Deer Season 'practically a national holiday'; who knew?

[norinew]

I've only lived in WV a little over a year. So I was quite surprised to find out that, in these parts, the opening week of deer season is "practically a national holiday" (which is how my plumber put it!)

First, I heard a commercial on the radio for a local car dealership. The upshot of the commercial was that the manager of the dealership wouldn't let his salesmen take time off to go hunting until they sold more cars! "Our salesmen won't get no bucks until they save you bucks!" :smack:

Then, I was surprised my middle-school daughter gets all this week off from school for Thanksgiving break. Back in Maryland, they usually went on Monday and Tuesday, then had off on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. But I was informed by one of the teachers that in reality, they get all week off because it's the start of hunting season!

Which brings me to my handyman. He came out to give me an estimate on some work I need done to my apartment building, but informed me that he cannot start on the work until week after next because they're taking the week off to go hunting!

Seriously, I like venison if someone gives me some. I know how to make a decent roast or stew. But I do not get the appeal of deer hunting. It's not "shooting Bambi" that boggles my mind, but rather the whole "Let's just stand here stock still for hours, hoping to get a shot at a deer". I don't get it. Color me :confused:

Mundane? Yep. Pointless? You bet. But I thought I'd share anyway. :)

[Broomstick]

I remember living in Michigan back in the 70's when the Japanese were breaking into the American car market, and people having to explain over and over again to the nice Japanese visitors that no, you CAN'T have a meeting during deer season. No one would come. Yes, the place just about shuts down because everyone is off in the woods looking for deer. Yes, even some of the women.

In some places in the US yes, deer season is a definite extended holiday.

[Sunspace]

Sounds more like a regional holiday to me. :) But important, nonetheless.

[jayjay]

The more rural areas of Pennsylvania (i.e., most of PA) are like this, too. We didn't actually close our schools in Altoona, but there was generally an amazingly thorough rash of absences at the end of November. Almost always excused with no questions asked.

[norinew]

Sounds more like a regional holiday to me. :) But important, nonetheless.
Well, I certainly agree that it's 'regional' not 'national'! But I was talking to the plumber this morning, trying to schedule some work I need done, and he said "Well, we're closed Thursday and Friday; but even up 'til then, I'm short-handed. Lots of my crew took off to go deer hunting. Around here, it's practically a national holiday!"

[Wile E]

It's not much of a holiday for the deer.

[norinew]

It's not much of a holiday for the deer.
True enough.

[Simplicio]

We lived near the trailhead for a popular hunting spot, and used to watch all the guys bring back their deer Thanksgiving week. We found it pretty amusing that most of them were wearing 1) Camouflaged clothing and 2) bright orange vests.

[pullin]

I took a whole week for deer hunting this year. Wanted to catch the tail end of bow season and the beginning of modern gun. Spent another week earlier in the year hunting feral hogs because they were destroying our feeders. ('Round here, we hunt down other animals because they're interfering with deer season :p). Yep, it's a big deal here.

The good news is, my freezer's full, and I've still gotta fly back next week to pick up one we left to be processed.

[davey77]

Grew up in Southeast Ohio, where students were allowed one excused absence from school during deer gun season. Didn't stop some country boys from disappearing the entire week.

[Baker]

I remember living in Michigan back in the 70's when the Japanese were breaking into the American car market, and people having to explain over and over again to the nice Japanese visitors that no, you CAN'T have a meeting during deer season. No one would come. Yes, the place just about shuts down because everyone is off in the woods looking for deer. Yes, even some of the women.

In some places in the US yes, deer season is a definite extended holiday.

I lived in Michigan in the late 80's and in some places the first day of deer season was a school holiday.

The Yoopers, a singing group from Michigan, had a local hit with a song called "The Second Week of Deer Camp"

"We drink, play cards, and shoot duh bull/ But never shoot no deer!"

[pullin]

We found it pretty amusing that most of them were wearing 1) Camouflaged clothing and 2) bright orange vests.

Tell me about. Some of the guys on my lease were wearing last year's camo pattern. Another was using a light-colored, stainless rifle instead of blued, this far past Labor day, no less. Heathens, I say.

[jayjay]

I lived in Michigan in the late 80's and in some places the first day of deer season was a school holiday.

The Yoopers, a singing group from Michigan, had a local hit with a song called "The Second Week of Deer Camp"

"We drink, play cards, and shoot duh bull/ But never shoot no deer!"

