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 time checking anglers on inland lakes and Lake Superior. He monitored bear-bait activity and followed up on complaints. Wahlstrom also attended mandatory training in Brainerd.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) followed up on an illegal camping complaint, checked ATV riders, and checked bearbait registrations and bait sites.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked bear-baiting activity and investigated a report of nuisance wolf activity. Angling activity slowed down on Lake Superior this past week partly due to strong winds and thunderstorm activity in the area. A report of an abandoned vehicle on a state trail is also being investigated.
CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) worked Lake Superior in the Duluth waters. Reports of large walleyes getting caught on the south shore have spawned reports of overlimits being taken. Chinook salmon also are being seen with lake trout.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing), while working from a boat, observed a completely unclothed person, in full view of the whole world, walking in knee-deep water. The person was contacted and encouraged to use better decision-making in the future as the nearest dock of another cabin owner was only about 100 feet away.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia), while looking for bear baits near a snowmobile trail, noticed fresh ATV tracks going directly past two signs prohibiting ATV traffic. Three ATV riders were eventually located and issued citations for operating on a snowmobile trail.
CO Dan Starr (Onamia) coached an elderly lakeshore owner who became upset with people fishing near his dock. The dock owner brought rocks in his hand to possibly defend his property from being damaged by large lures. Luckily, the situation came to a peaceful end.
CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) fielded quite a few calls involving coyotes and wolves harassing livestock. One farmer had a 650-pound heifer calf that was taken down. The 650- pound calf was torn apart and surrounded by wolf tracks.
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