hunters orange question....

[Black Plague]

so here is my question...is there is certain specificity on how bright of an orange your blaze orange must be...I have had the same jacket for upland birds for quite a number of years now and it is really faded to that
blood-stained well-loved orange that is common to those who do get out more than once in a while... obviously I don't want to be mistaken for any thing...and my hunter's orange for big game is pretty new (i don't wear the same for upland birds as for deer because its a little bulky)....the question arose when my wifey...who is going hunting for her first time this year for deer with me asked if she could use this orange sweat shirt she had...its more of a Denver Broncos orange   (its not a Broncos shirt...just that color).... I figure its probably close...but I don't know what the game warden would do if your orange wasn't brilliant at a mile away....maybe I will just have to go get a new one for her....being cheap...its a two edged sword...

[carpsniperg2]

they are cheap i would just buy one give you a reason to spend money for a new gun or somthing you can say look hunny i just bought you somthing 2 

[eastsidebugle]

Just buy a cheap new vest.  Better 10- 20 bucks than a ticket or a gunshot wound

[bamalefty]

Look at the regs it doesn't say burnt orange.  I would say    buy a cheap orange vest at walmart.  I got my wife one last year and it was 3-4 bucks.  In other words, I wouldn't wear anything myself other than bright orange.

[Rick]

Yes,there actually is a specification that "blaze" orange has to meet to qualify as a color appropriate for hunting.

It used to be right in the regulations.

My brother is cheap and always bought orange clothes from the dept store, that he thought was bright enough to wear hunting. I think he finally realized he was pushing his luck and ended up buying an actual hunting vest.

I think it all depends on which warden you happen to run into that day,as to whether or not they'll give you a ticket.

You can be assured the ticket is more than the cost of the correct vest though.

[bobcat]

If they really cared about our safety they would require us to wear flourescent pink instead of orange.     

Sometimes orange blends in with the orange leaves.

Seriously it should at least be an option. Orange isn't always the best color. It should be left up to the hunter's discretion, not mandated by law. 

[bamalefty]

If they really cared about our safety they would require us to wear flourescent pink instead of orange.     

Sometimes orange blends in with the orange leaves.

Seriously it should at least be an option. Orange isn't always the best color. It should be left up to the hunter's discretion, not mandated by law. 

Are you SERIOUS?  Think about what you just said.  How many guys do you think would wear anything but camo?  There are some really dumb and careless people out there.  I, for one, DO NOT WANT TO GET SHOT!!!!!!!!!!!

[Redstar]

Don't worry about it, I'm pretty sure it's optional to wear orange anyways.

Dude. This is the second thread I've read where you've been posting this.

Wearing hunters orange is NOT OPTIONAL for modern firearm deer and elk seasons.

If this is your idea of a joke, it's not funny. Please stop spamming this misinformation in multiple threads.

[saylean]

I dont even like taking off my orange for when I go sit on a stump to...umm...relieve myself...

I quickly put some orange on while I do the duty.

[EMPyre]

WAC 232-12-055
Hunting — Hunter orange clothing requirements.
  (1) Except as authorized in subsection (5) of this section, it is unlawful to hunt upland birds or rabbits during any upland game bird season unless the hunter is wearing fluorescent hunter orange clothing.

     (2) It is unlawful to hunt deer or elk during all modern firearm general seasons in any manner unless the hunter is wearing fluorescent hunter orange clothing.

     (3) All modern firearm permit holders must wear fluorescent hunter orange clothing.

     (4) It is unlawful to hunt bear, cougar, bobcat, raccoon, fox, coyote, rabbit, forest grouse or hare during those times and in those places open to the taking of deer or elk during a modern firearm season, unless the hunter is wearing fluorescent hunter orange clothing.

     (5) Persons who are hunting upland game birds during an upland game bird season with a muzzleloading firearm, bow and arrow or falconry are not required to wear fluorescent hunter orange clothing.

     (6) Wearing fluorescent hunter orange clothing means: A minimum of 400 square inches of fluorescent hunter orange exterior clothing, worn above the waist and visible from all sides.

