HAYWARD — Deer season means busy season to Nick’s Meat & Grocery.

Firearm seasons 1A, 2A and 3A for deer hunting kick off Saturday, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The first session runs through Nov. 23 while 2A and 3A wrap up Nov. 16.

Nick’s owner Todd Enderson said the season doubles the volume of sausage the business puts out from now through February and that a high amount of deer comes into the shop steadily each day for the next seven to eight weeks.

Nick’s, at 103 W. Front St. in Hayward, makes the venison into a number of products besides sausage, including brats and snack sticks, among others. Enderson said the turn around is anywhere from two to six weeks, depending on when the game is brought in and how much is brought in. He said the later in the season deer is brought in, or the closer to a holiday, the longer it’ll most likely take for the finished meat to be ready for pickup. Customers can bring in the whole deer carcass or can bring in trimmings.

Regular store hours for Nick’s are from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Enderson said that he is usually at the shop from 8 a.m. to sunset on Saturday and from 1 p.m. to sunset Sunday during the first two weekends of the firearm deer hunting seasons for those looking to drop deer off.