Old Duck Hunters Association (ODHA) Membership

Invitation to Join The Old Duck Hunters Association Circle

I am writing this letter to invite you to join the Old Duck Hunters Association Circle, a separate category of membership in the Barnes Area Historical Association, Inc. This designation was created in honor of Barnes’ own legendary outdoors sports writer Gordon MacQuarrie and his mythical Old Duck Hunters Association, Inc. (ODHA, Inc. -“Inc.” for incorrigible), of which his hunting and fishing partner, father-in-law and mentor Al Peck, was “Hizzonor” and its President.

This special membership category, the Old Duck Hunters Association (ODHA) Circle, conveys some benefits of the Museum including free access to the Museum and all of its exhibits, the ability to arrange special visits to the Museum outside normal operating hours and more. Membership  also includes a “collectible” laminated ODHA Circle membership card, notices of upcoming MacQuarrie events and a quarterly newsletter the Other Drivel-(We have had some publishing issues with this newsletter this past year, but hope to have new issues out this coming year. Catch up with any back issues and then remain current.)Membership dues and donations will help  support the  continuing expansion and maintenance of the Museum’s MacQuarrie Exhibit. We are proud to count 180 members as of this writing.

The Barnes Area Historical Museum has a substantial exhibit featuring Gordon MacQuarrie, his history, writings and historical personal artifacts. Located near MacQuarrie’s beloved writing cabin on Middle Eau Claire Lake, where he hunted and fished, and the locations that served as settings for many of his published stories, the Museum is unique with its substantial exhibit, events and educational programs devoted to the MacQuarrie legacy. The exhibit,  which continues to grow, contains his duck boat, decoys, typewriter, writings, pictures, medals, awards and many other historic and personal items of interest.

The Museum annually sponsors a Gordon MacQuarrie Pilgrimage and Canoe Trip Weekend featuring presentations, remembrances, displays, a banquet and a guided tour of local sites that served as settings for MacQuarrie’s stories, etc., as well as an optional Brule River Canoe Trip that visits many of MacQuarrie’s fishing sites. For the coming year of 2021, the Pilgrimage will be held Friday, August 28th, Saturday, August

29th  and Sunday, August 30th. Please mark these dates on your calendar!

We also offer two MacQuarrie books, Right Off the Reel, and the new book, Dogs, Drink and Other Drivel, both compiled and edited by Dave Evenson. Go to the BAHA web site bahamuseum.org for information and order forms.

If interested in becoming a member of the ODHA, please complete the membership application on page two as soon as possible. BAHA is a 501 (3) (c) registered non-profit organization, and all donations are tax deductible. If you have any questions, please contact Museum board member Larry Bergman (larrygbergman@yahoo.com) or me, Steve Lynch.

Thank you for your consideration,

Steve Lynch

President, Barnes Area Historical Association, Inc.