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 Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) spent the week checking steelhead anglers and watching walleye spawning areas. Some of the big lakes have opened up and the smaller ones should be opened by the fishing opener. As of this writing, some back country roads are impassable due to snow, but should be opened up by the opener. This doesn’t give the Forest Service a whole lot of time to check for downed trees and washouts, so use caution on remote roads. The CO also assisted with a firearms safety field day.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) assisted with the instruction of use of force and firearms during the annual in-service training at Camp Ripley. The officer monitored the fish run activity and ATV use. Preparation was done for the upcoming fishing opener.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled area rivers and fish sanctuaries and spawning areas. Grouse and snowshoe hare have been numerous this spring. Manning also seized a road kill otter, took calls on nuisance beaver and helped volunteer instructors with completion of a youth firearms safety class.
CO Dan Thomasen (Two Harbors) continued working river and shore anglers as well as smelters. The smelt run has slowed drastically, with the number of smelters dropping off as well. Thomasen also helped bring a steelhead fisherman to safety after finding the fisherman attempting to climb a cliff to exit a river. The fisherman had ascended about 20 feet above the water and rocks before getting stalled near the top of his climb when the CO arrived from the trail above. A quick hand was given and the fisherman was able to finish his climb.
CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) took a number of calls from angry property owners from the north end of Mille Lacs Lake who are dealing with tons of floating debris. Owners are cleaning up items ranging from pop bottles and wood to propane tanks and plastic bait containers. With this amount of debris floating on top of the water one could only imagine what’s on the bottom of the lake. The floating debris will likely cause damage to boaters’ props and put dents in boats of fishermen traveling from one spot to another.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) responded when a call came in regarding a nuisance badger in a field making a ruckus. A dead loon was picked up and retrieved by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
CO Brad Schultz (Cook) assisted when two young ladies and their faithful dog were rescued from the cold waters of Lake Vermilion after getting lost in the woods and deciding to swim across a bay to a cabin they observed. Thankfully, three lake residents heard their screams for help and were able to rescue the girls with the canoes that they keep on their shoreline for this purpose. The dog was fine also.
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) encountered four anglers who were shore fishing a river and went about the whole process wrong. Three did not have fishing licenses, one was using two lines, and one decided to hold a home run exhibition and batted eight beer cans in the river, to never be seen again. They all left with the campfire burning as well. The excuses were as expected for no fishing licenses, but the beer can hitter said he did it because he was bored. Citations for no angling license, using extra lines and littering were handed out.
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