09/09/2026
With the Wisconsin Bear hunting season kicking off, we’d like to take a moment to recognize someone very special to the Northwoods family. As we head into the woods this year there is one young man in particular that will be on our mind.
There are people who leave footprints far deeper than the trails they walk. They leave them in the hearts of family, friends, teammates, and everyone fortunate enough to know them. Bryce Jungbluth was one of those people.
Bryce was a talented hockey player whose work ethic and competitive spirit earned the respect of teammates and opponents alike. To the community of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, he was something even greater, a firefighter who chose a life of service, answering the call to protect others when they needed him most.
To our family, Bryce was simply a great kid. The kind of young man who made every hunting camp better just by being there.
Some of our most treasured memories with Bryce and the Jungbluth family weren’t made in an arena or at the fire station. They were made in the bear woods. Early mornings heading to bait sites, quiet evenings in the stand, stories shared around camp after dark, and the laughter that only comes from time spent together in bear camp. Those are the moments that stay with you forever.
Bear hunting has always been about more than the pursuit of a bear. It’s about family traditions passed from one generation to the next. It’s about friendships strengthened around campfires, lessons learned in the woods, and memories created that become part of who we are. Bryce understood that. He appreciated the experience, the people, and the privilege of being there.
Whether he was putting on hockey skates, a firefighter’s turnout gear, or hunting boots, Bryce approached life with the same qualities that defined him, humility, courage, determination, and an unwavering respect for others. He never sought attention. He simply showed up, gave his best, and made those around him better.
Young men like Bryce remind us that character isn’t something you talk about, it’s something you live every day. His willingness to serve his community as a firefighter speaks volumes about the kind of man he was. His kindness, his quiet strength, and his genuine heart were evident long before he ever wore a badge or stepped onto the ice.
As hunters, we often measure time by the changing seasons. Another spring, another baiting season, another crisp autumn evening in the stand. But some people become part of those seasons forever. Every trip into the woods will bring memories of Bryce. His smile, his enthusiasm, and the simple joy of sharing camp with family and friends.
To the Jungbluth family, thank you for sharing Bryce with all of us. Thank you for the hunts, the laughter, the conversations, and the friendship. Those memories have become part of our lives, and they will always hold a special place in our hearts.
Bryce’s legacy is not defined by one accomplishment. It lives in the lives he touched as a son, a teammate, a firefighter, a hunting partner, and a friend. It lives in every act of kindness he showed, every person he encouraged, and every memory he helped create.
The woods have a way of holding onto memories. In the stillness before sunrise, in the whisper of the wind through the pines, and around every campfire where stories are shared, Bryce will always be with us.
Rest easy, Bryce. Thank you for your service, your friendship, and the memories that will never fade. Until we meet again in God’s great outdoors.
