ANNUAL GUN DEER HUNTING SEASON
AND THERE IS CONCERN AMONG
HEALTH EXPERTS THAT HUNTERS
TRAVELING ACROSS THE STATE
COULD LEAD TO MULTIPLE COVID-19
SUPER SPREADER EVENTS.
SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER ZAC
SCHULZ TALKED WITH HUNTER AND
BAR OWNERS HOW THE PANDEMIC IS
ALTERING SOME OLD TRADITIONS.
>> SAME SWEATSHIRT, DID I TELL
YOU?
>> LAIR' SMITH AND MARTY WIMMER
HAVE BEEN HUNTING TOGETHER FOR
A COUPLE DECADES ON LARRY'S OLD
FAMILY FARM.
>> WE ALL GET TOGETHER AND HAVE
A GOOD, RELAXING TIME.
>> AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
CONTINUED TO SPIRAL OUT OF
CONTROL, THEY REALIZED THIS
YEAR'S HUNT WOULD HAVE TO
CHANGE.
>> THE LAST MONTH OR SO WE'VE
BEEN TALKING TO THE GROUP AND,
YOU KNOW, THINGS WILL BE
DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.
>> ALTHOUGH THE OLD FARMHOUSE
IS BIG ENOUGH TO SLEEP 10, THIS
YEAR IT WILL JUST BE LARRY WHO
SLEEPS OVERNIGHT.
>> THE REST OF THE GUYS WILL
DRIVE BACK AND FORTH.
>> MARTI WILL BE DRIVING 80
MILES EACH WAY.
HE SAYS IT'S STILL WORTH IT.
>> IT IS NOT THE HUNT THAT'S
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ME.
REALLY THE GUYS AND BEING
TOGETHER WITH THEM.
THAT'S WHAT'S CRITICAL.
>> WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE
CAMARADERIE IN THE EVENINGS BUT
WE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET
TOGETHER OUT IN THE PASTURES.
>> THE WISCONSIN DNR IS
ADVICEING HUNTERS TO AVOID
DRIVING ACROSS THE STATE TO
HUNT.
>> WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT
HUNTERS KEEP HUNTING LOCAL AND
THEY DO IT WITH MEMBERS OF
THEIR HOUSEHOLD TO BEST AVOID
SPREADING COVID-19.
>> KEITH WARNKE IS THE
ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE PARKS
DIVISION AND HE SAYS DESPITE
THE CHANGES TO TRADITIONAL
HUNTING CAMP SALES FOR OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES LIKE FISHING AND
HUNTING ARE UP THIS YEAR.
>> I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE LICENSE
FIGURES IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
WOULD PREVIOUSLY HAD HUNTED OR
HAD GONE FISHING AND THEY ARE
GETTING BACK TO IT NOW.
>> HUNTING IS MORE THAN JUST
TRADITION.
IT IS A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR
INDUSTRY.
IF HUNTERS STAY CLOSE TO HOME
IT WILL HAVE A DRAMATIC IMPACT
ON BARS AND RESTAURANTS.
>> IF IT WASN'T FOR MY
CUSTOMERS, I WOULD HAVE BEEN
SHUT DOWN.
>> DINE AND MARVIN WULFF OWN
DIANNE'S BACK 40 IN TAYLOR
COUNTY.
DEER SEASON USUALLY MEANS A
PACKED HOUSE.
>> WE SERVE BREAKFAST IN THE
MORNING AND THE WEEKENDS ARE
THE BIGGEST.
>> THEY'VE BEEN STRUGGLING TO
STAY OPEN DURING THE PANDEMIC
AND THEY ARE AFRAID THE DEER
HUNTER CROWDS WILL BE ONE MORE
CASUALTY OF COVID-19.
>> IT PAYS YOUR TAXES FOR THE
YEAR.
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
THIS YEAR, I KNOW IT ALREADY.
I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE AND THEY
ARE STAYING CLOSE TO HOME AND
THE WIFE DOESN'T FEEL
COMFORTABLE WITH THEM GOING OUT
OR -- I THINK IT WILL BE A
BOMB, JUST A COMPLETE FAILURE.
