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 Mary Manning (Hovland) worked Lake Superior tributaries and checked steelhead anglers. Manning also attended training in firearms use, defensive tactics and technology use at Camp Ripley.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent time monitoring anglers along the North Shore rivers. The officer worked at Camp Ripley the rest of the week instructing Use of Force and Firearms training.
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports that the deer are starting to migrate toward their summer areas as the snow continues to melt inland from Lake Superior. Some of them are showing some wear and tear from a hard winter. Many steel headers are reporting some of the best fishing they have had in years. Fishing pressure dies off farther up the shore from Duluth. Smelting seems to be making somewhat of a comeback as many people were out over the weekend until late into the night. Enforcement action was taken for no fishing license and no trout stamp.
CO Dan Thomasen (Two Harbors) attended annual in-service training at Camp Ripley. Smelting and fish run activities continue along the North Shore, with poor weather and wind being a factor at times. Ice out has occurred in most lakes in the Two Harbors station.
CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) worked spring beaver trapping activities. One trapping case involved a bald eagle caught in a conibear water set with a beaver carcass next to the trap which possibly attracted the eagle to the area. Fredin also received reports of large garbage piles being dumped on state and federal land outside of Hoyt Lakes. A pool table and TVs were found within one pile.
CO Alan Peterson (Osage) responded to a complaint of a dead horse that had been killed and a throat injury to a dog at the same farm. Suspects on the horse kill are dogs, coyotes or other scavengers after the horse had an unfortunate collision with an old plow in the pasture. The horse most likely was being chased or harassed. No fresh wolf sign was found.
CO Phil Seefeldt (Moorhead) assisted state and federal officers with arson investigations in Becker County after several fires were intentionally set. Reports were forwarded to the county attorney on a case where juveniles were taking muskrats out of season, shooting muskrats with firearms, and shooting from a motor vehicle.
CO Troy Richards (Fergus Falls) assisted the Otter Tail County Sheriff ’s Office with a report of an overturned boat on Dead Lake. The seemingly overturned boat turned out to be a fish house floor. Any information on ownership of this floor would be greatly appreciated.
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