My experiences in the UP during the opening day of Rifle Hunting Season for Deer. When I was in high school in 1981, the first week of rifle season meant that all of the male teachers had substitutes and most of the male students were out the first day if not the first week. A few years later, the Gwinn Area School District decided to make the first day of rifle season a school holiday because they were tired of having so many people out that day. My Spanish teacher would go bow hunting as well, so he would start hunting even before rifle season started and if he didn’t get his buck then, he would hunt on the rifle season day. My family was not into hunting although, I have eaten rabbit and deer that someone else brought in. I tell people here in Texas about that and they don’t quite understand the concept. If you want to learn more about deer camp and hunting in general watch Escanaba in the Moonlight with Jeff Daniels or listen to Second Week of Deer Camp by Da Yoopers.

Stacey E. Keener ‘88