Buck on the run by oakwood

Opening day of deer season probably ranks pretty high in the list of Michigan holidays. I know a lot of businesses that will be closed for the next few days in recognition that their employees would just be out sick with deer fever. As I write this, the light rain is changing to snow, something that is inexplicably making thousands of folks dressed in orange a lot happier.

The Michigan DNR has all the details on deer hunting in Michigan, including a reminder that much public land is open to hunting - be aware! An estimated 750,000 hunters will purchase licenses for the November 15-30 firearm deer season. According to Doug Reeves, acting DNR Wildlife Division chief:

"Hunters will spend more than 10 million days enjoying deer hunting recreation during the archery, firearm, and muzzleloading seasons combined. This is more days spent deer hunting than in any other state or Canadian province. Deer hunters will contribute more than $500 million to the Michigan economy through the purchase of such items as food, lodging, transportation, and equipment."

The DNR is forecasting one of the finest hunting seasons in recent years due to a mild winter, something that Michigan Sportsman magazine's 2007 whitetail deer outlook concurs with. If you are headed out, be sure to look in on our Sporting Goods section.

If you don't get a deer, you can still read some of the Lansing State Journal's collected Michigan deer hunters' memories including this one titled A hunter born in the mist. In addition to collecting deer camp stories, the Freep plans to post photos of buck poles, something that makes me almost happy their screwy register-to-read software won't let my Mac in.

Meanwhile, the Detroit News reports that more Michiganians (7.7%) are hunting for jobs right now than any time since 1992. In her column, Laura Berman remarks that there isn't a whole lot of sense in the Legislature's 18 day hunting break, especially with only nine of the 148 legislators applying for hunting licenses. She says that:

...the once-benign tradition of taking an extended recess for hunting and Thanksgiving is a particular affront to voters this year, when the state's in crisis, and the Legislature has yet to resolve it.

Lana Pollack, the former state senator who now heads the Michigan Environmental Council, points to the "level of incompetence by people in office." (Political analyst Bill) Ballenger notes "they've been so inept you almost cheer when they take a break."

Happy hunting...