Blaze Orange...yes or no?

[PhxDT]

interesting opinions here. I don't wear orange either, but like to keep some color when an animal is down.

 

I find bow hunters are the most respectful/safe, and the worst are rifle. I don't suspect anyone on this site, but there are plenty of lazy SOB's out there road hunting, which pushes me to mark my game.

[Xnt]

I wear something orange for every rifle deer season. I think people who do not are plum silly. I do not support making it a law. I call it cleaning out the gene pool. Much like idiots who don't wear seat belts.

[Silver Bullet]

 

Wow...guess I hit a sore spot! Sorry if I stepped on your camo toes, but if I am the dumb butt you make me out to be, then that's all the more reason you should be as noticeable as possible....LOL.

Seriously...I know it's a personal choice...I get that. I'm NOT saying it should be required by law. All I was asking is if there is a reason why most hunters choose to go without. And from the response I'm getting, it appears that some hunters just don't want to wear orange....and that's fine.

The unit I'll be hunting has way too many tags, and plenty of hunters on CWT forum have mentioned "it's like a war zone out there"...so why take a chance?

BTW...my son and I both hunt with Swarovski binocs on tripods, and can spot an orange hat over a mile away. Most often we spot bulls while glassing from a long distance (after a long hike...not from a road) then decide whether or not to close the gap. But if we were to spot another hunter who's closer to the same bull, we would probably decide to not ruin someone else's opportunity, or waste our time. It's called hunting ethics.

[duckhunter175]

It sounds like the consensus is on the pack out. Kinda like turkey hunting in the spring.

 

Once you cross east of the Mississippi then the orange game changes considerably both in law and safety purpose for hunter density.

 

Does anyone use a piece of blaze clothing to call another hunter off?? Silver Bullet mentioned ethics above--- so if you are closing the distance on a bull / buck and notice another hunter, further away or in a less advantageous position is there any way to signal that you are there and moving on that animal? Maybe they haven't seen what you have and are just moving along the area? I was bowhunting for elk, watching a nice bull feed down a drainage to me when two guys popped over the top of the ridge, blind cow calling, never saw the elk and pushed him out the other side where another guy was hunting and shot him. Maybe if I had a blaze hat to wave they'd have seen me and held tight? The other hunters that is... not the elk, it would be nice if you could flag them down with orange.

[naturegirl]

I've used an orange hat a couple times on rifle hunts. It's mostly just to say hey I'm here... don't shoot me... in areas with more hunters.

 

Thanks for the reminder to bring something orange along for the pack out

[jp0212]

I personally like to wear a blaze orange vest up until I drop my pack and start the stalk. Then I throw my vest on my pack so I can find it again (bad experience haha). I agree that no one should HAVE to wear it, it is a personal choice. I choose to wear it because people are morons, and the last thing I want to deal with is some extra holes.

[lancetkenyon]

This is about a far as I go for orange during hunting season.

 

[.270]

i don't care for it. but i hunt a lotta states and most other places it's required. it has a place. but so does not being a stupid idiot and spending a few seconds verifying your target. first time i elk hunted in colorado was the general rifle combat season about 40 years ago. i didn't like wearing blaze and had on the minimum hat and cheap vest. as the the sun came up and the shootin' started i kinda wondered if i had enough on! Lark.

[twigsnapper]

I wear orange because I have very little faith in others. This group on CW is, generally speaking, pretty well versed in hunting. I cannot say the same for everyone stomping around in the woods. It boils down to risk vs reward. How much benefit do you get from wearing all camo on a rifle hunt? Not much. I also like that others have a better idea of where I am so they don't shoot toward me. A still camo hunter is difficult to see if not moving.

[trphyhntr]

theres guys with late rifle tags asking if the bulls will still be rutting. I didn't wear orange, but im going to start. cant believe some of these people we share the woods with

[5guyshunting]

Im ascared now!

[Sam]

On late rifle elk hunts I have always had on some red or orange. Generally, I carry a pack that is red and brown. I feel safer, as I have spent many elk hunts still hunting through the pines. Even on mule deer hunts in the pines, I think orange/red is a good idea. On whitetail hunts, where most hunters are glassing, I wear camo. The orange camo is a great option for both adults and kids.

[muledeerarea33?]

Will the bulls still be rutting for the January bow hunt session?

[Stray Horse]

I don't use camo or orange. I've had animals come right to me. It's because I smell like a baby duck!

[johnnie blaze]

Mmmmm, baby duck!