Monday, November 26 marks the start of the deer-gun season. Hunters have spent months preparing for the week long event.
"A lot of the guys will come in and jump all over the specials to get ready," says Bass Pro General Manager Jarron Ritchie.
After the first day, many stop in to grab an item or two they may have missed during the pre season. I this sounds like football talk, to many hunters, it has the same impact.
"You know you get your die-hards, you get your guys that come in here and this is their Super Bowl. Heck, I got a store full of those guys that work here," says Ritchie.
Hunting is a sport that has endured, and thrived through generations. It has become an extremely popular tradition here in Ohio.
"An opportunity to share a memory..." says Jarron ,"You take that into the woods for the first time and you shoot a deer and you got your dad or your grandpa with you, it's a very bonding experience."
Hunting brings other benefits to the Buckeye State. Ohio's economy seeing an $850 million boost each year through hunting and related sales.
A growing trend, hunters put their prize to good use in their community.
Jarron explains, "When they kill a deer, they'll take it to a processing place and see it donated off to people that can use the meat. To help feed the homeless and different things."
Of the well over 400,000 hunters expected to participate, the ODNR Wildlife Division anticipates only about 85,000 deer to be checked and tagged through December 2. Which means that the catch may only go to those with the most experience. Or the most luck.
If you do miss out this time around, you have one more weekend of gun hunting. Those dates are December 15 and 16.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWNWO