Minnesota DNR Conservation Officer Tales

CO Mary Manning (Grand Marais East) followed up on bear hunting cases and checked hunters in camps and in the field. The officer located the remains of a bear in which minimal meat had been removed; anyone with information on who may have wasted most of the animal is urged to call the TIP line.

CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) continued to check bear hunters and baits during the week. He patrolled the BWCA and did a remote patrol by ATV. The CO is getting second-hand reports on bear issues.

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) continued to monitor bear hunting activity and patrolled for ATV activity in the area. Campgrounds are busy and hunters are having good success with bear hunting. The officer also handled nuisance wildlife complaints and calls regarding deer hunting regulations.

CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) went on an investigation where the reporting party pointed out ATV traffic in a soybean field. He also went on to complain about a party running totally naked through the woods wearing only a belt with a side arm attached during last year’s firearm deer season.

CO Mike Fairbanks (Deer River) and his K9 partner Si responded to assist the local police department in locating suspects that fled in a motor vehicle, then abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot after shooting an off-duty officer’s home and squad car.

CO Dan Starr (Onamia) found and marked a swamped boat for navigational safety. The owners were able to hire a recovery company to retrieve the fiberglass boat that did not do well with rocks on the shoreline.

CO Kylan Hill (Zumbrota) encountered four juveniles who were shooting swallows while goose hunting.

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!