     (7) Violation of this section is an infraction, punishable under RCW 77.15.160.

Note however the term "fluorescent hunter orange" is not defined in this statute or in the 'definitions' of RCW 77.08.010.  Therefore I would argue that a effort to comply by waring bright orange clothing would be acceptable.  You could argue, effectively, I beleive that unless the light wavelength range of reflection is specified in the law, there is no objective method for determining compliance.

That being said, my orange is brght as hell as much as I hate wearing it...

[NataSS]

2 years ago I was stopped by F&G randomly.  At the time I didnt have a "hunter orage vest" but a bright ass orange constuction "safety" vest complete with reflective stripes.  Checked to make sure I didnt have anything I wasnt supposed to and when asked where my "orange" was, I showed him the vest.  He just nodded and said, "good luck, looks like you need it".

Edit to clarify:  Was in my car when I was stopped.  So I wasnt wearing it.

[backwoods_boy]

yeah some guys in our camps work construction and use their safety vests and never have a problem.

[rasbo]

I dont even like taking off my orange for when I go sit on a stump to...umm...relieve myself...

I quickly put some orange on while I do the duty.

I use orange blaze tp never can be too safe,course then I just screw it up,do get some nice camo patterns

[NataSS]

I use orange blaze tp never can be too safe,course then I just screw it up,do get some nice camo patterns

oh man, thats nasty  eeeewwwwwwwww.  But absolutely hilarious at the same time!

[Black Plague]

jeez backwoods boy that guy on the right sure isnt wearing much orange...   are you sure he has 400 square inches on? ....if he lifts his arms up he would disapear in the woods....I think that vest was made for a GSP...

[JackOfAllTrades]

Nice... Rasbo... You Ain't Right.

Are you SERIOUS?  Think about what you just said.  How many guys do you think would wear anything but camo?  There are some really dumb and careless people out there.  I, for one, DO NOT WANT TO GET SHOT!!!!!!!!!!!

I hunted for YEARS as many others did with no friggin Orange or red on..  Don't hunt shoulder to shoulder with all the damn Seattle'ites, and you won't get shot. If I see another hunter, I'm usually going the direction away from him anyway. If given the opportunity, I would not wear orange. I would not wear a motorcycle helmet in many cases. I also want the CHOICE to not wear my seat belt. Too many damn liberals in this state creating laws (means of fund generation), To Protect Ourselves From Ourselves.

Yes, we're serious!

-Steve

[rasbo]

Nice... Rasbo... You Ain't Right.

Are you SERIOUS?  Think about what you just said.  How many guys do you think would wear anything but camo?  There are some really dumb and careless people out there.  I, for one, DO NOT WANT TO GET SHOT!!!!!!!!!!!

I hunted for YEARS as many others did with no friggin Orange or red on..  Don't hunt shoulder to shoulder with all the damn Seattle'ites, and you won't get shot. If I see another hunter, I'm usually going the direction away from him anyway. If given the opportunity, I would not wear orange. I would not wear a motorcycle helmet in many cases. I also want the CHOICE to not wear my seat belt. Too many damn liberals in this state creating laws (means of fund generation), To Protect Ourselves From Ourselves.

Yes, we're serious!

-Steve

I dont have a problem wearing it,but I still think it should be choice,Same with helmets,but a helmet probley saved me a while back.still we are grown up and should make our own decisions.My  op varies back and forth on that

[Curly]

I dont even like taking off my orange for when I go sit on a stump to...umm...relieve myself...

I quickly put some orange on while I do the duty.

I wear blaze orange underwear so that my white ass can't be mistaken for an elk but.

[Curly]

Nice... Rasbo... You Ain't Right.

Are you SERIOUS?  Think about what you just said.  How many guys do you think would wear anything but camo?  There are some really dumb and careless people out there.  I, for one, DO NOT WANT TO GET SHOT!!!!!!!!!!!

