Minnesota DNR Conservation Officer Tales

CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) checked trapping, angling, and snowmobile activity. The North Shore State Trail has been groomed in the Grand Marais area and the local snowmobile club has been working on brushing and trail clearing.

CO Mary Manning (Grand Marais East) patrolled lakes and trails checking anglers and snowmobile operators. The officer has been working with the local school district to implement DNR safety training programs into the school curriculum to provide better access to more youth in the community. The officer also followed up on cases from the bear and deer seasons.

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) spent the week checking anglers and snowmobilers in the area. Enforcement action was taken for possession and transportation of firearms.

CO James Fogarty (La Crescent) took a report of an injured deer outside of La Crescent. Upon further inspection the deer was not injured, but was sick. The deer was taken to be tested for CWD.

CO Eric Schettler (Fairmont) responded when a hunting accident was reported where a hunter shot himself in the leg.

CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) reports that ATV tracks that were found in a state park were tracked back to a residence four miles away where, along the route, multiple roads had been ripped up by the ATVers doing doughnuts in the roadway. Enforcement action was taken for a parent allowing illegal ATV operation, operating in a state park, and careless/reckless operation tearing up the road ways.

CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) responded to a complaint of a carcass with possible poison dumped on a neighbor’s property. The investigation is ongoing.

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!