Weekly Conservation Officer Reports
Oct 12, 2020 12:22PM ● By Editor
District 6 - Two Harbors Area - From the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - October 12, 2020
CO Sean Williams (Ely #1) reports several searches and rescues occurred over the week involving visitors who became lost off of trail systems. Please remember now that the woods are more open with no leaves or undergrowth, it is very easy to step off trail and become lost.
CO John Velsvaag (Ely #2) checked anglers and grouse hunters this past week. He also took multiple nuisance-animal complaints and questions about the trespass law. Velsvaag also took several ATV-related complaints of speeding and illegal operation on the highway.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Grand Marais) spent the past week checking small-game hunters, ATV riders, and anglers. Nuisance-bear calls are still coming in daily. Don?t be the neighbor who causes a problem bear bring garbage and your bird feeder inside. Enforcement action was taken for ATV, hunting, drugs and firearm violations.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) continued to wrap up issues from the bear season, including checking bait stations. Grouse hunters have continued to flock to the area, although numbers of birds taken by hunters is down from the first couple weeks. She also checked anglers and ATV operators and stopped a rather inattentive driver for speeding, littering and failing to notice the flashing lights behind him for a couple miles.
CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) and COC Ryan Brown assisted CO Zavodnik on a walleye-overlimit TIP on Lake Vermilion that resulted in a gross overlimit for four Indiana residents. Time was also spent on spruce top cases. Archery deer, grouse, and duck hunters, anglers, and OHV operators were all checked. Some success was noted on grouse. A wide array of violations were addressed including fishing with extra lines, fishing without a license, no federal duck stamp, unregistered off-highway motorcycle, illegal juvenile ATV operation, and transporting or possessing spruce tops without a permit.
CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) and COC Vincent Brown spent the past week focusing on small-game, fishing, and boating enforcement. Enforcement action was taken for violations including transporting loaded firearms and no life jackets onboard a boat. They also spent time working balsam-bough-picking enforcement.
CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) hit local trails and roads this past week on his ATV and monitored recreational vehicle and grouse-hunting traffic. Birds are still plentiful and most people are going home with at least a meal. A reminder to keep at least one wing on your birds when transporting. Unfortunately, loaded firearms were too common during the week as Hill found multiple people in violation. One hunter didn't even know the shotgun they had cased in the rear of the vehicle was loaded with a shell in the chamber. That kind of negligence can lead to disastrous results. Hill had multiple people approach him and call him during the week asking about the legalities surrounding discharging a firearm on a road while hunting small game. All hunters should refer to Page 9 of the latest hunting and trapping regulations booklet and familiarize themselves with the 500-foot rule. Hill assisted with locating two stranded hikers near Carlton Peak. A few ATV violations were handled, along with possession of drug paraphernalia.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked big-game and small-game hunting activity this past week. Waterfowl hunters were getting some birds as migrating birds are on the move. Litter complaints continue to be a problem as visitors choose to throw their trash at public landings and trailheads.
CO Sean Williams (Ely #1) reports several searches and rescues occurred over the week involving visitors who became lost off of trail systems. Please remember now that the woods are more open with no leaves or undergrowth, it is very easy to step off trail and become lost.
CO John Velsvaag (Ely #2) checked anglers and grouse hunters this past week. He also took multiple nuisance-animal complaints and questions about the trespass law. Velsvaag also took several ATV-related complaints of speeding and illegal operation on the highway.
CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Grand Marais) spent the past week checking small-game hunters, ATV riders, and anglers. Nuisance-bear calls are still coming in daily. Don?t be the neighbor who causes a problem bear bring garbage and your bird feeder inside. Enforcement action was taken for ATV, hunting, drugs and firearm violations.
CO Mary Manning (Hovland) continued to wrap up issues from the bear season, including checking bait stations. Grouse hunters have continued to flock to the area, although numbers of birds taken by hunters is down from the first couple weeks. She also checked anglers and ATV operators and stopped a rather inattentive driver for speeding, littering and failing to notice the flashing lights behind him for a couple miles.
CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) and COC Ryan Brown assisted CO Zavodnik on a walleye-overlimit TIP on Lake Vermilion that resulted in a gross overlimit for four Indiana residents. Time was also spent on spruce top cases. Archery deer, grouse, and duck hunters, anglers, and OHV operators were all checked. Some success was noted on grouse. A wide array of violations were addressed including fishing with extra lines, fishing without a license, no federal duck stamp, unregistered off-highway motorcycle, illegal juvenile ATV operation, and transporting or possessing spruce tops without a permit.
CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) and COC Vincent Brown spent the past week focusing on small-game, fishing, and boating enforcement. Enforcement action was taken for violations including transporting loaded firearms and no life jackets onboard a boat. They also spent time working balsam-bough-picking enforcement.
CO Kylan Hill (Tofte) hit local trails and roads this past week on his ATV and monitored recreational vehicle and grouse-hunting traffic. Birds are still plentiful and most people are going home with at least a meal. A reminder to keep at least one wing on your birds when transporting. Unfortunately, loaded firearms were too common during the week as Hill found multiple people in violation. One hunter didn't even know the shotgun they had cased in the rear of the vehicle was loaded with a shell in the chamber. That kind of negligence can lead to disastrous results. Hill had multiple people approach him and call him during the week asking about the legalities surrounding discharging a firearm on a road while hunting small game. All hunters should refer to Page 9 of the latest hunting and trapping regulations booklet and familiarize themselves with the 500-foot rule. Hill assisted with locating two stranded hikers near Carlton Peak. A few ATV violations were handled, along with possession of drug paraphernalia.
CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked big-game and small-game hunting activity this past week. Waterfowl hunters were getting some birds as migrating birds are on the move. Litter complaints continue to be a problem as visitors choose to throw their trash at public landings and trailheads.
