Conservation Officer Tales

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) worked ATV, angling and bear-bait activity. He followed up on illegal ATV use, bear baiting and wildlife-related calls. A fire investigation was completed.

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) spent several days patrolling in the BWCAW with a DNR volunteer. Time was also spent on training related items and monitoring bear baiting. Citations were issued for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, glass in the BWCAW, and expired canoe registration. A complaint was handled at Bear Head State Park resulting in a citation for burning garbage.

CO Jim Guida (Brainerd East) worked sport fishing, ATV, and aquatic plant management enforcement this week. Complaints of landowners pulling emergent vegetation to “clean up” the lakeshore have been investigated and enforcement action has been taken. Some investigations will require landowners to revegetate the lakebed. Please check with the local DNR aquatic plant management office prior to doing any work in the lakebed. Most APM work requires a permit. Guida responded to an injured bald eagle that was struck by a vehicle. It turned out to be a very large dead snapping turtle. Car-killed bear permits were issued. Bear hunters have begun bear baiting.

CO Tony Flerlage (Crosby) checked bear baits throughout the week and found good compliance. Lakes were checked for illegal plant removal. ATV Trails were worked and Flerlage checked complaint areas for ATVs speeding through controlled areas. He checked wild rice areas and found a low amount of rice and no one harvesting yet.

CO Chad Thesing (Albany) spent time at the CO Academy at Camp Ripley assisting with training the new COs on boating operation. Anglers, boaters, and ATV activity were monitored. AIS enforcement was conducted at area boat launches. Enforcement activity included angling with extra lines and no angling license. Assistance was given to an immature northern goshawk that flew into a St. Cloud Fire Department building. A scissors lift was used to get to the top of the building as the hawk was trying to get out of a closed window. The hawk was caught with gloves and then released to fly off outside of the building.

CO Tyler Ramaker (La Crescent) checked anglers and boaters on the Mississippi River. A group of anglers was using a collapsible camp chair bag as a fish basket tied to their boat. Upon checking the bag for fish, an undersized smallmouth bass was found that the group intended to use later as catfish bait. The anglers deserve credit for their resourcefulness but not their attention to the fishing regulations.

CO Alexander Birdsall (Waconia) spent part of the last week at Camp Ripley assisting with CO Academy training. Time was spent checking shore anglers around the station. Enforcement action was taken for fishing without a license, no license in possession, and angling with two lines. Multiple anglers stated they thought two lines were legal on rivers. They were educated on specific rivers that were state borders where extra lines were permitted.

CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent most of the week at Camp Ripley assisting with watercraft week. Other time was spent patrolling complaint areas for ATV violations, investigating miscellaneous animal-related calls, and continuing to work on wetland and shoreline violations. ATV operators are reminded that anyone born after July 1, 1987 is required to complete safety training and that Class 1 ATVs are not allowed to be operated on the paved surface of trunk, state-aid, or county highways. Calls from the public included reports of an individual with a Canada goose as a pet, dogs chasing deer, watercraft operators harassing ducks, and other questions related to upcoming hunting seasons. Enforcement action was taken for speeding, failure to display ATV registration, operation of an ATV without safety training, and operation of a Class 1 ATV on a highway.