Hunting and Heroes Part One


The geese are finding it
as difficult as we are to find
a warm place to settle in.

They were here by the millions last week
and disappeared to the north quickly....
a few days later, blizzard conditions 
were hitting North Dakota and we started 
seeing them heading back south.

A crazy winter for everybody, I guess.



Today we've been watching them again in every direction
circling the cropland and searching for open waters.


 All the geese reminded me of some old
pictures Sall has of his Uncle Clarence
with his hunting party in Southern
South Dakota along the Missouri River
called "The Mulehead"

The Mulehead is quite a historical piece of 
property near Bonesteel, South Dakota (population 350).
Back when Uncle Clarence was hunting there
the Haisch family owned it.


Clarence and his wife Fay hunted 
geese there annually back in the 40's and 50's

Clarence was Vice President of 
the John Morrell Packing Plant in Sioux Falls
and hunted with some well-known 
businessmen of Sioux Falls and one very 
famous man from South Dakota....

Joe Foss


Joe Foss
April 17,1915 - Jan. 1, 2003
was the leading fighter ace of the 
United States Marine Corps during World War II.
A 1943 recipient of the Medal of Honor,
a General in the Air National Guard,
the 20th Governor of South Dakota, 
and the first commissioner of
the American Football League.


Joe and Uncle Sall along with Herb Shoeneman,
Jess Taylor, Billy and Curly Haisch,
Lyle Sheldon, Bob Foster,
Harry Tunge, and Myron Efting
and others that names have been 
lost over the years,
one big happy hunting party.

(Every time I look at the pictures 
I can almost smell the cigar smoke!)


The geese proudly hung on the side 
of the old truck.
"It was a good hunt, men!"

I love these old pictures...
Men and Hunting,
doing what they love, 
the comradeship,
great memories and stories they 
all surely passed on to their grand-children.


I know that Uncle Clarence who passed away in 1983,
was a huge influence in a certain young boy's life.
Sall looked up to and admired his uncle as
if he had also won the medal of honor.
To this day he loves to hunt and
talk about Clarence and the boys
shootin' at the mulehead!

That was many years ago,
I wonder if they are in heaven flying beside the geese now?
R.I.P. men
your legacy lives on.



Have a great week, my friends!

Comments

barb said…
I can smell the cigar smoke too! But i think it is coming from the beach at St. Augustine Florida? Who's bringing the Swishers?
Michaele said…
Wonderful post, thoughts and photos.
Thank you.
Nancy said…
Love the old photos. Such comraderie between those hunters. Thank you so much for sharing. :)
TexWisGirl said…
Poor geese. All messed up.
Michelle said…
A great post about the friendship that is developed through hunting.
Sharon said…
Really? The birds are heading South again? That was a dang short Summer!

My family were big duck & goose & partridge & pheasant hunters. Nobody left to the gang anymore.
Love the photos nice old memories too. I am sure they are flying with the geese. B
Sarah said…
wonderful photos!

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