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) participated in a work detail with other officers during the weekend. Snowmobilers and anglers were checked.
CO Andrew Goodman (Elbow Lake) has been approached by a handful of citizens about winter-killed fish and pheasants. Although this is nature’s course, it is helpful to report larger die offs to the appropriate DNR division for assessment and monitoring.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) discovered an abandoned snowmobile on Lake Christina and an investigation into who it belongs to is ongoing.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) reports a lot of time has been spent receiving phone calls and other reports of fish house owners struggling to remove their fish houses from area lakes. In one instance on Lake Winnibigoshish, anglers were stuck with a large fish house and a plow truck. The anglers were transported from their fish house to an awaiting friend on shore with assistance from an area resort. The fish house and truck remain stuck. Several other stories of stuck fish houses were received and many are finding it hard to stomach the cost of hiring specialty removal services because of the cost. Direction given to the anglers was the removal deadline would not be adjusted and to continue to work at removing the houses as conditions typically get worse rather than better as the spring nears.
CO Shane Zavodnik (International Falls) overheard a call on the radio regarding an individual who had overdosed on heroin. Zavodnik and local law enforcement officers arrived on the scene to find the individual unconscious and gasping for air. Emergency medical responders arrived and brought the man to the local hospital.
CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) took several calls from concerned landowners reporting deer being found that looked like they had been killed by predators. Deep snow in the area had definitely been making it difficult for deer to escape from predators like stray dogs, wolves and coyotes that can move faster along the top of the crusted over snow.
CO Garrett Thomas (Eagan) responded to a call of potentially shot trumpeter swans, but it was determined they had died by flying into power lines.
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
Leave a Reply