Cook County News Herald

Conservation Officer Tales


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) checked anglers in the tributaries of the North Shore of Lake Superior. Some nice steelhead were landed along the banks of the rivers despite the cold water farther up the North Shore. He gave the law enforcement ATV presentation to a class at Cook County Middle School.

CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) attended a wildland fire investigation team meeting at Camp Ripley.

CO Hannah Mishler (Baudette) handled reports of people illegally spearing and netting northern pike in flooded ditches.

CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) received a complaint of a bear breaking into a goat pen, killing a goat and dragging it away. An accidentally trapped otter and muskrat were taken care of. Fredin also received pictures of a deer with a deformed lower jaw that appears to limit its eating, causing it to be thin.

CO Garrett Thomas (Eagan) responded to a call of an injured bald eagle that turned out to be a Canada goose.

CO Kylan Hill (Zumbrota) contacted quite a few people who had uncharged fire extinguishers on board. A few anglers were contacted fishing without licenses and enforcement action was taken.

CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck) investigated a report of dogs chasing and mortally wounding a deer, and a civil demand notice was issued to the dog’s owner.

CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent time responding to a number of TIP calls. One call resulted in the discovery of a black bear that was illegally shot and killed near Twin Valley.

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