Bucky Badger Buckingham U . " Bucky " Badger is the official mascot of the University of Wisconsin – Madison . He attends all major sporting events for the Wisconsin Badgers as well as hundreds of other events around Wisconsin every year . Origin . The as - yet unnamed Wisconsin mascot appeared as a human - like cartoon figure in University of Wisconsin publications in the 1930s . The most familiar portrayal of Bucky Badger , wearing a " W " sweater and strutting forward with a fierce expression , was drawn by California - based commercial artist Art Evans in 1940 , and first sold from Brown ' s Book Store in Madison . An actual badger from Eau Claire was used at the first few football games that year , but proved to be too fierce to be controlled properly and was retired to the nearby Henry Vilas Zoo . After that , the school replaced the live badger with a live raccoon named Regdab ( ' badger ' backwards ) . In 1949 , a UW - Madison art student , Connie Conrad was asked to create a paper - mache Bucky head - piece . A UW - Madison Gymnast and cheerleader , Bill Sagal , wore the outfit at the homecoming game and a contest was started to properly name the mascot . The winning entry was Buckingham U . Badger . Bucky has been maintained over the years , even surviving a threat by the assistant attorney general , Howard Koop , who suggested that Bucky be replaced by Henrietta Holstein , a loveable cow . In 2006 , Bucky was inducted as a charter member of the Mascot Hall of Fame ' s College Division , joining YoUDee from Delaware , Sparty from the Michigan State University , and Aubie from Auburn . Attire and attitude . Bucky wears a cardinal red and white Wisconsin sweater along with a gruff look on his face ( the costumed - mascot version is decidedly cheerier , with a beaming smile ) . During sporting events , he is generally seen interacting with the crowd , especially the rambunctious student section . For example , during football games Bucky often directs sections N , O , and P to dance along with the band ' s music or pretends to pick fights with certain students . He also has a history of playfully fighting other team ' s mascots like the University of Minnesota ' s Goldy Gopher or Purdue University ' s Purdue Pete . Although fighting is no longer allowed by NCAA mascots , Bucky still frequently interacts with other mascots through skits . Bucky also does pushups to match the score after each touchdown , field goal , or safety . At the Indiana game on November 13 , 2010 Bucky did 83 consecutive pushups for the winning score of 83 - 20 . Bill Sagal was the first costumed Bucky Badger . The original Bucky costume was introduced at a pep rally on Friday , November 11 , 1949 , before the next day ' s Homecoming game against Iowa ( Wisconsin 35 , Iowa 13 ) . Carolyn ( Connie ) Conrad , a UW art student , designed the original chicken wire and paper mache head . Sagal , then head cheerleader , wore his regular cheerleader trousers and sweater and added boxing gloves . Logo . The modern Bucky Badger logo was part of a group of " comic collegiate badger mascots " created by the Anson W . Thompson Company of Los Angeles in 1940 . The company was one of several that manufactured decals and other logowear for universities . The Madison - based Brown ' s Book Store ( no longer in business ) was the first to order the pose . Other bookstores in the area ordered other poses . The UW athletic department first used the logo on the cover of the 1948 Football Facts and Centennial Sports Review . That image of Bucky was adopted and used by many local businesses in and around Madison . In 1988 the University of Wisconsin – Madison formed a trademark licensing program to register the Bucky logo , which was opposed by local merchants . Ownership was decided in the case " University Book Store v . University of Wisconsin – Madison Board of Regents " . The United States Patent and Trademark Office allowed the UW to register the marks despite previous third - party use on the grounds that the public identified the Bucky Badger logo with the University of Wisconsin – Madison . In 2003 , Bucky was given an update , with simplified lines and the " motion W " on his sweater . This might have been done in part to give the University a version of Bucky that was associated with the University alone , and had never been used in any other context . The mascot costume was also updated to feature the motion W . Variations . Academic departments and groups at UW - Madison have a rich history of modifying Bucky . Recent university guidelines , however , have banned the modification of Bucky Badger citing brand dilution despite featuring Bucky on other non - University items such as tortilla chips . Blind Bucky is sometimes used to represent the University of Wisconsin Law School as a variation of the allegorical figure of blindfolded Lady Justice . Two variations of " Band Bucky " are used to represent the University of Wisconsin Marching Band . One variation shows him wearing a uniform similar to the drum major ' s , and the other shows him wearing a normal Wisconsin Band uniform . Various instrument sections within the band have also commissioned logos that include Bucky holding an instrument . Bucky with a stethoscope is occasionally used by the Medical Alumni Association . Similarly , a design of Bucky wearing a Roman - style toga is used by the university ' s Classics Society ( and shared with the Classics Department ) . The College of Agriculture & Life Science ' s Short Course has a Farmer Bucky , clad in Motion W overalls and carrying a pitchfork . In addition , the Collegiate FFA has Bucky in Official Dress , including the standard FFA Jacket . The Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences department utilizes a design with Bucky holding a lightning bolt . Bucky has also been known to don a laboratory coat and carry an Erlenmeyer flask in support of University of Wisconsin - Madison laboratory sciences . Bucky also adorned the engine nacelles of the Wisconsin ANG in Madison during their tenure with the A - 10 " Warthog " . He was shown on both engines in all black tone , as the aircraft was in the " European one " paint at the time . This was short - lived as the unit converted to the F - 16 in a short time . Student portrayal . The students ( usually 7 ) who portray Bucky Badger are all volunteers , without scholarships or financial reimbursement , as is the system in some universities . Tryouts include tests of dancing skills , expressiveness in suit , ability to work with props , and the number of push - ups a candidate can do , as well as an interview and the ability to write and perform an original skit . The Bucky Team attends mascot training camp every year in August . They perform throughout the year , including breaks and holidays , representing the university and the state at athletic events , but also at ceremonies , parades , festivals , weddings , and even an occasional funeral . Bucky appearances can be purchased ; rates in 2007 were $ 250 plus $ 100 per hour , a " typical price " for school mascots . Film portrayal . In 2009 , Bucky Badger made it to the silver screen in the documentary , " Being Bucky " . The film , which was created by Chicago ad - men John Fromstein and Scott Smith , both Wisconsin natives , follows the 2007 – 2008 Buckys : Chris , Blake , Dave , Sky , Ryan , Craig and Jeff . It was released on April 4 at the Wisconsin Film Festival and featured in theaters across the state in the following weeks . Additionally , Bucky Badger is featured prominently in a parody of the song Teach Me How to Dougie , appropriately titled " Teach me how to Bucky . " , The music video , presented by Zooniversity Music , debuted during the 2010 UW Homecoming Game at Camp Randall vs . Minnesota Golden Gophers , a 41 - 23 Badgers win on October 9 . T - shirts displayed in the video became commercially distributed the following week at local stores such as Name of the Game Apparel and Insignia . However despite overwhelming popularity of the video , the use of a student athlete portrayal in the music video at the : 31 second and 1 : 11 mark violated NCAA compliance issues as student athlete ' s likeness are prohibited from generating the sales . Specifically , NCAA regulations stipulate that “ items that include an individual student - athlete ’ s name , picture or likeness , other than information items , may not be sold . ”