Fire Arm Deer Season

We're in the midst of the first week of the fire arm deer season across the state of Michigan. Here in the Upper Peninsula, it's one of those huge November traditions in which generations of people have enjoyed. The thrill and excitement of the hunt goes way back to the pioneer days. Today, the means in which to go hunting involves much more modern technology. However, the hunting experience still remains. Just the idea of bagging an eight, ten, 12, or bigger point buck allures many - and it's not just the trophy that entices a person to hunt. Many enjoy the taste of venison meat that comes from hunting deer. Whatever the case, the woods are full with hunters right now. This time of year is when the U.P. and its people are at their best.

As for me, I'm not a hunter. In fact, I've never gone to hunt once. Back when I was in sixth grade, I took a hunter's safety course just in case I ever ventured into the woods to hunt. Once you pass the hunter's safety course, you get this orange-colored certificate that you get to keep. I guess my lack of interest in hunting involves a couple of things. The first is that I don't care much for guns - especially loud ones. My hands and arms would be trembling if I was able to spot a trophy buck. And secondly, I was never exposed to any kind of hunting as a kid. My dad wasn't a hunter and I am sure if he hunted, then I'd be out in the woods these two weeks. I have an uncle and a cousin who are really into hunting deer on my mom's side of the family, however, I never really grew that close to them. Other than they, I really didn't have anyone else that I could tag along with to hunt.

You definitely know when it's hunting season once you begin to see the bright orange clothing that people wear when hunting out in public. Whether it's to the bank, the grocery store, or during a leisurely walk. And actually, it's probably not a bad idea to wear bright orange while going on walks if you happen to be close to a wooded area, in case there are hunters nearby. A person can easily be mistaken for a deer - it's not like it hasn't happened. So far, I've heard of one hunter in the Upper Peninsula that has gotten injured from taking a bullet to his foot - he accidentally shot himself. Hey, it happens - you just have to be aware of what you're doing when you have a gun in your hands.

And to conclude this week's edition of the "U.P. Monday" blog, I'll leave you a clip of one of the most famous deer season anthems created by a musical group from the Upper Peninsula. They are called "Da Yoopers" and have a variety of hilarious songs you can listen to (they deserve a blog posting all their own). Just search for them on YouTube and you'll find a few of their most famous musical creations. With the second week of deer season right around the corner, to honor that particular occasion, here is one of "Da Yoopers" famous tunes called, "Second Week of Deer Camp."