I hunted for YEARS as many others did with no friggin Orange or red on..  Don't hunt shoulder to shoulder with all the damn Seattle'ites, and you won't get shot. If I see another hunter, I'm usually going the direction away from him anyway. If given the opportunity, I would not wear orange. I would not wear a motorcycle helmet in many cases. I also want the CHOICE to not wear my seat belt. Too many damn liberals in this state creating laws (means of fund generation), To Protect Ourselves From Ourselves.

Yes, we're serious!

-Steve

I dont have a problem wearing it,but I still think it should be choice,Same with helmets,but a helmet probley saved me a while back.still we are grown up and should make our own decisions.My  op varies back and forth on that

I totally agree with you guys..........it should be a choice.

[bobcat]

Of course it should be the individual's choice. What kind of communist state is this to tell people what color clothing they have to wear? Like I said, what about pink? Or how about yellow? Why does everybody have to wear the same orange? For years, before the orange law, I always wore something green or brown that would blend in well. Back then I didn't have any camouflage. Never saw the need for it, but I also didn't see the need for orange.

[PWN Kurt]

A neat fact:  Hunter success is higher in areas and seasons where hunter orange is required.

I'm guessing because hunters spread out more when they can see each other, and subsequently pushes more deer around.

I like that it's required during elk and deer.  I like that it's not required for bear.  I like that it's not for turkey...but, I'm also glad my turkey vest has a a couple of orange strips that I can pull out.  It gives me an extra feeling of comfort when I'm done hunting for the day and heading back to the rig.

I believe that 'seclusion orange' count's inch for inch for your requirement if you still want a vest that breaks up your outline.

Be safe out there this weekend!

Kurt

[bobcat]

A neat fact:  Hunter success is higher in areas and seasons where hunter orange is required.

Where did you get that "fact" from    Orange is required in this state for all deer and elk "modern firearm" seasons and not for archery and muzzleloader deer and elk seasons. So all you are saying is that the rifle seasons have a higher success rate?  If so I'd say that's due more to the weapon type than the fact that people are wearing orange. That's ludicrous to think that orange actually improves success rates. It may not hurt success rates but I sure don't believe that wearing orange is a factor in higher success rates.

[Little Dave]

I recall the "success is higher in areas and seasons where hunter orange is required" as one of the statements from the master hunter course materials.  It seems plausible.

Not sure if the vest or orange jacket is bright enough?
After dark, go to a room with a dimmer switch and see how bright the orange is in dim light.  Regular orange fades to brown or gray in dim light, which is not ideal.

[backwoods_boy]

jeez backwoods boy that guy on the right sure isnt wearing much orange...   are you sure he has 400 square inches on? ....if he lifts his arms up he would disapear in the woods....I think that vest was made for a GSP...

Ha ha
he usually wears an orange hat too.
we were out cuttin firewood that day.
and his back pack has orange on it.
we are all good in our camp...
 Tongue

[GoldTip]

A neat fact:  Hunter success is higher in areas and seasons where hunter orange is required.

I'm guessing because hunters spread out more when they can see each other, and subsequently pushes more deer around.

I like that it's required during elk and deer.  I like that it's not required for bear.  I like that it's not for turkey...but, I'm also glad my turkey vest has a a couple of orange strips that I can pull out.  It gives me an extra feeling of comfort when I'm done hunting for the day and heading back to the rig.

I believe that 'seclusion orange' count's inch for inch for your requirement if you still want a vest that breaks up your outline.

Be safe out there this weekend!

Kurt

I would highly doubt that as a fact.  Pretty simple to check that fact, just look next door to Idaho.  No hunters orange requirement there.  Someone on this site truly trying to tell me that Washington has a higher success rate in general firearm deer and elk season than Idaho has? 

