CO Mary Manning (Hovland) patrolled area lakes and forest roads checking anglers and ATV operators. She took reports of a car-killed deer, nuisance bear and nuisance raccoons. Manning also assisted as part of the Honor Guard laying to rest retired CO Gene Borud at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery at Camp Ripley.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked ATV and angling activity during the week. Fishing slowed down a bit with cooler weather and windy conditions. Nuisance-wildlife complaints continue with bear and beaver activity being the most common complaints. Commercial minnow retailer inspections were completed this past week.
CO Nathan Benkofske (Milaca) took a call of a bald eagle trapped inside a fenced enclosure. Benkofske lassoed the eagle, grabbed it and brought it out into the open so it could fly away.
CO Tyler Ramaker (La Crescent) received a complaint of a cougar attacking a horse. After investigating the scene, it was determined the horse had injured itself in barbed wire.
CO Andrew Goodman (Elbow Lake) handled numerous wildlife-related calls, including an incident of snapping turtles being shot along gravel roads in Otter Tail County. Anyone with information about the shooters is asked to call the TIP line.
CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt), in an early-week trip in the BWCA with a DNR volunteer, reports several individuals were apprehended using extra lines, and one person in the group was also found to have not tagged or registered his deer from last season. A large buck, unfortunately, had to be dispatched after running into the side of a vehicle.
CO Kylan Hill (Zumbrota) contacted a person backed up to a Cannon River canoe access. Instead of loading a canoe from a float down the river, as Hill initially thought was the case, the individual was actually looking for rocks on the river bank. The person was quickly arrested for felony possession of methamphetamine and illegal possession of a handgun.
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!
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