Minnesota Conservation Officer Tales - June 2008

Fishing Minnesota Boat's For Sale Crestliner, Lund, Ranger, Skeeter

Cat Calls

CO Mark Fredin (Aurora) received a number of cat calls. One caller asked if a lion escaped from a zoo because a cat as tall as the hood on his pickup, paws the size of footballs, and a large brown head ran across the road in front of him. Another caller reported seeing a large Black Panther cross their field.

Mail call

CO Tom Sutherland (Hill City) received a call on an unidentified furry animal in an individual's mailbox. After driving to the individual's home, Officer Sutherland opened the mailbox to see a beady eyed creature looking him in the eyes. After examining the creature it appeared some young pranksters had placed a deceased woodchuck in the mailbox to gain a laugh. The owner of the mailbox didn't see it that way. They thought they were going to have a heart-attack when they casually opened their mailbox to retrieve the morning paper.

A conservation officer with another set of eyes

CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) reports a concerned sportsman with a sharp eye noticed three deer with polished antlers being transported to the local dump. Investigation found that two people had legally taken the deer last muzzleloader season, had never processed them, let them hang in their attached garage for five months to rot, and had now taken them to the county dump for disposal.

This guy should have known better

CO Tim Collette (Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area) came across an angler that told the officer that he did not have a current license, but planned to get one when he went to work that day. When asked where he works, the man said he worked in the fishing department of a local sporting goods store! When asked how many times people had asked him when a new license was needed, the man admitted that he had answered that question many times and knew exactly when it was. Appropriate action was taken.

It was hard for these guys to give you a straight story

CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) responded to a fire call at just after midnight and found two individuals watching an old, run-down house burn. The individuals tried to explain how they were trying to tear apart the house and burn it a little at a time when the burn pile got too close to their house. It was a challenge for the two to get their story straight, or even stand up, due to the case of beer and bottle they were into.

Boater education

CO Randy Hanzal (Brookston) stopped a boater just minutes before he was about to launch a boat carrying a livewell full of potentially contaminated water from a known infested waterway. The boater was educated both verbally and by written paper about the potential harmful effects of careless oversight.

A snack before I go

CO Mitch Sladek (Big Lake) had a report of a bear treed by a yellow lab in the Zimmerman area. CO Sladek advised the concerned citizen to remove all food, garbage and bird feeders, and then remove the dog from the area. The citizen complied but forgot a bag of dog food. The bear did come down from the tree, but proceeded in eating the bag of dog food before leaving the area never to be seen again.

How a misdemeanor becomes a gross misdemeanor

CO Adam Block (Prior Lake) reports an angler was arrested after giving his brother's name and date of birth to the CO. The angler did not have a fishing license but he knew his brother had recently purchased one. After the CO looked at the driver's license photo on his squad computer, of the name given to the officer, he pointed out to the angler that he had falsified his identity. The angler stated he was not aware COs could look up driver's license photos online in their patrol squads. The angler indicated someday technology is going to ruin the world. The angler became angry when he was informed he committed a gross misdemeanor crime by trying to elude a misdemeanor offense.

He came up with the same measurement

CO Alex Gutierrez (Forest Lake) checked an angler coming off the St. Croix River with two walleye, which have to be a minimum of 15 inches. CO Gutierrez had the angler measure the fish himself with one of the walleye measuring about a quarter inch short of 15 inches. The angler got upset stating, "It's just barely short." The angry angler then called a nearby angler to come measure the fish. CO Gutierrez allowed this, in attempt to diffuse the situation, with the same result, a short fish. A citation was issued.

Always ask for permission first

CO Corey Wiebusch (Mankato) assisted a Blue Earth County deputy in locating a group of teens that were trespassing and managed to get their vehicle stuck in the mud. The juveniles stated they were scouting for good catfishing areas. When asked if they knew they were trespassing one individual stated "Yes," but the group planned to find a good spot by the river, build a fort, and then find out who owned the land to ask permission. After some discussion, everyone agreed it would be more logical to get permission prior to entering the land and building a fishing fort.

