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Boreal Community Media

Weekly Conservation Officers Report

Dec 14, 2020 03:35PM ● By Editor
District 6 - Two Harbors Area - From the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - December 14, 2020

CO Anthony Bermel (Babbitt) worked on Upper Red Lake with area officers and CO Lawler. High levels of activity were observed, and many violations were encountered such as extra lines, unattended lines, overlimits of walleyes, too many walleyes over 17 inches, possession of dressed fillets, unregistered recreational vehicles, no shelter tags, and drug paraphernalia. Additional time was spent checking anglers, grouse hunters, muzzleloader deer hunters, and ATV activity in the station, with enforcement action taken for insufficient blaze orange, land-use trespass, and youth ATV violations.

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Grand Marais) attended in-service training and instructed firearm qualifications at Camp Ripley. He monitored ice fishing and followed up on complaints of early trout fishing and trapping violations.

CO Sean Williams (Ely #1) reports ice angler success was generally low. He checked a good number of anglers on several lakes across the Ely area. ATVs have become abundant and are operating on the lakes that froze early. However, a fish house feel through the ice on one those same lakes. People are reminded to continue to be vigilant of ice conditions. Violations included operating an unregistered ATV, failure to transfer ATV registration, and no identification on a fish house. 

CO John Velsvaag (Ely #2) checked muzzleloader hunters and anglers this past week. Ice conditions continue to improve but some lakes have areas that are still open or have very little ice. Multiple people called about the northern pike regulations and whitefish netting.

CO Don Murray (Two Harbors) worked ice angling and trapping activity this past week. Ice conditions continue to improve on most area lakes but anglers must still use caution on early ice and check ice depth frequently. Grouse hunters continue to find birds with the lack of deep snow cover.

CO Mary Manning (Hovland) worked with CO Wahlstrom on a case involving a deer caught in a trap and another trapping situation that turned out to be legal. She also took reports of drivers led astray by Google. At least three drivers, including one in a semi-truck, followed their phone?s advice down unplowed forest roads and ATV trails that are part of the county snowmobile system. The semi-driver shared a nice evening and dinner with the good Samaritan who rescued him while he waited five hours for a tow. Manning also followed up on an ATV issue and a trapping case from earlier this fall.

CO David Schottenbauer (Silver Bay) worked an area TIP complaint and spent time checking angling activity.

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