Traditional hunting and florescent orange

[Onojutta]

This question came to mind when I read Might Oak's thread about his vermont hunt and the picture of his traditional outfit, but I didn't want to steer his thread off topic.

Here in PA, our late flintlock deer season does not require florescent orange. I imagine plenty of other states that also offer a late traditional hunt do not require orange either.

While I think it's great we are allowed the opportunity to be 100% period correct, I immediately realize that most traditional hunting clothing is made of things like deer hide, animal pelts, etc.

I have never done a PC traditional hunt but would like to some day once I acquire the correct attire. Do you guys who want to experience a true PC hunt just accept the risk or do you wear orange over top of your buckskins? How do you do it safely without spoiling the PC part?

 

[JayDee Flohr]

Orange is required here but if it wasn't I'd still wear it over my skins. PC is more a mindset to me and I want to be doing this in years to come. That means being safe.

 

[rabjr]

It's sad we even have to talk about this. You should know your target and if everyone did as they are taught in hunter safety courses, no one should have to worry about this. :shake:

My State requires 200 square inches on the head during muzzleloader season.

 

[tg]

We do not have to wear orange here, if it was required I would make part of my outfit out of orange to comply, I would not worry abou it the color being traditional regulations must be followed, also you should see some of the color topics on other PC/HC heavy forums lots of debate as to what was to be had, I cannot imagine an orange touqe or cape cover putting a downer on a day in period gear.

 

[Trench]

I would still put something orange on, myself. We're required in IN, too. I just put on a hunter orange stocking/voyageur type hat.

 

[Bretwalda]

Orange is required here in Ohio...I just wear an orange vest and hat and save the "period stuff"for hunting small game/trekking. I just accept the requirement. My hunt is just as good with orange clothing as without! :hatsoff:

 

[longcruise]

In CO, we field up to 25 or 30 thousand bow hunters and up to 8 or 9 thousand ml hunters all at the same time. Because of the way the law is worded, ml hunters must wear orange and bow hunters are not required to do so.

So far one ml hunter has shot a bow hunter. It was his partner and it took place about one hour before daylight :shocked2:

Three bowhunters have shot and killed other bowhunters. As a bowhunter, I have never figured out how that could happen.

I follow the law and take my chances. :haha:

 

[XXX]

I think M.O.'s outfit is more then adequate. Anyone who would shoot him while wearing that would shoot him in anything. That being said, I hunt as remotely as possible for 2 reasons, I like undisturbed game and I prefer not to encounter other hunters if possible. It seems the more remote I am, the less people I encounter and the ones I do run into are better quality. As Larry Benoit once said; "Anyone hunter enough to be back where I'm going isn't going to be taking casual shots at movement". I take what I consider to be reasonable precautions with regard to color choices. My Archery wool is brown, so I will not wear it in an open gun season unless I put an orange vest over it. I typically wear a Red checked wool Mackinaw coat and knit cap in NH and VT gun seasons. I have a few longhunter shirts I wear in early season and in the spring that are either green check or one color olive green. I do avoid wearing any hunting clothes that are black or most shades of brown.

 

[XXX]

...So far one ml hunter has shot a bow hunter. It was his partner and it took place about one hour before daylight :shocked2:

Three bowhunters have shot and killed other bowhunters. As a bowhunter, I have never figured out how that could happen.

I would say these bowmen were shooting at movement in darkness. The non-signature of archery equipment adds to the sense of being able to get away with it.

 

[rabjr]

In CO, we field up to 25 or 30 thousand bow hunters and up to 8 or 9 thousand ml hunters all at the same time. Because of the way the law is worded, ml hunters must wear orange and bow hunters are not required to do so.

So far one ml hunter has shot a bow hunter. It was his partner and it took place about one hour before daylight :shocked2:

Three bowhunters have shot and killed other bowhunters. As a bowhunter, I have never figured out how that could happen.

I follow the law and take my chances. :haha:

Here, Bow hunters are required to wear safety orange to and from their stands. Once they are in or at their stand they are allowed to remove the safety orange.