Mom gives a lesson in taking responsibility for your actions

CO Gary Forsberg (Fergus Falls) received a call from a mother reporting that her 10-year-old son had shot a mallard duck with his pellet gun. The boy claimed he was trying to scare it and accidentally killed the mallard. He, along with his friends, wanted to hide the duck, but mom insisted that the proper thing to do was report it. A talk with the young boys about laws and waterfowl took care of the situation. The mother was given credit for taking responsibility and doing the right thing by calling to report the incident.

Anglers iced on opening day

CO Gary Sommers (Walker) reports a bit of a conflict with the ice on Leech Lake during the fishing opener. As the wind shifted at one point during the day, some ice shifted and blocked the main public access on the west side of Leech Lake for about 6 hours. Of course this occurred just prior to raining, leaving those who wanted to get out of the elements quite surprised, only to learn they had a bit of a walk to get back to the landing. Two resorts allowed those stranded to use the resort boat ramps for loading. At least two boat operators sustained extensive propeller damage as a result of trying to drive through the ice to the landing.

Designated driver to the rescue

CO Brad Schultz (Cook) reports working on fish run activity throughout the week. Numerous conversations were overheard about netting a bunch of these spawning fish so they could finally tell their wives that they caught fish when they went north for the fishing opener. Every time, the designated driver piped up and ordered his passengers into the truck before they did something "stupid."

Propeller helps wrap up case

While checking an angler fishing off his dock, the dark water prevented CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) from seeing the fabric that the angler had laid on the lake bottom to kill aquatic vegetation. However, the prop from the outboard found it. The fabric had to be cut off the prop, which was followed by enforcement action.

You owe me a million dollars!

CO Kipp Duncan (Duluth) witnessed a possible "once in a lifetime" event from an up and coming youth female bow hunter. The youth female finished a bow hunter class last month and was practicing at a local archery range with her new bow while her father and a friend watched. Officer Duncan overheard her friend say, "I'll give you a million dollars if you robin-hood an arrow today." Officer Duncan walked into the range area and watched her shoot an arrow into the bullseye. The officer said, "Now the pressure is on because I'm watching." The next arrow was a bullseye and also a robin-hood, which means the arrow stuck into the previous arrow perfectly. The girl started jumping around yelling to her friend, "You owe me a million dollars!"

Fishing for pictures

CO Brent Speldrich (McGregor) received a call of an angler that had caught and kept bass out of season. After locating the suspect vehicle on a nearby township road, and after a consent search, it was determined that, yes, they had caught and kept the bass, but only long enough to take a photo of them before returning them to the water.

You make the call

An angler told CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) said he wasn't using an extra line but just trying to keep the minnow alive. The extra hook and minnow was ten feet out from the boat and suspended 8 feet deep under a bobber.

Species challenged

CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) handled a call where a man believed that he had found a rare yellow-billed woodpecker. The Officer informed him it was a common coot.

This is nothing to fight over

CO Todd VanderWeyst (Paynesville) had a call concerning two anglers fighting for a fishing spot on opening night. The anglers were reminded that there are 10,000 lakes in Minnesota with over 5,000 with fishing opportunities, not to mention miles and miles of river angling available.

Over the limit and behavior out of bounds

CO Mike Martin (St. Cloud) discovered an angler with 12 crappies in his bucket and still fishing (two fish over). Several of his friends saw the angler about to receive his summons and became vocal about the officer "picking on" their friend. The other anglers also said that the first guy was fishing with them so he wasn't over-limit. After investigating that they were in fact fishing together the 3 men were issued summons for the 21 crappies (un-cleaned) they had in addition to the 30 cleaned crappies in their cooler (21 fish over limit).

A short-lived celebration

CO Mitch Sladek (Big Lake) checked a gentleman for a fishing license on the Crow River. The guy said he had it up at the house so CO Sladek had him run up to get it. The gentleman returned 20+ minutes later minus a license. He said he had one but couldn't find it. CO Sladek called ELS and they informed him that the gentleman did indeed have a license. The gentleman jumped up and down in celebration. CO Sladek then asked the ELS agent when the man had purchased the license. The agent said, "About 10 minutes ago." The celebration was short-lived.

