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 Hudson Ledeen (Grand Marais #2) spent the week working angling activity in and outside of the BWCA. Time was also spent investigating a site in the State Forest where campers were burning garbage, littering, and leaving human waste all about. Enforcement action was taken for various angling violations.

CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) reports noticing an uptick in ATV activity throughout the week. Multiple ATV stops were conducted on local county roads around Grand Marais. Please brush up on ATV roadway operation laws. Hill spent time at the Academy evaluating scenarios. The walleye bite continues to be decent on lakes along The Grade.

CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers on Lake of the Woods and the Roseau River. Fishing on the big lake remains good throughout most depths. A calf depredation was confirmed to have been caused by wolves. Violations for the week included angling with extra lines, fishing without a license, and possessing an illegal length walleye.

CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked ATV and water recreation activity during the week. Area conditions remain high for fire danger and outdoor enthusiasts need to be mindful when camping or riding in areas off tall grass as the forest floor is extremely dry. Enforcement action was taken for licensing violations and failure to extinguish a campfire.

CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth East) checked fisherman on Lake Superior and Duluth area lakes. Personal watercraft enforcement was also worked throughout the week. Several people on paddleboards were reminded that they need registration and PFD’s when operating on public waters. Time was spent at public accesses talking with boaters about the invasive species regulations. Officer Duncan assisted the Duluth Police Department with security during Grandmas marathon. Officers worked from bicycles and partnered with DPD officers assisting with traffic, medical emergencies, and other law enforcement needs.

CO Todd VanderWeyst (Paynesville) worked up at the academy this week. The officer investigated carp shooting activities, boats left in the public access and beaver complaints. The officer also got a call regarding a bass tournament in which the bass were weighed then returned to the water unfortunately a large number of those fish did not survive and were left to rot in the water at the public access.

CO Thor Nelson (New Ulm) received information concerning possible catfish overlimits, illegal methods of fishing, boating violations, and nuisance/sick/injured wildlife. He worked mainly angling, boating, invasive species, and off-highway vehicle activities. Catfish fishing activity and success was good. Some catfishing campers reported they made three trips with two boats to haul the gear needed to set up their riverside campsite, which included a generator-powered, residential window-mount-type air conditioner to cool their tent.

CO Pilot Jason Jensen (Brainerd) reports flying a duck telemetry flight and attending a seaplane safety webinar. Enforcement efforts included checking shore anglers and reporting a public waters violation when flying the telemetry flight.

CO Jacob Willis (Brookston) attended BCA training for a good portion of the week. Bears continue to be a nuisance due to lack of forage during this drought, so make sure you are putting all possible food sources inside where they can’t get to them. CO Willis and CO Duncan also assisted multiple law enforcement agencies with Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth

CO Matt Miller (Silver Bay) checked anglers and ATVs on a very dry and dusty weekend. Bugs continue to find a stronghold despite the lack of moisture. A fire related detail was worked in the BWCA. Assistance given to county rescue squad with injuries on a rural trail in a State Park. Enforcement action taken for ATV and state forest violations.

CO John Slatinski IV (Ray) reports angling and boating were the prevalent activities observed this past week. Anglers are still reporting favorable conditions. Those trying to stay protected out of the wind were not having as much success. Boating safety was also monitored with good compliance. Areas of deposited litter were noted and will be monitored for future issues, which in most cases is just lack of respect for other user groups.