hunters orange

[bpollock_sr]

N Y doesn't require it so I don't wear it. If they ever do make us wear it , I'll keep it on just long enough to get out of sight from the[url] road.In[/url] 30 yrs of hunting I have never seen the need for it.N Y has one of the lowest hunting accident rates in the entire U S .

 

[Old Ironsights]

With Traditional arms I would tend to agree that they are unnecessary - largely because of the ranges, hunting styles, and general level of competence required (I don't think I've ever heard of someone "snapshooting" their sidelock, much less blind snapshooting - the main cause of accidents).

However, with overlapping seasons, I think it's a must.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I would not worry about being shot by you or someone like you. I am worried about being shot by someone who doesn't know much about his gun, or any safety rules, much less anything about hunting. I have been hit by shotgun pellets while hunting on 3 separate occasion, and I was shot at by some moron with a high powered rifle in Missouri, when I was hunting along the banks of the Mississippi in Illinois! I the later case, he fired more than 20 rounds at me, and the deer hunters I was hunting with(we were driving the woods along the shoreline), and that ****** me off so much, I fired 3 rifled slugs back at him. That ended the assault, with him running away. It was about 1/2 mile across the river, and we could just barely make out his outline as he was silhouetted against the skyline as he was running away after I shot at him. He taught me a valuable lesson about criminals- they are very cowardly, and don't want to be shot, either. Its not like in the movies with someone standing their ground until they are killed. In 99% of the time, he is going to run as soon as he sees you are armed, or as soon as you fire at him.

I am happy that you have hunted in New York for all these years without the need to wear Blaze orange. You must have a fine spot for hunting, that others can't get to. Just please understand that none of us expects to be shot at, either. I have had more than my fair share of being shot at. It has been a shock every time it has happened to me. I cannot get use to the idea that someone is shooting in my direction without any concern for my safety. Ilinois also has one of the lowest hunting accident rates in the country. We only have about 12 incidents reported each year, but much of that is due to the regulations requiring people to wear blaze orange. Unlike New York, much of Illinois is flat as a board, If we flattened out New York, you would probably have a state the size of Texas! And, you also would be more worried about catching a stray bullet.

 

[Ron LaClair]

I wear this blaze orange wool hood/cape. It's a seperate piece so I can wear it with any shirt of coat plus it's really warm for our late muzzleloading season.

 

[Old Charlie]

(I have been hit by shotgun pellets while hunting on 3 separate occasion, and I was shot at by some moron with a high powered rifle in Missouri, when I was hunting along the banks of the Mississippi in Illinois! I the later case, he fired more than 20 rounds at me,)

It don't seem like that orange did you much good. I hate rules and regs. Most of which serve no purpose other than to condition you to being subservient to the powers that be.
Old Charlie

 

[paulvallandigham]

ACtually, two of the hits occurred when hunting dove, when we don't wear camo. The third was while hunting pheasant, and the shooter was on the other side of a hill, where he could neither see us, nor could we see him. We could not even hear the sound of his gun fire. If there had been clouds in the sky that morning, I might have thought I was hit by a piece of hail when a pice of birdshot hit my left cheek, about an inch below my eye. But, more shot rained down around me, and I knew that no one in my hunting party had fired. The other group was on adjoining property, and came up over the hill about 20 minutes later, just as surprised to see us, as we were to see them. A good lesson for wearing glasses when you hunt, even if you have great vision.

I have already explained the criminal assault I suffered when some moron intentionally fired at my group, mainly because he could see our blaze orange. You have a better point about blaze orange there, but no one can anticipate a criminal assault in such circumstances. I dare say no one else has had some drunk shooting at them with a high powered rifle from more than 1/2 mile away, just because the guy could make us out with our blaze orange vests and hats on.

I don't like regulations, either. I do like to live, however, and they do allow morons in the woods. Do what you have to do to stay alive out there, my friend. I know people who have access to property that is so far from anything else that they can go out hunting with confidence of never seeing another human being while hunting. I only hope they don't suffer an incapcitating injury and need help out there. I don't know anyone but a skilled tracker who could find them in those conditions, and there are circumstances of changing weather where even tracks would be erased from view before a tracker could be put on scene. Maybe one of these days I will still be able to hunt just once in only my buckskins, and stay out for a couple of days.

 

[harryo]

Hoyt: In Illinois, archery deer hunters are not required to wear hunter orange

Except during the special youth firearm weekend and the muzzleloader only weekend, when archers are required to follow the same regulations for blaze orange as firearm deer hunters. I mention this because it is amaing how many archery hunters i have encountered during those weekends that do not know that regulation and are in full camo. When I inform them of this, for their own safety and grief of possiblly getting an expensive citation from a DNR officer, almost every one will vehemently argue that I have no idea what I am talking about.

