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 Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled the forests checking bear bait stations and took a few questions regarding bearhunting regulations. She also checked anglers and boaters on Lake Superior and inland lakes and ATV operators on county and forest roads. A few small grouse were seen on backwoods trails, which is a good sign for the upcoming opener.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) focused enforcement efforts on bear-bait activity. He checked anglers on inland lakes and returned calls on wildlife complaints. Enforcement action was taken for big-game violations.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked ATV and bear-baiting activity during the week in preparation for the Sept. 1 opener. Murray also assisted with the recovery of a stolen vehicle and handled nuisance-wildlife complaints.
CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) spent the week working Lake Superior. The active walleye bite has slowed somewhat and chinook salmon are making up some of the bag for successful anglers. Olson assisted two separate boaters over the weekend. One power boat had lower unit problems after running aground in the shallows of St. Louis bay. The second assist was to a 25-foot sailboat that was having problems in building sea conditions within the Duluth ship canal. After a bridge lift, the sail boater passed safely into calmer harbor waters.
CO Sean Williams (Ely) reports bear-baiting season is in full swing with the number of bear baits doubling during the week. The level of bear activity seen at the sites continues to be high as we come into the last week of baiting before the hunting opener.
CO Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) responded to a call of an injured bald eagle. The reporting party witnessed the eagle get hit by a car. The eagle died en route to the Raptor Center.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) received calls on nuisance animals such as a loon swimming close to a boat of anglers.
CO John Slatinski (Ray) took a report of a moose being hit by a train.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) observed a pickup truck parked next to a lake access and a person angling from a canoe nearby. When he ran the license plates, he learned there was an active arrest warrant for the registered owner. After waiting for a short time, the angler came to shore, where Frericks met him and confirmed he was the owner of the truck. The subject, who did not have an angling license and was in possession of drug paraphernalia, was arrested on the warrant and transported to jail.
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