DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — Saturday marks the start of gun deer season across the state.
Hunters at the Peninsula Gun Club near Fish Creek are making final preparations and sharing what opening weekend means as they gear up for the big hunt.
Before Saturday morning, hunters at the gun club were putting their rifles and shotguns to the test.
"So yeah, no, that was actually my last shot right there," one hunter said.
Hunters like Neil, who were at the gun club, say they are thrilled for opening day.
"Like uh before Christmas, so it's always real exciting pre-event like that," Neil said.
A deer hunter since the ’90s, he says the season gives him a chance to relax and step away from the daily routine.
"The camaraderie is good with the guys, whether you harvest something or not. It's a nice break from, I think, business throughout the year," Neil said.
William Pinkham, the treasurer at the gun club, has a blind located just a couple of minutes from the club.
"And here it is," William Pinkham, said.
Pinkham says gun hunting is more than just a hunt, it’s a tradition.
"It's around Thanksgiving and the family and the holidays. And they can actually get out and again just be out with nature, but it's a special time of year," Pinkham said.
On opening weekend, Pinkham says you can find him, in his blind, from 4:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.
"And then you get to see deer, and even if you're not shooting at a deer, it's you know, deer hunting's not about the kill. It's about the hunt and about some of the things you see," Pinkham said.
Gun deer season runs from Saturday, November 22, until Sunday, November 30. The treasurer of the gun club says he hears every year about hunters forgetting items on their checklist, so he says to double-check their gear before heading out.
