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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) spent time checking trout anglers on remote trout lakes, anglers in the BWCAW, and ATV riders. He checked small-game hunters, completed required training and followed up on bear-hunting investigations.
CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) reports handling a few wildlife-related calls throughout the week. Quite a few grouse hunters were checked, and Hill noticed an uptick in spruce partridge harvest. Hunters are encouraged to submit spruce grouse feather samples to the DNR for a genetics study. Information can be found on the DNR website. If you recall from Hill’s report from last week, Hill contacted a few people illegally camping at a public access, along with illegally possessing drug paraphernalia. Hill returned to the access on Monday and found a pile of burned garbage. Lo and behold, Hill located a piece of burned garbage bearing the name of one of the campers. More citations were issued for illegally burning garbage and for litter.
CO Victoria Griffith (Isle) gave the laws and ethics talk at an ATV safety training class in McGrath. Angling, off-highway vehicle, small-game, and archery deer hunting were monitored. Angling success on Mille Lacs Lake remained slow through the weekend. The Soo Line, Foxy Loop, Solana Loop and Red Top trails were busy through the week. Riders are getting out and enjoying the trails while the weather is nice. Enforcement action was taken on lack of boat safety equipment, no license in possession, failure to obtain a burning permit, burning prohibited materials, driving after revocation, overnight camping in a WMA, and off-highway motorcycle violations.
CO Tou Vang (Pierz) monitored ATV activity, checked duck and bowhunters, assisted local law enforcement with various calls, and is investigating a TIP call of someone shooting a deer from the roadway. A call was taken on Mille Lacs Lake where a pelican was entangled in fishing line. Vang was able to cut and untangle the fishing line and the pelican was released.
CO Corey Wiebusch (Mankato #2) reports a busy week of checking anglers, ATV riders and waterfowl hunters. The pheasant opener provided hunters with nice weather and several birds were seen in the bag. He also assisted in the rescue efforts of several individuals on the Minnesota River.
CO Annette Kyllo (Rochester #1) reports checking a number of groups out pheasant hunting on the opener. All were in good spirits, and several had bagged a rooster. Kyllo was working with CO Fitzgerald when they observed an OHM operating on the roadway. It took several miles to catch up to the OHM and, in the meantime, the driver blew through a stop sign on a paved country road. The operator was found to be a juvenile whose parents knew they were out operating. The parents were contacted to come pick up the juvenile and OHM laws of operation were clearly explained to the parents and juvenile. Kyllo also taught a firearms safety class, followed up on a trespassing complaint and checked waterfowl hunters, archery deer hunters and anglers.
CO Tom Hemker (Winona) reports good fishing in the area, along with more people out duck and archery deer hunting. He checked pheasant hunters in the Austin area and saw good hunter numbers but not many pheasants in the bag. Hemker checked several college students while they were duck hunting on the river. They explained they needed to continue to monitor their phone during a mandatory online lecture.
CO John Slatinski IV (Ray) completed work on a background investigation. He also monitored waterfowl-hunting activity. Teal and shovelers were most of the waterfowl observed in the area this past week. With frost the past two days, it is probably safe to think the teal will head south and we may be in for a bit of a lull until the northern birds go through the area. Slatinski fielded calls of injured animals, and nuisance bears are still causing concerns. Off-highway motorcycle activity was also monitored.
CO Andrew Goodman (Elbow Lake) reports working a busy pheasant opener. Waterfowl-hunting activity remained low. Many great contacts were made during the weekend, from first-time youth hunters to more-experienced hunters still willing to put the miles on foot to flush birds with friends and family. Additional time was spent checking archery deer hunters and investigating trespass complaints. Hunters are reminded to use multiple sources for determining road right-of-way boundaries and to pay attention to posted signs. Enforcement action included hunting within a wildlife refuge, no pheasant stamp and no license in possession.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports investigating calls of possible fill in an area lake and possible wetland violations. He also received a TIP of a vehicle that had trespassed on posted land and was stuck in a big mud hole. Vinton also issued a number of carkilled deer permits and forwarded a call and photos, taken by a local bowhunter, of a very sickly-looking deer. Vinton also continued work on a background investigation, conducting several interviews and compiling the information. Enforcement action was taken for trespassing on posted land
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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