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) spent the week checking anglers and hunters. He taught an ATV safety class at the Cook County middle school. Time was also spent assisting with an ATV work detail along the North Shore.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked angling and small-game activity during the week. Salmon have begun to move into area streams but recent rainfall has made for challenging fishing conditions on North Shore streams. Murray took a water-quality complaint on Lake Superior that is under investigation and continued big-game baiting investigations.
CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) checked anglers along the North Shore rivers. The large amount of recent rain has North Shore rivers and streams running at spring water levels. Olson responded with fellow officers on a nuisance-bear complaint raising a ruckus in a local neighborhood and a complaint was investigated on the shores of Lake Superior with the area hydrologist. A pollution complaint was investigated in a local marina.
CO Caleb Silgjord (Sauk Centre) and COC Jessica Lambertz took a call from an area police officer who had located a person shining a light near an apartment complex. The officer informed Lambertz the man said he was assisting his cat, who was also on the scene, with a nighttime small-game hunt. Lambertz provided information to the officer regarding shining laws.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji) stopped a vehicle for operating on a GIA ATV trail and issued a citation. The individuals were also smoking marijuana and found to be underage and in possession of alcohol. As the individuals drove away they started the citation on fire and threw it out the window for Vollbrecht to see. After picking up the burning paper, he stopped the vehicle a short distance away and issued another citation for littering.
CO Annette Kyllo (Rochester) observed an individual using two lines at the same time for over 10 minutes. Upon contact, the individual insisted he had just tossed the one line out and was going to reel the other one up right when Kyllo contacted him. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) is investigating an incident where a large buck was shot and killed – likely from the roadway – in Wouri Township north of Virginia. The person responsible removed the buck’s head and neck and left the rest to waste. This deer could have been legally taken by you, your son, daughter or your grandchild and would have made a beautiful trophy.
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