Letter to the editor: Change deer opener back to Monday

This is in response to the letter “Saturday opener best for families” (April 1, TribLIVE). I understand this opinion, but I would like to point out part of the argument for changing the opener back to the first Monday after Thanksgiving.

Yes, I am a camp hunter, and I agree with the camp hunters’ argument. I’ve been doing this for over 70 years, so I’ve seen a lot. I feel for the writer for not being able to hunt with his grandchildren, but what about all those children belonging to all those businessmen who own and operate the family grocery stores and restaurants that are seeing a vast majority of their income earned on the weekend after Thanksgiving lost because the camp hunters are not shopping as much as they once did? How about the kid who asks his father for some new jeans, and the dad who cannot provide them because of lack of funds?

How about the rural volunteer fire companies that can’t afford to offer safety equipment to their volunteer first responders or the rural ambulance services that lost income because those camp hunters are not attending their fundraisers?

Switching back to the Monday opener could alleviate some of those concerns. Let’s get back to the Monday opener.

Jim Kastner

O’Hara