Dear Customers,
One of the perks of getting older is that the memories of our youth often take on a nostalgic “sepia” tone. Funny how we manage to purge a lot of the low points from our consciousness, while the good times play over and over in our heads each year.
When I think of this particular week each year, in my mind it’s not “the week after Thanksgiving”, but rather “Buck Season”. Starting when I was in grade school and would take a detour on my walk home just so that I could count the bucks hanging from the porches of the Colonial and Hull’s Hotel up to my days fresh out of college when I was always scheduled to work till closing time during that week. So many out-of-state and out-of-the-area hunters descended upon our little town that it was a madhouse at the old grocery store. I remember in particular having turned the lights out at 9pm only to have them continue streaming into the store, pushing open the automatic doors and grabbing a shopping cart! Once, we didn’t get out of work till quarter to ten!
I also remember my first – and last deer I shot. Unlike most of my friends and neighbors I found I enjoyed being in camp more than I did being out in the woods on watch or driving. For one, it was warmer, and two, the camaraderie enjoyed with the other hunters was simply a hoot! Afterwards, I went to college in NY State for four “Buck Seasons” and they seemed to frown on taking days off during the semester. After I graduated, I found I had gotten out of the hunting habit. I really didn’t miss it and but then, I was busy with a full-time job and raising a family.
Nowadays, there aren’t as many hunters from out of the area and we have no problem getting the store closed each night. But, if you’re a hunter you’ll be relieved to know that we’re open from 7am until 9pm six days a week and at 8am on Sundays. We’ll have everything you might need in hunting camp including deer processing kits for those do-it-yourselfers. Good luck on the hunt!