doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How many wear blaze orange

I had a slug hit a tree 6 inches above and behind my head while deer hunting without a hat when my hair was brown not white. Ever since that when hunting my head is bright orange.

In Colorado orange is not required for small game. I don�t often wear it. I don't worry about being shot.

I figure hunting accidents of any kind are quite rare, and the majority of accidents which do occur are not cases of mistaken vision. Clothing color is irrelevant nearly all the time.

The vast majority shootings are due to accidental discharges, carless gun handing, sweeping folks, and similar. Heavens, 1/3 of cases are actually self-inflicted gunshots. I'm more likely to shoot myself than be mistaken for a deer.

Horror stories of somebody being mistaken for a deer or bear are the very rare exceptions. I estimate the hazard of some elk hunter on the next ridge shooting me as too low to worry about. I�ve got more pressing things to feed my paranoia.

One other thing: I can�t help but think another reason fish and game departments require hunter orange is because law enforcement is much easier when the suspects glow in the dark. Just saying�

"I had a slug hit a tree 6 inches above and behind my head while deer hunting without a hat when my hair was brown not white. Ever since that when hunting my head is bright orange."

Who is your hairdresser?

Hmmm....

I'm sure glad hunting accidental shootings are very rare. If they were common, I'd re-think hunting.


Head-on accidents on motorcycles are pretty rare too. Just the same, when I was wild enough to ride one, I rode with the headlight on. Not everyone liked that when most of the makers started making the headlight stay on no matter whether you wanted it or not. Same with automobiles. I see over on the truck bbs where I hang, some kids are disabling the daytime running lights.

It doesn't have to happen to everyone, just you. Frankly, I'm surprised Dr. Bob doesn't have navigation lights and strobes on when he goes out. That would have pretty much scared the shi# out of me.

I find Daryl's comments both insightful & poignant. Add to that any hearing issues and picture a couple of guys walking each side of a brushy draw w/a dog or dogs in the middle that has dead sticker bush of one sort or another well over head high hoping to 'stomp' a rooster out .. those glimpses of blaze orange help you to know that you are moving forward together.

Shooting no low birds EVER is the rule to NEVER be broken, but it won't keep you from being shot, only shooting another or a dog.

I wear blaze orange when pheasant & bird [quail] hunting, always.

Well now if I was driving an old beat up worn out overloaded 1968 Dodge pickup, with 2nd gear broken, pulls to the right, creaks, wheezes, with all the chrome rusted, and sits crooked I wouldn't care if it was black or white or I had to paint it blaze orange.

But I drive a nice new little 2 seater sports car with aluminum wheels, wide low profile tires, leather upholstery, and a powerful V-6 engine, 4 wheel independent suspension and a six speed manual short throw transmission. Has a beautiful shiney paint job. Sure would hate to paint it blaze orange.

So I can why Daryl doesn't mind wearing orange and I don't like it.

Best,

Mike

[quote=Gnomon
Who is your hairdresser? [/quote]

No hairdresser, just use Orange Rustoleum as hairspray.

I wear it while partridge/woodcock hunting. I don't deer hunt anymore, but I think it is a smart move to wear it.

GLS:

I witnessed something similar many years ago. I was hunting during one of the early black powder deer seasons. I encountered another hunter dressed in buckskins, except he had one of those colonial type knit caps with the tassle in forest green on his head. His train of thought was a muzzleloader hunter wasn't going to waste his shot on something he is not sure of. I wished him best and went on my way.

Four years ago AZ experienced two fatalities during elk seasons. Both occurred on Indian Reservations, both were young men who shot and killed their uncle or father, both men killed were wearing camo, both were hit while the shooter was actually shooting at real elk and had lost track of their companions. Both reservations now require hunter orange - but the state of AZ does not because somehow the camo industry swings more weight than real life. Do you need camo for certain species and while bowhunting - sure. But the color offends you? Hell put the hat on your head and don't look up!