The Old Duck Hunters

D

Dick Sargeant

Well-known member
Every year about this time I find myself reading the stories by Gordon MacQuarrie. I enjoy his work more every time I read it. Do any of the members out there know if the area that they hunted is still any good ? I believe it was in the Eau Claire region of NW Wisconsin and I would love to gun it someday.

sarge
 
I'm reading "More Stories of the Old Duck Hunters" by MacQuarrie and it got me thinking about the U.P. of Michigan...aka. "God's country." Great stories... especially his openner -Bluebill Day. What a time to be alive.
 
Having just left the U.P. it wouldn't be on my top 10 places to go for a duck trip, but I know it has a few bright spots. I'd be interested in spending a season on the east end to see what that's like.

As for MacQuarrie's old haunts, I don't believe they are very good anymore. They may have their occasional pushes of birds, but by and large, MN, WI, and the UP have lost their glory with the lack of bluebills. It would still be fun to check out the locations just for kicks, but when MacQuarrie lived, there were very few cottages in the area. Now the whole area is built up - every inch of shoreline, and much of the forest has been carved up into 40s and whatnot.

MacQuarrie's biography is just as good as his writings.

Nobody writes like MacQuarrie. I was set in my ways long before I read his books, and they are right up my alley.

NR
 
Sarge,

It's an annual tradition for me as well. My wife gave me the 3 volume set that Zack Taylor edited as a Xmas gift several years ago and I read them cover to cover before the season starts.

Mac's camp was on the Eau Claire chain. You can use Google Maps/Earth to check it out. I've heard comments similar to Nick's regarding development and hunting. But, if you look at the satellite images, you'll see that there are still undeveloped swaths of land there.

One of my co-workers has a personal connection to WI as his brother has worked as a waterfowl manager for the DNR for decades. My understandind is that some of the units are actively managed for rice and offer fantastic gunning opportunities. I'm not sure if they are in the NW part of the state.
 
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See if you can find Ducks Unlimited May/June 1998 Magazine - Chuck Petrie wrote an article about revisiting MacQuarrie's stomping ground called "MacQuarrie Country - a lesson in time travel and being careful what you wish for". I may have a few copies of the article if you can't find it.
 
Nick is right on with his assessment. I've not been there for years but spent the better part of several summers just up the shore from Mac's cabin. The shoreline was already pretty well developed and the lake eutrophic by the mid 70s but part of the Libby Bay shore is too marshy for building. I only hunted the lake once as a kid but did off-road into a couple of the nearby potholes. To be honest, I have a stronger connection to his descriptions of specific runs on the Brule River than I do his duck spots.

Keith Crowley has a relatively recent pic of the cabin on his site and you'll see a map of the lake as well if you need a reference point in finding the Hole in the Wall on GoogleEarth. Sadly, docks now line HITW bay and points. http://gordonmacquarrie.com/thecabin.html
 
Thanks a million everyone !

I suspected that, like most places, development has made it's mark.

The real value (the wonderful stories and descriptions) can never be over run and it is a credit to the author that they remain timeless and appeal yet today.

Many thanks too for the references and links that I was not aware of - very much appreciated !

sarge
 
Every fall I threaten to run over to the lake where McQuarrie hunted but never seem to make it. Maybe next year, when I get to northern Wisc in Oct. I do have the maps and stories that tell where it is just never made the trip.
 
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