Gathered at the buck pole in Stockbridge are many people who should be elsewhere on a Tuesday afternoon.

"I had my mom call in and I got the homework in advance so I was good to go," Ann Arbor Huron senior, Levi Mazza, said.

"I should be at work, but I took the day off," Gary Lewis, a Jackson resident, said.

With the start of firearm deer hunting season, many in the area planned ahead and took the day off.

"I usually try to get (vacation) in around September," Lewis said. "It's like a holiday to a lot of people because they love to hunt."

Lewis should be at work in Jackson, but the 40-year hunter says he'll never miss the first day of the season, no matter what day of the week it falls on.

"The only day I take off usually is opening day," Lewis said. "Then I hunt in the evenings and the weekends a little bit."

Opening day can make things tough on businesses. The one white pickup truck in the parking lot of Stockbridge Collision Center is a harsh reminder that only one employee was in on Tuesday.

Down the road, 84% of kids were in school, down from the typical 96% the school normally sees.

Webberville and Dansville were just some of the other high schools in the area to see noticeable drops in attendance on Tuesday.

Students and workers both added it's worth it to miss just one day.

"I love the sport so I figured I'd get the work in advance and come out and enjoy the day," Mazza said.