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 time checking anglers along the North Shore tributaries. State parks and campgrounds were patrolled. The officer assisted the county with several calls. Enforcement action was taken for snowmobile and angling violations.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) checked anglers along the shore of Lake Superior and its tributaries. Manning also assisted Cook County with a water-skipping complaint.
CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) reports the warm weather has brought both anglers and fish into the tributaries up and down the shore. This observation was highlighted by Hill witnessing a 13-year-old angler almost professionally land a nice-sized steelhead. The fish was photographed and was carefully released, almost as if the angler has been doing it for decades. Hill assisted multiple agencies in responding to a grass and structure fire in Hovland. ATVs were out in force and a few violations were addressed. A reminder to make sure machines are registered and ATV laws and ordinances are brushed up on. Station equipment maintenance was completed on multiple patrol vehicles.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) made a DWI arrest on an ATV operator at night. The intoxicated driver also had a loaded firearm in his possession. Charges are pending. Peterson also encountered two driving-after-revocation violations in state forests, which are closed for the annual spring closure. He responded to complaints of untended traps, theft of traps and a turkey-related call.
CO Troy Richards (Fergus Falls) reports the nice weather has people out and about. Turkey hunting and fishing activity was monitored. Richards took a report of bowfishers leaving fish along a public road for all to see. This type of activity portrays a poor image of the sport and is illegal.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports working spring fish-run activity, ATV enforcement and spring beaver-trapping activity throughout the past week. Regas reports the warm weather has caused the ice conditions to deteriorate on area lakes. Time was spent handling reports of a variety of incidentally caught wildlife during spring beaver trapping. Regas also worked a district fire enforcement detail. Regas reports while working spring fish-run activity on the Tamarack River with CO Prachar, they found a deceased pelican floating in the river. Further investigation into the cause of death of the pelican was soon apparent and more than it could swallow. The officers found a 25- or 26-inch walleye still in the pelican’s bill. The walleye was still alive. The officers were able to release the walleye to continue its spawning run up the Tamarack River. Violations encountered and addressed this past week include failure to move traps at the close of the applicable season and failure to obtain a burning permit.
CO Nathan Benkofske (Milaca) reports a busy past week of enforcing angling and ATV laws in the area. Many grass and structure fires were assisted at. Please do not burn as we are under restricted burning status. Calls of nuisance bears were handled. Benkofske also lassoed an injured eagle near Zimmerman. The eagle seems to be making a good recovery at the Raptor Center. Lastly, with the help of Baldwin Fire, a horse was rescued after being stuck in a marsh.
WREO Robert Haberman (North Central) spent the past week working on cases in his assigned area. Turkey hunters and ATV riders were checked. Haberman also responded to a pelican with fishing line wrapped around its body on the Whitefish Chain.
CO Chelsey Best (Crosslake) spent the past week enforcing ATV, fishing, trapping, forest closure and fire ban activity. Enforcement action was taken for untagged traps. Investigations also began for illegal fill in public waters, operating an unauthorized vehicle on a snowmobile trail and causing damage, as well as an egregious case of lake erosion. Best had located two illegal hydro-jet devices, meant to clear the area of unwanted vegetation that had been running for days or possibly weeks. Once the damage can be evaluated, enforcement action will be taken.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) focused enforcement efforts this past week on panfish anglers and turkey hunters. A few spots were producing fish but most were slow with cold-water temperatures. One angler was found to be over his limit of crappies after fishing the same lake for several days in a row. Another shore angler was found to have an uncommon item in her tackle box: a small container of marijuana, which leads to a citation. Injured-animal calls continue to come in.
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