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 he ran into what may be the last snowmobiler of the year. He was out enjoying every scrap Mother Nature had left to offer. Steelheaders filled the Lake Superior tributaries over the weekend. The fishing slowed from the earlier reports after the ice storm and cold weather. A TIP call was investigated. Enforcement action was taken for ATV and fishing violations.
CO Mary Manning (Grand Marais East) spent part of the week at Camp Ripley completing and assisting with annual firearms qualifications. The officer also worked sturgeon anglers on the Rainy River with CO Grell. Boating violations were more common than sturgeon – all related to required safety equipment. The pair also assisted a group of folks stranded on the river when their boat motor failed.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) monitored spring fish run, checked steelhead anglers and spring trappers. The officer spent time at Camp Ripley for firearms qualification and assisted the county with a domestic disturbance.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) reports that a snowmobile trail was pulverized by riders mudding through the trail on the Hibbing station ride. A number of ATV violations and trespassing violations were also encountered.
CO Jim Guida (Brainerd) removed a 40- to 50-pound beaver from a window well, and transported an injured owl to the Garrison Animal Hospital for rehabilitation.
CO Nicholas Klehr (Litchfield) assisted with an investigation of a person who had walleyes in an aquarium in his house. The walleyes were seized and the investigation is ongoing.
CO Caleb Silgjord (Sauk Centre), while checking anglers at an area dam, spoke with a friendly young lady who was fishing with her family. The young angler informed the officer that she was in preschool. When asked what her favorite school subject was she excitedly replied, “Donuts!” When asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she replied that she wanted to be a police officer. CO Silgjord provided the aspiring young angler a Junior Conservation Officer badge, which she gladly accepted.
CO Alexander Birdsall (Waconia) took a call from a hunter who shot at a turkey and discovered he had killed two with one shot. He immediately reported the incident and the turkey was donated for consumption.
CO Chad Thesing (Albany) worked the DNR confiscated gun auction in Zimmerman where guns, bows and other equipment were sold. The sale made approximately $270,000 which will be deposited into the Game and Fish Fund.
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