Blaze Orange - dumb questions, please don't laugh

[SALTINE WARRIOR]

So, what I'm reading is what people wear is not the problem. Perhaps real hunters should hunt harder. Pick your spots farther in the woods, go where others don't. I hike into remotes after boating into the Adirondacks from a Great Camp. It's not the big west, but there are deer there. Wear what you want, If you spend your life fretting over what the other guy will do, well I got nothing for you.

 

[ndking1126]

So, what I'm reading is what people wear is not the problem. Perhaps real hunters should hunt harder. Pick your spots farther in the woods, go where others don't.

Fairly ignorant statement. Many of us don't have access to that type of remote hunting area. We would have to drive all day or more to an area we won't get to scout for maybe more than a day or two, and ultimately have to rely on our guide, friend, or family from that area. If they say "hunt here" guess where we are going to hunt? If you have that kind of access and that kind of time off work, awesome for you! But that's certainly not everyone. It's not from laziness or lack of physical fitness (at least for me), its just inability to spend time in the woods because they are too far away. Locally, the hunting areas I have access to aren't huge and are overcrowded, so following your recommendation, I wear want I want to, which is an orange vest and hat.

 

[Muskrat Outdoors]

Let's start by saying...'its better to be safe than dead'....
Your 'drop camping'?.....if so your pack guide should be able to answer every question you have...
But typically....the requirements of hunter orange ARE regulations for licensed hunters in the area during the season of hunt....they are still suggestions for nonhunters....
There's plenty of good hats and vest of camo configurations..just find a sweatshirt or vest that fills a niche in the hunting clothes....
I use an upland bird vest often when hiking in country....sometimes I have a little orange vest wrapped around my pack also.......never know who's got glass on you.......

I guided hunters in Colorado back in 1987. It's been long enough ago that I don't recall the requirements, and they have likely changed now anyway.
An orange head cover I remember, and I think so many square inches on your back.....full vest? I don't recall.
I have to say though "It;s better safe than dead", when it comes to orange hunting clothes, I think you are less safe wearing it. More often than not, when I saw another hunter, I would look through my binoculars at him, only to see them looking at me through their rifle scope. People I have told that to say "Oh yeah, I do that, but my bolt is open".......I don't care if it's open, closed, loaded, unloaded, I don't want anyone EVER putting crosshairs on me! I now live in Idaho where orange is not required and much prefer that. I'd rather not be seen than have a rifle aimed at me.

 

[Muskrat Outdoors]

So, what I'm reading is what people wear is not the problem. Perhaps real hunters should hunt harder. Pick your spots farther in the woods, go where others don't. I hike into remotes after boating into the Adirondacks from a Great Camp. It's not the big west, but there are deer there. Wear what you want, If you spend your life fretting over what the other guy will do, well I got nothing for you.

Some states, like Colorado, don't give you a choice. You are required by law to wear an X amount of orange. Sure, you could take it off and not do it, but getting caught means a ticket.

 

[Doozy]

I got a UV camo vest (it's solid orange, but in the UV spectrum it has color breakup). See:

https://www.amazon.com/Atsko-Sno-Seal-Killer-Blaze-Orange/dp/B00CQJE9H8

You mentioned orange on your pack... This is not required per instructions (see below). Also you technically don't need a solid orange hat. It just says 500 cubic cm above the waist with visibility in 360o around your head. I suppose that means you could pin an orange strip all the way around your camo hat. I don't recommend that, but I'm pointing out the regulations.

https://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/Unlawful.aspx

 

[Muskrat Outdoors]

I've been hunting in Colorado for 15 years. It's a big state, but lots of people love the outdoors here. I've had the same experiences as many others on this site- when we're hunting we run into hikers, bike riders, photographers etc and they all seemed shocked and surprised to see someone with a rifle or a shotgun in their woods. I wear as much orange as I can get. On a side note, I recently watched a nature show on tigers- and why they are orange. Turns out the prey they hunt, just like the prey we hunt, see orange as green due to the cells in their eyes. I wish I could remember the show, but it makes sense- those folks with color blindness seem to see reds and orange as green too.

That is interesting.

 

[Buck300]

Hello again folks!

I have a deer tag for this fall in Colorado, and I have some questions about blaze orange. The posted pictures I see of people hunting (successful or not) and glassing rarely have them wearing BLAZE ORANGE but I notice in the regulations that 500 square inches are required, plus some orange for the noggin and the pack. I don't want to get anything for the sake of color alone- it needs to also be functional. A hat is easy enough to figure out, but what vests and pack covers do you all like, that don't get in the way and restrict movement? I have an EXO K3 3200 pack and will be toting some EL 12x50s in a harness, with my rifle either in a carrier on the pack or in my hands.

