Four Generations of Hunting Camaraderie

V1 Staff |

Three generations of the Bauer Family.
Three generations of the Bauer Family.

For most families throughout the great state of Wisconsin, hunting is not necessarily a family affair. Typically, the men leave for the blinds before dawn and return at dusk to a home cooked meal laid out on the dinner table. Once the great feast is consumed, laughter, napping, and games ensue until everyone decides it is time to call it a night. 

But for one Wisconsin family, the wonder of nature and the call of the hunt compel them to leave the dinner table to go into the woods. The Bauer family, hailing from the northwest portion of the state, consists of four generations of hunters who love the opportunities presented by hunting, such as building camaraderie and learning about leadership, respect, and responsibility. Although every family member listed below shared some of their hunting experiences with us, this is a compilation of only a few of the stories, including memorable moments during a hunt as well as the joys and lessons learned while learning to hunt together. 

MEET THE HUNTERS

Robert (Bob) Sr.
Robert (Bob) Jr., son to Bob Sr.
Cory Bauer, son to Bob Jr.
Kyle Bauer, son to Bob Jr.
Rich Bauer, son to Bob Sr.
Tyarra Daniels, daughter to Rich.
Melissa Hays, daughter to Rich.
Mike Bauer, son to Bob Sr.

Where has the family hunted? 

“My grandfather (Bob Sr.’s father) owned farmland in the town of Union, so we hunted there often. ... We also hunted in the Meridean area for many years. When I was older we traveled to Buffalo County and enjoyed some of our best hunting years there. This is where my own boys had their first hunting experiences. Most recently, we’ve hunted in Rusk County. My dad purchased a hunting cabin and 10 acres of land adjacent to the Rusk County Forest. We’ve been enjoying family time there for the past eight years. These have been some of the best years hunting, as both of my boys have been there with me.” –Bob Bauer Jr.  

Bob Bauer Sr.
Bob Bauer Sr.

When did you start hunting? 

“I started hunting when I was able to keep up (8-10 years old), and started to carry a gun at 12. Since I can remember, hunting has been part of life. It’s always been part of Thanksgiving week, and always will be.” –Mike Bauer

“When I was real young, my brother Al and I hunted where Fanny Hill and Westgate Sportsman Club are now. We hunted small game from there all the way to the Dunn County line. I was 15 when I first hunted deer. –Bob Bauer Sr. 

“I remember helping my dad pack for deer camp every year, and it was exciting to watch him. When I was 8 or 9 years old, he said to me, “You better pack your bag, too.” I think that was the most excited I had ever been. Before my brother Cory and I could hunt with a gun we would sit in a stand with our dad, one of our uncles, or our grandpa.” –Kyle Bauer

What is one of your own memorable hunting moments? 

“My most memorable experience would have to be when my dad let me drive his truck. I was 12, and we were in an open field. I went out of the trees and ran right back into one. All my uncles and my grandpa were watching from the other end of the field. It was very embarrassing and funny. Everyone was laughing, but I wouldn’t get out of the truck.” –Melissa Hays

“I shot my first deer at age 15. I came home and Mom, Dad, and my younger brothers and sisters were all at the dinner table having lunch. I was covered in blood from dressing the deer, and as a joke I told them I had cut myself. I scared them all!” –Bob Bauer Sr. 

“One of my most vivid memories was when I was 12 or 13 years old. I was on a drive with my dad, and he had me sit in a wash out. He told me to watch for deer. Within minutes I heard the sound of rustling leaves and breaking branches. I looked out over the edge of the wash out and saw three deer thrashing through the brush, heading directly towards me. I ducked, and the deer jumped right over my head, within inches of touching. I was so excited that I didn’t know what to do. Needless to say, it happened so fast that my inexperience got the best of me, and no shots were fired.” –Bob Bauer Jr. 

“One year my dad and I went up to our cabin to bow hunt. Dad set me up in a stand and started walking to his stand. About 5 minutes later, a big buck walked over the hill. Once he came into bow range, I took the shot and watched as he ran off into the woods. I called my dad immediately after I took the shot. I told him I had just shot the biggest buck of my life. He told me he wasn’t even at his stand yet. The longest part of the hunt seemed like waiting for my dad to walk back so we could start tracking. My buck ran about 80 yards. We found him on top of a hill and the work began. Jokingly, my dad told me ‘next time can you wait till I’m to my stand.’” –Kyle Bauer

What is the best part of the hunting experience?

“For me the best part of hunting is the camaraderie of being together, seeing the excitement on the faces of my sons and grandchildren, and hearing the stories about their hunts.” –Bob Bauer Sr.  

“For me, the best part of the hunting experience is being excited when I see my girls or my nephews get a deer and if I get one myself.” –Rich Bauer

“The best part of the hunting experience is just being with family. It is really fun going to the bars to eat and have a good time, or playing card or dice games after a day of hunting. Also, we always come back with fun new stories. I love my family! They are all amazing!” –Melissa Hays

“The best part of it all is spending time with family and being part of the whole thing called nature. The only downfall to it is the time away from my wife and daughter who, despite my best efforts, have very little interest in hunting.” –Mike Bauer

“The best part of the hunting experience for me is sharing my knowledge and experiences with my sons and, soon, my grandchildren. Watching my boys have success as they enjoy the same sense of family that I’ve enjoyed for the last 40 years is fulfilling, and what I look forward to now more than the actual hunt itself. I find peace in the outdoors, and until my dying day, my favorite sound will be the wind whispering through the tall pine trees.” –Bob Bauer Jr. 

What have you learned from the sport of hunting or from others who hunt? 

“I have learned safety, sportsmanship, respect for people, and respect for other people’s property. Years ago I learned from my brother Al to be safe and have respect for others. The worst experience was when my youngest brother, Ron, was unloading a 30-30 and it went off and blew his ankle apart.” –Bob Bauer Sr. 

 “My brother’s have taught me pretty much everything I know about the sport along with respect for game, land, and guns! I’ve also learned a guy has to take the good with the bad, nothing is guaranteed in hunting and life.” –Mike Bauer 

“What I have learned from hunting is how to take responsibility and have respect for all hunters and landowners. Hunting with other people has taught me that no matter who gets a deer, we all celebrate and work together.” –Rich Bauer

“For us, this isn’t so much a sport as it is a way of life in the fall. This is who we are, not what we do. Hunting is a team commitment that includes sharing the responsibility of safety, making lists and gathering/purchasing supplies, scouting areas and setting up stands, cooking, maintenance of the cabin, and butchering/processing the meat.” –Bob Bauer Jr.