UP businesses see traffic surge ahead of firearm deer season

DELTA COUNTY, Mich. (WLUC) - Delta County gun stores and restaurants are extra busy as hunters are heading to camp for the first day of firearm deer season Tuesday.

Old Glory Gun Store Co-Owner Autumn Conroy says she and her husband are working hard to make sure hunters have what they need.

“Right now, everybody wants special ammo,” Conroy said. “They need their gun sighted in, they want different scopes put on. My husband has been busy all last week.”

Conroy says while the supply of ammunition is better than years past, it is still difficult to keep it in stock.

“Ammunition has been a lot easier to get this year than the past two years because of COVID, but it’s still hard to get,” Conroy said. “I have been special ordering everything because I can’t keep it on the shelf.”

Jack’s Restaurant in Rapid River is seeing more customers ahead of the season’s start.

“We have seen some of our hunters and some of our guys from downstate,” Owner Bobbi Ryan said. “They liked to get filled up for breakfast today.

Ryan says the restaurant needed to order more ingredients to keep up with business.

“We prep heavy,” Ryan said. “My supplier was here today, and he said, ‘oh you were busy today.’ He can tell just because of what we have to order. Orders are high. We know that guys want something hardier to last them through the day.”

And for Ryan, open season is more than a good time for business.

“My dad was a big hunter. He used to stop here and put a cookie in his pocket,” Ryan said. “I am giving away little cakes today in honor of my dad to put in your pocket and take it out to your stand.”

Firearm deer season will officially begin Tuesday morning and go until the end of the month.