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 small-game hunters, anglers and ATV operators. Numerous wildlife-related calls were handled. Wahlstrom and other area officers and volunteer instructors assisted with an ATV safety field day at the Cook County school.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) conducted field checks of ATV operators, small-game hunters and anglers. Manning also worked with volunteer instructors, U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers, and other COs conducting an ATV field test for 31 students from Cook County schools. She attended the funeral for retired CO Reynold Lasko as part of the DNR Honor Guard and provided Cook County with assistance in a search.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) investigated a TIP call of an adult shooting a deer during the youth season. The young hunter, along with his mom, was questioned and due to the young hunter’s excitement, there was no doubt who shot the deer.
CO Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) was contacted by a local farmer regarding a loose cow that has been out for several nights. The farmer was worried he would get called in for illegal shining as he looked for the cow after legal shining hours.
CO Chad Thesing (Albany) reports that a case was made where one hunter shot a small buck at the Ripley hunt and snuck it out without registering it with the check station. He said he didn’t think anyone knew he got it and figured he could just cut it up.
CO James Fogarty (Prior Lake) took a report of an alligator found in Prior Lake. Fogarty collected the alligator (actually a dwarf caiman) from a 9-year-old girl who called it “Mr. Chompers.”
CO Kylan Hill (Zumbrota) cited a person for burning a large pile of his infant’s dirty diapers. He stated they have been burning household garbage for over 40 years. A relative on scene told Hill that he had a feeling that their good luck streak of not getting caught burning garbage would soon end.
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