Modern Firearm Big Game Hunters re: Hunter Orange

[MikeWalking]

only when hunting bears when a modern deer or elk season overlaps the bear hunt.
page 15 of the regs.
pretty sure that's what he's thinking.
 

Things are making less and less sense.  What's the point of making Deer/Elk hunters wear it but not Bear hunters?

If one group of shooters why not the other?  I always figured Bow hunters don't have to wear it because arrows don't fly as far as a 30-06.

[Ray]

I like the hunter orange laws the way they are.

In a nutshell I believe the requirement stems from two variables. Weaponry and number of hunters.

If I see orange I know I can go the other way and avoid crowding.

I believe the law makes things a little bit safer. Too many people do not identify their targets for what they are let alone being an animal and are willing to take very long shots at who knows what because they have buck fever.  I don't think it's realistic to expect the general public to wear blaze orange. It will never happen. Try to make that fly and you'll have even more anti hunters than today.

For bear hunting there are just not as many people hunting this animal as say deer. Additionally there are no weaponry specific seasons. I believe that the orange requirement has a little to do with our society. Once you bring in the masses there will undoubtedly be more careless hunters who might shoot at anything that moves or other general accidents. More cars on the streets = more accidents. Once the number of careless hunters reaches a boiling point then hunter orange makes a lot of sense. What level or numbers those are might be a hard thing to pin down and get people to agree on.

As far as bow hunters wearing orange - I don't believe they need it. They simply do not have the long range weaponry which might permit them to be as careless and dangerous. For example - Taking a long range shot on an unidentified target and missing or overshooting and hitting something 700 yards beyond. I'm not saying that unsafe shots do not take place but the circumstances of the weapon mitigate the danger to some degree. A .30-06 rifle round can go well beyond the intended target and impact in another unexpected place. An arrow it simply isn't capable of doing the same things as a bullet. Like going through brush as well or even through other objects... The bow hunters don't tend to crowd as much as rifle hunters either; but there are always exceptions.

Those are not all the answers but that's what I think.

[actionshooter]

I like the hunter orange laws the way they are.
Yep
In a nutshell I believe the requirement stems from two variables. Weaponry and number of hunters.
Yep
If I see orange I know I can go the other way and avoid crowding.
Big Yep
I believe the law makes things a little bit safer. Too many people do not identify their targets for what they are let alone being an animal and are willing to take very long shots at who knows what because they have buck fever.  I don't think it's realistic to expect the general public to wear blaze orange. It will never happen. Try to make that fly and you'll have even more anti hunters than today.

For bear hunting there are just not as many people hunting this animal as say deer. Additionally there are no weaponry specific seasons. I believe that the orange requirement has a little to do with our society. Once you bring in the masses there will undoubtedly be more careless hunters who might shoot at anything that moves or other general accidents. More cars on the streets = more accidents. Once the number of careless hunters reaches a boiling point then hunter orange makes a lot of sense. What level or numbers those are might be a hard thing to pin down and get people to agree on.

As far as bow hunters wearing orange - I don't believe they need it. They simply do not have the long range weaponry which might permit them to be as careless and dangerous. For example - Taking a long range shot on an unidentified target and missing or overshooting and hitting something 700 yards beyond. I'm not saying that unsafe shots do not take place but the circumstances of the weapon mitigate the danger to some degree. A .30-06 rifle round can go well beyond the intended target and impact in another unexpected place. An arrow it simply isn't capable of doing the same things as a bullet. Like going through brush as well or even through other objects... The bow hunters don't tend to crowd as much as rifle hunters either; but there are always exceptions.

Those are not all the answers but that's what I think.

I agree

[Dman]

 You actually are required to wear hunter orange if you are "accompanying" another hunter in the field, whether you are packing or not. If you are in the act of hunting you have to wear it. Whenever I knock an animal down I also throw up an extra orange vest on top of what I'm wearing once I start working with the animal, I have heard of a few incident's of people throwing lead once the see horns sticking up off the ground, but can't see the body below, where a guy might be cleaning an animal.

[Ray]

I never have heard of that "accompanying a hunter requires hunter orange" regulation. Please point it out so that we can all see. Although it may be a wise decision I suspect it is not the law. Therefore I would like to see it.

[Hunting Cowboy]

Several years ago I went into a popular area to hang my tree stands for the late archery blacktail season. I think it was during the late buck Modern Firearm season that is now closed in this particular area.

Anyway, Sitting at the locked gate were two game wardens, each had their own rigs. I walked up to say hey and maybe get a report on what they were seeing.  Friendly as always, they were in the process of watching a couple of hunters up on the hillside above. I told them I was just on my way in to hang a couple of tree stands. I was surprised by their reply....

"Not wthout hunter orange you're not." I said, what? He told me, "anyone who is in an area open to modern firearm season is required to wear hunter orange." I had never heard of this. The other warden confirmed what the first had said. I told them that I thought I had left my vest at home,  His reply? "Hope it isn't a long drive then." Again I was surprised. Turned out that I had an old hunter orange vest behind my seat. I went ahead and hung my stands.

