Area students are learning about one of the state's better known animals in today's What's Cool in School report.

Wildlife educator Steve Porter brought a few of his trophy whitetails to Colby Monday, to encourage students to go hunting.

For many children in North Central Wisconsin seeing a whitetail deer in a field is fairly common, but a few lucky students were able to get an up-close view.

The traveling whitetails exhibit has been shown across the country at outdoor expos, but only recently has porter brought his show to schools. The Minnesota deer farmer recently received grants from deer farming organizations to help encourage children to take an interest in hunting. The program lets students touch actual antlers and learn a few facts about the animal.

Porter says the program does more than just get students excited about hunting. It's also designed to keep students from making poor life decisions. The whitetail farmer says children focused on outdoor activities are less likely to get themselves into trouble.

Steve Porter and his trophy whitetails will be traveling to a few more schools in our area this week before heading back to Minnesota. Lucky students from Abbotsford, Stanley-Boyd, Thorp, and Gilman will all get a chance to see the bucks.