I agree with being safe and wearing orange, even if not required. It certainly makes you stand out to other hunters and deer do not notice it. Even more visible to me is the flourescent green that you commonly see worn by construction workers on highway projects. I wonder is states requiring blaze orange have considered it.

 

[AZ-Robert]

I don't hunt in period attire (not a re-enactor) so wearing orange poses no special challenges. We still have pretty warm weather around here during hunting season, so I wear one of those lightweight blaze orange vests over whatever I'm wearing for the weather. I can shed layers once the sun comes up and slip the vest back on top. Wear a blaze orange 'ball cap' too.

I don't mind wearing the orange -- I have no evidence it lessens my chance of seeing game, and I'm generally a law abiding guy. But, personally, I wonder sometimes about rules like that... I have to wear it to hunt deer but not rabbits? Same place, same season, same time of day, so why two sets of rules? And its not required when bird hunting? Why not? And only hunters have to wear orange, but photographers, hikers and campers do not? If its about the knuckleheads out there that shoot at anything that moves, you might just as well require of it anyone on public land during any hunting season, eh? For my part, I wear at least that orange hat even when just out shooting birds.

 

[Maynerd62411]

Alot of Archery hunters that do know about having to wear the blaze orange during youth season, ignore it. It's listed right there in the regulation booklet. That's very dangerous with inexperienced and nervous first time hunters.
The first year of youth season for my son, I think it was the first year of it, it was on opening weekend of bow season. There was alot of griping over that, so they moved it to the weekend before Columbus Day .

 

[paulvallandigham]

I spent more than 15 years lobbying the DNR to change the regs.to require the wearing of at least a blaze orange hat for upland game hunters, ( Rabbit, grouse, pheasant, quail)pointing out all the incidents of members of the same hunting party shooting another member with a shotgun at less than 50 yds. The most common excuse given by the shooter, was that he could not see his buddy. The last letter I wrote, I not only reviewed the hunting accident reports from the Department, but I also commented that in all the years that the Dept. had operated state hunting preserves, where they require both a blaze orange hat and vest be worn, there were no reports of accidental shootings. The next summer, the regulations were changed, and Illinois now required upland game hunters to wear a blaze orange hat. It took two years to get the word out to everyone, but we had a year when no pheasant or rabbit or quail hunter was shot by a buddy. Our entire hunting accidents for the state dropped by 1/3, from about 22 on average, down to 13. We have since produced some hunters who can still shoot their buddies in spite fo the fact he is wearing a blaze orange hat, but the number of incidents are few each year. We still are having only about 13 hunting accidental shooting cases a year, with more than 300,000 permits and licenses sold. In fact to pad the reports, the Department has added " Class B " accidents, involving non-gun or non-bow and arrow injuries to hunters, such as falls from tree stands, and tripping over roots in farm yards. We report as many Class B accidents as the tradition, now " Class A " injuries.

 

[Hoyt]

paulvallandigham Said:

Hoyt: In Illinois, archery deer hunters are not required to wear hunter orange.

I won't take none with me then. I'm heading up to Illinois for a couple wks. of bowhunting this yr.
Shawnee National Forest.

 

[GreyWhiskers]

Paul,

California has no requirements for blaze orange. You'd think in regulation happy Calif. that even our hunting dogs would have to wear a blaze orange vest.

The blaze orange issue is political. The DFG needs the sale of hunting licenses for revenue. There are fewer licenses sold every year. I believe the F&G Commission is worried that many hunters will refuse to buy a license if forced to wear orange. Another state, Florida I think, had the same worries but found out that more hunters bought licenses becauseeveryone else was wearing it.

 

[brubincam]

here in Penn. you must use florescent orange which seems hunters cant see,,,,im for switching to the florescent green the road workers wear,,,i believe it is way more visible,and sure doesnt match anything in the woods

 

[GreyWhiskers]

As I understand it, florescent orange reflects more light per square inch than any other color. Also, it is a color not found in nature. As far as being able to see it, a person wearing a blaze orange hat can be spotted at least 1000 yards away.

 

[jethro224]

I, too, have been shot at on several occasions. And been "peppered" with bird shot. Wearing camo and/or orange. in a tree and on the ground. Bullets, slugs and shot. There's always gonna be the yahoos. :shake:

The first time was my first year firearm deer hunting. I was walking across a wide open CRP field of knee-high plants when a guy started shooting at a herd of deer that were also crossing the field on the other side of the hill. He was about 200 yards from them(at least 100 too far) so he was "aiming high"(yeah, I had a talk with him) and I was about 100 yards on the other side of them and over a small hill.
When the first slugg went by about waist high and 10 feet from me I heard the vvvrrrrrrrrrr noise and went "What the he**". Then the next went past @ 2 ft from my shins cutting a wake! Then I was face down trying to immitate a pancake for a minute until the shootin' stopped. A 200 pound, 6 ft, blaze orange pancake!

