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) assisted the sheriff ’s office with a call in the BWCA. He also checked grouse hunters, ATV operators, anglers, and bear hunting activity.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled state and national forest roads checking ATV operators, motorcyclists and grouse hunters. Manning also checked anglers, bear hunters and baits, and worked the start of archery deer season. Manning answered calls regarding the upcoming deer season and state parks hunts, small-game hunting, firearms transport and lake access.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) checked small-game hunters over the opening weekend. Success was limited with road hunters all driving the same roads. The hunters who got out of their vehicles or off of their ATVs had different results. Wahlstrom responded to a call for help in the BWCA with area officers and the Cook County Sheriff ’s Office. Enforcement action was taken for firearms violations.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) reports a slow opening weekend for grouse and archery deer hunters. With temperatures near 80 degrees and scattered thundershowers, game wasn’t on the move very much. Hunters checked reported flushing a few birds but ground cover is still too thick to see many of them.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) took a report of a dead moose in the center median of Interstate 94 east of Moorhead. The moose had been spotted near Barnesville a couple days prior and just east of Moorhead the day before. Unfortunately, it didn’t make the interstate crossing on its way back north.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) reports that a wolf was hit by a car and picked up by the driver. It is unlawful to pick up any road-killed animal without a permit from a CO.
CO Alexander Birdsall (Waconia) took a hunter harassment call. The suspect said she told the hunters they were lousy shots and had no business hunting. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Kylan Hill (Zumbrota) stopped an ATV operator for operating his ATV in the lane of traffic. Further investigation showed that the operator had not renewed the registration since 2009.
CO Phil George (Rochester) worked the opening day of the small-game season and assisted with an injured hunter who was shot at by another hunter. He also helped a lost hunter in the woods. The situation was a result of poor communications about where he was supposed to be picked up.
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