Although the Cook County News-Herald knows that the majority of sportsmen and women are law-abiding folks, there are a few who 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 Gary Sommers’ (Walker) dealt with an angler who was using a 24-inch measuring device trying to measure a walleye on a protected slot lake of 18-26 inches. He told the officerthat he measured the fish at 26 inches; however, when Officer Sommers measured the fish it measured 25 inches. When asked how he made his measurement with a 24-inch device, the angler said he made a mark where the tail ended, then took his pliers, compared the overage and came up with 26 inches. Enforcement action was taken and the officer recommended he get a new measuring device.
CO Larry Francis (Remer) took enforcement action for a watercraft registration violation. The party had owned his pontoon since 2006 and had not put anything on it as far as registration because he “didn’t want a bunch of crappy numbers on his boat”.
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) stopped one angry boater, who received a citation for failing to have his lights on over an hour past sunset. He claimed that the reason for the lack of people getting into hunting and fishing was because of citations like the one he received. An attempt to explain the citation and the reason for the law was not appreciated.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled area lakes and forestry and state park campgrounds. One angler, cited for an extra line, said he must have been thinking about winter angling and added, “I didn’t get the regs book this year…” Manning took more calls on nuisance bears; folks are reminded that taking down wildlife feeders for the summer and removing trash from their property will go a long way toward eliminating problem bears. She also assisted county deputies with the apprehension of two juvenile runaways from a correctional program camping trip. Finally, Manning completed reports and other office work, repaired equipment, and joined a group examining ways to reduce the impact of a private road on an area trout stream.
CO Tom Wahlstrom (Tofte) investigated two cases involving nonresidents purchasing resident licenses from Wisconsin and Alaska. They both resulted in citations. Wahlstrom also worked a TIP call involving an ATV driving through a wetland, and checked anglers in the BWCAW and outside the BWCAW. The fishermen were a little frustrated with the slower bite this past week.
CO Marty Stage (Ely) patrolled the BWCAW via canoe and encountered people cutting down standing trees, cans and bottles, cushions for PFDs, and extra lines. One group had all their food in tin cans. Another party was surprised to find out there were actually fish possession limits way back in the BWCAW. After encountering groups from out of the area fishing with extra lines, Stage began reminding groups with multiple unused fishing rods (per person) in their canoes, that there was only one line per person restriction. Most had no idea there was such a restriction. If you’re from another state, you need to take the time to read the fishing regulations.
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