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) spent the week checking anglers and snowmobilers. The officer assisted in a snowmobile work detail with several officers who patrolled the trails along the North Shore. Enforcement action was taken for snowmobile violations.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) worked with COs Hutchins, George, and Ontario COs on a Canadian border lakes detail. Fishing and snowmobiling activity was very high as were the violations that came with increased activity. With the high water levels from last fall, the thaw is opening up flowages between lakes and into lakes faster than normal. Without colder weather soon, many portages into remote lakes may be impassable. Use caution around open water.
CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt), working speed enforcement, clocked two snowmobilers racing at 90 mph on the trail. It was a father and son, and CO Bermel awarded the victory prize to both riders in the form of citations.
CO Gregory Verkuilen (Garrison) reports that water running in the holes on Garrison Bay may be making the fish bite, but one vehicle broke through the ice and a second was wedged in an ice crack that had opened up.
CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) reported while working fishing enforcement on an area lake she checked a house where the two anglers invited her in even though there was a cloud of marijuana smoke in the house. The anglers hadn’t caught any fish but did get a ticket for possession of marijuana.
Also, while sitting down to dinner CO Kuske and CO Paul Kuske looked out their dining room window and noticed a large amount of black smoke coming from a farm place on the other side of the section. Upon investigating the fire, the CO found the farmer did have a burning permit to burn a brush pile but had included in the pile many railroad ties, metal gates, plywood, and canvas. A citation was issued for burning prohibited materials.
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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