Deer season begins...

Beautiful frost yesterday morning... ever-so-slightly backlit by the rising sun...

Surrounded by frost-caked brush and wilderness, a lone hunter waits for prey in a tree stand on opening day of gun-deer season near Dale, Wis., Saturday morning, Nov. 22, 2008.

For second time in two years, Papermakers state champs

Kimberly High School's Benny DeBruin takes the ball upfield in the second half against Verona Area High School in the WIAA Division 2 state championship game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., Friday, Nov. 21, 2008.

Kimberly High School's Jayme Wells (21) tries to shake of Verona Area High School defender Sean McGowan (11) in the first quarter.

Kimberly High School quarterback Tyler Wolf (6) hugs his mother, Debbie, after the Papermakers' win over Verona Area High School in the WIAA Division 2 state championship game.

Kimberly High School's Benny DeBruin (14) and Tyler Wolf (6) walk off the field after defeating Verona Area High School in the WIAA Division 2 state championship game.

Waupaca wins state

Waupaca defeated Reedsburg in a surprisingly close game, yesterday, 21-20. That's how championship games should be.

The Waupaca High School football team conducts pregame warm ups before playing Reedsburg Area High School in the WIAA Division 3 state championship game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., Friday, Nov. 21, 2008.

Waupaca High School's Andrew Yeska (22) and Matt Williams (28) celebrate Williams' late fourth quarter interception.

Waupaca High School players hoist coach John Koronkiewicz in the air after the Comets defeated Reedsburg Area High School in the WIAA Division 3 state championship game.

Avoiding the family portrait...

Family portraits rarely tell a story, and are rarely visually interesting. Handout photos from families often offer a moment the journalist couldn't be present for, but those photos are usually technically poor.

Here, I decided to do something a little different to avoid doing a group portrait and make things simple and visual.

This was shot a few weeks ago for a Living Well cover story on premature births.

Kristin and Eric Stadler are shown holding their children Kathryn and Jacob in family pictures taken three weeks after their premature birth at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin - Fox Valley.

Hilbert falls in state championship

I'm in Madison at Camp Randall Stadium (where the Wisconsin Badgers play) covering the high school football state championships.

Yesterday, Hilbert lost to Catholic Central in the Division 7 championship. Here are my favorites from the day...

The Hilbert High School football team takes the field before playing Burlington Catholic Central High School in the WIAA Division 7 state championship game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., Thursday morning, Nov. 20, 2008.

Hilbert's Skylar Stecker (15) and Burlington Catholic Central's Ben Wilde (22) collide on a pass play intended for Stecker in the second quarter.

Hilbert's Kyle Kees (25) and Ben Krueger (58) can't stop Burlington Catholic Central's Joe Spiegelhoff (15) from gaining a few extra rushing yards in the third quarter.

A disappointed Skylar Stecker (15) hoists the runner-up trophy after the Hilbert Wolves fell to Burlington Catholic Central in the WIAA Division 7 state championship game.

Wisconsin's only sled hockey team

Waupaca also heading to state...

I'll have three teams to cover at Madison next week. Kimberly, Waupaca (below), and Hilbert.

I was really pleased with my work from this game...

Waupaca High School's Mike Solberg (33) reaches for the endzone as Kewaskum High School's Matt Buker (9) tries to defend the goal in the third quarter of a WIAA Division 3 Level 4 playoff game at Ingalls Field in Ripon, Wis., Saturday afternoon, Nov. 15, 2008. Officials ruled the ball just short of the goal line. Waupaca scored shortly thereafter on a pass play to Nate Nelson (12).

Waupaca High School's James DeYoung (46) forces a fumble on Kewaskum High School quarterback Nick Olla (7) in the third quarter.

Waupaca High School players crowd around head coach John Koronkiewicz after the Comets defeated Kewaskum High School in a WIAA Division 3 Level 4 playoff game at Ingalls Field in Ripon, Wis., Saturday afternoon, Nov. 15, 2008.

Hunting economy...

What does hunting mean for Wisconsin's economy? It's annually a $1 Billion industry...

In preparation for gun-deer hunting season, Kevin Muthig of Appleton, front, and his son, Richard, of Custer, look over a muzzleloader in the gun section of Gander Mountain in Grand Chute, Wis., Saturday afternoon, Nov. 1, 2008.

Kimberly heading to state...

These guys are on fire. They made mincemeat out of a state powerhouse. They are the new powerhouse.

I'm banking on Kimberly becoming my annual ticket to Madison (UW's Camp Randall, home of the state championship game).

