The Scoop from our Local Conservation Officers

     There’s a weekly report I love to read and it’s from the Minnesota DNR. It tells us what our Conservation Officers have been up to. I always think it would be a great job to be able to ski or snowmobile into a lake to check on anglers or hunters. I’m sure it isn’t fun to give a citation but at least their office is very nice.  Both of my kids were part of this year’s snowmobile safety class the officers refer to in their recaps.

CO Thomas Wahlstrom (Tofte) checked area black powder hunters. The Officer assisted teaching the snowmobile safety class at the Cook County school. Anglers are eager to get out fishing and reporting various ice thickness. Caution should be used when venturing out on early ice.

CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) reports that many of the shallow, smaller lakes have eight inches of good ice on them. With the snowmobile trails open, all other motorized vehicles must now stay off of designated snowmobile trails. Wolf hunters, trappers and anglers were checked. The early season walleye fishing hasn’t started off as well as it did last year. Fishing is reported to be very slow so far. The stream trout (lakes) and lake trout season within the BWCA opens Dec. 29. Lakes outside the BWCA or partially outside the BWCA open Jan. 12.

CO Mary Manning (Hovland) continued to check wolf trappers and answer questions about the wolf hunt and sick wolves. One trapper’s snare was set close to a roadway and garnered attention from passersby. CO Manning Officer assisted CO Wahlstrom and volunteer instructors with the classroom portion of snowmobile safety class; snow arrived too late to permit field testing of students. Manning also checked trails and hunter activity in Magney State Park.