On the Hunt

Are you a hunter? If so, WHY? Do you hunt because your father hunted and his father before him? Was it something you were led into or is it a passion you took up later in life? Do you hunt to stock your freezer for the year or to get closer to nature?

There is no doubt that deer hunting has grown in popularity. In 1900 the gun season began on November first and lasted 20 days. There were 32,086 licenses sold that season. In 2007 there were 643,172 licenses sold. So, what is the draw?

In the past twenty years I think my husband missed only one hunting season. In the past twenty years I think my husband brought home three deer. There must be more to it than what this hunting widow suspects. I am hoping to find my answers tomorrow.

Robert Willging will be visiting BayShore Books. He holds a bachelor’s degree in wildlife management and a master’s degree in wildlife sciences, works as a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is an enthusiastic sportsman. He knows a thing or two about deer. He is also an author. I am hoping his book, On the Hunt: The History of Deer Hunting in Wisconsin , will reveal all of the secrets our area hunters keep hidden under their blaze orange. Or at least help my husband and others like him understand why I see more deer from my kitchen window than he does during his annual trek through the woods.