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) spent most of the week training at Camp Ripley. He also spent time on the snowmobile checking anglers on area lakes.

CO Mary Manning (Hovland) spent time on area snowmobile trails and unplowed roads. She followed up on a very early moose shed found last month. The consensus is that it’s the result of an injury or illness. Manning also checked state parks, area lakes and muzzleloader hunters.

CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) reports attending a meeting in Grand Rapids during the week. A background investigation for next year’s Academy was also started.

CO Duke Broughten (Aurora) spent the week monitoring fishing, trapping, and hunting activity. Ice anglers reported limited success and ice thickness ranging from 5 to 10 inches. Some deeper lakes are still open. Few muzzleloader deer hunters were encountered in the field. Snowmobilers are still waiting for more snow. Broughten also received a report from a local individual concerned about finding wolf tracks in town.

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) began the final phase of field training with COC Jesse Drown. Time was spent on snowmobile training, checking anglers in station lakes, and working Lake Vermilion and Upper Red Lake. An extremely high violation rate was encountered on Upper Red, with more than 50 fish seized from different groups. One noteworthy contact involved a group with 17 walleyes over their limit. Enforcement action included walleye overlimits, overlimits of fish over 17 inches, extra lines, angling without licenses, unmeasurable fish, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, under-21 alcohol violations, and ATV and snowmobile registration violations.

CO James Fogarty (Prior Lake) checked ice anglers and followed up on deer-season cases. He contacted a trapper in regards to early set beaver traps and untagged traps. Fogarty also located a pheasant hunter out in a field at 8:15 a.m. Enforcement action was taken for hunting during the closed hours for pheasants, early set traps and untagged traps.