Kimberly High School's Connor Hietpas (87), Chris Zlevor (89), Tyler Wolf (6), and Dan Lenzner (48) celebrate the Papermakers' advancement to the state title game after defeating Marshfield High School in a WIAA Level 4 playoff game at D.C. Everest's Stiehm Stadium in Weston, Wis., Friday evening, Nov. 14, 2008.

The ball comes loose just after the knee of Marshfield High School quarterback Paul Schecklman (12) hits the ground as he is pounded by Kimberly High School's Mike Hardy (88) and Nick Harkness (36) in the second quarter.

Vaccinations...

Cover photo for our Living Well tab-insert (before text and words were layed-out on it). Story on reasons why parents are delaying or declining vaccinations for their newborn children...

Debra Tendick with 15-week-old daughter Emrianna at home in Menasha, Wis., Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008.

The scout team

I really like assignments where I learn something new. It's one of the things that makes the job enjoyable.

A scout team is a group of players that emulate an opponent's offense or defense. They receive instruction and guidance from the coaches who watch the opponents' game tapes, and they execute.

This is standard practice in the NFL, and most college teams. It is very rare at the high school level because they usually don't have the numbers or talent. Kimberly High School, a Division 2 team with a near-30-game win streak, is the exception.

Kimberly High School's offense goes up against their defensive scout team (red caps) during practice at Papermaker Stadium in Kimberly, Wis., late Thursday afternoon, Nov. 13, 2008.

Sighting scopes...

Can anybody think of another way of shooting this annual story?

Each year, hunters go to the local gun ranges to calibrate their scopes. The past two years I've shot this, and each year it's a shell casing coming out of the chamber.

I know, I know... "readers don't keep clips" (for those of you not in the publishing business, it's a phrase that basically means readers don't remember what you shot or wrote about last year). But seriously... it was cool the first year, and now it's getting old. Help!

In preparation for gun-deer hunting season, Jon Smith of Greenville fires off a round from his SKS rifle while sighting-in his scope at Twin City Rod & Gun Club in the Town of Greenville, Wis., Saturday afternoon, Nov. 1, 2008.

Hilbert, Kimberly advance

The ball pops loose from the grip of Hilbert High School quarterback Luke Pattermann (12) as he stretches for the goal line as Suring High School's Derek Whiting (5) tries to defend in the first quarter of a WIAA Division 7, Level 3 playoff game in Hilbert, Wis., Saturday afternoon, Nov. 8, 2008. Officials ruled the play a touchdown.

Kaukauna High School's Tanner Deering (20) trips up Kimberly High School quarterback Tyler Wolf (6) on a long scramble in the third quarter of a WIAA Division 2, Level 3 playoff game in Kimberly, Wis., Saturday evening, Nov. 8, 2008.

Kimberly High School's Benny DeBruin (14) busts through the line over Kaukauna High School's Ryan Vandenberg (58) in the second quarter.

Kaukauna volleyball state-bound...

You don't get a triple block too often...

Kaukauna High School's Korey Schroeder (8), left, and Chris Johnson (7) celebrate a point late in an emotionally charged fourth and final set of the Ghosts win over Kimberly High School in a sectional final volleyball match at Appleton North High School in Appleton, Wis., Thursday evening, Nov. 6, 2008.

Kimberly High School's Mike McDermott (9) sits alone on the bench after an awards presentation following the Papermakers' loss to Kaukauna High School.

Post-election cleanup

I got the scene I wanted, but this wasn't exactly the moment I was hoping to capture. Sometimes they just don't happen where you want them, I guess...

Walls are near bare as campaign worker Chris Finch of Bridgeport, Conn., checks his computer while clearing out his desk and personal belongings in the Democratic Campaign for Change office in downtown Appleton, Wis., Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 5, 2008. Finch has been in Appleton with the campaign for about a month.

Video: Election '08 - Obama Wins

I'm such a pro!

Forgot my headphones, so I shot this all by visually inspecting my audio meters while having no clue what my audio actually sounded like until I got back to the office.

Also forgot a spare AA battery for my shotgun-mic, it died right as Obama won (you can tell the audio's weak) and I was forced to use a wireless lav for the rest of the evening.

Troubleshootin', son... troubleshootin'...

I'm pretty happy with how this turned out despite my ineptitude!

Video: Election '08 - Polls crowded in Grand Chute

I know... I did the big no-no... a real quick near-360º pan. If I could shoot it over I would! Trust me.

Eyes...

Appleton West High School's Bob Hall (9) sets the ball late in the first set at East in Appleton, Wis., Friday evening, Oct. 31, 2008.