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) completed required online training during the week. He also followed up on wildland fire cases and checked Lake Superior streams.
CO Mary Manning (Grand Marais East) helped organize ATV and Hunter Education classes for students and new instructors. The officer checked steelhead anglers, Lake Superior fishermen, and ATV operators. Manning also began commercial inspections of minnow retailers and minnow dealers and followed up on a wetland enforcement case from last year.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) worked area anglers along Lake Superior. Time was spent working on division-issued firearms. Wahlstrom also responded to a lost person at a state park and checked ATVs.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked angling and ATV enforcement efforts during the week. Fishing became more difficult on North Shore streams with rising waters due to recent rainfalls. Spring beaver trapping continues and all lakes in the area are now ice-free.
NR Pilot Brad Maas (Brainerd) completed the last moose cow/ calf telemetry checks in Northeast Minnesota. There were 26 cows to observe with calves to see how many had survived through winter. Four collars had stopped functioning, and two of the calves from the last check were no longer present. One set of twin calves was observed. Nearly all the animals showed signs of hair loss from winter ticks, having more gray color than the usual brown coat.
CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) reports that spring weather has brought out an increase in ATV activity and ATV complaints. One young ATV rider was found on a busy highway with no helmet, no license, no required safety training, and riding an ATV with no brakes and no lights. After escorting the youngster home and finding out the parents were fully aware what their child was doing, everyone received a quick refresher on ATV laws and the parents received a citation for allowing the illegal operating.
CO Kylan Hill (Zumbrota) cited an individual for operating an ATV while allowing a juvenile to not wear a helmet. The driver, who was given a verbal warning for the exact same violation last fall by the officer, told CO Hill that he thought it was only a “suggestion” that his 3-year-old had to wear a helmet while riding as a passenger on the ATV.
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