Fields and forests all over Wisconsin will be filled with blaze orange on Saturday as the 2009 gun-deer hunting season begins.

It's an annual tradition some say in their family is better than Christmas. It’s opening day of the gun-deer hunting season. It's a one billion dollar industry that draws an estimated 650,000 hunters out into the Wisconsin wild hoping to bag a trophy buck.

Hunters will throw on their blaze orange gear and settle into their deer stands early Saturday morning.

“Before the sun comes up so about 4:30 or so."

"5:45. I like to get out there before everyone else gets out there so that they can make the noise and maybe kick the deer over by me."

But many say they don't do it alone. It's a family event.

"I think getting together with brother's, sisters, nieces, nephews that you don't see that often is a great part of hunting."

Not matter what the weather brings these next couple weeks, this annual Wisconsin tradition doesn't look like it'll be ending anytime soon.

“I look forward to opening and hopefully to get a big buck on the first day.”

"I'm very excited about hunting. I love hunting."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates there are about a million deer roaming Wisconsin right now.

The DNR says last year hunters killed just over 450,000 deer, but they expect that number to be down this year because there are fewer herd control units, no earn-a-buck requirement and a delayed corn harvest.

It's an event the state says adds about one billion dollars to Wisconsin's economy each year.

But while it may be a tradition stretching back decades, it's important to remember the basics of staying safe. The DNR is reminding hunters as they head out into the woods, they need to make sure they don't let their excitement override what you do to make sure they and their hunting partners stay safe.

DNR Wildlife Biologist John Dunn says last year, there were 12 hunting accidents and one person was killed. He says most accidents happen between people hunting in the same group.

He says, “Remember what is behind their target, don't get so excited that you get tunnel vision."

While some years on opening day, hunters have had to trudge through snow to enjoy their hunt. This year, the weather on opening day is expected to be in the low 50's. Dunn says that means you also need to think about keeping the meat on your big buck or doe cool so it doesn't spoil.

Dunn says, “That's going to impact a little bit on the care of the deer. It's very important to get that animal cooled off as quickly as possible. That's the whole idea behind dressing out a deer and opening it up."

He says you should get the hide off the deer right away. And you could even go so far as to bring a bag of ice to put in the chest cavity of the deer to keep it cool.

As you head into the woods this hunting season, besides staying safe, Dunn says to take in the beauty of the outdoors.

"Enjoying the hunt is watching the sunset or sunrise."

He suggests you take a walk around the area you plan to hunt in and bring a map with you. And he says it's the hunter's responsibility to know whose land they're hunting on. He says it's a good idea for land owners to make sure they have signs up if they don't want people hunting on their land.