DART IN A DUCK

Conservation Officer (CO) Tricia Plautz (Henning) assisted CO Gary Forsberg (Fergus Falls) on a complaint of a duck with a dart in his head. With the help of corn and a landing net, the COs captured the duck, and removed the dart from the side of the drake mallard’s head. The duck was released and is apparently doing ok.

CAN YOU PRODUCE A FARM ANIMAL IN A FISH HOUSE?

When CO Tim Collette (Longville) asked an angler about his long-expired ATV registration, the man replied he didn’t need one because he was using it for agricultural purposes. Collette challenged the man to come up with a farm animal in his fish house. The man sheepishly admitted he didn’t have any with him, so a ticket was issued.

WHAT A LINE

CO Mike Shelden (Alexandria) cited an angler who was fishing with too many lines. When asked why, the angler said he was “just setting the lines for proper depth.”  Shelden discovered that all the lines were down 20 feet with shiner minnows on them.

IT’S IN THE LAUNDRY BASKET

A concerned citizen called CO Greg Salo (Mora) regarding a hawk that was injured by a bird feeder. The homeowner had trapped the hawk in a laundry basket. Salo removed the laundry basket and discovered an injured partridge from a nearby game farm.

WEEDING OUT THE LITTLE FISH

CO Aaron Kahre (Minnetonka) was checking anglers on Black Lake in Hennepin County when he came upon a man with two piles of sunfish on the ice. One pile had really small sunfish and the other pile contained larger sunfish. When Kahre asked the angler about the piles, he said he had to “weed out” the little fish. A few minutes later, the officer turned around just in time to see the angler stomping the smaller bluegills back into the hole with his foot. Kahre retrieved the fish and confronted the man. The angler’s excuse was that he thought he could just put the fish back that he didn’t want. Kahre explained the rules and sent the angler away with the appropriate paperwork.

WHY THERE ARE RULES

CO Todd Kanieski (Osseo) located two snowmobilers who had caused a car accident and left the scene in Hennepin County. The snowmobilers were illegally riding against traffic at night and on the shoulder of the road. The driver of a car saw the snowmobile headlights coming at him. The driver believed it was a car traveling in the wrong lane. Fearing a head-on crash, the driver of the car veered into the ditch. The juvenile snowmobilers didn’t understand why the car swerved at them and also drove into the ditch. The snowmobilers thought the driver was impaired but later discovered the driver was trying to avoid hitting them. The suspects’ parents were called to the scene to work out an agreement to resolve the damage and towing bills.

WHO HAS BEEN SLEEPING IN MY BED?

Conservation Officer (CO) Gary Forsberg (Fergus Falls) received a nuisance raccoon complaint from a Otter Tail County homeowner who said a raccoon followed the owner’s dog into the house. The raccoon took up residence in the bedroom. The homeowner spent the night on the couch after unsuccessfully attempting to capture the raccoon. Forsberg, with assistance of a DNR Wildlife employee, removed the raccoon in the morning after it was found curled up sleeping in the homeowner’s bed.

IT’S INSIDE THE HOUSE WATCHING TV

CO Tom Hemker (Winona) had an interesting situation following up on a complaint of a person running a game farm without a license. When Hemker asked if there were any more animals than what were in the pens, the homeowner said there was one more pheasant inside house watching TV with his daughter.