Soaked in gratitude

CO Aaron Kahre (Minnetonka) and CO Jackie Glaser (Mound) checked a boat on the eve of the fishing opener that contained two men and a very heavy black lab. As the two CO's were checking fishing licenses the black lab became curious about the CO's boat. A second later, the boats were pushed apart and CO Kahre was splashed by the dog taking an accidental midnight swim in the lake. Thanks to CO Kahre's quick actions, the dog was lifted into the CO's boat. The friendly pooch showed his gratitude for the rescue by shaking himself dry on everything in the boat, including CO Glaser. The dog was returned without incident to a very grateful and embarrassed owner.

The race was on for helpful anglers

CO Doug Lage (Marshall) was pulling into the parking area of a very popular fishing spot the eve of the fishing opener, when a sharp object punctured the squad's front tire. Five anglers came to the officer's aid, "Working in almost NASCAR speed." At 11 PM the anglers stated, "We have to have the tire changed before midnight," so the race was on. The tire was changed with pit crew efficiency, and much thanks by the officer.

The long reach of the law

CO Pilot Don Murray (Grand Rapids) assisted with a fleeing case involving an ATV operator that fled into the woods trying to avoid a State Patrol officer. After a short search the operator eventually decided to give himself up when he heard the sound of Murray's search aircraft flying overhead.

Permission denied

A landowner asked CO Greg Oldakowski (Wadena) if he could shoot a nuisance pheasant. When the officer inquired into why the pheasant was a problem, the man replied that it crows at about 4:40 AM interrupting his sleep. In addition, after hearing strange tapping noises in the basement, the landowner found the rooster in a window well tapping at the windows trying to get at bugs behind the screens, which were eventually torn off by the pesky rooster. The landowner stated that he fed the pheasants behind his house all winter, and now its time for them to go. Permission denied.

Gas prices lead to new use for boat

An angler let CO Scott Staples (Carlton) know that he was now fishing from shore because of the high gas prices. The new plan for his boat was to put it in the front yard, fill it with dirt, and plant flowers in it.

Boating and driving while intoxicated

CO Gary Forsberg (Fergus Falls) assisted the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office with an intoxicated boater. The party had been involved in a motor vehicle rollover earlier in the evening. Upon returning to the cabin he was advised to wait for the deputy to arrive, instead he took the boat and went out into the lake. The party was found in the boat with no navigational lights on and was arrested by for Boating While Intoxicated and an outstanding warrant for Driving While Intoxicated.

Surrounded by timber wolves?

CO Greg Oldakowski (Wadena) responded to a call of a man and his dog being surrounded by timber wolves. The pair was uninjured in the attack, yet the man stated the wolves followed him down the road while he was in his car. Upon investigating the area, the only canine found was a single longhaired, shepherd type dog, which was found within feet of the area where the alleged wolf attack had occurred.

You could lose more than a boat cushion

CO Larry Francis (Remer) encountered a father who was following his 11-year-old son in a van, while his son operated his off-highway motorcycle on a state highway. When asked why, the father said they were looking for a boat cushion they had lost while towing their boat. After questioning, he agreed that his boat cushion was not worth his son's safety.

Stop tampering with the signs

CO Colleen Adam (OHV Recreation Officer - Park Rapids) reports in preparation for the Memorial Day Weekend trails and signs were checked only to find once again that several important trail closure signs had been removed. New ones were put in place Friday evening only to discover they were once again missing Saturday morning! Additional signs were put in place. All of this was done at the expense of the OHV accounts and potential for additional damage to the state forests and trails. Please stop tampering with the signs: you may be putting someone else at risk of danger or closed trail violations.

