Hunters gearing up for the final week of shotgun deer hunting season may be unaware that meat processing and sporting good businesses are heavily counting on their success-this season more than ever.

According to Troyer’s Processing in Panama, Lazy Gate Farms in Randolph and Lighthouse Point Grocery in Mayville-all of which process deer meat-this season’s hunting schedule has not been the most ideal.

The reason? An ill-timed Thanksgiving weekend.

“Thanksgiving weekend (typically comes) during the opening week of hunting season,” said Luke Troyer, owner of Troyer’s Processing. “This year, it came on the second week.”

The result, of course, is a slow opening week.

In previous years, the regular hunting season-which always begins on the third Saturday of November-has coincided with the Thanksgiving holiday in its following week, spawning a nice, long weekend for families to hunt-and to hunt a lot.

This year, the season began on Nov. 16-12 days before Thanksgiving.

“We’re hoping this weekend will make up for the first week,” said Norm Smith, owner of Lighthouse Point Grocery.

In much the same way, sporting goods stores are also hoping for more customers.

“Business has declined significantly,” said Bruce Piatz, owner of M&M Sports Den in Jamestown.

Piatz believes the state’s decision to change the first day of hunting season from a Monday to a Saturday has cost him substantial business.

“Families had the whole weekend to shop and prepare when (the hunting season) started on Monday,” Piatz said. “Now, nobody wants to shop on the weekdays before Saturday because they’re working. It’s been a disaster.”

According to Craig Robbins, The Post-Journal’s weekly outdoor columnist, hunters are still on the prowl and may yet achieve solid results with the snowy weather conditions particularly conducive for hunting.

Perhaps this weekend will show more promise.

The final day of the shotgun deer hunting season is Dec. 8, followed by late season bowhunting Dec. 9-17.