Wisconsin is called the Badger State because early lead miners who dug for ore would burrow into the ground much like badgers do, tunneling underground to extract the valuable minerals. While badgers are also present in the state and Bucky Badger is the mascot of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's sports teams, it is the resemblance of the miners' work to a badger's digging habits that led to Wisconsin receiving its nickname as the Badger State.