An Outdoorsman’s Journal: Mississippi River duck hunt 2025 Venison Processing - recordgleaner_20251022_trg-2025-10-22-0-014_art_0.xml
An Outdoorsman’s Journal: Mississippi River duck hunt 2025 Hello friends, We call it “The Mississippi.” This trip is actually like a religion to the 15 to 23 of us that make it each year and it is all about camaraderie, adventure, and hopefully shooting ducks. My first time to the islands across from Ferryville was in 1971, 54 hunts ago. There is no way I can miss this trip unless there is flooding or maybe if I die. I brought my three stepsons, Kevin, Travis, and Joey, here, and other than Kevin who lives in Alaska, Joey and Travis make it happen year after year. One of Joey’s high school classmates, Grant Wandler, flies in from California. Like I said,“It’s a religion!” Mark Walters anyways — only get together one weekend a year, with a bonus that every one of us is an excellent camp cook. Saturday, Oct. 4 — High 87, low 59 Sometimes I make poor choices. Today’s poor choice was waiting until 9 to change my decision not to shoot hen wood ducks or teal. I was living out of my canoe and pretty proud of myself, as in the dark, I found the spot I had picked out yesterday. Last week I wrote that Red was not being very responsible on retrieving the ducks I dropped while hunting the northern Wisconsin opener. Between that hunt and this one, I worked with Red on my pond, and she was flawless. Today not only did Red retrieve the first duck I dropped, a hen wood duck, but she also swam to an island, found it in very dense willows, and brought it to my hand after a very lengthy retrieve. I’m not saying we are past the bump in the road, but we’re certainly on the right path. Each year on Saturday night at about 11-ish everyone comes to camp and laughs a lot and tells their stories. Other than Travis Dushek and his good buddy Andrew Krizan, there were not a whole lot of duck-whacking stories. These guys got here on Thursday, did some serious scouting, and it paid off. This afternoon Trav and Andrew invited my nephews Trent and Riley Schuster along with“Captain” Troy Ringelstetter and Trent’s golden, Ivy, to follow them to paradise. The boys had a great hunt with ducks and a goose, and it was very nice to see the “we did some whacking” look on their faces tonight. As has been the norm since my dad, the late Robert Walters, started this hunt, Saturday night was even more fun than Friday, and, I guarantee you this, if mankind still exists next October, this gang will be camping on the Mississippi, laughing, and hopefully shooting ducks! Live large while you can! Sunset Venison Processing Friday, Oct. 3 — High 89, low 63 The War Eagle and its occupants, myself and my trusty companion, Red, were off and running from Lansing, Iowa, to our island paradise and it was warm enough to wear shorts and sandals. As soon as I reached the island and was greeted by several of my comrades, I started unloading and ferrying gear from the boat through water and muck to the island. Both of my sandals fell apart during this procedure. There would be 15 of us this year: 13 duck hunters and my brother Mike and brother-inlaw Dick Schuster would be fishing. Long story short on the fishing—if they had to eat what they caught they would both be skinnier than me. We build camp and before we even go scouting for ducks, we all sit in a circle around our campfire or something like that and shoot the breeze. Shooting the breeze is something that this gang is very good at. Three hours before dark, I took theWar Eagle and my canoe and went exploring near the Wisconsin shoreline, which is a good 2.5 miles away. There was a lot of shallow water that enforced the decision that I would live out of my canoe this weekend. We camp after dark on the island. There’s never any negativity, just six dogs loving every minute of the island and socialization, and a bunch of guys that — for this exact group Catering • Weddings • Funerals Family Reunions • Company Meals Black River Country Insurance Group, LLC We are looking into the future to better serve your needs today. School Sports Calendar • Auto • Commercial • Farm • Home • Farm Bureau Life Annuities 93304 Tim Voigt, Career Agent 450 Hewett St., Neillsville 715-743-2800 Granton Greenwood Loyal spencer tvoigt@ruralins.com 84607 Ryan Dillenbeck, Career Agent 715-223-2777 102 E. Main St., Thorp www.smithbrosmeats.com Hwy. 13 South • Colby, WI 54421 715-669-5400 rdillenbeck@ruralins.com An Outdoorsman’s Journal: Mississippi River duck hunt 2025 Hello friends, We call it “The Mississippi.” This trip is actually like a religion to the 15 to 23 of us that make it each year and it is all about camaraderie, adventure, and hopefully shooting ducks. My first time to the islands across from Ferryville was in 1971, 54 hunts ago. There is no way I can miss this trip unless there is flooding or maybe if I die. I brought my three stepsons, Kevin, Travis, and Joey, here, and other than Kevin who lives in Alaska, Joey and Travis make it happen year after year. One of Joey’s high school classmates, Grant Wandler, flies in from California. Like I said,“It’s a religion!” Mark Walters anyways — only get together one weekend a year, with a bonus that every one of us is an excellent camp