Yep. Open carry is, technically, legal in WI. On the other hand, I've lived in WI for the last 27 years, and I've never seen anyone who wasn't a LEO open carrying in town.
That being said, don't let the politics fool you - WI is a pretty gun-friendly state, culturally. Deer hunting is far too much a part of the local culture and economy for it to be otherwise. Pretty much no one will be fazed to discover you own guns (excepting the terminally leftist college types in the People's Democratic Republic of Madison). But then, Madison is in a different universe compared to the rest of the state. As Langenator said, they expressly skirt the law and, as policy, arrest anyone open carrying for disturbing the peace. Similarly, they use zoning regulations to prohibit the sale of handguns inside city limits, and discharging a firearm within city limts is strictly verboten (so no ranges).
IIRC, you can have an unloaded pistol (no chambered round, empty magazine if in the gun) in your car within reach, as long as it is not held to be concealed. On the passenger seat next to you has been ruled to be concealed in court, while on the dash in front of you is legally open. On the other hand, I don't think this is a good idea, since you're certain to be hassled by the cops if you get pulled over.
Really, it's a few key people from the PDRM and Milwaukee government that prevent proper respect for RKBA in WI. They manage to keep getting elected because they hide behind "don't need that to hunt," and our firearms culture is heavily weighted towards hunting rather than defense or sport. So the bigwigs can exert political pressure on people otherwise inclined towards RKBA, and they can cave in because it won't annoy their voters too much as long as they can still hunt.
As far as hicks, SIOP, our northwoods and our rural communities are no more "hick" than any other rural types in the country. Guys drive trucks with guns for hunting, as opposed to shooting appliances in the back yard. There's a lot more camo, and a lot fewer wife beaters. Granted, our urban areas are a lot less urban than NYC, LA, and Chicago...but I look at that as a good thing. And if you're a woman on the side of the road with a flat tire, odds are good that some polite guy will pull over to give you a hand. I'm sorry you don't like WI, and you're welcome to not - but I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't imply that my state is the armpit of the union.
