Jerry Davis/Backtag: Getting degree helped put her in deer camp

Sometimes the wait to get invited to deer camp is worth it. And sometimes it appears to take a college degree to get an invitation to attend the school of applied deer management, or in other words, deer camps.

Becky Roth waited much of her life for a chance to head north to deer camp. Then, when she was finally invited, her job cut deep into the beginning of Wisconsin’s nine-day season.

Several years ago Roth accepted a position as a wildlife biologist in Spring Green with the Department of Natural Resources.

That meant it was all hands on deck for the opening weekend of gun deer season, and a deer camp in the north or anyplace else, was out of the question.

"My family purchased 40 acres in northern Bayfield County years ago, but by vote of the hunters it was always no girls at the deer camp, even after a cabin was built to make camp a bit warmer and more convenient," Roth said.

But apparently it became more difficult to say no to someone who has a degree from UW-Madison in deer biology.

"When I graduated college my father gave me a .30-06 Browning automatic rifle as a gift," she said. "One of the best experiences I can remember was when I was invited to be part of the family deer camp and got to sit with my father, and then shooting a deer from his stand and seeing the look on his face. I was really glad they voted that a woman could finally go to deer camp. I can still remember that day. This is what hunting should be all about, being with friends and family."

Roth describes the family deer camp as a big tradition that always overshadowed a Thanksgiving holiday at home.

"When I grew up we never had a Thanksgiving dinner. My dad was always at deer camp and that’s just the way it was. I didn’t understand when other kids used to talk about Thanksgiving and we never had that holiday," Roth said. "My dad was always at camp."

Roth has been working as a full time wildlife biologist for four years and part of her position means she has to work at DNR registration stations for at least the first two days of the deer season.

"I love to go deer hunting but can’t fully experience opening weekend, so being a wildlife biologist has it’s good and bad, but I do get to see the public and interact with them," she said. "During the interview for this job, you realize you won’t be able to hunt as much as you’d like. But we (wildlife biologists) love the job and this is part of the job."

As soon as opening weekend is over, Roth hits the road, drives six hours north, and gets to camp near Cornucopia, Wis. in the middle of the night.

Changing traditions has become part of Roth’s deer experiences.

Being able to attend the family deer camp has meant celebrating Thanksgiving, too.

"On Thursday we have a traditional Thanksgiving meal with turkey and all the trimmings," Roth said. "Then, on Friday, we have a fish fry."

Now Roth sees this as a tradition she wants to continue, even if it means a seven-day season, or less.

"In many cases, this is the only opportunity I have each year to see some of these people in the family," she said. "It’s always good to get out there, see friends and go hunting with my dad. It doesn’t matter if it’s nine days or two days, it’s still keeping the tradition alive."

One of Roth’s cousin’s can’t make camp this year, so he put his two sons on a plane in Alabama and sent them to Cornucopia, just to keep his family tradition of deer camp going for another year.

Being with family and friends, hunting deer with a 76-year-old father, and enjoying Thanksgiving turkey hours from home overshadows no running water and living in a cabin.