Photo by Charles Romanik. Up North Stories. Today is the Opening Day of firearm deer season in Michigan, a sacred day for many northerners. Approximately 600,000 deer hunters got up well before dawn, pulled on their blaze orange vestments, and spent the day worshiping at the shrine of St. Antlers. Opening Day is the northern version of Mardi Gras, heralding a two week pilgrimage into the woods and fields. Workmen are as scarce as hen’s teeth during the season and I had to hustle to get my garage door fixed well before the sacred event.
Craft shows and bazaars flourish as deer camp widows make a different kind of pilgrimage. I'm not trying to be sexist, so I'll mention that an increasing number of women are blaze orange acolytes and they too spent time in the woods with firearms.
Local hotels and motels are full as out-of-towners come to share the experience. Restaurants, bars, and party stores see an uptick in business as hunters unwind or pick up a few last-minute items.
For the non-hunter, the Up North world changes significantly during the first week of deer season. The pace is slower as the community feels the absence of so many members. Depending upon your perspective, deer season can a shot of social Novocain or it can be a quiet holiday without all the commercial hype.
For many people, hunting is a solitary endeavor but it’s also about tradition, spending time with family and friends, telling stories, building memories, and enjoying the downtime. For others, deer hunting is an organized travesty and the inconveniences are aggravating.
It really doesn’t matter where you stand on the hunting issue. When you live Up North, hunting season is what it is.
Craft shows and bazaars flourish as deer camp widows make a different kind of pilgrimage. I'm not trying to be sexist, so I'll mention that an increasing number of women are blaze orange acolytes and they too spent time in the woods with firearms.
Local hotels and motels are full as out-of-towners come to share the experience. Restaurants, bars, and party stores see an uptick in business as hunters unwind or pick up a few last-minute items.
For the non-hunter, the Up North world changes significantly during the first week of deer season. The pace is slower as the community feels the absence of so many members. Depending upon your perspective, deer season can a shot of social Novocain or it can be a quiet holiday without all the commercial hype.
For many people, hunting is a solitary endeavor but it’s also about tradition, spending time with family and friends, telling stories, building memories, and enjoying the downtime. For others, deer hunting is an organized travesty and the inconveniences are aggravating.
It really doesn’t matter where you stand on the hunting issue. When you live Up North, hunting season is what it is.
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