Another time some jerk rapid-fired 10 shots from a .22 into the ground blind I was sittin' in. I crashed out the back wall flat on my back, FAST. Some of them missed by inches. I hollered "HOLD YER FIRE M**F**er" during about the last 6 shots.
Then I grabbed my bow and scooted out of there. Never did even see that guy.

There have been others. Just single shots tho.

Nowadays I wear enough orange to be legal but not a lot of extra, and I try and hunker down in a safe hole with my back covered. I also use a small red light clipped to my hat on my way to and from the truck. Ya just can't trust 'em.

 

[Plains99]

I appreciate the idea of blaze orange. Not only does it protect me but others as well. I do a lot of still hunting and someone in blaze orange stands out, can be spotted by me, and I can stalk away from his area rather than blunder into it. I've had bucks approach to within a few yards of me in a full blaze orange hat and shirt and never recognize what I was as long as I didn't move. Even if they can see it they don't associate it with danger.

 

[Hoyt]

Hunting public land like I do, I would wear it even if it wasn't required. I just don't like to have it on while in tree stand..not that it would alert deer..I don't like standing out in the woods to other hunters while I'm sitting in a treestand.
Far as deer go..I've had them walk right up to me while I was wearing orange coat and hat. Had four walk right up to me form over a hundred yards away down an old woods road. I was going back to truck and was standing 10ft. from three parked trucks and wearing all my orange. I watched them the whole way make their way straight down the road to within 2oyds. or so, only spooking when I got tired of it and swatted a mosquito.
Many times over the yrs. I've had them walk right up to me while wearing red or orange.
Also I make sure I have some orange on my bike when riding it through the woods. A dark bike with horizontal lines may set some off. Around here we got hogs of all colors..except maybe fluorescent and they can be killed at any size. So I like to be seen for human while moving around.
Another thing..when I'm carrying a tree stand on my back I make sure I got an orange vest covering the back of it. I carry one a wad up one just for that. Tree stands have lots of horizontal lines and bars that may look like a deer horn if just seen in part.
I do a lot of hunting and believe me there's some very weird people on public land walking around with guns and it's not that much trouble to take extra precautions..especially when they don't make one bit of difference to the game you hunt.

 

[Catof9tails]

After reading all the replies, I figure it's different strokes for different folks. Guess it comes down to where your at and where you hunt. I like to use broken up orange camo. In SD your only required to use an orange hat or jacket. Walking to the stand I use an orange sweater then switch to a broken up orange dew rag (legal by state law) if the weather permits. And yes, movement is a dead give away. Just my opinion, but the combination of movement, sound, wind, scent and the art of concealment factors into being the ghost. It's just my preferrence to use broken up orange camo. It works the best for me.
Cat9
"Drop that hammer and let'er smoke."

 

[Vic Price]

In Wisconsin, blaze orange has been required for about 30 years and prior to that, red clothing. The minimums are ; the upper half of the body and if you wear a hat, at least half of the hat must be orange as well.

In this state, where about 700,000 hunters are out and about, blaze orange is a must for safety reasons and I've never not filled a tag because of it. If I were to hunt in period gear, then i reckon I'd work up a coat in orange and move on.

Regards, Vic

 

[paulvallandigham]

Use the blaze orange camo to shield small movement. As to scent, use, baking soda( Arm & Hammer- the same stuff you put in the refrigerator to take out food odors) on the inside( armpits of jackets, crotches of pants) of your outer garments. Wear rubber boots when possible, as they are the least likely to carry scent.

Your scent travels by skin rafts- think of dandruff- that flake off your body all the time. When you wear clothes, the skin cells flake off out your cuffs, and wrists of shirts or jackets, and then off your face, and the nape of your neck. Wear a hooded sweat shirt, or parka with the hood up in very cold weather. The wrist guards will reduce the falling of skin cells out your sleeves. Robber boots with your cuffs tucked into them will keep the skin rafts in your pants. If your shirt is tucked into your pants, and does not come loose or out, like when you take a pee in the woods to relieve your bladder, you should have no trouble leaving much if any scent.

After you pee, BTW, rub your jeans or pants with some of the weeds or grasses that are growing around the area. Or dust yourself with sand or dry soil if that is what is available. This will conceal or mask your scent, by disbursing the skin cells in dirt, or mix it with the plants, and the odors they produce when crushed against you. Unless you are hunting true wildernesss, animals are used to human smells, and don't spook. They may look around, but they are looking for movement, not the source of an odor.