>> IT WILL BE DIFFERENT.
IT WILL BE ANOTHER EXPERIENCE.
>> LARRY AND MARTI WON'T BE
VISITING THEIR TRADITIONAL
RESTAURANT ON THE NIGHT BEFORE
OPENER.
>> EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT FOR
PROBABLY 20 YEARS WE WENT TO
THE SAME PLACE FOR DINNER.
>> MARTI KNOWS WHAT HE WILL
THINK WHEN HE DRIVES BY A BAR
WITH A FULL PARKING LOT.
>> I'M GLAD I'M NOT IN THERE.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S THEIR
CHOICE.
>> CHOICE IS THE KEY WORD IN
ALL OF THIS.
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ADVISE
AGAINST CROWDING INTO BARS AND
RESTAURANTS.
EVEN IF MASK MANDATES AND
SMALLER CAPACITY LIMITS ARE IN
PLACE, IT IS STILL UP TO THE
INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED TO ENFORCE
IT.
>> A LOT OF IT WE LEAVE TO THE
CUSTOMERS IF THEY CHOOSE TO
WEAR A MASK OR SOCIAL DISTANCE
OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
THAT'S HOW WE READ IT.
>> DIANNE AND MARVIN SAY THEY
WEAR MASKS WHEN THEY GO OUT IN
PUBLIC BUT DON'T REQUIRE IT OF
THEIR CUSTOMERS AND TRY NOT TO
THINK ABOUT WHETHER A CUSTOMER
MAY BE BRINGING COVID IN THE
DOOR WITH THEM.
>> YOU HAVE TO, OTHERWISE YOU
WILL BE PARANOID.
>> YOU HAVE TO PUT THAT ON THE
BACK BURNER.
IT IS PART OF DOING BUSINESS.
>> JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM THE
BACK 40 IS ANOTHER BAR.
THIS ONE CLOSED AND FOR SALE.
A COLD REMINDER OF WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN THERE AREN'T ENOUGH
CUSTOMERS TO PAY THE BILLS.
>> I DON'T WANT TO GET SOMEONE
SICK.
>> FOR LARRY SMITH EAST GROUP
THE PANDEMIC REQUIRES A CHANGE
IN TRADITION IN THE NAME OF
SAFETY.
>> WE'RE GOING TO BE CAREFUL
AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BRING
ANYTHING BACK TO OUR FAMILY AND
I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN DO
THAT.
>> DIANNE AND MARVIN WULFF WILL
SACRIFICE SAFETY IN THE HOPES
SOME HUNTERS WILL MAINTAIN
TRADITION.
>> THE ONES THAT COME OUT TO
HUNT, THEY WILL COME OUT, I
BELIEVE.
THAT'S PART OF THE HUNTING CAMP
TYPE TRADITION THING.
BUT THE ONES THAT AREN'T GOING
TO WANT TO GO TO THE BARS OR
RESTAURANTS AND STUFF LIKE
THAT, THEY'LL JUST STAY HOME.
>> I'M ZAC SCHULZ FOR "HERE AND
NOW."
>> AS ZAC REPORTED DEER HUNTING
LIKE ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE IN
WISCONSIN WILL BE ALTERED DUE
TO COVID.
THE EMERGENCY SERVICES DIRECTOR
OF BELLIN HOSPITAL IN GREEN BAY
TOLD US HE BELIEVES TRADITIONAL
LARGE GATHERINGS AT DEER CAMPS
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME
SPREADER EVENTS.
DR. PAUL CASEY SAID PRECAUTIONS
AND CHANGES IN TRADITION ARE
THE BEST ROUTE TO TAKE.
>> I WOULD SAY TRY TO LIMIT
YOUR CONGREGATION AND YOUR DEER
HUNT OR WHATEVER PLACE YOU STAY
WHEN YOU GO DEER HUNTING TO
PEOPLE WITHIN YOUR IMMEDIATE