48 Nebraskaland • December 2023
PORTRAITS FROM THE PAST
Pheasant hunt, 1963
William Christensen remembers a memorable hunt 3.5 miles southeast of Hartington in October 1963. That year, their west
80 was planted to milo and across the road to the west there was 320 acres of brome grass soil bank, and to the south another
200 acres. The brome was being hunted by other parties of hunters that morning and Bill remembers the sky was filled with
pheasants. As he watched, William compared the site to flocks of waterfowl migrating.
The picture shows the bag of the opening morning hunt. The weekend ended with a total of 50 pheasants — definitely a
weekend hunt to remember, recalls William.
L to R: Elmer Christensen, Ron Middleton, JoAnne Christensen (Janssen) and Blitz, William Christensen, Leo Doc Middleton
and Arnold Christensen.
William and JoAnne still own the ground that was hunted that morning back in 1963. The irrigated corners are in
CRP, which supplies good habitat for nesting pheasants. Hunts are held every fall on this ground with their children and
grandchildren, many being just as memorable as the one back in 1963.
– Harley Christensen, Hartington
Fishing Gavins Point Dam, 1966
Our father Walter and sons Warren (me)
and my brother Wayne Sund after a fishing
trip. Wayne caught a spoonbill, and its head
remained in our parents' freezer for years.
This photo was taken at our grandparents'
farm near Bloomfield.
– Warren Sund, Verdel
