Chief Opwaganes, known to his white neighbors as Little Pipe, was an Ojibwe hunter born at Lac Court Oreilles in 1788. Many stories were told of his marksmanship, and even as an old man, he was considered by many hunters and lumbermen to be the best shot in the state.
A logging foreman named Sam Barker operated a trading post in Barron County in the 1850s, and Opwaganes arrived there one day with a bundle of pelts to sell. Canada geese were migrating overhead, and when a particularly high-flying flock approached, Barker hinted to the bystanders that he would take Opwaganes' reputation down a notch.
Turning to the old chief, he said, "I want that big gander on the lead of that flock for my dinner. I want the top of his head snipped off - don't shoot him through the body and spoil the meat or I won't have it. Here is a $10 greenback for you if you do a good job," holding up a bill and winking at the crowd. In 1850, $10 was worth about $250 today.
Opwaganes quickly seized his gun, took aim, and Sam Barker soon had the big gander, minus the top of the head, for dinner. He was a man of his word, and Opwaganes silently tucked the cash in his belt and went on his way.
A chagrined Barker confessed to his friends, "This is a fine 25-pound goose, but $10 is a powerful high price for it."
- Wisconsin Historical Society
www.wisconsinhistory.org
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