We are excited to share WPR’s deck of Wisconsin Wildlife playing cards with you. This traditional 52-card deck, with four suits and two jokers, was designed by WPR graphic designer John Nichols and printed by The United States Playing Card Company. John was inspired by Wisconsin’s natural beauty and wildlife when designing these cards, which we are giving away at community events throughout 2022.
Each suit features an iconic Wisconsin animal in its natural habitat. Here’s a quick run down of each animal along with some links to related stories on wpr.org. We hope you’ll connect with friends and family over your favorite card game – maybe sheepshead, bid whist or euchre? – and share stories of the state we all love.
Clubs
King – White Tail Deer – one of the most common large mammals in Wisconsin, these deer can “run up to 40 miles per hour, jump nine-foot fences and swim 13 miles per hour,” according to the DNR.
Queen – Black Bear – although more abundant in northern Wisconsin, black bears have become more common in the southern half of the state.
Jack – Badger – the official state animal is actually pretty hard to see in the wild, but if you look closely at the top of the State Capital Building, you’ll find one sitting on the statue’s head always keeping a watchful eye over things.
Diamonds
King – Karner Blue Butterfly – a federally endangered butterfly, the tiny Karner blue relies on wild lupine flowers for survival. Wisconsin has “the largest and most widespread Karner blue populations” in the world, according to the DNR.
Queen – Honey Bee – Wisconsin hives produced more than 2.25 million pounds of honey in 2020 according to the USDA. The honey bee became Wisconsin’s official state insect in 1977.
Jack – Mosquito – Also known as the “unofficial state bird,” there are at least 56 species of mosquitoes found in Wisconsin.
Hearts
King – Sandhill Crane – nearly hunted to extinction in the 1800s, sandhill cranes were protected in the early 1900s and are now found throughout Wisconsin, especially as they migrate in the spring and fall. They mate for life.
Queen – Barn Owl – Barn owls, with their distinctive heart-shaped face, are considered rare in Wisconsin. Each day, they consume twice their body weight in food, mostly rodents and other small mammals.
Jack – Robin – Robins are common throughout the state, though they will migrate out of the colder areas in winter. They were selected by school children as the official state bird in 1927.
Spades
King – Muskellunge – a legendary fish among Wisconsin anglers, “muskies” are found in more than 700 lakes and 80 river segments in the state. They were named the official state fish in 1955.
Queen – Blue Gill – this common sunfish is found throughout Wisconsin’s rivers and lakes. According to the DNR, it can be easily identified by “a black spot that covers their ear flaps” between their eye and fin.
Jack – Rainbow Smelt – These small, silvery fish are not native to the Great Lakes. They were accidentally introduced in 1912 and by the mid-1930s it’s estimated that nearly 5 to 6 million pounds were caught each year. The population crashed in 1944 and has been smaller and varied in the decades since according to the DNR.
Joker
Joker – Raccoon – also known by some as a “trash panda” or “backyard bandit,” the raccoon is common throughout urban and rural areas of the state. Wisconsin author Sterling North’s award-winning memoir, “Rascal” about his adventures raising a young raccoon, was first published in 1963.