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 past week checking small-game hunters, ATV riders, and anglers. Nuisance-bear calls are still coming in daily. Don’t be the neighbor who causes a problem bear – bring garbage and your bird feeder inside. Enforcement action was taken for ATV, hunting, drugs and firearm violations.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) continued to wrap up issues from the bear season, including checking bait stations. Grouse hunters have continued to flock to the area, although numbers of birds taken by hunters is down from the first couple weeks. She also checked anglers and ATV operators and stopped a rather inattentive driver for speeding, littering and failing to notice the flashing lights behind him for a couple miles.
CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) hit local trails and roads this past week on his ATV and monitored recreational vehicle and grouse-hunting traffic. Birds are still plentiful and most people are going home with at least a meal. A reminder to keep at least one wing on your birds when transporting. Unfortunately, loaded firearms were too common during the week as Hill found multiple people in violation. One hunter didn’t even know the shotgun they had cased in the rear of the vehicle was loaded with a shell in the chamber. That kind of negligence can lead to disastrous results. Hill had multiple people approach him and call him during the week asking about the legalities surrounding discharging a firearm on a road while hunting small game. All hunters should refer to Page 9 of the latest hunting and trapping regulations booklet and familiarize themselves with the 500-foot rule. Hill assisted with locating two stranded hikers near Carlton Peak. A few ATV violations were handled, along with possession of drug paraphernalia.
CO Thomas Sutherland (Grand Rapids) and COC Charles Scott checked local small-game and waterfowl hunters. Time was spent on ATV enforcement, with a few warnings issued. They assisted with rescue of a mountain bike rider who was injured and needed to be located and transported out of the woods. They assisted with a duck hunter who had capsized his boat. The hunter was able to remain afloat until other hunters were able to reach him because he was wearing his life jacket. Sutherland and Scott located a partially submerged boat and towed it to shore.
CO Amber Ladd (McGregor) worked duck hunters, as well as small-game and ATV enforcement. Ladd continued to train with COC Bechel. They taught a firearms safety field day in preparation for the youth deer season. Ladd and Bechel had contact with an ATV operator who traveled on the snowmobile trail in the state forest. Upon seeing the officers, the operator threw his open beer can hoping to avoid a citation. Enforcement action was taken, but the operator avoided a littering citation as officers allowed him to pick up the can.
CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) and COC Ryan Brown assisted CO Zavodnik on a walleye-over-limit TIP on Lake Vermilion that resulted in a gross over-limit for four Indiana residents. Time was also spent on spruce top cases. Archery deer, grouse, and duck hunters, anglers, and OHV operators were all checked. Some success was noted on grouse. A wide array of violations were addressed including fishing with extra lines, fishing without a license, no federal duck stamp, unregistered off-highway motorcycle, illegal juvenile ATV operation, and transporting or possessing spruce tops without a permit.
CO Shane Zavodnik (Cook) spent time working a TIP complaint regarding a possible angling violation early in the week. Zavodnik, along with CO Bermel and his trainee, found that a party was in possession of 40 walleyes over the limit and were also over the limit on northern pike. He, along with other COs, also worked a forestry case resulting in the seizure of several thousand spruce tops. Zavodnik also assisted local law enforcement in the apprehension of an individual wanted for first-degree assault. The person was arrested without incident.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) monitored the opening weekend of pheasant hunting around the area, as well as the waterfowl reopener. Most hunters were in compliance and had some success with more birds around the area. Anglers are still getting out targeting walleyes and muskies. Two were cited after hiring a guide but forgetting to purchase angling licenses themselves and another angler was cited for using extra lines. Lawler responded to and took enforcement action on a TIP call during the week regarding hunting waterfowl during the closed season.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) spent the past week focused on angling enforcement and then small-game and waterfowl enforcement over the weekend. Wood took calls regarding an injured dove and the pheasant opener. She assisted Douglas County with a search for an individual who fled on foot after a pursuit, and assisted the Wheaton Police Department with a domestic assault. Wood and other area COs held an ATV safety class as well. Enforcement action for the week included operating a Class 2 ATV in a ditch and without headlights, angling without a license, no license in possession, using a motorized decoy in the closed period, and trespass.
CO Jimmy Van Asch (Pengilly) focused enforcement efforts on angling, migratory waterfowl, boating, and small-game activities. Van Asch also assisted Itasca County deputies with a duck hunter whose boat capsized. The hunter was located and medical attention was given by first responders. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, angling with extra lines, illegal-length walleye, illegal-length northern pike, failure to display watercraft registration, and no license in possession.
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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