FREDERICA FREYBERG:

FINALLY TONIGHT THANKSGIVING, THE GREEN BAY PACKERS AND THE DEER HUNT. IT’S A WISCONSIN HOLIDAY TRIFECTA. WISCONSIN IS RANKED SECOND AMONG ALL STATES FOR THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED AS WELL AS NON-RESIDENT HUNTERS. IT’S BIG BUSINESS. ANNUAL HUNTING-RELATED EXPENDITURES EXCEED TWO BILLION DOLLARS. THIS YEAR THE AGE-OLD TRADITION HAS BEEN MODERNIZED. IT’S THE FIRST SEASON DEER ARE GETTING REGISTERED ELECTRONICALLY. HERE AND NOW REPORTER ZAC SCHULTZ AND HIS FAMILY HUNT IN TAYLOR COUNTY.

PETER FISK:

THIS IS MY FAVORITE WEEK IN THE WHOLE YEAR. IT’S WHAT I LOOK FORWARD TO FOR A LONG TIME.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

PETER FISK HAS BEEN HUNTING WITH HIS FATHER AND BROTHERS SINCE HE WAS OLD ENOUGH TO CARRY A GUN. THE LAST 20 YEARS THEIR DEER CAMP HAS BEEN HERE IN TAYLOR COUNTY. IT’S NO SURPRISE THEY'VE DEVELOPED A LIFETIME OF TRADITIONS THAT GO BEYOND THE ACTUAL TIME SPENT HUNTING.

PETER FISK:

NOW THAT WE’VE GOT DEER ON THE GROUND WE’LL HAVE A REALLY NICE DINNER TONIGHT. WE’LL PLAY CARDS AND DO SOME DRINKING AND JUST HAVE A GOOD TIME.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THE TRADITIONS EVEN EXTEND TO WHAT THEY DO AFTER SHOOTING A DEER. PETER GOT THIS BUCK OPENING MORNING.

PETER FISK:

AFTER HE WENT DOWN, I COULD SEE ROB AND I GAVE HIM A BIG FIST PUMP.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

IN YEARS PAST HUNTERS NEEDED TO TAKE THE DEER TO A REGISTRATION STATION USUALLY A LOCAL GAS STATION OR BAR. THEN THEY HAD TO FILL OUT A SLIP AND WAIT FOR THEIR DEER TO BE TAGGED. IT WAS A TIME FOR HUNTERS TO COME TOGETHER AND SHARE STORIES OVER A BEER.

PETER FISK:

THEY’VE ALWAYS GOT PHOTOS AT THE BAR. YOU GET TO TALK TO THEM AND SEE WHAT OTHER HUNTERS ARE SAYING THEY’RE SEEING AND WHAT THEY AREN’T.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

BUT THE DNR HAS MOVED ALL REGISTRATION ONLINE AND OVER THE PHONE.

PETER FISK:

I CAN’T GET SERVICE ON MINE.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

SO THE CHALLENGE FOR PETER IS TO GET CELL SERVICE AT THE CABIN.

PETER FISK:

ALRIGHT.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THEY’VE DISCOVERED CALLING IN RISKS A DROPPED CALL. SO THEY SHOOT FOR THE ONLINE PROCESS.

PETER FISK:

I’VE JUST GOT EVERYTHING DONE AND I’M WAITING FOR IT TO LOAD SO I CAN GET MY CONFIRMATION NUMBER.

MAN:

GOTTA HIT SUBMIT.

PETER FISK:

I DID. IT’S THINKING.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

AFTER A QUICK TRIP TO THE WINDOW TO BOOST THE SIGNAL PETER’S DEER IS REGISTERED. HE JUST NEEDS TO WRITE THE NUMBER ON THE TAG AND HE’S ALL DONE.

PETER FISK:

IT'S EASY IF YOU CAN GET SERVICE. YOU CAN DO IT ON YOUR PHONE AND IT TOOK FIVE MINUTES.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

WHAT'S MISSING IS SHOWING OFF HIS TROPHY TO THE OTHER HUNTERS AND LEARNING ABOUT THEIR TIME IN THE WOODS.

PETER FISK:

WITH THIS BUCK, THIS IS MY BIGGEST BUCK EVER NORMALLY WE WOULD HAVE WENT DOWN TO THE BAR AND SHOWED IT OFF PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

PETER THINKS DOING SO AFTER THE DEER IS REGISTERED IS A LITTLE TACKY.

PETER FISK:

THEN YOU’RE JUST SHOWING OFF. IT’S POINTLESS AT THAT POINT. AND IT’S MORE WORK TO TAKE IT DOWN AND PUT IN THE TRUCK.

RANDYLEWAN:

THAT’S HOW IT ALWAYS WAS. THAT’S HOW YOU DID IT. NOBODY LIKES CHANGE. YOU KNOW HOW THAT WORKS.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

RANDY LEWAN SAYS IT’S STILL WORTH HIS TIME TO HEAD TO THE BAR.

RANDY LEWAN:

OLD TIMER I GUESS. I’M NOT THAT OLD BUT I GUESS I AM.

BRIAN BLECKER:

WHAT I’VE SEEN SO FAR IS MOST OF THE YOUNGER PEOPLE WILL GO ONLINE AND DO THAT. AND THE OLDER GENTLEMEN STILL COME IN HERE TO DO IT. CUZ THAT’S WHAT THEY’VE DONE FOR YEARS. SO HARD TO BREAK TRADITION.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

BRIAN BLECKER OWNS THE BELLINGER SPORTSMANS BAR. HE HAS SET UP A COMPUTER TO HELP HUNTERS REGISTER THEIR DEER.

BRIAN BLECKER:

I ACTUALLY MADE A LITTLE FORM FOR THEM TO FILL OUT. IT’S VERY SIMILAR TO THE WAY THEY HAD TO DO IT BEFORE.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

ONLY A HANDFUL OF HUNTERS HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE.

BRIAN BLECKER:

DURING DEER SEASON WE’D BE REGISTERING 300 OR 400 DEER. THIS YEAR WE MAYBE REGISTERED 30.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

BLECKER SAYS BUSINESS HAS NOT FALLEN OFF. EVEN IF THE REGISTRATION PROCESS HAS CHANGED, THE TRADITION OF HEADING TO THE BAR TO TALK ABOUT DEER HAS NOT.

BRIAN BLECKER:

PEOPLE WANT TO COME IN AND TALK. AND IF THEY SHOOT A BIG ONE THEY WANT TO COME IN AND SHOW IT OFF YOU KNOW. THERE’S STILL THAT COMRADERY IN THE BAR.

RANDY LEWAN:

TALK TO PEOPLE AND SEE WHAT THEY GOT. AND WHERE THEY MISSED THEM AND SEE IF YOU CAN GO AFTER THEM.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

WHETHER IT’S AT THE BAR OR AT THE CABIN THE SOCIAL ASPECT OF DEER HUNTING IS PROBABLY THE MOST CHERISHED TRADITION OF THEM ALL.

PETER FISK:

IT’S AWESOME TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A DEER LIKE THIS. BUT IT’S NOT WHAT I COME UP FOR. IT’S THE COMRADERY. IT’S TO HANG OUT.