9/18/69 I took off alone for Rice Bay. I knocked down 4 mallards but retrieved only one. Damn! Full of thots of “friends who said goodbye.” Carl, MacKellar, Louie Turgeon, Al Schneider, all old hunting pals in Rice Bay. Another old friend, also much in my mind. Klinker, I could have used her more than any of the rest. I often think I should get another dog, but realize it would be more trouble than it is worth. Karen, Robin, Layna and I to Bears Pass in new car to visit Spike and Wally. Spike doing great but Wally showing effects of stroke. Both seemed in good spirits. I talked about them all the way home. Hope I did not bore the kids. To Rex Hotel for supper. Surprisingly good.
9/19/69 Robin and I to Dahlbergs Island where I shot 3 partridge. Robin saw a bear. We came home and shot trap for an hour. I finally hit a few. They have given me trouble all my life. If I did as poorly on game I would have quit hunting years ago.
9/20/69 My aches and pains getting worse. Skin very sensitive all over, especially under left arm. The whole area feels like a boil. Well, I never felt better for a full summer than this one. I am due for something.
9/21/69 Norman and the twins ready at 6:30 and off we went for Beauty Creek. A 35 mile ride and about a 1 1/2 mile hike and we were trout fishing. I don’t remember when I first “almost” did this but we were still at Camp Kooch-i-ching. Bill Shepard and I tried to make it many times in Mando days but something always interfered. Well, it was great today. Feet (tennis shoes) wet all day but sun warm and fish cooperative. We got 33 all told, 9 of them by me. I am sure I would have had more but ran out of worms the last hour. I hope this won’t be my last one of these trips. I thoroly enjoyed it.
9/23/69 Airport closed for repairs so party rented car and drove to Hibbing. We are thru! In retrospect, we realize how much better this was than last year. Our boats caused us undue trouble but otherwise it went well. My skin driving me crazy - must see Dr. Walter for sure tomorrow.
9/24/69 To town to see Dr. Walter at 10:15. He said a lot of “Hums” and “Haws” and I deduced that I could have hives of some sort which might or might not break out any minute. He gave me a shot and some pills and said “Come back Friday or Saturday”. Tonight I detect no improvement.
9/26/69 Jim and I off for ducks at 7 a.m. A memorable day, more ways than one. Not a shot in Grassy Bay where we had such good luck on Tuesday. We kept going, picking up a bird now and then and when we finished up in Hopkins Bay, at 6 p.m. we had 12 mallards and 2 teal. Not bad. My skin may be tender but my muscles are good. I paddled about 6 hours today.
9/27/69 Back to see Dr. Walter. He was due to close shop in an hour and had a dozen patients waiting so I took up about 3 minutes of his time. (after 1 1/2 hours of waiting). He said he was happy that I was responding to treatment, gave me another shot, said to keep eating the pills and not to come back unless there was no improvement. God help anyone who is really sick!
9/28/69 We picked up around island, then loaded houseboat with great pile of things to go to town, all timed so I could set up TV at 265 and watch Vikings play Baltimore, the heavy favorites. What a game for the home fans. Vikings 52 - Colts 14. Joe Kapp had his finest hour, throwing 7 touchdown passes. He must have some of his fans back, for at least a week.
9/30/69 By noon we had all three AlumaCrafts to Tilson and on their way to town. I don’t care if I ever see them again, even tho they served us well for two seasons. I was alone when phone rang. “Are you Don Johnson who used to live in Hibbing?” “Ya.” “Let’s go duck hunting on the Bowstring.” I guessed immediately that it was Wayne Sword, who I saw last at Hibbing Junior College in 1929! He came out and we chewed rag for a couple of hours.
10/1/69 Sword here at 9:00 a.m. on schedule. A light rain falling but we went on to island. I am sue he was impressed with our setup. We reminisced all morning. He was one of my very best friends at HJC and I can still see why. A solid guy if there ever was one.
10/2/69 Took Layna to town at 8 a.m. so she could take off for Mpls with Daveys. Up to island where I did many little clean up jobs from retying the houseboat to emptying garbage, etc. etc. It looks put away. Started to make out Coast Guard inventory and had to run back to island for more information. Damn! Still didn’t finish it.
10/3/69 I arrived at Williams duck camp at 2:00. Stopped at Kelliher to see Ben Haskell in rest home. Said he, “The last time I saw you, you were on your way to Vietnam.” I told him I decided to go duck hunting instead and he seemed satisfied. George Rayman setting up camp when I pulled in.
10/4/69 Not a damned duck! At 3:00 George decided to take a run to Ponemak Point to look over situation. 70 miles. We arrived to learn that the Campbells, ancient enemies of George, had been there since morning. The Indian told George that if we were there first tomorrow, we could have point. We drove home, discussing situation. George said we would go. The rest, me for sure, questioning the ethics of moving in on someone, even an enemy.
10/5/69 Alarm went off at 2:30. A short night. Raining hard out. The usual rush to get everything packed, lunch made, etc. We arrived at Ponemak Point after a 2 hour drive thru rain and wind. At the point we walked out to the blind to discover the Campbells had left about 50 decoys out overnight. The rest of us gravely concerned. Not George. He said, “We will run them off” - and by God, when they showed up that is exactly what he did. What a guy - and not so damned ethical either. As it developed, we fought over very little. We got 20 ducks all told after a wet, miserable, cold day.
10/7/69 Up at 7:15 and on road for home by 8:15. Had short talk with George before leaving. He refused, as he did last year, to take a dime from me. Says he charges it off to his company. Sure is a good deal for Johnson. A great welcome from Layna. She is “good to come home to.” She had a pleasant time in the cities. Nissi had told her that ADM would lease Norway Island as long as we ran it but not more. A couple (or even one) more year would really set us up. To see Camelot. An outstanding picture. Photography, direction, acting music. We were completely captivated. On way out we heard one young person ask another how she liked it. “I endured it,” was the answer.
10/8/69 Ronnie Jonson here at 9:30 to give estimate on 3 fishing boats for next summer. It will cost $8698.35 to replace our AlumaCrafts. Will ADM do it? Howard Nissi called to say his replacement from ADM would not get here to look place over. Now they want us to go to Decatur later on. Maybe we will. Grace, Harry and Pammy out for trout feed. I hope to catch more of these little guys someday. Much talk about our river trip. Hope it all works out.
10/9/69 Finally got my Coast Guard inventory in the mail. It was due Oct. 1. On checking last year’s diary, I see that I did it Oct. 8. I am getting worse. To island after lunch to drain plumbing. I ran a stick in my ear today for the sharpest pain of my 63 years. It did not last long but there is a funny feeling in it yet. More visit to doctor?
