Not the brightest light
Officer Stacy Sharp (Thief River Falls) was working public accesses on the Red Lake River when he came across an individual who felt the use of boat navigation lights was not necessary due to the fact that people living along the river have yard lights and the city provides street lights.
High speed litter bug stopped
While on patrol a speeding SUV came up behind CO Stuart Bensen's (Crookston) marked squad. Just prior to passing the officer, the passenger threw an arm full of garbage out the window. CO Bensen initiated a traffic stop and issued a littering ticket to the passenger, in addition to citations to everyone for consumption of alcohol by a minor.
Another reason why you should leave wild animal alone
CO Mike Shelden (Alexandria) investigated a call in which an individual picked up a fawn deer and tried to raise it on their own. They kept the deer on a leash and the fawn ended up strangling itself after getting wrapped up in the rope. Folks need to leave the animals alone. It is illegal to take and keep animals from the wild!
New wife hears husband's first fish tale
CO Neil Freborg (Lake George) came across a nonresident angler who proudly displayed his first muskie. Unfortunately, it was 14 inches under the minimum length requirement. While explaining the regulations and writing out the ticket, the officer was surprised when the man said that getting the ticket was actually going to work out well for him. He further explained that he was currently on his honeymoon and had taken his new bride back to shore quite some time ago. Apparently she had called him several times requesting his return. He had chosen to ignore her requests and continued to fish. He figured with the ticket, he had an excuse and the evidence to show his bride why he was late. The officer wished him luck with his marriage.
Your presence is not appreciated
CO Darin Fagerman (Grand Marais) ran smack dab into a moose cow on a Boundary Waters portage. With ears back and the hair on the back of her neck up, the CO knew his presence was not appreciated. He waited until he saw the location of the calf before moving in any direction. Once the calf got to momma, they wandered off in another direction and the CO went back to swatting black flies and mosquitoes.
Snowmobile joy ride in June
CO Thomas Sutherland (Hill City) handled a rather unique call of someone seeing a snowmobile sink into an area lake and the operator having a hard time swimming. Sutherland and CO/Pilot Al Buchert responded and used a boat to rescue the individual, who was short on breath when he was pulled in. It was later found that the individual actually stole the snowmobile and was trying to cross the lake to get away. Unfortunately for the man the fuel valve was turned off and the fuel line ran dry. The snowmobile was pulled from the lake and given to the rightful owner.
Bear call ends on good note
CO Nikki Shoutz (Pine River) had a caller report a cub bear had gotten "stuck" in a shed. When the surprised homeowner discovered him, she shut the door (locking the bear in) and ran out. Meanwhile, the mother bear came up close looking for her cub. The landowner was afraid to go out to open the door. After some time, her husband came home, opened the door, the cub ran out and rejoined his mom.
Bear encounter ends on unfortunate, but hopeful note
CO Brad Schultz (Center City) received a call from a Lindstrom area resident that had shot and wounded a bear. The shooter told the officer he had received a panicked call from his sister who lives next door. She and her two dogs had just walked out the door of her house into the yard when a bear charged in her direction. The dogs and the bear got into a fight with both dogs being injured. She called her brother, who upon arrival found the aggressive acting bear still in the yard. He shot several times, wounding the bear. The officer instructed him to wait an hour or so, then go look and see if he could find the wounded animal. The shooter called back later and told the officer that he had located the bear. It was dead. He also related that when he went to tell his sister of the bears demise, he heard a noise in a large tree in the yard, where upon looking, discovered two bear cubs. Apparently the dogs and the woman startled the sow with her cubs, explaining the sow's aggressive behavior. DNR wildlife personnel were contacted to deal with the cubs.
Officers make 13 cases in one afternoon
Two Douglas County Deputies and CO Mike Shelden (Alexandria) made 10 littering cases and three minor consumption cases in one afternoon. One group of seven individuals took off on their cruise with a case of beer. When they pulled out of the river 3 miles later they had consumed all the beer and only had one empty bottle in their cooler. They all admitted to either pitching their bottles up on shore or sinking them in the river. That one group of tubers was responsible for throwing at least 20 bottles into the river. Enforcement action was taken for littering.
