Deer Season

Man this is it!!! This is the height of the year for lots of folks living in Northern Minnesota. November… the “grey month” is upon us and the season is-a-changin’ outside. There’s been a cold wind blowing from the northwest all day and its going to keep at it all night. Snow flakes blowing around and the temps are going to be dropping throughout the extended forecast along with mixes of light snow most days as well!

Just a few days ago on Sunday afternoon it was a lovely day of sunshine. It was quite and short-sleeve weather. Around here, you could hear rifle shots far and wide over the countryside…the season isn’t open yet, just folks out checking the sights on there rifles.

The grocery stores are bustling with activity and shelf stockers have their sleeves rolled up keeping their inventory stocked as long as possible. They all have sales flyers out for deer season specials. Inside the stores are men pushing big carts full of groceries for deer camp…and the store managers are grinning ear to ear visiting with folks…sales the week before deer season equal or exceed the other two big holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas…and the mood is just as festive!

There was a lot of blaze orange at the polls today and everyone is looking forward to regular TV programming without all the D— commercials! Yah, this is north woods country and a lot of politically incorrect language and conversation outside the little township cabin where the wood smoke rolls out the chimney and people from the township come to vote. There’s laughter…people are in good moods… “Hey Merlin, ya got dat big buck all tide up then?”

The season doesn’t open until Saturday but some are heading to camp early to get things all set up for the “big hunt”…with a big grin! All the local schools are closed Monday…they call it deer Monday.

I stopped by the local body shop on my way to the polls and it was busy with deer wrecks…its going to get busier…the rut is just getting going. They’re talking deer hunting over there as well. The local bars like this deer business…there will be lots of good times had celebrating the season.

I’ll be heading down to camp after lunch on Friday. It is my annual responsibility to get our traditional roast duck (and all the trimmings!) dinner going in the wood cook stove later in the afternoon and the rest of the crew will trickle in from all directions sometime before happy hour…with any luck! We’ve been gathering there for 52 years now…and the patriarchs even longer. Yep this is it, deer season is upon us and its time to go to the woods!  “Good ting we got a lotta fire wood down dare, its going be a chilly one dis year Merlin!”