 

[PaulN/KS]

Here in Kansas the muzzleloader season is an early one and we are required to wear a hat and vest of orange. If bowhunting during a firearm season orange is required as well.

Safety first and rules is rules...

 

[broknaero]

Even in the PA Flintlock season I'll wear an orange cap.

 

[longcruise]

All in daylight and nobody got away with it. One was a genuine accident (sort of) in that a twig deflected the arrow. Still was not a safe shot.

 

[bigbore442001]

Here in Massachusetts it has to be 500 square inches above the chest. So a hat and a vest is required. With all of the people in the field I would not have it any other way. I know it doesn't have the true feeling of a more traditional hunt where you wear a nice capote,etc but a police officer will not be knocking at your door telling your family there has been an accident.

 

[Protrucker]

Statistics have shown that the orange really has no bearing on the "accident" rate.
I wear the hunter orange only where & when it's required. In my home state, orange is not required & if I'm not hunting in traditional clothing I'm wearing full camo. I'd rather blend in than stand out as a target for some wacko. Last year, I got a reversible waistcoat that is orange on one side & blue on the other side. If I want to hunt traditional where orange is required I'm covered.

 

[Vaino]

Where did you get the info that orange clothing hasn't lowered the accidental shooting incidents or is it just your opinion? All the statistics I've read certainly don't agree w/ your statement and if you don't like orange, don't "spread" rumors supporting your bias. Those who oppose orange clothing and propose that there really shouldn't be any accidental shootings even when orange isn't worn, are thinking of a "perfect world" where everything is "ideal" and people always use sound judgement. Sorry but that's not the "real world".....Accidents do happen!....Fred

 

[robtattoo]

Down here in TN Orange is required during any time that firearms (including MLs) are allowed in the woods (700sq/in). As a bowhunter first & ML hunter second this doesn't bother me one iota! I'd rather be alive for next year's season. During bow season I hunt mainly in wool plaid clothing, but as soon as the boomsticks come out I'm orange head to toe! Safety first.

 

[Pork Chop]

Here is my thoughts from the peanut gallery. It depends on where you hunt and your level of comfort. If you are on private land that you know that you are the only person on, and you want to wear all traditional garb, go for it. If you want to wear all day glow fluorescent orange, then so be it. I am pretty much restricted to public lands. A few of the spots are very lightly hunted, but most are grossly overhunted. I will wear the orange when I go out due to the number of retards that I have seen out in the woods. (like the guy who put his blind in the intersection of a couple of dirt roads so that he had clear shooting lanes :youcrazy: :shake: ) I see this as sort of like seat belts in vintage cars. Yes, the car may not have come with them, but most sanctioning bodies doing judging don't deduct points if you added them as a safety item. I would not see wearing orange as a take away from traditional hunting either. I think that the guys that make traditional outer wear from the orange are living the dream in the current reality. :hatsoff:

 

[Protrucker]

Where did you get the info that orange clothing hasn't lowered the accidental shooting incidents or is it just your opinion? All the statistics I've read certainly don't agree w/ your statement and if you don't like orange, don't "spread" rumors supporting your bias. Those who oppose orange clothing and propose that there really shouldn't be any accidental shootings even when orange isn't worn, are thinking of a "perfect world" where everything is "ideal" and people always use sound judgement. Sorry but that's not the "real world".....Accidents do happen!....Fred

Those aren't rumors. I've spent a lot of time reading on this subject & studying statistics. If you ever took a statistics course, you would be aware that statistics can be twisted to support any position that you want to take on a subject.
Go back & check the statistics that you've been reading. Almost every time you read about this topic, statistics are quoted that include self inflicted wounds, heart attacks, victoms moving into the line of fire, shooter stumbling, etc. In actuality, only about 4% of the accidents are related to mis-identifying the target, but the fact that the victom wasn't wearing blaze orange is blamed for the accident by proponents of wearing blaze orange for safety.

 

[Trench]

It's probably safe to assume that most hunting accidental shooting occur in low-light situations. In that case, no color is going to show up well to the human eye.

It's also probably safe to assume that hunter orange has reduced these sort of fatalities in other-than-low-light conditions.