LITTLE FALLS, Minn. (AP) — Hunting is big business in Minnesota, with nearly 500,000 people expected to head into the woods this year.

The businesses catering to hunters include Thielen Meats in Little Falls. Owner John Thielen tells WCCO-TV that his family typically produces about 1,500 pounds of elk, bear and venison sausage per week at this time of year. He says that will grow to about 5,000 pounds per week during deer hunting season.

Thielen says it takes about four days to make sausage from start to finish and County and Polish Sausage is the top seller.

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Information from: WCCO-TV, www.wcco.com