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 in the BWCAW checking anglers with area officers. Enforcement action was taken for angling violations.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled area forest and county roads checking ATV and motorcycle operators, checked anglers and boaters on lakes and accesses, and checked many campers over the holiday weekend. She handled questions about nuisance beavers, wildlife viewing, camping on DNR lands and campgrounds. Manning also assisted Cook County with reports of a domestic disturbance, an illegal campfire and a search for a missing person. Enforcement action was taken for operating a watercraft without required lights, no angling license in possession, no state park permit, illegal alcohol possession and failure to display boat registration.
CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) reports Cook and Lake counties were full of people enjoying the outdoors leading up to and including the Memorial Day weekend. It seems as if every other vehicle had a canoe strapped to the roof headed northbound towards the BWCAW after the Superior National Forest opened up for overnight camping this past week. A few canoeists were spoken to about updating their registration along with making sure they have the necessary PFD for each person on board. Hill switched gears and patrolled for ATV activity throughout the station, contacting a few operators on some remote forest roads. Violations include failure to display registration numbers, no headlight, and operating an ATV without a driver’s license. There is a hot walleye bite on a lake within the station, prompting Hill to spend some time monitoring anglers and the amount of fish they bring home. Hill responded to multiple calls given out by Cook County.
CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) assisted more ranchers who had depredation problems where wolves harassed cattle and took newborn calves. Calm winds and warmer weather throughout the holiday weekend had lakes and ATV trails very busy. Panfish, bass and pike were biting well on many lakes. One angler was found trying to make the most out of a crappie bite by using four fishing poles at the same time. The angler said to Grundmeier: “Sorry about that. If I’d known you were watching me I would have only used one rod.”
CO Thephong Le (ELCOP) patrolled Fort Snelling State Park as more people were out enjoying the holiday weekend. He handled several TIP calls about anglers who were illegally keeping fish in closed areas and for people who “rescued” fawn because they thought the mother had abandoned it. took enforcement action for no fishing license in possession, taking/possessing a wild animal without a license, taking/ possessing fish in a closed area and unleashed dog while in state park.
CO Ryan Hanna (White Bear Lake) patrolled the area for shore anglers. One person was reported to have kept a bass during the catch-and-release season. Hanna responded and investigated. The male believed that a largemouth bass was a carp. The violation was addressed and the bass was returned to the water.
CO Annette Kyllo (Rochester #1) investigated a large plume of black smoke that could be seen for miles. The responsible person had started a large pile of trees on fire and the fire had spread to an abandoned mobile home parked nearby. The individual did not have a burning permit, had no intentions of reporting the fire and told Kyllo not to call the fire department. The fire department was notified and by the time they arrived, another nearby shed had caught on fire. The fire was extinguished and no one was injured.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) responded to several animal-related complaints, including two that involved people taking baby animals from the wild. The baby animals were located and released back into the wild. Remember to leave baby animals alone as their mothers are usually very close by. Osborne worked the busy holiday weekend enforcing fishing, boating, AIS, and ATV regulations.
CO Randy Posner (Staples) worked on fishing enforcement this past week. The holiday weekend brought out large numbers of anglers. Success has been slow. Northern pike and panfish seem to be the most cooperative for anglers. According to the anglers, the water is pretty cold. Expired boat registration was the most common violation observed. He received a complaint of a bowfisher dumping rough fish on a city street near Baxter. He checked turkey hunters, who reported poor success and not seeing as many turkeys.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked anglers, boaters and ATV riders, as well as aquatic species and state park enforcement during a busy holiday weekend on the lakes. Bozovsky taught species identification and wildlife complaints classes. PWC speed violations within 150 feet of shore outnumbered boating violations over the holiday weekend, with one operator not getting it. He was warned one day and was cited within 24 hours for the very same violation. He also felt he should disregard Bozovsky’s order to stop his PWC. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, illegal-length fish, no state park permit, and numerous boating, invasive species transport and PWC violations.
Contact local DNR Conservation Officers to report violations or ask questions:
Thomas Wahlstrom
218-370-0244
Kylan Hill
218-387-4393
Mary Manning
218-387-5285
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