Although the Cook County News-Herald knows that the majority of sportsmen and women are law-abiding folks, there are a few who 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 Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) followed a black smoke plume for miles to the source: an individual burning furniture, including a couch. The individual said he was moving and didn’t want to take the furniture with him. Instead of taking intact furniture to the landfill, they will have to take burned remnants there and a ticket for burning prohibited materials to the courthouse. A report of a fox bothering shoppers at a local retailer was fielded.
CO Tom Wahlstrom (Tofte) focused enforcement efforts on anglers and boating activity on Lake Superior where a few nice lake trout were bagged. The officer checked ATVs and nuisance animal complaints were handled.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) attended a wildfire cause and determination school at Camp Ripley. Nuisance bear calls are starting to come in. They all seem to have the common denominator of bird feeders and garbage being left out. Be fair to the bears — put away anything that might attract them to your home.
CO Eric Schettler (Fairmont) responded to a potential public waters violation in Watonwan County. Cease and Desist orders were issued and investigations are ongoing by several agencies. The suspect involved decided to clear cut a large area of the Watonwan River and excavate it out to make it flow faster.
CO Dan Perron (Onamia) reports one angler catching a big walleye and looking around before putting it into the live well. When CO Perron approached the boat the angler took the fish and threw it back in the lake even after being told to leave the fish where it was. The angler was cited for not immediately releasing a protected slot fish back into the water.
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