It's not broken, but you're busted

CO Aaron Kahre (Minnetonka) approached a man that told him that he was playing a "supporting role" to his friends who were fishing. CO Kahre asked the man what was on the fishing pole he had next to him. The fisherman stated, "Nothing, the pole is broken." CO Kahre offered to reel in the line for him and caught a nice bullhead with the fisherman's "broken" pole

Angler flunks spelling test

CO Tom Hemker (Winona) reports a situation where a fisherman attempted to give a false name for a fishing license but was found to be lying as he struggled with the spelling of the last name of his friend.
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Minnesota DNR and ATV Use

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ment.The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold two
public meetings on its draft forest classification and motor vehicle
designation plan for northern St. Louis County.
The draft plan includes suggested forest classification and route
designations for state and county forest lands in Bear Island, Burntside,
Kabetogama and Lake Jeanette state forests (Sturgeon River and
Cloquet Valley state forests are not included), and for scattered DNR
forest lands outside of state forest boundaries.
The meetings will be on Tuesday, July 1, Mesabi Range Community &
Technical College, Virginia, MN and July 2, Cook School, Cook, MN.
Both meetings are scheduled from 6 pm to 8:30 pm.
The proposal is available on the DNR Website at
Copies are also available at the DNR Tower Office.
For more information contact Brian McCann at (651) 259-5627.
During open houses held March 5and 6, more than 75 participants
provided written comments to the DNR. The Southern Minnesota Unit
planning team considered those comments and the 2002 off-highway
vehicle system plan for the Dorer State Forest as a starting point for road
and trail designations.
The team has completed a preliminary route designation proposal.
The draft proposal will undergo internal DNR review and then a public
participation process is scheduled to take place in late summer or early
fall. Public input will be used to make any revisions necessary before the
final forest classification and road and trail designation plan is completed.
The DNR has approved a monitoring and enforcement plan for the
2008 season that will focus on trail maintenance conditions, off trail travel
from designated trails, and impacts of dispersed OHV use.
Focus forests for the 2008 season are: Beltrami Island, Finland,
General Andrews, Mississippi Headwaters, Paul Bunyan, Fond du Lac,
Solana, Rum River, Wealthwood, and Whiteface River.
DNR field staff from Trails and Waterways (T/W), Forestry, and
Enforcement will coordinge motitoring and enforce

Kabetogama/Namakan Fishing Report

Summer-like weather has returned which in turn is warming the waters. Kab temps after sundown are now in the low 60’s, and reaches mid-to-high sixties during sunlight hours.
The water level dropped a couple of inches over the last week, which is the first time this season that the water is finally dropping.
Shallow water fish—walleye, sauger, northern, and bass—are still biting in the early evening and evening hours. Folks angling from shore or their docks are doing well bobber fishing with minnows.
The primary walleye bite is gradually moving deeper. A good depth is 30’ for jig and minnow and 22 – 28’ for a slip-sinker rig.
Both minnows and leeches working equally well; and crawlers expected to come on strong next week.
A strong sauger population is helping anglers fill their limit. Remember on Kab and Namakan you can have 6 fish in your walleye-sauger limit, but not more than 4 can be walleye. A filleted sauger is counted as a walleye.
Northern pike in the 2 – 4# category biting very aggressively; larger pike are still lingering in deeper water.
Smallmouth moving out of the shallow water which finds them now near rocky shorelines, rock piles, and creek outlets after crayfish.
Artificial lures, top water and shallow runners should be good for lots of smallie action.
When searching out walleyes and smallies, look for some shallow water areas holding baitfish; usually the windward shores and sides of reefs where deep water in excess of 30’ is nearby.
Good areas for walleyes should include center reef, windward shores of Harris, Ram, and Sheep Islands.
On the Eastern portion of Kab take a good look at Chase, Green, and Wolf Islands.
Northern pike will be present in Mud, Daily, and Nebraska Bays and inside Blind Ash Bay.

