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) monitored early ice angling activity. People are starting to venture out on area lakes. He continued to follow up on big-game investigations.
CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) reports slow activity throughout the area during the past week. A few early season ice anglers were contacted. The walleye bite remains slow. Trapping activity was also worked and administrative tasks were handled. No violations were encountered.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked deer muzzleloader and ice angling activity this past week. Most area lakes are now ice-covered with an average ice thickness of 6 inches. Anglers were having some success with panfish and walleyes. Open-water anglers are still able to access boat launches on Lake Superior and several anglers were checked with some nice lake trout.
CO Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) investigated a littering/dumping case. She also checked anglers on local lakes and responded to a TIP of extra lines. A sick or injured trumpeter swan was reported, but Speldrich and the wildlife manager were unable to get close enough to catch it.
CO Keith Bertram (Long Prairie) reports checking the first ice angler of the season. The lone individual was running five tip-ups.
CO Mitch Boyum (Rushford) reports checking muzzleloader hunters. Action is slow at best. Time was also spent completing department training. Boyum fielded multiple calls about dead deer that were found, and recovered deer that were lost in earlier seasons.
CO Annette Kyllo (Rochester #1) spent time checking goose and deer hunters. A report of a young hawk that had been “kidnapped” was investigated. It was found an individual had captured the hawk to use for hunting. The individual had all necessary permits and was an experienced falconer. Several calls of sick and injured deer were also dealt with.
CO Shane Zavodnik (Cook) assisted multiple law enforcement agencies with a shooting event that occurred this past Friday morning and also assisted the State Patrol with a highly intoxicated individual who continually resisted officers while under arrest. Soon after Zavodnik cleared the jail, he responded to a call involving an intoxicated individual who was reported walking on the side of the road and had pointed a shotgun at someone. The subject was apprehended without injury. Zavodnik continues to check ice anglers, with reports of fair walleye success in areas that are accessible via foot travel.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) spent the past week working on hunting enforcement including small game, archery and muzzleloader deer. She took a report of a bullet hole in a deer stand that led to violations for lend/ borrow, unlawful party hunting, and taking an overlimit of deer. Wood took phone calls regarding public waters violations, a bear sighting, shooting from a vehicle, and several complaints of out-of-state people taking an overlimit of fish. Minnow permits were issued and she continues to follow up on complaints.
CO Aaron Larson (Baudette West) worked primarily angling and deer-hunting enforcement. He spent time on the bays checking people spearing pike and anglers on the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods. Violations included littering, no ATV registration, failure to have identification information on fish house, failure to display shelter tag, no angling license in possession, reckless/careless driving in a state park and an overlimit of sauger/walleyes.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) and COC Brown spent the past week monitoring angling, muzzleloader-, and pheasant-hunting activity in the Pelican Rapids station. Surprisingly few hunters were observed despite the nice weather, as most people are focusing their attention on ice fishing. Anglers are urged to use extreme caution on area lakes. Average ice depth observed was 4 inches or a little less, with no more than 5 inches on small, shallow lakes. Anglers are finding a few panfish, but are limited in the areas they can safely fish. Calls from the public included reports of dumped deer carcasses and trespassing. Enforcement action was taken for hunting without a license, angling without a license, no shelter identification, no shelter license, 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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