Last Fall, twenty of our hard-working electricians traded tool belts for hunting vests and headed to the fields outside Decorah for what has become a staple of ESCO Electric culture — our 11th annual Team 19 pheasant hunt.
What started back in 2015 as a half-baked “let’s get the team together and do something different” idea has officially turned into a tradition we look forward to every year.
Once again, Chase the Adventure hosted us, and they didn’t disappoint. Birds were bagged, job-site stories were swapped, and a little friendly competition made its way into the mix. (And a quick shoutout is deserved for the pulled-pork sandwiches and the legendary “chicken” noodle soup.)
But the best part of the trip happened after the sun went down.
At the lodge, where the evening turned into exactly what you’d hope it would — electricians sitting around with beers and Old Fashioneds, yelling “Draw Four!” at 11 p.m., catching up on life. The kind of conversations that don’t always happen on job sites, simply because we’re not always working alongside the same people every day.
At ESCO Electric, we spend our days wiring plants, buildings, and facilities across the region — but moments like this remind us that we’re also building relationships. Strong teams don’t happen by accident. They’re built through shared experiences, trust, and time together outside the daily grind.
Traditionally, we’ve held the hunt on or around Veterans Day. This year, we moved it back a couple of weeks so our veterans could spend the holiday with their fellow service members and families. The shift also allowed some of our bow hunters to take advantage of prime rut season — a win all around.
Going forward, this new schedule will stick. It gives us more flexibility and more opportunities to recognize the entire Team 19 crew and the effort they put in all year long.
Eleven years in, this hunt isn’t about the birds anymore (though that part doesn’t hurt). It’s about camaraderie, appreciation, and staying connected as a team — values that show up not just in the field, but on every job we take on.
And yes — the tradition is very much alive.
Written by: Rich Petsche, Division Manager, ESCO Electric