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

Upland (5)
Upland (5)

5 Keys To Make This Your Best Upland Season Ever

Tired of walking long distances and coming home empty-handed? Here are five keys to help boost your bag of birds this year.

C&H Precision and MERUS Adventure Launch Guided Hunt Giveaway

Free entry runs through Nov. 13, 2026, and one winner and a guest will be heading to the Texas Panhandle for a fully guided hunt at MERUS Adventure—a private hunting and off-road park near Claude, Texas, outside Amarillo. The trip includes a fully guided hunt, range time with top-tier optics and gear, on-site lodging for the length of the stay and off-road driving across the property.

Things I’ve Learned About Public-Land Elk

Every generation has a story starting with, “I remember the good old days.” Elk hunters have a similar dialogue and although elk numbers are at some of their highest in modern history, public-land hunting still represents a sea of challenges. With decades of elk hunting in my rearview and an ongoing education, a few lessons I’ve learned from elk hunting may aid you in your public-land elk pursuits.

Colorado Ballot Battle Heats Up

The required number of valid signatures to put a “Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment” on Colorado’s Nov. 3 ballot was reached on Sept. 4. If approved by voters—according to Ballotpedia’s summary—it would add the “…right to hunt, fish, and take fish and wildlife through traditional methods” to the state constitution.

#SundayGunday: CZ 600+ ST3 American

On this week's #SundayGunday, we are taking a look at the new-for-2026 design of the CZ 600+ ST3 American, the ST3 being the long- and magnum-action model. Built by the legendary Czech company for the American market, this is a rifle adapted perfectly to hunting on this continent.

How Can Hunters Travel Out of State With Suppressed Firearms?

Getting federal and state agencies out of the way of the citizens who wish to use suppressors to make their guns more polite to their ears and to their neighbors’ is an ongoing, complex and multifaceted effort. There is, however, progress being made thanks to the Trump administration.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.