Four Years Later: Goose Hunter's Jacket, Wallet Returned

by
posted on October 24, 2013
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
dogs_ah2015_fs.jpg (38)

A story out of Clara City, Minn., proves—according to the goose hunter involved—"there's still good people in the world."

The tale begins in autumn 2009, when Owen Schipnewski took his 12-year-old son goose hunting at the Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area. After the hunt, Schipnewski accidentally put his favorite goose hunting jacket in the back of the truck. Somewhere along the way home, the jacket—which contained Schipnewski's wallet and $1,700 cash—blew out of the truck. Frantically he retraced his steps, but the jacket was gone.

Gone because it had been found by Trent Jorgenson, who discovered it along the road after he too had been waterfowling. Jorgenson gave the jacket a cursory glance, noted it contained a few 10-gauge shotgun shells, and threw it in his vehicle. He never found Schipnewski's wallet, so he figured there was no way to track down the jacket's rightful owner. Given that Jorgenson is only an occasional hunter, he put the jacket in his garage, where it sat unused all these years.

That is, until some friends invited Jorgenson to once again hunt ducks. There was rain in the forecast and, lacking appropriate gear, he remembered the waterproof jacket he found four years prior. However, this time when he inspected the jacket, he found Schipnewski's cell phone, his son's hunter safety certificate, and a wallet containing five $20 bills and several $100 bills.

Jorgenson began calling saved numbers in Schipnewski's cell phone and soon tracked him down. He says he was never tempted to keep the cash because, according to the West Central Tribune, he believes that would've been "bad karma."

An elated Schipnewski drove to Jorgenson's home to pick up the jacket. Despite Jorgenson's protests, Schipnewski left him with enough cash to buy a jacket of his own.

HT: The Outdoor Pressroom

Latest

Herman Shooting Savage Axis 2 Pro
Herman Shooting Savage Axis 2 Pro

#SundayGunday: Savage Arms Axis 2 Pro

On this week's #SundayGunday, we are talking about one of the best buys out there in hunting rifles: the new Savage Axis 2 Pro. Savage has upped the budget bolt-action ante with the introduction of this new Axis 2. You don’t get something for nothing, and upgraded features do bump up the price a bit, but also the overall value. Learn more about it in this exclusive video.

Measure to Improve Clarity on Federally Managed Waters Heads to President’s Desk

In mid-December the U.S. Senate took the final step on legislation requiring federal agencies that manage fresh waters to digitize and pool their regulatory data into a consistent mapping format.

Backcountry Camp Defense: The Tools for the Task

Camping should be memorable, but without forethought about protection it could be memorable for the wrong reason. What follows is a guide for defending one’s site against nature’s top predators.

TriStar Arms Expands KR22 Rifle Line

TriStar Arms is expanding the KR22 .22 LR rifle lineup with two new color options, giving shooters more ways to personalize one of the company’s rimfire rifles. The KR22 is now available in Flat Dark Earth and Olive Drab Green, joining the original synthetic black model that launched the platform.

Trust Your Gut: Deer Hunting Tips from the Stand

Field Editor Bryce Towsley gets a little help in “his” Mississippi stand.

Remembering Former NRA President Robert Corbin

Robert Corbin, a former NRA president and Arizona attorney general, died of natural causes on Sept. 9, 2025, at 97 years old.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.