Jefferson County can boast about its share of outdoor legends, but few will leave a legacy as far reaching as William “Bill” Kunz. As big as his impact may have been on hunting and shooting sports, the people who knew him best say it was a fraction of the man he was and the things he accomplished.
Mr. Kunz, 82, died Sept. 6, leaving behind his wife of 26 years, his family, friends and generations of Brittany spaniel hunting dogs he raised and trained for people across North America. His full obituary was published in the Leader newspaper on Sept. 18.
When autumn weather begins to cool and upland bird hunting activities return to southwest Jefferson County, the patriarch of Wil-Nor Outdoors will be there in spirit for the hunters and the dogs as they search for sets and shots on pheasants, chukars and quail, said Kent Brueggemann, Bill’s longtime friend and hunting and fishing partner.
“I loved the guy. We were always on the same page, hunting together, fishing together. We went to Canada eight or 10 times,” Brueggemann said. “Sometimes we would be clowning around and irritating each other, people would say, ‘You two are like an old married couple.’”
That connection began with a shared passion for Brittany hunting dogs in the mid to late 1970s, Brueggemann said. At first, they competed against each other in American Kennel Club hunting dog field trials, but in short order they joined forces, sharing traveling expenses and rides.
“We were running and competing in judging trials all over the Midwest and as far away as the National Championships in Reno, Nevada,” he said. “Bill had quite a few national champions over the years.”
Mr. Kunz founded Wil-Nor Outdoors, combining the first letters of his and his younger brother Norbert’s first names. With Brueggemann’s assistance, they fenced six acres of the family property near Dittmer and began training dogs. Kunz became known as a dog whisperer.
“He had his way with dogs. Word of mouth spread quickly and people from all over brought their dogs for Bill to train. When one of his dogs would get pregnant, hunters wanted puppies out of Bill’s stock,” Brueggemann said.
His reputation with dogs was well founded, but it was his ability to connect with people that stood out. He established easy connections with the hunters who return year after year, and he built relationships with area farmers who raise the birds used for hunting and lease property to Wil-Nor for the sport.
“He always had your back,” Brueggemann said. “He seemed at his best when someone told him he couldn’t do it or it wouldn’t work.”
He was willing to explore innovative ideas on the farm and throughout his life. When his young, beloved brother faced a cancer diagnosis, Bill took him to Mexico for treatments that were not yet approved in the United States.
Wil-Nor Outdoors is much more than a hunting club these days, and under the management of Brandon Hubbard it will continue to welcome guests for years to come. Hubbard moved to De Soto from California in 2021 and met Kunz.
“I always was an upland bird hunter and I saw there was a preserve in Jefferson County, so I took my dogs. I went back home and opened the Leader, and I saw an ad for Help Wanted at Wil-Nor,” Hubbard said. “I went back the next day for another hunt. Sitting around after lunch, I said, ‘You looking for help?’ I told him I was a dog trainer, but everyone says they’re a dog trainer. He said, ‘Bring one of your dogs out tomorrow.’
“That was my job interview. I just showed off my dog for him. He said, ‘Tomorrow same thing, bring a different dog.’ The next day he said, ‘Yeah, you can hang around.’ I’ve been there four and a half years.”
Wil-Nor Outdoors is at 9298 State Road WW in Dittmer. For more information visit wil-nor.com
John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine. If you have story ideas for the Leader outdoor news page, e-mail ogmjohnw@aol.com, and you can find more outdoor news and updates at johnjwink.com.