Hunting Season is around the corner

Since Zero Tolerance policies were implemented in our high school a couple of years ago, the principal has been making the following announcement in the school’s Daily News program:

“Now that hunting season is open: Just a reminder that possession of bows or guns on school grounds is a violation of school policy. Please do not bring them to school. I realize that many students may head directly out to their stands or the field after school; make time to stop and get your hunting gear at home or a friends after school. Thank you and good luck hunting!”

An essential part of growing up in these parts, more important than Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, or attending Church, at least as far as I can tell, is going through gun training and getting your Firearm Safety Number. The kids in this area, both boys and girls, at the age of about 10 years old and forward, pile into the gun training class put on by the local gun club each fall. I used to teach religious education. During three weeks in September, my class would be practically empty because all the kids were in gun training, and that was much more important than their spiritual development. One time I called the instructor, when my son was in the class, to see if it was possible for him to miss the class, or make up the work; so that he could attend Religious Education (Catholics call it CCD). The instructor proceeded to lecture me on the importance of understanding firearm safety (including cleaning and maintaining a firearm) and then which would I rather choose, and so on and so forth. At the end of the conversation I realized the Harry would have to miss his CCD because the instructor had a major point.

There are more than several hunting seasons for firearms: fish, water fowl, pheasants, turkey, and buck only, buck and doe season. Buck season starts first, and then towards Thanksgiving it opens for buck and does. I am not exactly sure of all of them, or the exact rules and regulations, but I have observed that on the first day of any opener, our office empties out by more than half.

We have let certain people hunt on our land for years. Since my son acquired his firearm’s safety certificate; he now hunts with them. He loves hunting and he loves wild venison. I always pray the he doesn’t hit anything so I don’t have to deal with having to cook it. I am sorry. I just prefer getting my meat from supermarkets.

Our little town is affected as well. It is another sign of fall, the invasion of the men in orange. They come in truck loads. And then the signs appear on the Hardware Store, the Liquor store, the Gas Station all with the same message: "HUNTERS WELCOME" or “GET YOUR TAGS HERE. It is very popular.