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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 the week checking small-game hunters and ATV riders. He completed equipment maintenance on station watercraft. Enforcement action was taken for ATV and firearms violations.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) checked bowhunters and walked deer stands, checking for illegal baiting within the 10 days before the firearms opener. Manning also worked with volunteer instructors and other law enforcement officers teaching an ATV safety class and field day at the Cook County School. She handled a trespass case involving a deer stand, a theft from a cabin, and a road-kill deer permit. Enforcement action was taken for operating an unlicensed ATV and no trout stamp.
CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) reports walking about a dozen miles throughout the week looking for baited deer stands. Unfortunately, Hill has a laundry list of stands to visit on opening morning. Hill responded to a trespass call where a hunter discharged a shotgun and shot a grouse very close to an occupied house. The investigation showed the hunter illegally accessed a private road and discharged their shotgun 120 feet from the house. This was especially concerning because the hunter did not know the occupied dwelling was even there due to the roadway being directly below the house on a steep embankment. Area officers certified students at the yearly ATV safety training field day held at the Cook County High School.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) prepared this week for the upcoming firearms deer season by getting station equipment prepped, answering numerous phone calls from people with questions about the season, and monitoring public land activity. A case was worked after a report came in of a hunter shooting a pheasant out of the truck window. Also, a business owner was cited for burning a large pile of trash and brush without a permit. Two deer were found dumped on a rural Osakis Road after being shot and field-dressed. The suspect had hung them up for several days and then decided they were of no use, so they were wasted. Any information on this case can be anonymously called into the TIP line. Butchered deer carcasses are starting to show up on roadsides and field edges, giving all hunters a black eye.
CO Caleb Silgjord (Sauk Centre) spent time during the week checking anglers and hunters in the station. Department training was completed, and many questions were answered regarding the upcoming season. Two anglers were observed on a local lake trying their luck. Unfortunately, they were both using extra lines. Upon addressing the violations, it was found that one of the anglers had a suspended fishing license for failing to appear for an extra line violation he received previously. Enforcement action was taken.
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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