HORSE AND HUNTING PROPERTY ; 700 ACRES;4200 SQ FT HOUSE

Rural home in southern Colorado. 10 miles south of Rye, Colorado. 700 acres on te base of Greenhorn Mountain. Backs up to National Forest and 2,000 acres BLM land. Great hunting property for elk, mule deer and antelope. Owner of property gets land owner hunting permits from the state yearly. The terrain has three arroyos, 2 stone wells, a spring, oak brush, pinon, and other brush. Lots of grass for horses. 70 acres are fenced. The house has a metal fence and gate in the front. It has a metal roof, all weather siding, 70 assorted trees, gravel driveway and access road, lots of landscape and flowers around the house. The rest is natural landscape and rocked around the house for fire protection. There is a cement basketball court, 2 horses pens, 2- 2 car garages,(one with a work area), loafing shed, hay shed and 3 red wood decks. There are 2 retractable awnings, propane heat (1000 gallon tank), back up generator, great well and cistern. The inside of the home is 3 bedroom/2 bath. 4200 square feet with 2 living rooms, hot tub room, laundry room, kitchen, dining room, exercise or office area. It also has a brick sunken patio. 3 carved doors and carved hand rails. Knotty pine ceiling in one area. Newer fixtures and appliances. Great views of Wet Mts, Sangre de Cristo, San Juan and the Spanish Peaks. Property was featured on the Outdoor Living Network in a 1 hr show by the Gander brothers for mule deer hunting. Denver 2 1/2 hours, Colorado Springs 1 1/2 hours, New Mexico 64 miles away, La Veta Pass 25 miles.
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Southern Minnesota Fishing Report

With the high price of gas people are looking for places closer to home to fish. Here's a suggestion for people south of the Twin Cities, Albert Lea Lake.
I’m sure most people from Iowa and Minnesota have traveled on I-35 through the town of Albert Lea. The lake you cross just north of the Iowa border is Albert Lea Lake and you may have noticed this past spring the large number of fishing boats out there. The walleye fishing this spring has been outstanding, with fish as large as 12 lbs. being caught. I don’t know what is different this year from past years but the walleye bite has been great from the opener on. We were out yesterday for about 4 hours and caught about 14 walleyes between 2 of us, the largest being 23″. Most went back, although we kept a couple for a meal. Just look for the boats and go get them. Time of day has not mattered when we’ve been out, as we have caught them in the middle of the afternoon all the way to dusk. I’ve also talked to some fisherman who have been bobber fishing after dark and done well.

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Vacation Homes

Is the market at a low point for lake homes. Now might be the time to buy.
Vacation Property

2008 Jeep Wrangler Rankings

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The 2008 Jeep Wrangler ranks 16 out of 26 Affordable Compact SUVs. This ranking is based on an analysis of 54 published reviews and test drives of the Jeep Wrangler.

The 2008 Jeep Wrangler offers superior off-road capabilities in a rugged package. However, it sacrifices on-road handling and comfort.

The Wrangler is a rugged SUV designed to be most comfortable and capable off the pavement. Consequently, the Wrangler's weaknesses are in its on-road performance, but that may not matter to some buyers. U.S. News reviewer Rick Newman explains: "People put up with it, because Jeeps represent freedom and nonconformity. In a Jeep, you're not like other people." Since the Wrangler was completely redesigned for 2007, the 2008 model remains virtually unchanged, with the exception of a few new features and options. In 2007, Jeep added a four-door model, the Unlimited, to the Wrangler line. It competes with rugged midsize SUVs such as the Toyota FJ Cruiser and Hummer H3. The 2007 model is a Best in Class winner for SmartChoice Retained Value and was named 4Wheel & Off-Road's 4x4 of the Year.

The Wrangler comes in three trim levels -- the base X, the Sahara, and the top-of-the-line Rubicon -- in either a basic two-door or an Unlimited four-door version.