[sako223]

I have many opinions on this, Blaze orange is not as bad as many want it to be, choice or not. Most animals don't see in true color like we do so when you take a picture of your clothing including Blaze Orange in a hunting setting, then change the pic to sepia or black & white. It clearly shows the blaze orange is often a better color than some camo. We have had animals right in our laps while wearing Blaze Orange camo, even coyotes. Movement is the #1 giveaway.
Most of the time wearing orange turns hunters away from our spot. Poor hunters may not see you anyway.
I have not seen any studies on success with orange but it has never hurt our success on any hunt, and as I pointed out the color of camo orange is good blending for animal vision. So it may actually be part of our success.
Comparing our success rate while wearing orange to another state that doesn't probably is not accurate. So are you going to say Nobody has been shot while hunting in Idaho because they don't wear orange.
Initially when hunter orange requirements were implemented I drug my feet too and tried to get around it. Now I am a firm believer and actually count on it as part of my camo.
It is not worth the risk of getting shot or killed. It is amazing the number of people shot as mistaken game here in the state. I personally know several people involved or present in hunter shootings. As we get complacent & defiant many will never understand the reality of getting shot.

[GoldTip]

I have many opinions on this, Blaze orange is not as bad as many want it to be, choice or not. Most animals don't see in true color like we do so when you take a picture of your clothing including Blaze Orange in a hunting setting, then change the pic to sepia or black & white. It clearly shows the blaze orange is often a better color than some camo. We have had animals right in our laps while wearing Blaze Orange camo, even coyotes. Movement is the #1 giveaway.
Most of the time wearing orange turns hunters away from our spot. Poor hunters may not see you anyway.
I have not seen any studies on success with orange but it has never hurt our success on any hunt, and as I pointed out the color of camo orange is good blending for animal vision. So it may actually be part of our success.
Comparing our success rate while wearing orange to another state that doesn't probably is not accurate. So are you going to say Nobody has been shot while hunting in Idaho because they don't wear orange.
Initially when hunter orange requirements were implemented I drug my feet too and tried to get around it. Now I am a firm believer and actually count on it as part of my camo.
It is not worth the risk of getting shot or killed. It is amazing the number of people shot as mistaken game here in the state. I personally know several people involved or present in hunter shootings. As we get complacent & defiant many will never understand the reality of getting shot.

Nope, not debating people have been shot while hunting in Idaho and not wearing hunters orange.  I am not sure where I implied hunters orange did not lend itself to safety, although people get shot here WA while wearing hunters orange as well.  I quite simply and easliy debunked something that was stated as fact, which was hunting success is higher in area's which require hunters orange. 

[sako223]

So how will we know that hunter success in Idaho would not improve with orange since they do not require it. It seems that you need an area that changes requirements for a period of time. to make a comparison.

[GoldTip]

So how will we know that hunter success in Idaho would not improve with orange since they do not require it. It seems that you need an area that changes requirements for a period of time. to make a comparison.

The fact as stated was that "Hunter success is higher in area's and seasons where hunters orange is required."  The fact was not stated that hunters success rate went up following implementation of a hunters orange requirement. 

[PWN Kurt]

The statement about hunter orange and the correlation with higher success rate was something that was presented in the materials in Hunter Ed.  You are probably right to be skeptical and how that information was obtained.  I don't know if they did a 'double blind study' (no pun intended) as every state and region has very different terrain and cover, deer population and game management.  I do believe that the statement has some merit and is plausible.

In my experience, there has been many times where I was off the beaten track, miles from the roads and saw a glimmer of blaze orange in the distance.  When they saw me, they moved on.  If they didn't see me, I usually picked up and moved.  If there was a deer directly between me and another hunter, I would hope that we could both see each other!

[sako223]

Yes increased success rates by hunters wearing orange is reported in many states. True or not, I believe it has helped us.  I have a color blind friend who I let judge  my camo along with photos. Many people are believers after seeing photos. It is similar to some animals view. Also camo orange is legal as some question it in the field.

http://www.hunter-ed.com/wa/course/1-5_hunter_orange.htm

It is sad that hunters do get shot while wearing orange here in WA but even more so when one gets shot in ID while wearing orange, considering orange is not required there. I suspect that it won't be that long before ID requires it equally.

[Little Dave]

Many other factors may be at play when considering hunter success in a WA vs. ID comparison.