cook. Saturday, Oct. 4 — High 87, low 59 Sometimes I make poor choices. Today’s poor choice was waiting until 9 to change my decision not to shoot hen wood ducks or teal. I was living out of my canoe and pretty proud of myself, as in the dark, I found the spot I had picked out yesterday. Last week I wrote that Red was not being very responsible on retrieving the ducks I dropped while hunting the northern Wisconsin opener. Between that hunt and this one, I worked with Red on my pond, and she was flawless. Today not only did Red retrieve the first duck I dropped, a hen wood duck, but she also swam to an island, found it in very dense willows, and brought it to my hand after a very lengthy retrieve. I’m not saying we are past the bump in the road, but we’re certainly on the right path. Each year on Saturday night at about 11-ish everyone comes to camp and laughs a lot and tells their stories. Other than Travis Dushek and his good buddy Andrew Krizan, there were not a whole lot of duck-whacking stories. These guys got here on Thursday, did some serious scouting, and it paid off. This afternoon Trav and Andrew invited my nephews Trent and Riley Schuster along with“Captain” Troy Ringelstetter and Trent’s golden, Ivy, to follow them to paradise. The boys had a great hunt with ducks and a goose, and it was very nice to see the “we did some whacking” look on their faces tonight. As has been the norm since my dad, the late Robert Walters, started this hunt, Saturday night was even more fun than Friday, and, I guarantee you this, if mankind still exists next October, this gang will be camping on the Mississippi, laughing, and hopefully shooting ducks! Live large while you can! Sunset Venison Processing Friday, Oct. 3 — High 89, low 63 The War Eagle and its occupants, myself and my trusty companion, Red, were off and running from Lansing, Iowa, to our island paradise and it was warm enough to wear shorts and sandals. As soon as I reached the island and was greeted by several of my comrades, I started unloading and ferrying gear from the boat through water and muck to the island. Both of my sandals fell apart during this procedure. There would be 15 of us this year: 13 duck hunters and my brother Mike and brother-inlaw Dick Schuster would be fishing. Long story short on the fishing—if they had to eat what they caught they would both be skinnier than me. We build camp and before we even go scouting for ducks, we all sit in a circle around our campfire or something like that and shoot the breeze. Shooting the breeze is something that this gang is very good at. Three hours before dark, I took theWar Eagle and my canoe and went exploring near the Wisconsin shoreline, which is a good 2.5 miles away. There was a lot of shallow water that enforced the decision that I would live out of my canoe this weekend. We camp after dark on the island. There’s never any negativity, just six dogs loving every minute of the island and socialization, and a bunch of guys that — for this exact group Catering • Weddings • Funerals Family Reunions • Company Meals Black River Country Insurance Group, LLC We are looking into the future to better serve your needs today. School Sports Calendar • Auto • Commercial • Farm • Home • Farm Bureau Life Annuities 93304 Tim Voigt, Career Agent 450 Hewett St., Neillsville 715-743-2800 Granton Greenwood Loyal spencer tvoigt@ruralins.com 84607 Ryan Dillenbeck, Career Agent 715-223-2777 102 E. Main St., Thorp www.smithbrosmeats.com Hwy. 13 South • Colby, WI 54421 715-669-5400 rdillenbeck@ruralins.com
Medford’s Tori Nicks reacts after winning the 100-yard freestyle in Thursday’s win over Marshfield at the MASH pool. Nicks and Kodi Rappe had the top two finishes in this race. TERRY WERNER/MASH YEARBOOK
Gilman running back Trevin Duellman waits for Taydyne Angell to get his block and then bursts upfield for a 48yard gain during the second quarter of Fridays’ 50-0 win over Athens. MANDEE ELLIS/THE STAR NEWS
Medford’s Cash Thums and Austin Czarnezki team up to tackle Onalaska receiver Cooper Hegge while Jacob Doyle rushes in to help. Hegge’s gained 6 yards on this catch to convert a late fourth-and-five for the Hilltoppers, who won 20-0. MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS
Elk country/Calgary bound Hello friends, Where do I start with this column is a big question as I just returned from 4,200-mile adventure that went from Necedah to just south of Anaconda, Montana to Salmon, Idaho, then Missoula, Montana and then Calgary, Alberta and back home. Long story short, I have an elk and deer license for Montana and will hunt with a rifle in late October by myself. Four years ago, I harvested a beautiful 6x6 bull near Big Sky, then I did not see elk in the next two seasons. Last year I relocated to the Livingston area and, despite the fact that each August I scouted, I did not see an elk while hunting but plenty while scouting. I put out some feelers and had two choices, one south of Anaconda, the other near Phillipsburg. After the planned five days of scouting, I was going to help my 25-year-old daughter Selina Walters relocate to Calgary, Alberta, where she will attend the University of Calgary to pursue her master’s degree in a subject that she truly loves, fisheries. Friday, Aug. 14 High 82, Low 48