* "Whether you spend your time in the African jungle or the asphalt jungle, if you're a Wrangler fan, you'll like the new machine." -- Car and Driver
* "The Unlimited is pretty good by Wrangler standards, but holds little appeal if you're not a Jeep fan." -- USA Today
* "...the Wrangler Rubicon's strengths constitute its primary weaknesses in routine city-suburban commuting, where it is least efficient, least comfortable, and generally less than enjoyable." -- Washington Post
* "We can't forget that most of the Wrangler's wrongs are necessary to make other things right. Of the 77 vehicles calling themselves 'SUV,' try finding even one that the Wrangler won't walk all over when the pavement ends." -- Automotive.com

Wrangler Performance - 7.1 (Good)

Reviewers emphasize that serious off-road drivers will love the 2008 Wrangler; others, decidedly, will not. Consequently, the little Jeep ranks around the middle of its class for performance. The Washington Post finds its suspension and huge tires "lousy for pavement driving, where their ruggedness often translates to a brutally bumpy ride." Still, not many SUVs can match the Wrangler's off-roading prowess. Continue with our full Performance Review to learn about the Rubicon model's best-in-class ground clearance. continue
Wrangler Exterior - 7.7 (Good)

The 2008 Jeep Wrangler line includes the four-door Unlimited, which is the largest Wrangler ever. Reviewers love the fact that the redesign preserves the classic Wrangler elements -- which ranks near the top of its class for its rugged styling. "So, yes, the exterior is dramatically new -- but there's no mistaking it's still a Wrangler," says Truck Trend. "As it has since its military debut 65 years ago, the body wears more exposed hardware than a Home Depot." Continue with our full Exterior Review to learn why reviewers have complaints about the confusing rear liftgate and optional three-piece Freedom Top, or check out our Photo Gallery. continue
Wrangler Interior - 6.1 (Mediocre)

Reviewers find that the 2008 Jeep Wrangler's interior is improved over the pre-2007 generation, but they still say it's not up to par with the competition. Consequently, the Wrangler's interior ranks near the bottom of its class. "The Wrangler's role as the rugged one makes a great excuse for de-emphasizing the details," says Automotive.com. "Watch for the manual locks and crank-up windows, the tyranny of hard plastic, limp levers here and there, and doors that feel molded from petrified cardboard." Continue with our Interior Review to learn why the X base model is one of the most sparse SUVs on the market when it comes to standard features, or check out our interior photos. continue
Wrangler Safety - 8.3 (Very Good)

Both the two-door and Unlimited four-door versions of the 2008 Jeep Wrangler do extremely well in federal government crash tests. Jeep also provides a number of accident avoidance features as standard equipment. Continue with our full Safety Review to learn why rear visibility could pose a hazard. continue
Wrangler Reliability - 6.0 (Mediocre)

See more info on Wrangler's at-Minnesota Outside

Kabetogama/Namakan Fishing Report June 16, 2008

Abnormal weather patterns dominate the news in the Midwest; Kabetogama and Namakan are no exception.
Namakan basin, which includes Kabetogama, Sand Point, and Crane, is dealing with unusually high water tables.
Thus far the high water has only been an inconvenience to anglers as the strong bite on Kabetogama and Namakan continues.
Shallow water in wind blown bays has been providing anglers with action from walleyes, bass, northern and saugers.
Cool water temps, strong currents and turbid water has probably contributed to mid-day action as well as the usual morning
and evening bite.
As this next week promises to hold dry weather and sunshine, expect walleyes to finally school up near and on reefs.
Sandbar edges dropping to the 22-28' depths will be holding walleye and sauger. Look for slip-sinker rigs using crawlers and
leeches to be a good presentation method.
Slip bobbering the shorelines with minnows, leeches, or crawlers will still get random walleyes, as well as bass and northerns.
Best pike hangouts will be bays like Mud, Daily, Nebraska, and Lost Bay; start shallow then move deep.
Smallmouth action is on the rip-rap shorelines and rock pile edges. Shallow running lures like husky jerks and X-raps should
net you lots of fish.
Crappie action remains slow; Sullivan Bay, Lost Lake, or Old Dutch Bay in Namakan could get you started.

Lake Oahe Fishing Report

No much has changed since the last report. The walleye fishing continues to be excellent! We are seeing limits of very nice fish. They have been using minnows and crawlers. 10 - 15 feet of water anywhere from below us north to Swiftbird has been good. You'll notice that in some of the new photos there are three people and only eight fish. Don't worry....fishing isn't going downhill.