Thoughts on hunter Orange

[Knawbone]

If not hunting on my own land, then I wear camo orange. To a deer it looks the same as any camo.It doe's how ever remain visible to turkeys which can alert deer to your were abouts.Better to be safe than shot. I hunt fairly large tracts of state land other than my own. Most gun hunters don;t venture fare from roads so I hunt were there not, or as best I can. Hunting areas the deer are likely to escape too is not only productive, its safe

[Doc Nock]

Interesting variance in perceptions and experiences from the many states represented.

Here we have to wear 250 sq inches. Hat and vest!

I'm a firm believer that deer, and a lot of prey animals learn from experience.  IF an old doe busts you in a particular tree, she'll check that tree for you before coming thru or detour around that site.

I also believe that they see, according to research, the FLUORESCENT orange as a rather bright white... if it moves: BAM! Busted!

With the many deer/human encounters where I hunt, if they've associated that bright white-ish blob with danger, when they see it again, they seem to go on alert!

NOBODY knows what's in a deer's mind, but my experience is "some do notice, some don't" so I'm inclined to believe it's an "experience" thing...bad experience with that bright blob, they notice in the future...if none, it doesn't seem to bother them...

YMMV

[Bladepeek]

I was sitting against a big oak tree and had an older doe, a young doe and two fawns spot me from about 30 yards away. They knew something was there, but not what. They approached me single file to within about 5 yards.

I avoided looking them in the eye and each one approached, studied me, then moved off to the side. The older doe eventually cut my trail where I came in from behind the tree, snorted and there were 4 flags waving goodbye.

I don't think they would have spotted me as fast had I been in camo instead of striped hunter orange, but it didn't spook them.

[eagleone]

Thoughts on blaze orange?  It's incredibly ugly

[Randy Koleno]

I'd rather not wear it, but I don't worry about it if I have to. Many deer have been well with-in 20 yards while I was wearing it. It might be an advantage in snow.

[Mudd]

Here is how I dress for our rifle season.

 
 




I'm guessing the deer see my orange vest the same way they see my ghuillie because the strips give it a 3-D effect.

They look right through me as if I'm just part of the terrain.

God bless,Mudd

[Ric O'Shay]

The stuff never bother any deer that I came across. But I feel much more comfortable in it when gun season starts.

[Knawbone]

I second what Doc Nock said

[Doc Nock]

Be careful, Mudd!

They might mistake you for a giant carrot that got left in the woods and come a gnawing!    

We all have our anecdotal experiences but it seems "experience" is the best teacher of the critters we hunt, too...

Tree stand encounters, ground blind encounters, scent encounters...like predator trapping... different animals learn differently and some seem to "remember"... they teach others, it would seem.

But it's still fun to "speculate" based on our own experiences, huh?  

[yukon chuck]

Gotta wear it. Too many knuckleheads out there, and even when folks are careful there is the chance of an accident. I like to hunt, but I love to live.

[yukon chuck]

Mudd...Excellent!!!

[wtpops]

Here in California we are not required to wear it. Of course 90% of the population here most likely would not care if a hunter got shot ether.      I hunt hogs only so i stay out of the woods during deer season so i dont blow some guys hunt that has been waiting all year long to partake in, i have all the rest of the year to chase hogs, plus our deer season is during the hottest part of the year and i mean in the upper 100s. If i was to hunt during gun season i would be covered in it

[59Alaskan]

Originally posted by yukon chuck:
Gotta wear it. Too many knuckleheads out there, and even when folks are careful there is the chance of an accident. I like to hunt, but I love to live.

2x this

I have had multiple very short range encounters with deer while on the ground with hunters orange on. My experience leads me to think they don't see it well but I was wearing camo orange.   I think  They see you twitch your finger not the orange itself.

Wearing solid orange may be different.  I would think so.

[Butchie]

A blaze orange ghillie vest...great Mudd!

[RecurveRookie]

BDann, I hear you!  I wear my ghillie, but have big strips of orange hanging on my suit, maybe try that.  I wish we didn't need to wear it, but it's better than getting shot at.

[Gdpolk]

I wear it in gun season but I ONLY wear it in gun season and ONLY wear camo patterned orange, even if it's harder to find.

[Stumpkiller]

Deer don't see it: just a neutral gray.  IMHO it is preferable to dark camo in snow.  I have had deer closer to me when sitting at ground level in full head-to-toe blaze orange than in camo.

Turkey - that's another story.  I believe they see can see orange.

[akaboomer]

I proved it to myself again today, not that I was uncertain. I had three bucks and two does in bow range today. Missed a big eight point and later got a doe.  

Chris

[Archie]

I rarely hunt outside of the 140 private acres I have permission to hunt on.  Last year when I did venture out to public land, during bow-only season, I wore some orange.  

There are a lot of people out there who aren't as careful as I am in the woods, and I don't want to get shot with a bullet OR an arrow.  

Better to be safe than to risk having someone else apologize for accidentally shooting you.

[S. Brant Osborn]

I would prefer the camo  broken  Orange as well but some states require it to be a solid orange unbroken.

Good to wear to the mailbox after thanksgiving   That's when dog season starts.  You can get run over then!