Second Week of Deer Camp (www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb9yhhflmvY)

Da Yoopers also have another one that featured on Dr. Demento, "Deer Hunter's Widow", which wasn't really quite as funny and apparently is not on YouTube.

There IS always Bananas at Large's Turdy-Point Buck (www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZOC1QXTQLk), which is in the same vein and is definitely Yooper in origins, even if it isn't Da Yoopers in origin.

[Trom]

We lived near the trailhead for a popular hunting spot, and used to watch all the guys bring back their deer Thanksgiving week. We found it pretty amusing that most of them were wearing 1) Camouflaged clothing and 2) bright orange vests.

Orange camo is easy for humans to see, but not deer.

Cite. (http://6fbd21e64bc817fd097aa54148bd3dab37bc10ee.gripelements.com/documents/Hunter_Orange_Study.pdf)(pdf)

Although humans have three types of cone cells to provide color vision,
carnivores and ungulates, including deer, have a color vision that is based on only two
types of cones cells.10 This simplified type of color vision would result in a difficulty
distinguishing colors of objects that reflect light in the middle to long wavelengths
(green, yellow, orange, and red.) For a deer observing a hunter, this implies Hunter
Orange would provide no contrast against the surrounding field environment.

[kopek]

The more rural areas of Pennsylvania (i.e., most of PA) are like this, too. We didn't actually close our schools in Altoona, but there was generally an amazingly thorough rash of absences at the end of November. Almost always excused with no questions asked.

We did close but this was in the 60s and very early 70s. We were also allowed to hunt before and after school leaving our firearms and ammo with the gym teacher and game with the lunch ladies. This was all through hunting season and not just "buck".

Rural northeastern PA

[MsWhatsit]

Grew up in Southeast Ohio, where students were allowed one excused absence from school during deer gun season. Didn't stop some country boys from disappearing the entire week.

I'm from Zanesville. What he said. Except that if I recall correctly, some years they just gave Monday of Deer Week off to everybody.

[kenobi 65]

Growing up in northern Wisconsin, it was that way there, too.

One of my former employers had a plant in St. Joseph, MO.; the plant largely shut down for a week at the height of hunting season.

[Tom Tildrum]

It's not much of a holiday for the deer.

Sure it is. That's when they all go to Florida.

[thelurkinghorror]

Orange camo is easy for humans to see, but not deer.

Cite. (http://6fbd21e64bc817fd097aa54148bd3dab37bc10ee.gripelements.com/documents/Hunter_Orange_Study.pdf)(pdf)

Right. Oranges would be indistinguishable from some greens to deer. I will note that all mammals except primates have two or fewer cones, and even some primates have 2 or 1. Most (all?) birds have excellent color vision, so they can see your blaze orange standing out. Jerks.

A solid blaze orange vest can however be apparent to deer because it is a solid pattern that rarely exists in nature. I have seen some vests that break up the orange with a black leafy pattern, which in theory should work better.

[Tristan]

In Vandergrift, about an hour NorthEast of Pittsburgh, the kids have Monday off from school for the start of Deer Season.

Someday I'll give it a shot.

[ShibbOleth]

A large multinational company I worked for "back in the day" had at least two of it's plants "closed" on the opening day of deer season. One was in the middle of Pennsylvania and the other in the middle of Louisiana. Other rural plants may have done something similar. The more hunting oriented crowd would often take the whole week.

[Soliloquy]

I live in California, of all places. Here, it's not a state thing, but an individual obsession. My (soon to be) ex-husband actually refused to accompany me to my little sister's wedding and my mother's wedding, one year following the next, because they had the audacity to plan their weddings during deer season. Yes, he actually expected them to plan their weddings around deer season, or else he would not (did not) go to their weddings. I was 7 months pregnant during my mother's wedding.

That is one of many reasons that he is my ex. It isn't the hunting I cared about. I went with him! I hunted, sometimes! But for goodness sake, family should be more important than ONE DAY out of your hunting life.

[filling_pages]

Sure it is. That's when they all go to Florida.

I wish. I was hoping for venison on Thanksgiving, but all the hunters in my family are either having bad luck or just holding off on bagging theirs so they can maximize the time spent in the woods.

