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) completed commercial bear guide inspections. He checked ice anglers and a few sleds that are out enjoying the snow. Enforcement action was taken for commercial guiding violations.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) attended an Honor Guard meeting at Camp Ripley. She also checked muzzleloader hunters, took a call about an injured wolf and patrolled grant in aid snowmobile trails. The northeast tip of the Arrowhead was largely missed in the last big snowfall. Trails are snow-covered but need a bit more before grooming can begin.
CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) reports logging a few miles on his snowmobile after recent area snowfall. The trails were a little bumpy, but no violations were observed. A snowmobile trespass complaint was investigated and Hill wants to remind riders that they cannot cut across private property to access the trails. Grouse hunters were contacted and they reported little success. Muzzleloader hunters report that the deer have moved extremely close to the shore, making success very low. Hill took part in a radio interview in Grand Marais and continued work on a background investigation.
CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked area angling and snowmobile activity. Most trails are not groomed yet due to swamps, lakes, and wetlands not hard enough to support the groomers.
CO Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) checked anglers along the shore of Lake Superior in the Duluth and Two Harbors areas, and worked snowmobile enforcement in the Two Harbors station, where registration violations and excessive noise violations were the most frequent violations. The North Shore State Trail was in good condition and was getting well used over the weekend.
CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) reports that one trespass case was closed that involved a several-weeks-long battle between two complaining landowners who just couldn’t see eye to eye on property lines, deer stand locations and overall hunting issues. Grundmeier found the two neighbors had never even met or talked to each other and facilitated an old-fashioned, get-to-know-your-neighbor, face-to-face meeting. The neighborly action ended all disputes and even created a friendship, all without enforcement action.
CO Angela Londgren (Cambridge) assisted in a call of a man overboard in the river who was found to be in his boat.
CO James Fogarty (Prior Lake) observed a person on the side of the road wearing blaze orange and carrying what appeared to be an AR-style rifle during the closed firearms season. A dead deer was located in the opposite ditch. Upon further investigation, it was found the person had hit the deer with his vehicle and was attempting to dispatch it on own. The driver was advised to report the crash and keep+his firearms in the vehicle.
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