May 9, 2005
Press Release

Minnesota DNR - News Releases

Conservation officers' tales for May

USING WHATEVER THEY CAN TO CATCH WHATEVER THEY CAN

Conservation officer (CO) Brad Schultz (Center City) encountered a boat with three anglers. One angler was using an extra line. All were throwing large spoons for bait. When the officer contacted them they said they were, "fishing for whatever they could catch." No one had a fishing license. ID's were checked which led to one angler going to jail on two outstanding warrants.

FISHERMAN FLOP

CO Joe Frear (Waseca) reported an angler kicked over his pail when he saw the officer coming. An overlimit of fish remained flopping in the grass.

TWO VIOLATIONS FOR ONE OFFICER

CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) encountered an angler fishing along a riverbank that had walked around a fence and was fishing right under a "No Trespassing" sign. While Kuske was explaining to the angler what penalties went along with Gross Misdemeanor Trespassing the angler pointed out that there were a lot of dead leaves floating down stream intermittently during the afternoon. Upon further investigation a resident upstream was found dumping yard waste and leaves in the stream. Enforcement action was taken for placing fill in public waters.

EIGHT-FEET OF EAGLE FOOD

CO Tom Campbell (Henning) received a call from a panic-stricken lakeshore owner who reported there was a dead 8-foot snake on his shoreline. After investigating the situation, Campbell found that an area taxidermist skinned a pet boa and was feeding the carcass to eagles.

QUITE A LINE

CO Kevin Prodzinski (Zumbrota) reported a fisherman was catching walleye and using monofilament line as a stringer to tie them to rocks under the water in attempt to conceal them when checked. Other walleyes were found concealed in the bottom of large tackle boxes.

LOST AND FOUND

CO Joyce Kuske (Little Falls) saw a vehicle parked at a Mississippi River bridge and looked around for shore fishermen. No anglers were found but a set of car keys matching the vehicle was found in the grass on the riverbank. Kuske tracked down the vehicle owners' cell phone number and contacted him assuming he had left the vehicle behind because he had lost the keys. The owner said he was out on the river in a boat fishing and did not lose any car keys. They he checked for the keys and found that, low and behold, he had lost his keys! The anglers were thankful the officer had found them.

CANADA GOOSE CLAIMS OWL NEST

CO Bruce Nelson (Ortonville) observed a first: a Canada goose nesting approximately 40-feet up in a tree, using an abandoned owl's nest.

GOOD TIME DOCUMENTS RESULT IN CITATION

CO Neil Freborg (Lake George) reported some young people had a large party at the county access to a small trout lake. The litter they left behind filled five garbage bags, which were picked up by Hubbard County Parks personnel. They also left behind a disposable camera, which had been used to document the "good time" they had. The officer had the pictures developed, spoke to local liquor store employees, and finally located the person responsible for the party. He received a $270 citation for litter.

Kids life jacket law goes into effect May 6

A new requirement, for children under age 10 to wear a life jacket while boating on Minnesota waters, was signed into law by Gov. Tim Pawlenty Thursday and went into effect Friday, May 6. Called the "Grant Allen Law," the measure was named in memory of the child who drowned after falling out of his father's boat in 2003.

The new law requires that a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket be worn by children younger than age 10 in boats that are underway or otherwise not tied up to a dock or permanent mooring.

There are a few exceptions to the law. Children are not required to wear a life jacket if they are in a boat's enclosed cabin or below decks, or on an anchored boat that is being used as a platform for swimming or diving. Also, children on board commercial or charter vessels with a licensed captain are exempt from the life jacket wearing requirement.

Boat operators who violate the law are subject to a written warning for the first offense and a petty misdemeanor for a second offense until May 1, 2006, and a petty misdemeanor for any offense on or after May 1, 2006.

For more information, visit the DNR Web site www.dnr.state.us or call (651) 296-6157 or toll free 1-888-MINNDNR (646-6367).

SUMMARY

- requires life jacket to be worn by children less than 10 years of age when aboard watercraft in Minnesota when the craft is under way (not tied up at a dock or permanent mooring)

- exemptions from wearing:

- when in an enclosed cabin or below the top deck on a watercraft - when on an anchored boat that is a platform for swimming or diving - when aboard a charter (passenger) craft with a licensed captain.

PENALTIES

- written warning only for the FIRST offense - until May 1, 2006

- petty misdemeanor for second offense during period above and any offense on or after May 1, 2006.

DNR appreciates waterfowl hunter input, continues to take comments

Thoughtful suggestions, opinions and questions about how to improve waterfowl habitat abounded as hunters and conservationists gathered at public meetings across the state last week.

About 650 people attended the 18 meetings, held simultaneously on April 28. Officials from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which organized the event, said they were pleased with the turnout and the discussion.

"It's heartening to see so much knowledge of waterfowl issues," said John Guenther, chief of the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife. "This type of involvement is crucial to finalizing and implementing the duck recovery plan. "Ultimately, we need support and partnerships to improve waterfowl habitat."

A compilation of comments and results of surveys taken at the meetings will be available in the coming weeks. These discussions, along with previous hunter opinion surveys, will guide future regulations and complete the development of the duck recovery plan.

Topics of discussion at each location were varied, according to area wildlife managers who conducted the meetings. Among the most discussed topics were: structuring seasons to maximize ice-free hunting opportunities, providing more rest areas for migrating ducks, water quality improvement, spinning wing decoys and wildlife lake management.

Those who were unable to attend the meetings are encouraged to comment by e-mail at waterfowl@dnr.state.mn.us.

Printed material that was available at the meetings will be posted online at www.dnr.state.mn.us.

Copies of the 25-minute video presentation are available to conservation clubs upon request.

"We needed spirited, diverse discussions to help guide efforts to improve the state's duck hunting and keep a spotlight on these important issues," Guenther said. "We got exactly that and we're very grateful to everyone who participated."