[FairyChatMom]

My husband isn't a hunter, so he's not aware of the seasons. He was plant engineer at a wire mill in Florida and he scheduled some major maintenance for the first week of deer season. His entire maintenance staff threatened to quit, and they were serious. So he rescheduled.

Apparently, you don't mess with deer season.

[caveman]

I witnessed the rural to suburban transition in my hometown. I distinctly recall that in elementary school (K-5) both the start of deer season and the local livestock show were school holidays. By high school they were merely excused absences with a parent's note, plus a critter to exhibit in the case of the livestock show.

[Little Nemo]

It always worked out great for me. We were allowed to swap the days we worked with other people. I don't hunt so I was able to get Christmas by working for a hunter on opening day.

[wheresmymind]

You're obviously from the Western shore of MD. Across the bridge attitudes towards deer season are similar to those you're experiencing now.

[Kyla]

:dubious: If deer season is a national holiday, West Virginia must be in a different nation from where I grew up.

[norinew]

:dubious: If deer season is a national holiday, West Virginia must be in a different nation from where I grew up.
Well, as I've already said, I realize it's not 'national' per se; it's regional. But 'it's practically a national holiday' is exactly what my plumber said to me!

[Athena]

We lived near the trailhead for a popular hunting spot, and used to watch all the guys bring back their deer Thanksgiving week. We found it pretty amusing that most of them were wearing 1) Camouflaged clothing and 2) bright orange vests.

Yup, you definitely didn't grow up around deer season. I think I knew that deer couldn't see orange by the time I was 5.

Kids here don't get the week off school - just the typical 2 or 2.5 days for Thanksgiving - but it's pretty common for people to take their kids out of school for the week to go to deer camp. Nothing too fancy is planned during deer season, except for girl stuff. My little town has an annual shopping night for women, where the stores stay open late and have appetizers and such for the camp widows.

For me, deer season means I see more of my mother (because my Dad's at deer camp) and I can't go walking in the woods with my dogs. If I'm lucky, I get some venison, but not much because Mr. Athena doesn't hunt and that confuses most of the men in my family.

In the Athena household, we're on the deer's side.

(except if they're already dead, butchered, and presented to me for cooking)

[sparky!]

I used to hunt every year, no longer do.

I notice an increase in deer strikes during hunting season. As a motorcyclist, I worry about hitting a deer or moose. Thank God for hunters thinning the herd. What sucks is that there are less and less hunters.

[ShibbOleth]

I used to hunt every year, no longer do.

I notice an increase in deer strikes during hunting season. As a motorcyclist, I worry about hitting a deer or moose. Thank God for hunters thinning the herd. What sucks is that there are less and less hunters.
I'm not sure how much hunters do to "thin the herd". If you want to really thin the herd you kill the females, not the males.

[sparky!]

I'm not sure how much hunters do to "thin the herd". If you want to really thin the herd you kill the females, not the males.

Well, something is better than nothing.

[flickster]

Does are taken just as often, or more so, than bucks. While there are a small percentage of hunters only out after a trophy, most are just out after venison for the freezer

[dhkendall]

And Americans wonder why the Chinese are beating them?

(I know I live in an urban area and all (yes, in Canada, but I know people hunt north of the 49th too) but really, I'd find most of these stories hard to believe if I didn't know that y'all were telling the truth ...

[Broomstick]

I'm not sure how much hunters do to "thin the herd". If you want to really thin the herd you kill the females, not the males.
Quite a few places issue does licenses as well as those for bucks.

[Harmonious Discord]

I'm not sure how much hunters do to "thin the herd". If you want to really thin the herd you kill the females, not the males.

The number of doe shot depends on how many you want born the next year. One buck impregnates a lot of doe. It's called herd management not genocide. The deer are shot just before winter when the feed becomes more scarce. The fawn pop out next year when there is plenty of food.

In the CWD control areas they do shoot everything. The purpose there being to try and wipe out this plague, which I don't think is possible.

[Harmonious Discord]

In Wisconsin it's what Thanksgiving weekend is for. Eating was always secondary to hunting when my aunts and uncles were younger and and owned farms. Hunters would go over to the neighbors farms to see how many they had tied up. All the farmers had relatives and friends hunting that weekend. A dozen deer shoot was not unheard of. Many people took one of their vacation weeks off to hunt. Lot's of people came up from other states even to hunt on the farms.

