OCONTO FALLS, Wis. — It’s a busy time of the year at Rocky Ridge Shooters Supply in Oconto Falls.
Owner Mark Micoley sees a steady stream of firearms crossing the shop’s workbench in the days and weeks before the gun deer hunt opens.
“Right now, our biggest thing … for most people is they want a new scope. They’ve gone to the range and found out their gun isn’t shooting where they wanted it to or something has gone wrong,” he said. “Unfortunately, when people come in and something’s gone wrong, I’ve only got a couple days to try to get their gun fixed for them. If it’s something minor, I can usually do it. If it’s something more, we unfortunately have to see about selling them a new gun.”
Hunting — specifically deer hunting — is a big contributor to his business.
“I’ve got the deer hunting season right now. Later in the year, we’re going to see the guys who are predator hunting in the wintertime — coyotes and stuff like that,” Micoley said. “Then we come into spring time with the turkey. Of course, we have the lull. We have about six months between turkey and fall hunting. But our deer hunting is very big.”
Hunting Works for Wisconsin is a group that promotes the economic impact of hunting in the state. It reports that nearly 900,000 people hunt in Wisconsin every year and spend about $2.6 billion. The average hunter spends $2,800 annually on the sport.
Kelly Schwartz, with the Tourism and Economic Development Corporation for The Oconto Region, said that money is spent on things like food, lodging and equipment.
“Because we rely so heavily on outdoor recreation, we know that hunting seasons are crucial for our local communities,” she said. “You look at ammo shops, you look at shooting ranges, they have significant impact when people are coming, where they’re staying and what they’re continuing to experience.”
With more than 43,600 acres of public county land that can be hunted, Schwartz said hunting season is also key to growing future business in the area.
“If you’re coming to get that deer, that turkey, and you experience what Oconto County has to offer in the form of the outdoors, then it’s that bridge for, ‘Hey, I want to come back with my family. I want my kids to experience this,’” she said. “We really do have a lot to offer that is outside.”
Micoley said this is an exciting time of year to be a business tied to hunting.
“Between the restaurant down the street, myself with what I’m doing with guns, the lodging, the local establishments — it might be a bar or whatever — they’re serving in the evening, it’s a really big thing here,” he said. “A lot of people are really gearing up for this time of the year.”