Weekly conservation report

[Lee Borgersen]

 
                           The report fell down to the bottom  



 



                             























                                                                             





                                                                                                                   




 





                                                         











































 






                                             






































































                                                                     

 



                          Weekly conservation report

 




Posted: July 19

 



  ...
Here are highlights from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer (CO) reports for the week ending July 18, 2014. The complete report is available at www.dnr.state.mn.us/enforcement/co_report/index.html

CO Ben Huener (Roseau) provided assistance at the Warroad Port of Entry on an over-limit violation. He also assisted Ontario Conservation Officers with follow-up on illegal fishing activity.     


In the Bemidji area, CO Dan Malinowski (Fosston) responded to wildlife complaints including beavers killing trees in a yard, bears getting into beehives, and chipmunks in a garage chewing through a vehicle gas line, causing hundreds of dollars in damage and a towing bill.


CO Gary Forsberg (Pelican Rapids) followed up on a complaint of dogs chasing baby loons and ducklings. CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji) investigated a complaint of a bear scratching on the windows of a house.


In the Alexandria area, CO Mitch Lawler issued a citation to an individual for cutting a wide swath of cattails alongshore without first obtaining a permit.


In the Wadena area, CO Sam Hunter received a call of a jet ski and a pontoon that had run over and possibly killed a young loon. She also received a call of kids throwing rocks at goslings from a bridge.


CO Gary Sommers (Walker) received an anonymous request to check on a public access that was blocked off with traffic cones. The area in question turned out not to be a state-run public access and is most likely a township road right-of-way.


CO Shane Siltala followed up on a floating bog complaint on an area lake. It is illegal to destroy or relocate a floating bog without a permit.


CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) received a report of a small fishing boat washed up on the rocks on the Pike River with fishing equipment inside the boat. Expired boat registration and incorrect markings made it difficult to locate the owner. He was later located and said the boat had floated away from the shore in high water. He was told to correct the registration and in the future to notify law enforcement, because it wasn’t known if someone was in the river and needed to be rescued.


A solo kayaker camping in the BWCA reported that half of his equipment was stolen from his campsite. CO Darrin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports problem bears are on the move as calls are becoming more frequent about people leaving stuff out for them to eat, then complaining when the bears show up and eat what they left out.


Near Duluth, a very large bear that was struck by a vehicle was recovered and given to the Fond du Lac Tribe for distribution to its members.


CO Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) met a group planning to launch small paper-and-bamboo balloons out over Lake Superior. When asked what their plan was to retrieve the balloons, they said they weren’t going to. He reminded them that litter is litter, whether dropped from a moving vehicle or launched for fun over the lake.


CO Bob Mylnar (Aitkin) made contact with the owner of a burned-up snowmobile left along a trail in late winter. The person said he figured the snowmobile club would take care of it and contact him.


In the Crosslake area, CO Mike Lee received a call of significant tree damage caused by beavers. A trapper was called in to help with the situation.


In the Mille Lacs area, CO Dan Starr helped with a boat that had filled with water while the operator was driving it. After the boat was towed to shore, it was found that the drain plug was out.


Three more wolf depredation complaints were handled in the Pierz area last week. Several calves were found killed on two separate farms. Control trapping has begun, and loss of livestock compensation requests have been submitted. While on patrol, CO Paul Kuske issued a citation to a family that was burning tires, car seats and a sofa in their backyard fire pit.


In the New Ulm area, CO Thor Nelson assisted the Sheriff’s Office by stopping a suspect on a complaint of unsafe driving. The driving conduct was because the driver was using the Internet on his cell phone.


Near Winona, CO Tom Hemker received a call of someone who found a Canada goose with “straws taped to its wings.” He found that the Canada goose was going though the molting process and was growing new feathers.