Not sure if it matters much, but I'll be horseback on my way in/out of my hunting area...on foot once I get to the area.

Do you need the orange for the entire time you're in the field, such as traveling to from the area, glassing, etc.? Or is it just for when you're successful and packing out? I know, these are dumb questions- but on the hunting I do here on our lease in TX, hunter orange is only something I wear when we're quail hunting and the rest of the year it's just camo.

I would wear your orange full time when you are in the field. I have bumped into the game warden 8 miles from the road/trail head and he was on horseback and checking licences. Hunters not wearing their HO is a very common ticket.

 

[Muskrat Outdoors]

I would wear your orange full time when you are in the field. I have bumped into the game warden 8 miles from the road/trail head and he was on horseback and checking licences. Hunters not wearing their HO is a very common ticket.

I agree. I don't like the orange and I think you are better off without it, but if the state you are hunting is requires it.....wear it or hunt in another state. It's not worth the ticket.

 

[Bear62041]

And take plenty of vinyl orange ribbon to tie onto your horse all over and to your game. We tie it to the bridle, halter, saddle, gun scabbard, tail, etc. in 6" lengths so it flutters in the wind. Also don't take a white handkershief. you can't be too safe. I've hunted Colorado for years, in every part, and had a close call or two even with the orange ribbon.

 

[Bill_h]

I always meet the minimum square inches of orange but on private land where there are not other hunters I am more relaxed. On public land or when there are other hunters in the area, I wear more orange and proceed carefully -- a pain but much better than being the victim of an accident.

 

[CMP70306]

I personally agree with the orange requirements, where I hunt in PA there are some spots with very thick cover that can easily hide a person not wearing orange. We regularly drive for deer and there are shots I have passed on because I was able to see there was a person in the direction I would have shot even though they were not directly in the line of fire.

For example I was the walker on a drive and we were pushing out a piece of ground walking up and down several ridges. I came over the top of a ridge and through the brush on the other side I saw that the stander was was one ridge closer than he was supposed to be. Since I would have been shooting in his direction I elected to pass on some deer moving out the other side of that ridge.

Even though the deer were 50ft below the top, the person was 100 yards passed the ridge top and I would have been shooting into a solid backstop I could easily see was clear I could not shoot knowing someone was in that direction. If it hadn't been for the orange I would have taken the shot having no idea that the person was across the ridge from me possibly risking a ricochet.

 

[Muskrat Outdoors]

I personally agree with the orange requirements, where I hunt in PA there are some spots with very thick cover that can easily hide a person not wearing orange. We regularly drive for deer and there are shots I have passed on because I was able to see there was a person in the direction I would have shot even though they were not directly in the line of fire.

For example I was the walker on a drive and we were pushing out a piece of ground walking up and down several ridges. I came over the top of a ridge and through the brush on the other side I saw that the stander was was one ridge closer than he was supposed to be. Since I would have been shooting in his direction I elected to pass on some deer moving out the other side of that ridge.

Even though the deer were 50ft below the top, the person was 100 yards passed the ridge top and I would have been shooting into a solid backstop I could easily see was clear I could not shoot knowing someone was in that direction. If it hadn't been for the orange I would have taken the shot having no idea that the person was across the ridge from me possibly risking a ricochet.

Good call! Every area is different. I have never hunted PA, but the Western states are more open (Mostly, Washington, Oregon, and others can be awfully thick). Here, in Idaho, I don't see any need for orange. In fact, as I wrote several posts ago, I have seen people through my binoculars looking at me through their rifle scope....I don't like that at all. Action open, closed, loaded, unloaded, it doesn't matter, I don't want to be in anyone's rifle scope!

 

[Ephraim]

As is often said here in Montana, the orange is not for the safety, it's makes you easier for the wardens to spot.

 

[Muddyboots]

Do you need the orange for the entire time you're in the field, such as traveling to from the area, glassing, etc.? Or is it just for when you're successful and packing out? I know, these are dumb questions-

Wear it 100% while in field and I would wear some orange even in camp. I have an orange flap as part of my Badlands pack that I use when in field.

You can't fix stupid but maybe you can stop a bad decision just by wearing orange. Not everyone hunting these days are experienced hunters so anything I can do to "help" better decisions that protects me will be used.

"Don't point your firearm at anything you don't intend to shoot or kill" seems to be a forgotten commandment of safety. You can't fix stupid still applies here but a "friendly" discussion to point out the severity of their actions would be in order. Which would be incredibly difficult for anyone to do.