An Outdoorsman’s Journal The Dushek Boys, Then and NowFLATER’S RESORT - couriersentinel_20240718_ccs-2024-07-18-a-012_art_5.xml
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An Outdoorsman’s Journal By Mark Walters The Dushek Boys, Then and Now Mark, Selina, Kevin, Travis and Joe Dushek, at Trav’s wedding on Madeline Island. Hello friends, This column has spanned over 35 years, of my life and this week, I have returned home from a wedding on Madeline Island, that I simply have to write about. I think you will understand after reading it and, as always, thanks for reading. In 1997, Kevin, Travis and Joey Dushek, came into my life, as I was dating their mother. I had written this column for nine years, and was at a point in my life, where I was truly a hardcore outdoorsman. We all started sharing the same home in 1998, and each of the boys also became hardcore outdoors kids. At the time, Joey was 4, Travis, 6, and Kevin, 8. I have always traveled with my job and sometimes, just one of them and sometimes, all three of them, went on low-budget, go-forit hunting and fishing experiences with me. One of my first memories of Travis in the outdoors, is taking him field hunting for ducks, on the Arlington prairie, at the age of six. Our hunt started in the dark, I covered him with corn stalks and when night became day, a flock of mallards flew over us. I picked one out and dropped it within an arm’s length of us, as we laid there. Until my dying day, I will remember the look on his face and it was complete addiction. In 2000, our family of five moved to rural Necedah, and Jan. 9, 2001, Selina was born. The boys were the best brothers to a baby sister you could imagine, but I am writing this column about Trav, Kevin and Joey. In reality, they are no longer legally my stepsons, but there has never been a second I felt that way, as our lives are 100 percent intertwined. Travis has his own carpentry business in Portage, called Back Country Carpentry and I am not fibbing, when I say that Trav and his employees can build anything, and they put an artistic twist to their work. Joey is married to Ashlie Potter, now Dushek, has a oneyear- old, Ellie, who is a sweety pie, and is in the cranberry business. Joe worked with berries through high school and was asked to go full-time after graduation, which he did and has never looked back. Joe, Ashlie and Ellie live on a marsh, between Tomah and Necedah. Travis and Joey are the most sucessful any type of hunting, and fishing outdoorsmen, I know. Kevin moved to Anchorage, Alaska, about 14 years ago, and is a chef at Whiskey and Ramen restaurant, and one heck of a fun person to hang out with. When we moved to Necedah, I started a firewood business with the boys and we had six businesses that sold our bundles. I also gave them $25 a month allowance, and they earned it, as we heated with wood and raised cattle. I never showed mercy on our outdoor camping trips. We were a low-budget family, but a 100 percent go-for-it family and I think that is, in part, why the boys do so well and simply put, are happy people. One of our craziest annual trips, was 10 days, winter camping on Lake Waubay, in South Dakota. I always drove junk vehicles, we slept on the ice, were up before daybreak, and kicked hiney on walleye, perch and northern pike. A couple years ago, Travis met Anne Shaben, of Portage. Anne comes from an excellent family and has a seven-year-old boy, named Jett. Trav took Jett under his wing from day one, and they are regulars in the outdoor world and Trav, who was an excellent wrestler in high school, got Jett into the sport and helps with coaching. Trav and Anne are the most successful outdoor couple I know. Trav got Anne into bow hunting and she got a buck on her first hunt, while Trav stood in the tree next to her. It was on an Arkansas duck hunt, that Travis proposed to Anne and, come the walleye run, these two put a smackdown on the walleye. The readers of this column were totally in tune with the boys and still are, a bit. It was at the wedding, that I told myself, this story needs to be told and that is what I just did, and to my last breath, they will always be my stepsons. Sunset FLATER’S RESORT Where the Chippewa & Flambeau Rivers Meet Advertise Here! Call 715-861-4414 581 Advertise Here! Call 715-861-4414 Joe Flater, owner Cadott • Cornell • Lake Holcombe Your Hometown Newspaper www.flatersresort.com 270 N. Cty. E, Holcombe, Wis. 715-861-4414 715-595-4771 www.centralwinews.com Open Year-around | Bar w/food | Gas | Cabins An Outdoorsman’s Journal By Mark Walters The Dushek Boys, Then and Now Mark, Selina, Kevin, Travis and Joe Dushek, at Trav’s wedding on Madeline Island. Hello friends, This column has spanned over 35 years, of my life and this week, I have returned home