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 Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the week checking anglers and snowmobilers. The trails were very busy with snowmobilers enjoying all the snow. He saw some nice trout in the bag on area lakes. Enforcement was taken for snowmobile and angling violations. CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports lots of snowmobilers but very few anglers out in the frigid cold. Anglers and snowmobilers were checked.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled area snowmobile trails and checked sledders; trails have held up well with the extreme cold conditions. Manning spoke with WTIP radio about snowmobile trail etiquette and safety for Snowmobile Safety Awareness Week. She also checked anglers and ice fishing shelters as well as ski passes. Questions about coyote-hunting tournaments outside Cook County and use of tracked ATVs on designated snowmobile trails were also addressed.
CO Tony Elwell (Thief River Falls East) responded to a call of a young mule deer buck that had most likely wandered in from North Dakota. It had been hanging around for a few days causing safety issues on the highway. Area wildlife managers determined that the animal was most likely suffering from an illness. The decision was made to dispatch the deer for safety reasons and so it could be tested.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) checked ice anglers in the frigid temperatures over the weekend. In one instance a fish house was found to be vacant, along with eight frozen northern pike outside the fish house. Enforcement action was taken. Plautz is also investigating a fish house found on a lake with no identification and no shelter tag for the second year in a row. Investigation continues in finding the rightful owner.
CO Jacqueline Hughes (Longville) received a call of an injured/ill gray fox in town walking up to business owners’ doors.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) handled reports of a coyote running loose with a snare around its neck and a fox that showed no fear of humans.
CO Jacob Willis (Brookston) responded to a call about animal carcasses being dumped next to Highway 23. Multiple small game animals and various protected birds were among the animals dumped just outside the Fond du Lac neighborhood of Duluth.
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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