Skip to main content

Boreal Community Media

MN DNR Conservation Officer Reports - June 12, 2017

Jun 12, 2017 11:06AM ● By Editor
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports he found a map floating in an area lake. The map had secret fishing spots circled. The CO tried to look away but couldn?t help himself. The CO will return the map to the rightful owner, but the circled spots will remain in his mind. Please secure your paper and litter from blowing out of your boat as you never know what you may be giving up. 

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) checked anglers, boaters, and worked invasive species enforcement. Officer Wahlstrom also completed investigations on ATV and angling complaints.  

CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked boating, fishing, and invasive species enforcement efforts during the week. Anglers that remembered to bring their bug spray were able to stay on the water and catch a few fish. Officer Murray continued to answer calls on nuisance wildlife complaints and worked on commercial license inspections.

CO Mary Manning (Hovland) worked an ATV detail with officers in the Hill City area during the nearby Mud Nationals. Large numbers of ATV operators were checked and some received unwanted souvenirs from their weekend in the form of citations. Violations included operating on highways, juveniles without helmets, modified air intakes (snorkels), and DWI. The officer responded to a second call in Cook County regarding illegal cutting of birch saplings and checked anglers and campers at state park and forest campgrounds.

CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked area lakes this week, those that could stand the bugs did ok. More time was spent with fawn calls. Work on Superior started this week as well, but surface temps on the water were in the upper 30s.

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) worked station lakes and patrolled lakes in a vacant station. Violations were numerous including over limit of walleyes, no/insufficient PFDs, and unregistered watercrafts. One 16 foot canoe encountered was loaded with three people, 3 large dogs not trained for the canoe, and no PFDs. Assistance was given on a drowning. The CO and a ride along were able to stop the boat involved which was spinning circles at full throttle in the middle of the lake. Roadkill deer and bear possession tags were issued.

CO Sean Williams (Ely) reports angling activity was steady through the week, with most success seen at several of the designated trout lakes around Ely. Nuisance bear reports were handled including one inside Babbitt where a yearling bear spent several hours in a tree between houses. The area was surrounded by bird feeders and it was not difficult to figure out what had lured the bear into town. With fewer onlookers the bear eventually came down on its own and made its way back into the woods.

CO Marty Stage (Ely) reports many canoes are seen each day in Ely lacking required registration, but there are many points of entry into the BWCAW, so enforcement continues to be a problem. Officer Stage assisted Lake County with a complaint in the BWCAW Basswood, and worked in Voyageur?s National Park.

Boreal Ship Spotter - larger view here