from a wedding on Madeline Island, that I simply have to write about. I think you will understand after reading it and, as always, thanks for reading. In 1997, Kevin, Travis and Joey Dushek, came into my life, as I was dating their mother. I had written this column for nine years, and was at a point in my life, where I was truly a hardcore outdoorsman. We all started sharing the same home in 1998, and each of the boys also became hardcore outdoors kids. At the time, Joey was 4, Travis, 6, and Kevin, 8. I have always traveled with my job and sometimes, just one of them and sometimes, all three of them, went on low-budget, go-forit hunting and fishing experiences with me. One of my first memories of Travis in the outdoors, is taking him field hunting for ducks, on the Arlington prairie, at the age of six. Our hunt started in the dark, I covered him with corn stalks and when night became day, a flock of mallards flew over us. I picked one out and dropped it within an arm’s length of us, as we laid there. Until my dying day, I will remember the look on his face and it was complete addiction. In 2000, our family of five moved to rural Necedah, and Jan. 9, 2001, Selina was born. The boys were the best brothers to a baby sister you could imagine, but I am writing this column about Trav, Kevin and Joey. In reality, they are no longer legally my stepsons, but there has never been a second I felt that way, as our lives are 100 percent intertwined. Travis has his own carpentry business in Portage, called Back Country Carpentry and I am not fibbing, when I say that Trav and his employees can build anything, and they put an artistic twist to their work. Joey is married to Ashlie Potter, now Dushek, has a oneyear- old, Ellie, who is a sweety pie, and is in the cranberry business. Joe worked with berries through high school and was asked to go full-time after graduation, which he did and has never looked back. Joe, Ashlie and Ellie live on a marsh, between Tomah and Necedah. Travis and Joey are the most sucessful any type of hunting, and fishing outdoorsmen, I know. Kevin moved to Anchorage, Alaska, about 14 years ago, and is a chef at Whiskey and Ramen restaurant, and one heck of a fun person to hang out with. When we moved to Necedah, I started a firewood business with the boys and we had six businesses that sold our bundles. I also gave them $25 a month allowance, and they earned it, as we heated with wood and raised cattle. I never showed mercy on our outdoor camping trips. We were a low-budget family, but a 100 percent go-for-it family and I think that is, in part, why the boys do so well and simply put, are happy people. One of our craziest annual trips, was 10 days, winter camping on Lake Waubay, in South Dakota. I always drove junk vehicles, we slept on the ice, were up before daybreak, and kicked hiney on walleye, perch and northern pike. A couple years ago, Travis met Anne Shaben, of Portage. Anne comes from an excellent family and has a seven-year-old boy, named Jett. Trav took Jett under his wing from day one, and they are regulars in the outdoor world and Trav, who was an excellent wrestler in high school, got Jett into the sport and helps with coaching. Trav and Anne are the most successful outdoor couple I know. Trav got Anne into bow hunting and she got a buck on her first hunt, while Trav stood in the tree next to her. It was on an Arkansas duck hunt, that Travis proposed to Anne and, come the walleye run, these two put a smackdown on the walleye. The readers of this column were totally in tune with the boys and still are, a bit. It was at the wedding, that I told myself, this story needs to be told and that is what I just did, and to my last breath, they will always be my stepsons. Sunset FLATER’S RESORT Where the Chippewa & Flambeau Rivers Meet Advertise Here! Call 715-861-4414 581 Advertise Here! Call 715-861-4414 Joe Flater, owner Cadott • Cornell • Lake Holcombe Your Hometown Newspaper www.flatersresort.com 270 N. Cty. E, Holcombe, Wis. 715-861-4414 715-595-4771 www.centralwinews.com Open Year-around | Bar w/food | Gas | Cabins
Parker Hill lunges forward to get to the tennis ball and keep a point alive as he and Blaine Searles hit with Ethan Kollmansberger and Christian Preuss outside in the cold Monday afternoon on the MASH courts. MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS
Leftfielder Sam Hierlmeier makes the throw and catcher Evan Czarnezki applies the tag, cutting down Wausau East’s Zach Pagel as he tried to score a second on Karson Baumann’s RBI single in the top of the third inning in Friday’s season-opening baseball game. Wausau East beat Medford 6-2 in the non-conference game. MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS
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