The Johnson Journals, Chapter 204

• Don prepares for goose hunting trip

• Don celebrates Buck’s birthday

• Don goes boating with Jack Murray

9/13/68 Out again with Mr. & Mrs. Whitehurst and Jay. It was raining when we left dock but by 10 a.m. it was clearing. Caught 13 WE in Swell Bay. Good. Layna ran houseboat up to join us for shore lunch. What a great deal for these very appreciative people. They bought 100,000,000# of soybean oil from ADM last year. They act as tho we might have had something to do with it. Art Strand broke into Jim Watson’s cabin.

9/14/68 At 7:00 we went in to see Monahans & Karen. Brought Karen home. She was very composed, went to cabin. A little later she came back and broke down. She is a very insecure little girl and my heart goes out to her. I think we cheered her some.

9/15/68 Painted canoe dead grass. Wonder if I will shoot a duck out of it. Made a run in kicker to Sandpoint and saw 1 mallard. On way home I caught small bear swimming from Curtice Island to Dahlbergs. I ran him to shore and told him he was mighty lucky that I was less blood thirsty than formerly. Took Layna, Karen, Gene and Robin to R.L. Lodge for dinner in honor of Layna’s birthday. Came back to #265 where we discussed wedding plans again. Now we have agreed on December 28. I promised myself not to think about it until Dec. 1. Karen blooming and Robin looks happy, so what do the rest of us matter?

9/18/68 Layna and I in to pack car with Karen’s stuff for Duluth. Robin came and helped load stuff. The poor little desk I made her about 10 years ago looks like it might stand this one trip - but that will be all. They took off about 10 a.m. I called Leduc and ordered gasoline which Jim & I hauled. I hope it is the last batch this summer.

9/23/68 Home for 1 p.m. lunch, packed gang off, and to airport in time to meet Jack Didon and very last party of season. Three couples, Didon, Jones, Murphy. A warm day and they all are laughing about all the foul weather gear they have with them. I told them not to sell any of it until they see.

9/24/68 Layna and I to town where I made final preparations for my goose hunting trip next Friday. In evening Jim, Brian and I to Deer Island for ducks. Jim did not take gun. Said he, “I don’t have a Minnesota license!” Brian shot one black duck. I was gratified to see that the rice I planted last fall is coming up in slough. Went after Buck’s kids as Buck went to Fort Severn for geese. A wild ride but they did not seem to mind. Shades of years at Camp and Dahlbergs hauling our kids back and forth.

9/25/68 Jim and I had Mr. Murphy who owns a barge line on Mississippi out of St. Louis. Yesterday he told us that we could ride down to New Orleans next fall. Today he elaborated on it. Sounds like a real deal. Maybe we will!

9/26/68 Took guests in and back to island where Layna cooked 8 ducks for a feed for crew. Norman Seegert, Karen and Robin joined us. A fun gathering. A great way to end another successful season - despite the damned weather and high water.

9/27/68 Off for Red Lake and George Williams hunting camp alone in old Chevy. Greatly flabbergasted when Willie Good, our Indian guide, talked with a Norwegian accent about as bad as Gilbert Carlson’s! George arrived about 3:00 p.m. with George Rayman and Bill Macmillan. A fun group. All full of anticipation for goose hunt tomorrow altho damned few birds passing by - all high.

9/28/68 No geese anywhere. Season opened officially at noon and we manned our blinds in plenty of time. About 2 p.m. Bill and I went for a 3 mile hike and I shot 2 partridge. We came back to decoys and learned that no one had seen anything, near or far. So went my first goose hunt since South Dakota days. Had plenty of time to talk to George most of day. We reminisced about many people from Mando days, a good share of them long gone. Many laughs nevertheless.

9/29/68 George and I were taken to outlet of Red Lake where we launched canoe. A strong west wind nailed us from the start and our poor little electric motor did not have the right amount of soup. I paddled the full 15 miles back to where we were picked up 4 hours later. Altho it was getting late, George hired an Indian to guide us to a little lake out in the bog. Me along. We took off across country, all flat as pee on a plate and covered with grass, some places the grass was 4 feet high. Most of the terrain was floating bog. No wonder it was given to the Indians. No drinking tonight! - all pooped.

9/30/68 Off for home by noon. An action packed trip for sure. Buck’s birthday and the Doug Bohmans had a surprise party for him at their house. We had a good time. Frankie showed movies he had taken, mostly of wild life and we know now that he is an exceptional photographer. It was fun to be with a group of such great young people. Buck gave me a full account of his trip to Fort Severn. It must have been something.

10/1/68 Jim and I crossing sandbar on way to put up #12 marker when we saw Canadian Lands & Forests plane go into a sharp bank almost over our island. We hurried back to see them drive a small boat up on Stop Island. It was Art Strand, who has been on the loose since Sept 13. He eluded the law, taking to the bush. Corporal Jack Murray and I got into his boat and Jim took another officer. We removed every boat from island. The cry went out for help and by dark there were many, many boats circling island. Weather clear until 3 a.m. when the rains came. Tough on all. Our place made headquarters and Layna made barrels of coffee and sandwiches. We turned in at 3 a.m. Bushed.

10/2/68 Men eating and sleeping all over our place. Clothes drying everywhere. Layna made pancakes for at least 30 searchers. No activity on island until 3 p.m. when police dog came from Sudbury. He found nothing. Another long night for all concerned, mostly Strand who must have been soaked to skin. Buck anchored his houseboat on south side of island to serve some. We took care of rest on north side. Much talk, all conjecture as to final outcome. This is developing into quite a deal and we are in the middle of it.

10/3/68 The great manhunt ended today. I went after Vi Seegert about 8 a.m. because she was afraid to stay alone. When I got home, they had Strand and Layna was feeding him pancakes in the kitchen. He recognized me soon after and we sat on davenport in living room and talked for 15 minutes. He is a highly disturbed young man and I am sure that everyone there felt a twinge of pity for him. I almost wept with him. Radio, press and TV cameras were trained on our front door to record the great event for the waiting public. I suggested that he “borrow” an officer’s hat and jacket before we whisked him out the back door, leaving the frustrated newsmen standing. Good! The posse disbanded, leaving 4 Ontario Provincial Police and me to put boats back. We did. Back to island for a couple of drinks, a meal and a warm farewell.

10/4/68 Jim still with us so he and I hauled stuff - and stuff. Four trips in all and as usual I keep asking “Do we really need this?” All done by 4 p.m. We had coffee, shook hands and he is off for guide job for Kulevar. I wonder if he will ever work for us again. Arden Barnes has him lined up for a big deal on Hudson’s Bay next summer - Damn her! Karen, Robin and Robin Altdorfer drove in at 9 p.m. The boys left at 10 to stay at Monahan’s. At 12:30 I picked up Byrne at airport. We hunt tomorrow. I am tired.