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 bear guide inspections, checked anglers at remote designated trout lakes, grouse hunters and bearhunting activity.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) reports a slow weekend for grouse hunters with few birds seen or in hand. Plenty of ducks were seen, though hunter numbers were down from last year. Manning assisted Cook County with a search for a woman who swerved to miss a deer on a local gravel road. Unfortunately, she had no idea which road she was on so volunteers searched for considerable time before she was located almost 10 miles from where her cell phone had indicated. Manning also answered questions about stream trout fishing and nuisance beavers, and checked ATV operators and bear bait stations.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) checked smallgame hunters, archery deer hunters and bear hunters. Time was spent following up on bear hunting complaints and checking ATV activity.
CO Pilot Jason Jensen (Brainerd) attended the open house of the new Grand Marais arrival/ departure building to show support of this airport and its importance to many DNR projects. Jensen then met with MnDOT Aviation to give input about seaplane operations in the state for the annual Minnesota airport directory that is distributed to pilots in Minnesota.
CO John Slatinski (Ray) assisted canoeists who became hung up on rocks when they got caught in high winds, which caused waves to fill the boat with water. Slatinski also contacted two individuals who were located loading firewood logs from a pile at a yarding area without a permit for such activity.
CO Jimmy Van Asch (Pengilly) reports that one individual decided to start the waterfowl season early by shooting a goose out of season with a rifle. The individual was located and citations were issued.
CO Scott Staples (Carlton) received a tip of someone shooting a swan in the Sturgeon Lake area. After questioning, the suspect denied shooting at any swans. He said he only shot a coot and showed Staples a ring-necked duck. After discussing the importance of being able to identify waterfowl while hunting them, it was learned that he also did not have a license or any of the stamps. Enforcement action was taken for several violations.
CO Dan Starr (Onamia) helped an elderly couple with a harvested bear when it was found the husband did not know how to fielddress or skin his wife’s first bear.
CO Chris Tetrault (Maplewood) reports that a hunter was itchy to shoot at a bird that was flying, and illegally shot a sharp-shinned hawk. The hunter had several items seized including the hawk, a shotgun, marijuana, a marijuana pipe and lead shot. Charges are pending.
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