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) patrolled BWCA lakes checking boaters and anglers. She assisted Cook County with the removal of two people from a residence and subsequent warrant arrests. Manning also patrolled forest roads checking ATV operators and took calls on OHM operation and nuisance bears.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) did a canoe patrol into the Boundary Waters, checked border lakes and did a work detail in the Duluth harbor.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck) investigated a report of an eagle that had been found in the ditch with its head cut off. However, the investigation found it was not an eagle but rather a turkey vulture that had apparently been struck by a car.
CO Brian Holt (Osakis) received complaints about bowfishing and rough fish left on the banks, public accesses, dumped along roads and even discarded in a county park.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) reports that he stopped a not-so-happy ATV driver for a registration violation and it was discovered her driver’s license was suspended. She was told to call someone to pick her up and not to drive or she would be cited again. Less than five minutes after the stop, the driver was spotted driving again, but when she spotted the officer, she tried to give him the slip. It didn’t work and Bozovsky got the driver stopped once again and she was cited one more time. Surprisingly, she was more cordial after the officer said he was going to tow the ATV. The ATV was transported in a truck by the friend who told the driver not to drive in the first place.
CO Scott Staples (Carlton) received a call of a loon that was found possibly injured on a local road. The bird couldn’t be located. It was found out later that a concerned citizen put the loon back into a nearby lake after determining it was unhurt.
CO Dan Starr (Onamia) investigated a case of angler harassment. A dock owner became upset somebody was fishing the “family pet fish” under his dock and threw rocks to scare the fish. Grandkids had been feeding the large bass worms and leeches, which caused the concern. Enforcement action was taken on the dock owner.
CO Keith Bertram (Long Prairie) handled several bear complaints. One bear would not let the homeowner exit her car after coming home from work. The bear was more concerned about eating bird feed than the honking car horn. After she finally got into the house, the bear would not leave the deck area, prohibiting the homeowner from mowing the lawn.
Contact local DNR Conservation Officers to report violations or ask questions:
Thomas Wahlstrom 218-370-0244
Darin Fagerman 218-370-1717
Mary Manning 218-475-0121
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