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 Dan Thomasen (Two Harbors)
assisted with a reported oil spill in Agate Bay of Lake Superior. The substance in the water turned out to be large amounts of taconite dust rather than oil. OfficerThomasen also spent time at local Lake Superior accesses and noted that the word is getting out about the need to pull the plugs on boats and drain bilge and live well water.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland)
focused on boat and water patrols this week in and around the BWCAW and Lake Superior. Manning also spoke with boaters about invasive species and steps to help prevent their spread. Theofficeralso spent time checking anglers, patrolling campgrounds, and answering nuisance bear complaints.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais)
checked anglers and did boat and water safety checks. He took complaints about bears and answered a question on the upcoming crow season.
CO Adam Block (Prior Lake)
checked several shore anglers on an area lake to find one who had just reeled in a handgun. The angler was found with a wet and partly rusted small caliber handgun in a case. Theangler was quick to tell the officerthat his fingerprints would be found on the gun because he had just taken the gun out of the case.
CO Todd Kanieski (Osseo)
worked fishing and boating activity. A driver pulling a boat trailer, with handfuls of aquatic plants hanging all over, was surprised to receive a citation for not removing the plants before leaving the boat access. He said he understood the laws and insisted he made an effort, there were just too many to get them all. He blamed the people who maintain the boat landings for not cleaning up the plants in the water. He was ordered to remove the plants and in less than five minutes all the plants were removed.
CO Alex Gutierrez (Forest Lake)
investigated a report of an individual who owns an alligator and was going to release it into an area lake. The alligator was located in a holding tank near the house, and the homeowner was contacted. When questioned about the alligator, the homeowner stated it was her son’s gator who happens to be incarcerated. Theofficer questioned the homeowner on where the gator came from and what the intentions were with the gator. The homeowner responded they are looking for a new home for the legally purchased animal, but until then they will continue feeding and caring for it. Gutierrez offered some advice to make sure it was secured in the tank and not allowed to wander off the property; the homeowner agreed.
CO Travis Muyres (Ham Lake)
responded to a call of a person killing geese in Ham Lake. Muyres arrived at the location and observed an individual quickly run with a dead goose into a house. Upon investigation, the suspect retrieved the illegal goose from his secret hiding spot (inside his oven). The suspect was subsequently charged with several DNR violations as well as city ordinance violations.
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