FYI - there are better things for law enforcement officers to be doing than responding to reports of non-criminal activity:

“ CO Sean Williams (Ely 1) focused on ATV and small-game hunting activity over the weekend as Ely hosted the ATVAM annual conference and small-game opener over the same dates. He also fielded several complaints from visitors to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness who witnessed hunting activities. No violations were reported and the visitors were informed that as part of Minnesota, hunting is legal inside the wilderness.”

Minnesota DNR report: Officers see mixed bag for grouse opener

dang-double post-sorry

gravelroad: "FYI - there are better things for law enforcement officers to be doing than responding to reports of non-criminal activity:

“ CO Sean Williams (Ely 1) focused on ATV and small-game hunting activity over the weekend as Ely hosted the ATVAM annual conference and small-game opener over the same dates. He also fielded several complaints from visitors to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness who witnessed hunting activities. No violations were reported and the visitors were informed that as part of Minnesota, hunting is legal inside the wilderness.”

Minnesota DNR report: Officers see mixed bag for grouse opener "

Yes the Wilderness part took time but his job is informative also and to educate. Understand like the Numbered lakes and the Isabella lake BWCA were just packed this weekend with people.

Much of those or will say a certain numbers of those ATV's were going where they were not suppose too and some areas got tore up pretty bad. The CO is present there also to make sure wrongful acts are not made. Yes it was also the grouse opener and many hunters around. Most law abiding some not so
law abiding.

Thanks CO's.

Agree with pinetree, the more education happening the better. I’m sure there are a fair amount of first-timers out there who are more like state park crowd. You show up to a state park during hunting season and if there is a permitted hunt going on or something you find a LOT of signage and communication to that effect. I’m sure if you’re not expecting to hear gunfire it could be alarming and it makes sense that folks would question that. No harm, no foul.

So...Anyone bag any birds yet?

thegildedgopher: "Agree with pinetree, the more education happening the better. I’m sure there are a fair amount of first-timers out there who are more like state park crowd. You show up to a state park during hunting season and if there is a permitted hunt going on or something you find a LOT of signage and communication to that effect. I’m sure if you’re not expecting to hear gunfire it could be alarming and it makes sense that folks would question that. No harm, no foul.


So...Anyone bag any birds yet?"

Not in the B'Dub, but my nephew bagged his first ever, somewhere in Lake County. And the area immediately north of a certain city at the head of a certain lake is chock full of birds this year. Hope the orange-clad guy and his two orange-clad kids who passed upwind of my tree stand on the opener were successful.

Me? Well, I also got to hear a six-pack serenade me a quarter mile from my stand on the way in before dawn ...