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!
The backroads have become very busy as grouse hunters and leaf lookers jockey for position, so people need to be careful and pay attention.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte)
spent the week checking small game hunters, anglers and following up on wildlife complaints. Phone calls have increased regarding the upcoming firearms deer season and the moose season. Enforcement action was taken for transport of loaded firearm and snag/use illegal equipment in Superior tributaries.
CO Marty Stage (Ely)
reports bears are still taking food packs and one group was pleased that although the bear took their food pack, he was nice enough to skillfully open the zipper to eat all their food, thus leaving the pack behind undamaged – instead of ripping it open. The campers admitted they had not done a very good job of making their camp bear proof.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais)
reports another very busy weekend as grouse hunters and leaf lookers jockey for position on the back roads. Some people like looking at leaves at high rates of speed and some grouse hunters like to drive slow looking for birds. So people need to be careful on the back roads and pay attention. The pink salmon in the rivers are starting to look pretty rough. The CO suggests you read the fishing synopsis before fishing in Lake Superior tributaries. A passenger in a car waved at the CO with a beer in his hand as he passed by. The fellow said he forgot he was drinking a beer.
CO pilot Don Murray (Grand Marais)
flew wolf surveys and checked on deer baiting complaints during the week. Murray also took care of scheduled aircraft maintenance items and flew officers to give them an aerial view of their patrol areas.
CO Jeff Johanson (Osakis)
received several hunting TIP calls and investigated with one resulting in a party found archery deer hunting while in possession of a handgun, and attempting to take a raccoon during closed season.
CO Greg Oldakowski (Wadena)
made a discovery of several cow tracks over about a half mile of country road. He followed the tracks to the herd, which he found near a set of farm buildings. Oldakowski assisted the beef grower, who had just arrived, with wrangling the herd to the correct side of the fence. The owner then ventured out to search for the hole in the fence.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia)
pulled up to check an angler’s license on Lake Vermilion. When asked if he had any fish on board, the angler replied that he had not caught anything yet. Frericks then replied that he noticed the front live well was running and asked if he could look in there. The angler stated there was simply “ballast” in the front live well. After Frericks again asked to look in the live well the angler suddenly remembered that he had caught a walleye earlier and that it might be close to the protected slot. The walleye was measured and found to be well within the protected slot. The angler was cited for possession of the slot fish.
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