Duck Hunters Rescued from Eldorado Marsh

A pair of duck hunters who had become disoriented were
successfully rescued from the Eldorado Marsh Thursday afternoon. The Fond du Lac
County Communications Center received a call from the hunters around 11:15
Thursday morning who needed help getting back out of the marsh. Sheriff’s Deputies
responded to the area west of the marsh west of Dike Road, and were able to locate
the general area of the hunters through GPS Coordinates from the 9-1-1 call.

The Fond du Lac Police Department’s Drone unit, along with
the Wisconsin DNR also responded to the scene to assist the Sheriff’s Deputies.
Using the Police Department’s drone, the exact location of the hunters was
determined – as well as a route back out of the marsh. The hunters followed the
drone, then were met by a DNR warden n a kayak who was directed to the hunters.
The two men then followed the warden back to the launch area off of Marsh Road.

According to a news release, the hunters were familiar with
the marsh and had no issues accessing their hunting area in the early morning
hours. The hunters told deputies the wind had changed by 8 AM, which caused
cattail bogs to blow around – which changed the look of the marsh than what it
was earlier in the day. That change in wind blocked the path they had come
from, and several attempts to find the original path were unsuccessful.

The Sheriff’s Office says water levels in the marsh are
very high due to the recent rainfall, and anyone using the marsh should exercise
caution.