[Musicat]

We found it pretty amusing that most of them were wearing 1) Camouflaged clothing and 2) bright orange vests.The camouflage is to confuse the deer. The orange is to alert other hunters.

Obviously deer are blind to orange. But orange you glad you wore yours?

[Little Nemo]

And Americans wonder why the Chinese are beating them?Because our holidays involve chasing deers with firearms and their holidays involve chasing dragons with fireworks?

[Cat Whisperer]

And Americans wonder why the Chinese are beating them?

(I know I live in an urban area and all (yes, in Canada, but I know people hunt north of the 49th too) but really, I'd find most of these stories hard to believe if I didn't know that y'all were telling the truth ...
Growing up in a small Saskatchewan town, I was aware of hunting and some kids disappeared for a while every fall to go hunt with their dads, but I don't think it was treated like a religion like I'm seeing here.

Then again, a Bass Pro Shop (http://www.basspro.com/homepage.html) recently opened up here, and it is huge and always full of people. I have to conclude that there are A LOT of hunters here, too.

[pravnik]

It's not much of a holiday for the deer.Spoil sports!

[Martini Enfield]

Hunting in Australia works a lot differently to the way it does in the US, but I (a long-time shooter) can't understand taking the first day of the hunting season off to go hunting, for the simple reason that everyone else who likes hunting has also taken the day off to go hunting and it therefore seems unlikely there'll be any deer left to shoot (since all the other hunters will have shot them).

[Boyo Jim]

Killing deer is incidental to the hunting season. What it really is, is deer hunter season, cuz so many of these yahoos go out and shoot each other up. There were 4 deer hunters shot on day one of the season here in Wisconsin this year.

The really cool thing is, you don't even need a license to shoot a deer hunter, only a couple of six packs.

[dhkendall]

Growing up in a small Saskatchewan town, I was aware of hunting and some kids disappeared for a while every fall to go hunt with their dads, but I don't think it was treated like a religion like I'm seeing here.

Then again, a Bass Pro Shop (http://www.basspro.com/homepage.html) recently opened up here, and it is huge and always full of people. I have to conclude that there are A LOT of hunters here, too.

Thank you!

This proves my point beautifully. (Point = yes, we hunt here, yes, hunting is ok, but, tone it down, guys!)

The really cool thing is, you don't even need a license to shoot a deer hunter, only a couple of six packs.

Who'd want to? They taste terrible! (Too much fat)

[Cat Whisperer]

<snip>
Who'd want to? They taste terrible! (Too much fat)
They usually are well-marinated, though. :)

[Rhythmdvl]

It's not much of a holiday for the deer.





Wabbit season!


..

[Ruken]

I took a whole week for deer hunting this year. Wanted to catch the tail end of bow season and the beginning of modern gun. Spent another week earlier in the year hunting feral hogs because they were destroying our feeders. ('Round here, we hunt down other animals because they're interfering with deer season :p). Yep, it's a big deal here.Are the hogs tasty?

[Boyo Jim]

Are the hogs tasty?

Tastes a lot like deer hunters.

[Broomstick]

Yeah, but the boar meat taste doesn't last the way deer hunter does - the wild pig flavor is short, as opposed to deer hunter, which is more of a long pork thing.

[Freddy the Pig]

So just so I'm clear, are we saying that this is not the week to go for a pastoral stroll in my funny hat with the antlers on it that always gets a big laugh at Christmas parties?

[Reloy3]

Taking time off for deer season - that is soooo quaint.

Around here, Wyoming, deer season is mostly just a warm up for elk season. And yes, most schools are closed for the opening of elk season.

[wheresmymind]

I'm not sure how much hunters do to "thin the herd". If you want to really thin the herd you kill the females, not the males.

It varies by state. In MD, for instance, you're allowed 10 (ten, not a typo) doe and 2 buck. To get your second buck you have to first bag a doe. This applies for each of bow, blackpowder, and rifle season, so a dedicated hunter could theoretically get 36 deer every fall. That's for whitetail, you can also hunt sika deer although they have much lower bag limits.

[norinew]

So just so I'm clear, are we saying that this is not the week to go for a pastoral stroll in my funny hat with the antlers on it that always gets a big laugh at Christmas parties?
Let's just say if you have a decent life insurance policy, and your wife should say to you "Freddy, you look a little stressed; perhaps you should just go for a stroll through the woods. That would cheer you up. But you must dress warm, so here, wear this hat", don't do it. :p