[Ray]

I would bet some game wardens try to play lawmaker all the time. Just like cops because they enforce the regs. But the law doesn't say

anyone who is in an area open to modern firearm season is required to wear hunter orange.

It may have been their way of discouraging you for one reason or another. I have no idea why the might discourage you other than perhaps they wanted you "out of the way" so they could spy on the other hunters without being interrupted for example. Even if they did fine you - you could contest it on the grounds that you were not actually hunting. If you simply put up a treestand in August are you then guilty of hunting out of season? No way. They have a definition for the term "to hunt" and it has to do with intent to kill, harass and uses words along those lines. I believe that if contested for example you would get by without paying. I suppose if you were armed or something then they would have grounds to ticket you though.

Under the following conditions a minimum of 400 square inches of fluorescent hunter orange exterior clothing is required. It must be worn above the waist and be visible from all sides. A hat, by itself, does not meet this requirement.
1.Anyone hunting deer or elk in an area currently open to modern firearm deer or elk hunting is required to wear fluorescent hunter orange clothing. This includes archers and muzzleloaders while hunting in units which overlap modern firearm seasons.
2.Anyone hunting in an area that is open for modern firearm deer or elk hunting must meet hunter orange requirements if they are hunting any of the following species: Bear, Bobcat, Cougar, Coyote, Deer, Elk, Fox, Grouse, Hare, Rabbit, or Raccoon.
3.During any upland game bird season, anyone hunting upland game birds or rabbits with a modern firearm is required to wear fluorescent hunter orangeclothing. (Grouse are not upland game birds.)
Hunter Orange Clothing NOT Required
1.During an upland game bird season, anyone hunting upland game birds with a muzzleloading firearm, bow and arrow, or falconry is not required to wear fluorescent hunter orange clothing.
2.While hunting in a muzzleloading or archery only GMU, anyone possessing a valid muzzleloading or archery deer or elk tag is not required to wear

Now as far as accompanying is concerned. I think it would be really hard to enforce that law. I would like to see it because I would like to know what constitutes accompanying.

Here is the law I know about: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=232-12-055

To Hunt Term as per law: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.08.010

   (7) "To hunt" and its derivatives means an effort to kill, injure, capture, or harass a wild animal or wild bird.

[Skycruiser]

I told them I was just on my way in to hang a couple of tree stands. I was surprised by their reply....
"Not without hunter orange you're not." I said, what? He told me, "anyone who is in an area open to modern firearm season is required to wear hunter orange." I had never heard of this. The other warden confirmed what the first had said. I told them that I thought I had left my vest at home,  His reply? "Hope it isn't a long drive then."

Unfortunately, the wardens I've encountered in recent years have had a major chip on their shoulders which is why I avoid them whenever possible. I have not found them "helpful" in any way.

[Hunting Cowboy]

It may have been their way of discouraging you for one reason or another. I have no idea why the might discourage you other than perhaps they wanted you "out of the way" so they could spy on the other hunters without being interrupted.

[/quote]

As I said. I went to the truck and found my hunter orange and continued on to hang my stands. They had abosolutely no problem with that at all. Acoording to them, they Just wanted me to be safe and in accordance with the law.

Since then, I have always been under the assumption that even when accompanying another (Modern Firearm) hunter, you had to be wearing hunter orange. Interesting topic.

[billythekidrock]

Since then, I have always been under the assumption that even when accompanying another (Modern Firearm) hunter, you had to be wearing hunter orange. Interesting topic.

It is probably one of those "interpretation" deals where enforcement can go either way on the rule.

[Ray]

I believe they would have to prove that you were hunting. Which in a nutshell has to do with intent to kill an animal. I suppose in a court of law that you would be vindicated unless someone thought you were capable of killing the animals with your treestand or binoculars. The problem is I would never let it get that far if I could avoid it either... I do agree that it would be much wiser and appropriate to just wear orange when you are accompanying another hunter and let them say and think what they want. I would have done the same thing as you did.

[edmondshunter]

I hunt in the 448 and 460 during mod fire. I always wear my orange.  I have run into alot of mushroom pickers, though drunk were also wearing orange, to be seen.

 I have to admit I got stopped by the "Man" last day of season this year.  I narrowly avoided a fine for an "orange" violation.  The female ranger told me that I wasn't showing enough sq. inches of orange due to the pack I was wearing.  She let me slide cause I was on the road, had unloaded, and was on the way out.

Hunter Orange was instated to reduce the number of hunting related deaths and injuries.  In hindsight, it also in most states, increased the number of tags filled by successful hunters.  This was due to less crowding.

Ill take the good with the bad and wear my Orange everytime.

[Palmer]

This poll is only for Modern Firearm Big Game hunters. Others, please don't post.

I posted usually due to bear and coyote hunting, otherwise always.