Deer hunters in their obligatory blaze orange means green cash and golden opportunities for many North Dakota businesses.

The 16½ day firearms season for deer - the most popular hunting activity in the state, according to state officials - started Friday at noon. By 3 p.m., Dean's Meat Market in Dickinson already had two deer that were on their way for processing.

"It gets kind of mad between now and Christmas," said Dean Evenson, who owns the business with his wife, Cheryl. She was busy Friday skinning a deer that had come in from Montana.

Dean Evenson said his business processes about 100 deer a year, turning most of the venison into sausage. He said his deer processing business is small compared with many others in the state.

"It sure looks like there will be enough deer for everyone this year," he said.

The state had 143,500 licenses available this fall, down 2,100 from last year's record number, said Randy Kreil, wildlife chief for the state Game and Fish Department.

"We expect 65,000 to 70,000 hunters to come out throughout the course of the season," Kreil said. "I think we'll have a good harvest that will top 100,000 deer. We want that for sure."

Kreil said the agency's deer management goals have been reached in the northeast and southeast parts of North Dakota, but the rest of the state still has too many deer.

"We need people to get a good harvest, and we need people to be safe," Kreil said.

Wayne Gripentrog, owner Grippers Sports in Wahpeton, said deer hunters provide his business with an economic shot in the arm each season. He said the blaze orange clothing is - which is required - is a big seller this time of year.

"I'm selling a lot of hooded sweat shirts, hats and vests," said Gripentrog, who would have been out hunting had it not been for a big order he had to fill Friday.

Last year, hunters bagged more than 100,000 deer. Kreil said the success rate was about 70 percent for backs and about 80 percent for those with doe tags.

North Dakota has had hunter fatalities and injuries in previous deer seasons, but not many, he said.

Most of the accidents come from people who leave loaded guns in their vehicles, Kreil said. "Not only is it illegal - it's not very smart," he said.

"Somebody getting killed is a rare occurrence," he said.

Nancy Lizakowski, of Minto, said she has heard bullets ricochet near her farm in the northeast North Dakota town in past years.

"I always wear bright colors when I'm out and about," she said.

Lizakowski, who owns the Minto Cafe, said several hunters showed up for breakfast Friday morning. In their orange clothes, it was hard not to notice them.

Lizakowski welcomes the business. But she said hunters can be as bad as fishermen when it comes to fish stories.

"Sometimes, I'm glad to be in the back cooking," she said.

Mountrail County Sheriff Ken Halvorson said he noticed the influx of hunters in town Friday.

"We got quite a few deer here, and I imagine a lot of people will be filling their tags," he said. "It surely doesn't hurt the economy. Anything that brings money to these communities - more power to them."