The War is On.

The troops are clad in blaze orange.

Keep the dogs inside. Stay out of the woods. Look out for startled deer on the road.

Bang. We are surrounded by gunfire. Whack.

It is hunting season in the UP. The biggest Yooper holiday of the year. Local business is booming in our remote part of Michigan. The mini-mart/camp store is crowded with camo as hunters line up to pay for their groceries: egg noodles, canned beans, onions, jars of tomato sauce, whiskey, boxed wine, beef jerky, and of course, fresh-cut steaks for which Nick (aka Putt) the butcher, is famous.

Camo hooded sweatshirts for sale read: “You Can’t Beat Putt’s Meat!”

Oh really?