An Outdoorsman’s Journal:

The Dushek boys, then and now

This column has spanned over 35 years of my life and this week I have returned home from a wedding on Madeline Island that I simply have to write about. I think that you will understand after reading it and, as always, thanks for reading.

In 1997, Kevin, Travis and Joey Dushek came into my life as I was dating their mother. I had been writing this column for nine years and was at a point in my life where I was truly a hardcore outdoorsman. In ‘98 we all started sharing the same home and each of the boys also became hardcore outdoors kids. At the time Joey was 4, Travis 6 and Kevin 8. I have always traveled with my job, and sometimes just one of them and sometimes all three of them went on low-budget, go-for-it hunting and fishing experiences with me.

One of my first memories of Travis in the outdoors is taking him field hunting for ducks on the Arlington prairie at the age of 6. Our hunt started in the dark, I covered him with corn stalks and when night became day, a flock of mallards flew over us. I picked one out and dropped it within an arm’s length of us as we laid there. Til my dying day I will remember the look on his face, and it was complete addiction.

In 2000, our family of five moved to rural Necedah and on Jan. 9, 2001, Selina was born. The boys were the best brothers to a baby sister that you could imagine, but I am writing this column about Trav, Kevin, and Joey. In reality they are no longer legally my stepsons, but there has never been a second that I felt that way as our lives are 100% intertwined.

Travis has his own carpentry business in Portage called Back Country Carpentry, and I am not fibbing when I say that Trav and his employees can build anything and they put an artistic twist to their work.

Joey is married to Ashlie Potter, now Dushek; has a 1-year-old, Ellie, who is a sweetie pie; and is in the cranberry business. Joe worked with berries through high school and was asked to go full-time after graduation, which he did and has never looked back. Joe, Ashlie and Ellie live on a marsh between Tomah and Necedah.

Both Travis and Joey are the most successful any type of hunting and fishing outdoorsmen that I know.

Kevin moved to Anchorage, Alaska, about 14 years ago and is a chef at Whiskey and Ramen restaurant, and one heck of a fun person to hangout with.

When we moved to Necedah, I started a firewood business with the boys and we had six businesses that sold our bundles. I also gave them $25 a month allowance and they earned it, as we heated with wood and raised cattle.

I never showed mercy on our outdoor camping trips. We were a low-budget family, but a 100% go-for-it family, and I think that is in part why the boys do so well and, simply put, are happy people.

One of our craziest annual trips was 10 days winter camping on Lake Waubay in South Dakota. I always drove junk vehicles, we slept on the ice, were up before daybreak and kicked hiney on walleye, perch and northern pike. A couple of years ago, Travis met Anne Shaben of Portage. Anne comes from an excellent family and has a 7-year-old boy named Jett. Trav took Jett under his wing from day one and they are regulars in the outdoor world. Trav, who was an excellent wrestler in high school, got Jett into the sport and helps with coaching.

Trav and Anne are the most successful outdoor couple that I know. Trav got Anne into bow hunting, and she got a buck on her first hunt while Trav stood in the tree next to her. It was on an Arkansas duck hunt that Travis proposed to Anne, and come the walleye run these two put a smackdown on the walleye.

The readers of this column were totally in tune with the boys and still are a bit. It was at the wedding that I told myself, this story needs to be told, and that is what I just did. To my last breath, they will always be my stepsons.

Sunset

Mark Walters