This cut up wasn't funny
CO Gary Sommers (Walker) received a complaint of someone littering on the Heartland State Trail. The culprit took advertising inserts from the newspaper and cut them into many pieces and spread them at various spots along a four-mile stretch of the trail. The Walker Police Chief found the same thing at the city park and along a street.
But you were headed the wrong way
CO Larry Francis (Remer) encountered a party approximately 1 hour after sunset in a motorboat that wasn't equipped with lights. When asked why he was still out, the operator stated he was having motor problems. The only problem with this excuse was that he was traveling away from his cabin when the officer stopped him! The party was cited and escorted back to his cabin, with no motor problems.
To tell the truth
CO Tom Sutherland (Hill City) took enforcement action taken when a boat with two individuals had four lines out the side of their boat. As CO Sutherland approached the boat one individual quickly cut his line with a Rapala on the other end. The other individual slowly pulled up his drop line off the side of the boat so CO Sutherland wouldn't see his extra line. When the two fishermen were asked how many lines they could use while fishing in Minnesota, they both said one and admitted to having extra lines
Another reason to go fishing
CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) came across a very happy father and son on one area lake that had a pair of wall-hanger largemouth bass, nearly 6 pounds each. The two fish were exactly the same size and caught very near to each other, one by the father and one by the son. They are planning to have both fish mounted.
Now, wouldn't that make more sense?
CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) patrolled several areas around Mille Lacs Lake making checks for transporting infested water in live wells and bait containers. It would make more sense to buy some ice at a gas station to keep fish cool rather than transport fish in warm infested water and receive tickets costing $97.
Great horned owl provides an education
CO Matt Loftness (Marshall) received a call from an individual that thought he heard a gunshot, then movement outside of his camper. After it got quiet, he investigated the situation and it turned out that a great horned owl had flown into the side of his camper. The individual is going to voluntarily pay to have the owl mounted and donated to a local public school for educational purposes.
Let's get a judge's opinion on registration requirements
CO Dan Starr (Tower) had a cordial contact with one boat owner who stated that she waited 9 years for somebody to check her, so she could contest registration requirements for canoes and kayaks. Upon listening to her story as to why the boat was not registered, CO Starr sympathized and made the appropriate appointment with the judge to get his opinion.
Fireworks after the 4th of July
CO Don Bozovsky (Hibbing) worked the Lake Vermilion flotilla on the weekend following the 4th of July and found over 140 boats primarily involved in water balloon throwing and alcohol consumption. Enforcement action included overloaded boats, riding the gunwales or bow, careless operation, no PFDs, as well as registration violations. A hit and run boat collision also occurred. He also handled a fight and "man with a gun call" after flotilla festivities.
A reminder to canoe and kayak owners
CO Matt Frericks (Virginia) stopped two people in a canoe that did not have registration displayed. When the owner of the canoe was asked if the canoe had ever been registered she said it had not. When asked how long she had the canoe she said, "Oh, about 30 years." Enforcement action was taken. Canoe and kayak owners are reminded that boats over 9 feet must have a current license, even if the owner is a nonresident.
You can't make this stuff up
CO Nikki Shoutz (Pine River) cited a nonresident for angling without a license. The Texan's address is 4130 Angling Lane.
Mystery solved
CO Dustie Heaton (Willow River) responded to a call of a suspicious unoccupied boat on Sturgeon Lake. The boat was left on the reporting party's property with no one around. A registration check showed the boat belonged to the reporting party's nephew; mystery solved.
In a New York minute
CO Rob Haberman (St. Cloud) had an incident with a 63-year-old man from New York that tossed his fishing rod into the woods at the St. Cloud dam when the officer approached. The man was apprehended after a short case. When asked if he had a fishing license, the man stated that he did not think he needed one because in New York you did not need a license to fish from shore. CO Haberman told the man if that was the case, why run. The man was cited for fishing without license and educated about the fishing laws for Minnesota.
Turkey hen goes on the offensive
While returning home after working the Mississippi River, CO Bob Wallace (Kellogg) saw an unusual event. He observed a hawk flying low over some grassland. All of a sudden a hen turkey started flying towards the hawk. The hen turkey actually chased the hawk, climbing as the hawk climbed, until the hawk landed on a power pole. The hen then landed on the ground under the pole and started walking away. Wallace wondered if some young turkey poults were in the area to explain the hen's behavior.