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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) checked anglers and ATV riders and monitored trapping activity. The rivers were busy with steelhead anglers this past week. Nuisance-animal-related calls were handled.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) reports a chilly week, including several days with sleet or snow, which made for chilly water in Lake Superior tributaries and inland lakes. A group of kayakers was contacted coming off the water from a remote campsite shortly before a snow squall. The one life jacket the group brought was safely locked in a truck on land and each paddler received a reminder to have one on their next outing. Manning also assisted Cook County and the U.S. Forest Service with a report of an unpermitted fire. The homeowner had also burned a couch previously, as its remains were in another burned pile near the fire being extinguished that day.
CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) reports more angling activity on Lake Superior tributaries. This was the second week in a row that Hill seized handguns stemming from permit-to-carry violations. Hill located two loaded handguns in a truck after he detected the odor of marijuana and it was determined the owner of the handguns did not possess a permit to carry. Hill has also noticed an uptick in anglers fishing without a license. Remember, funds raised through license sales directly impact fish management in our waters. A TIP call was received about an angler keeping an overlimit of undersized coaster brook trout on the Poplar River. Although the violation occurred the day prior, Hill was stunned to find the same angler fishing in the same spot at the time of the call. In fact, he received the TIP call as he was pulling into the parking lot of the fishing hole. An interview was conducted, and Hill received an admission and pictures of the violation.
CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) spent quite a bit of time helping landowners with nuisance-animal calls. Complaints included a fox killing chickens, wolves harassing livestock, and black bears destroying garbage cans, bird feeders and screen doors. Visits were also made to a few properties where homeowners had their spring burning activities get away from them. Fire danger was high throughout the week.
CO Annette Kyllo (Rochester #1) responded to a call of a turkey hunter who accidentally shot two turkeys. The individual called to self-report the accident and was dealt with accordingly. Kyllo also spent time checking anglers. An issue that Kyllo has encountered multiple times is individuals targeting northern pike and bass out of season. All the individuals with this issue admitted they had not looked at the regulations book. As a reminder, a closed season means a species cannot be targeted at all, even if you plan to release it.
CO Sarah Grell (Grand Rapids) spent time working AIS enforcement, boating activity, public access enforcement and fishing and recreational vehicle enforcement. She handled a complaint of a pelican stuck in fishing line. She followed up on commercial records checks and birch-pole-theft complaints. Enforcement action was taken for fire and angling violations.
CO Shane Zavodnik (Virginia) spent time working on reports from the previous week. He also fielded multiple nuisance-bear complaints. Zavodnik wants to remind residents that bears are on the move to find food this time of year and that garbage cans and bird feeders are easy targets. Time was also spent preparing for what’s shaping up to be a busy fishing opener. Now is the time to make sure boating safety needs are in order before the boating season begins.
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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