Fleet Farm in Bellevue on Orange Friday, November 17, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The countdown to that Wisconsin tradition is underway.
It’s just a matter of hours before the nine-day gun season begins.
But before hunters take to the field, many are stocking up on supplies.
One location is Fleet Farm in Bellevue for “Orange Friday.”
The line formed well before daylight, and eventually stretched to the end of the building. Dennis LeGrave and his family are at the very beginning.
“We were here at 4:00 this morning. And it’s always a race between us, and a neighbor boy that’s here. And we got him by a half a step this year,” said Dennis LeGrave, Rosiere.
The doors opened at 6 a.m.
LeGrave led the way inside.
Fleet Farm Store General Manager Jose Chavez says “Orange Friday” is one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
“Normal customers are coming in right now, getting those snacks, grabbing the last minute ideas, items that they need. The hand warmers, the snacks, the meat sticks. Ammo, stuff like that, that they need for camping up north,” said Jose Chavez, Fleet Farm Store General Manager.
From lighter-weight vests, to heavy-duty parkas, John Kornowski says recent weather may have an impact on his blaze orange purchase. He says he wouldn’t miss the season.
“Tradition. It’s tradition here in Wisconsin, the 30-point buck. Every morning you see them out there. Bow season and around the house and what not. So they’re out there,” said John Kornowski, Green Bay.
Dennis LeGrave says he’s been scouting deer too.
“There’s a few big bucks out. Always. They’ve eluded everybody from bow hunting. So hopefully we’ll get them with the rifle. But who knows? Anything can happen.
And north of Green Bay, Friday morning’s traffic on a section of U.S. Highway 41-141 begins to pick up, and so does the anticipation. DNR Warden Supervisor Amanda Krestchmer, says the nine-day campaign is filled with tradition.
“It’s fun as a warden to be able to go out, drive around, and meet with people, and see a deer in the back of someone’s truck. And maybe it’s their first buck, or their first doe, or the buck of a lifetime, that a guy, or gal just shot,” said Amanda Kretschmer, DNR Warden Supervisor.
Deer Hunt 2023 wraps up Sunday, November 26.
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