The first shotgun season is a very popular weekend in Wayne County. The day is so popular that Wayne City High School takes off school that Friday, known as Deer Day, to start their deer hunting weekend. Before the early 90s school was still in session during shotgun season until the school attendance was at its lowest. Around 1993 Wayne City High School decided that the Friday of the first shotgun season would be called Deer Day, and school would not be in session.

The state of Illinois has a youth season for children seventeen and younger the first weekend of October. Kids that do not kill a deer that weekend can use their tag for the first shotgun season. With school not in session most students do use their day off to hunt. Senior Grant Lewis says, “I really like that we get to have shotgun season weekend off because it is hard for me to find time throughout the week between basketball and school to go out and hunt.” Students that do not hunt the weekend of shotgun season enjoy their three day weekend. Senior Paige Greenwalt states, “Even though I do not hunt during shotgun season, I enjoy my day off school because I can do whatever I want throughout the day.” Local hunters every year work hard to make their deer season successful. Local hunter Dusty Wood explains, “It is a family tradition or heritage that is fading fast that needs to be carried on from one generation to the next.” Some families depend on hunters every year. Hunters kill deer, tag them, and give others the meat. Even just having one extra day off can make a world of difference to the hunter.