CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports a relatively quiet Fourth of July week. The beautiful weather on the Fourth made for some busy lakes with lots of activity. The officer gave out lots of awards to kids under 18 who wore their life jackets in the boats. One woman in a kayak, though, was not impressed with the officer offering an award to her children that contained processed sugar. After the CO got a brief scolding in manners, he went on his way. He was able to get back on track with his day as the kids in the very next boat were more than happy to take their award from the Dairy Queen.
CO Mary Manning (Grand Marais East) worked with CO Tom Wahlstrom checking boaters and anglers on a busy Fourth of July. Manning took a report of angler harassment on an area trout stream; landowners are reminded that they may not restrict anglers or others using state waters they have lawfully accessed. The officer also conducted patrols in the BWCA checking boaters and a few anglers, and followed up on a littering case from last summer.
CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) checked an angler coming off Lake Superior, but the angler didn’t want to show the officer his fish. Schottenbauer asked why not, and the angler was afraid he would be forced to tell where he caught it as it is his secret spot. However, Schottenbauer was insistent on seeing the fish. When the angler produced a large eelpout, the CO chose not to press about the secret spot.
CO Tom Hemker (Winona) and the Winona fire department were able to rescue a fawn that had fallen into a deep hole. Hemker also assisted a Winona County deputy with a complaint of a dazed person pacing in a driveway. The person had parked his car in the middle of the roadway and said he was very impaired by illegal drugs he had taken. While sitting in the police car the person requested to speak with the CO. He wanted to tell Hemker about illegal deer hunting activities he had been involved with.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) received a call on Sunday afternoon of a great blue heron stuck in a stringer that a person left on shore. The caller asked him to come and remove the stringer from the heron so he could shore fish. Officer Osborne responded, removed the stringer and the heron flew away.
CO Troy Fondie (Orr) conducted “Education Thru Ticket Writing” for those who parked next to clearly posted signs at a public access indicating “No Parking.”
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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