Bird Hunting, Hunter Orange Law

J

JMichigan

New member
Curious to know how many of you wear hunter orange while bird hunting. It doesn't seem to be a law here in OK. The law states that any hunter, hunting during any open big game firearms season, is required to wear orange hat or shirt/vest. Doesn't say anything about the rest of the season.

"All other hunters, including trappers, except those
hunting waterfowl, crow or crane, or while hunting
furbearing animals at night, must wear either a head
covering or upper garment of hunter orange
clothing while hunting during any antelope,
bear, deer or elk firearms (muzzleloader or gun)
season in any open hunting area (zone, county
or area). Camouflage hunter orange is legal"
 
I always wear orange vest and typically orange hat also no matter what else is in season. The law saying that deer gun season is over doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of road hunters out there looking for an out of season kill.
 
I have some orange on my vest. I don't worry so much about road hunters, but it is good to have orange when there are more than one in the hunting party, especially in thick cover.
 
I don't know if it's a law for upland hunting in many states. Probably should be. It's a safety factor and as far as I'm concerned you can never have too much orange on in the field.
 
Wisconsin mandates orange for upper half of body, including head gear, during gun deer season. Unless it just changed, and I don't believe it has, no requirements during other seasons.

That said, I always wear some orange, usually hat, when I hunt. I really don't trust strangers' safety behaviors with guns.

The few turkeys I've gotten over the years, I hunted by wandering the woods slowly, so movement and noise were my big concerns, not visibility.
 
Iowa

Here in Iowa we have blaze orange requirements for both upland hunting and deer hunting.

It has saved lives!:) Especially those instances where running deer are shot at in hunting groups and low-flying pheasants in group hunting situations. The majority of our hunting accidents here are related to mis-handling of firearms or group hunting situations.

I had a guy several years ago who chased a decent buck with several does up the draw on the private land only I had permission to hunt and if it wasn't for the orange vest he was wearing he would be dead. I had the gun leveled on the buck when I saw the flash of orange directly beyond the back of the deer. Slightly foggy at the time. I still shake when I recall it. He was embarrassed about trespassing and stated he got lost in the moment. I repeatedly shared how close he came to meeting his maker. I wonder if it ever truly sank in?:confused:

We have had the regulations long enough and I have participated in all of them so IMHO the blaze orange doesn't affect anything as far as hunting is concerned.

I know many of my cohorts that use blaze orange vests for their pointing dogs if that is any indication of how little blaze orange affects the hunting.:)
 
Even if hunter orange isn't required by law should always be worn when doing any kind of hunting. Several times over the years have caught other hunters blaze orange out of corner of my eyes and kept me from shooting said person.
 
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