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Boreal Community Media

Weekly Conservation Officer's report

Dec 04, 2017 11:52AM ● By Editor
From the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - District 6 - Two Harbors area - Last updated: 2017-12-04

CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) checked trapping, muzzleloader, and ice fishing activity. Some anglers are walking out onto ice without a care in the world. Not checking ice depths as they go, and not having any ice picks on them.

CO Mary Manning (Grand Marais East) checked traps and trappers during the short fisher/pine marten season and assisted with fur registration. The officer also continued to follow-up on registration issues from the recent firearms deer season, checked muzzleloader hunters, and assisted a pair who had underestimated the time they needed to complete their hike and return to their vehicle before dark.  

CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked area trapping activity as well as assisted at the Finland fur registration. CO Schottenbauer continued work on the background, and checked ice anglers this week as well.

CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked angling and trapping activity. Some area lakes are producing some good fishing opportunities while others are not quite safe for travel yet. Reports of trespass and wanton waste of an animal are being investigated and enforcement action was taken for licensing violations.

CO Sean Williams (Ely 1) reports he attended fur registration at the DNR officer in Tower. Trapper numbers seemed to be up from last year with good numbers of pine marten being reported. Violations included trapping without a license and take pine marten during the closed season.

CO Marty Stage (Ely #2) reports the ice has improved significantly and fishermen are venturing out for ice fishing and skating activities. The bare ice has been perfect for skating on those local lakes with good ice. But as always, be careful as there are still dangerous places with thin ice and open water.  

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) worked primarily trapping and angling enforcement and worked on a pre-employment background investigation. Several trapping investigations were worked with violations to include trapping without a license, site coupon violations, registration violations, affix a tag to a pelt not personally taken, and possession of marten in the closed season. Marten trappers had a very high success rate with the vast majority of trappers coming in with a limit. Anglers, on the other hand, are not having much success with anything but pike. Additional enforcement action included angle with an unattended line and criminal damage to property.

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