling, and hunting violations.
CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) did a lot of explaining to lost snowmobilers that the county roads are not trails, even in Lake County.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) received a call from a cabin owner who had a deer with a missing rear leg that was no longer keeping up with other deer and had bedded down under a boat in his yard. The deer was removed.
CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) and the State Patrol apprehended a couple of convicted felons who were found near a business in town. The felons thought it would be a good idea to try to get away by running into the woods. The path left by the runners led to their arrest after about half a mile of following their tracks in the snow. Further investigation turned up many items of stolen property the two were also responsible for.
CO Alexander Birdsall (Waconia) encountered an ice fisherman on Lake Waconia that had lost a rod and reel down the ice hole after a large fish bit on his line. The angler then caught a fish on his other line and pulled out a northern pike. Much to the surprise of the angler, the northern pike was still hooked to his pole that had gone under the ice.
Contact local DNR
Conservation Officers to report
violations or ask questions:
Thomas Wahlstrom 218-370-0244
Darin Fagerman 218-387-9751
Mary Manning 218-475-0121
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