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 (Grand Marais) focused enforcement efforts on small-game and bear hunters and ATV riders. The woods are still thick but the hunters who put time in and got off the beaten path were rewarded with some birds. Wahlstrom also spent some time checking anglers on area lakes and following up on complaints.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) reports a slow opener to the grouse season. Not many hunters reported seeing birds as cover remains thick. The bear harvest remained high with many hunters already ending the season.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) encountered an ATV grouse hunter who was not demonstrating good decision-making as he was found with a child who had no helmet. But the worst part of the equation was that the adult was drinking, had an open container of alcohol and a loaded shotgun sticking out over the front windshield of the Class 2 ATV. The adult hunter was cited.
CO Scott Staples (Carlton) was called about a large amount of garbage that was dumped in an area state forest. A search through the garbage revealed some mail with names on it. After contacting the owners of the mail, it was determined two other individuals were responsible. They were paid to take this garbage to the dump and instead dumped it in the state forest and pocketed the money. Charges are pending.
CO Tim Collette (Brainerd) monitored ATV areas and contacted a group of riders who all followed the leader through a winter snowmobile trail that crossed a wetland. When they came out the other side, dripping mud and aquatic vegetation, Collette was waiting for them to issue citations. Claiming to be just following a trail does not make it legal to operate in a wetland.
CO Rick Reller (Buffalo) assisted the Wright County Sheriff ’s Office on a water rescue on the North Fork of the Crow River, where a kayaker hit into a tree jam and was stranded on a tree in the middle of the river. The kayaker and the kayak were retrieved without any harm done.
CO Alexander Birdsall (Waconia) reports that while on patrol a van was observed crossing the center line many times. A traffic stop was conducted. The driver stated he was trying to eat his sandwich and was making a big mess. The driver was educated on the importance of safe driving.
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