In the News

'Deer wanton waste gets COs' attention'

November 19th, 2009

Tower, Minn. - The actions of hunters sometimes bewilder the state's conservation officers. Case in point:

'Wall of Shame' likely to get new entry

November 19th, 2009
A tip, probably spurred by a picture on the Internet, led the Department of Natural Resources to charge a Cannon Falls man with illegally shooting an 8-point buck that has a green score of 185.
Source: Rochester Post Bulletin

Home raided in deer baiting case

November 17th, 2009
State conservation officers raided a suspected Winona County deer poacher’s home Friday night, seizing guns, deer bait and the rack from an illegally killed eight-point buck.
Source: Winona Daily News

Tougher penalties are the only answer to deer poaching

November 16th, 2009
Deer poaching exists at the level it does in Minnesota because Minnesota, in the form of its Legislature, has decided it doesn't care much about it.
Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

DNR conservation officers' report: 14-point buck seized, Deer season enforcement etc.

November 16th, 2009
Conservation officer Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls) reports a Turn In Poachers call led to the seizure of a 14-point buck that was taken from a roadway while the shooter sat in the passenger seat of a pickup. Further investigation resulted in the seizure of an additional 10-point buck located at the same shooter's residence. Source: Grand Forks Herald

Field reports: 52 hunters charged with deer baiting on opening weekend

November 15th, 2009
Fifty-two deer hunters in Northeastern Minnesota were charged with hunting over bait on opening weekend, according to Capt. Ken Soring, regional enforcement supervisor at Grand Rapids with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Source: Duluth News Tribune

Schmitt outdoors column: Illegal hunting is blatant

November 15th, 2009
There were many story lines surrounding this year's firearms deer season. The standing corn, fewer doe permits, the weather, and deer populations all seemed to garner the attention of hunters. But the biggest story to come out of the 2009 deer opener had to be the illegal activity that took place.
Source: St. Cloud Times

Dennis Anderson: A massive buck's undeserved demise

November 15th, 2009
An alleged poacher's taking of a likely world-record 8-point buck was a crushing blow to hunters who followed the animal for years.
Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

Court sentences Roseau County, Minn., men for shooting bear out of season

November 14th, 2009
Two Roseau County, Minn., men each have been ordered to pay $485 in fines and court costs after being convicted for taking and possessing a black bear out of season.
Source: Grand Forks Herald

Eight-pointer had the genes

November 14th, 2009
The whitetail with the world's largest eight-point rack ever measured probably was an older deer that never grew more points.
Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press

Deer baiting, poaching mar 2009 opener

November 14th, 2009
Widespread tales of illegal deer baiting throughout Minnesota and especially in the northwestern counties have not been present locally, although Hubbard County has seen some illegal baiting.
Source: Park Rapids Enterprise

Alleged poaching incident leaves land owner disappointed, not angry

November 14th, 2009
Alleged poaching incident has caused landowner Ivan Terwilliger to lose some faith and made him wary of giving access to hunters.
Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press

Deer poacher goes from hero to Wall of Shame

November 13th, 2009
Cannon Falls hunter charged with illegally taking a local legend.
Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press

DNR says record buck was poached

November 13th, 2009
DNR officials charged a Cannon Falls, Minn., man with gross overlimits of wild animals after he shot three deer without licenses for the last two. The third deer he shot was the trophy-size buck.
Source: Duluth News Tribune

Baiting: 'from anecdotal to chronic' this season

November 12th, 2009
St. Paul - Yes, there were plenty of deer hunters during the firearms opener who failed to tag harvested animals. Others didn't wear the required blaze orange clothing. A few were caught trespassing.
Source: Outdoor News

UPDATED - Trophy buck illegally shot in Minnesota

November 12th, 2009
St. Paul - Minnesota conservation officers last week seized a record- book deer rack and on Thursday morning filed poaching charges against a man from Cannon Falls, Minn., in the case.
Source: Outdoor News

Minn. hunter charged with poaching trophy buck

November 12th, 2009
DNR conservation officer Maj. Rod Smith said hunter Troy Reinke could face jail time if convicted of poaching. “We take this very seriously,” Smith said. “The natural resources of Minnesota belong to all of us.”
Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

DNR charges 52 deer hunters with baiting

November 12th, 2009
Hunters in Northeastern Minnesota were charged with hunting over bait on opening weekend, according to Capt. Ken Soring, regional enforcement supervisor at Grand Rapids with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Source: Duluth News Tribune

DNR seizes 25 firearms in northwestern Minnesota

November 12th, 2009
DNR seizes 25 firearms in northwestern Minnesota An “unprecedented” number of firearms were seized from Minnesota hunters last weekend as illegal deer baiting reached new high levels, say Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officials.
Source: Grand Forks Herald

Illegal deer baiting in Minnesota has hit new levels, DNR says

November 10th, 2009
Illegal deer baiting in Minnesota has hit new levels, says the DNR, awash in confiscated guns
Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press

Hunters pay a stiff price for deer baiting

November 8th, 2009
HIBBING, Minn. — The burly hunter in the deer stand was clearly surprised Saturday when conservation officer Don Bozovsky pulled up on an all-terrain vehicle.
Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press

Deer poaching on the rise, DNR says

November 6th, 2009
The state Department of Natural Resources said poaching is increasing. Poachers kill hundreds of deer every year, some for fun and some for money.
Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press

DNR says deer poaching on the rise in Minnesota

November 5th, 2009
Thousands of Minnesota deer hunters will take to the woods for the season opener this weekend, but many people don't wait for the season to shoot a deer. The DNR says poaching is on the increase and poachers kill hundreds of deer illegally every year, some for money, some apparently just for fun.
Source: Minnesota Public Radio

Minn. DNR says deer poaching on the rise

November 5th, 2009
Thousands of Minnesota deer hunters will go into the woods for the season opener this weekend, but many people don't wait for the season to shoot a deer.
Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

Turn-In-Poachers invaluable to conservation officers

(Released April 28, 2009)

For more than 25 years, TIP’s tips have helped state conservation officers apprehend thousands of violators while protecting and preserving Minnesota’s natural resources. more....

Statewide toll-free: 1-800-652-9093
24 hours a day, 365 days a year or dial #TIP from your cell phone.

Tips are received through a 24-hour phone line which is answered at the

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources–Enforcement Division Monday through Friday and the Minnesota State Patrol–Dispatchers, Thief River Falls, nights and weekends.

PROTECTING ALL OF MINNESOTA'S WILDLIFE