Hiking in Hunting Season

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Just thought it might be interesting to do a quick poll / see what changes if any everyone on the forum makes during hunting season. 

Personally, I have a bright orange baseball hat as well as the same color fleece beanie that I wear depending on the weather, and recently I picked up an orange long sleeve thermal type shirt for increased visibility. They are not true blaze orange which of course would be best but they are for a person that normally wears earth tones, extremely bright.  (It's close) I'll use my headlamp around dawn and dusk a little more than normal and make noise anytime if I feel it might help / I think someone else may be in that particular area for whatever reason.

I also like to specifically target wilderness areas as I've found that around here, hunting usually goes hand in hand with motorized vehicles and I will usually pass on opening or closing days / weekends, perhaps holidays...

Anyone else make any changes to their gear or routine? 

[Gary M]

7 hours ago, Aaron said:

Just thought it might be interesting to do a quick poll / see what changes if any everyone on the forum makes during hunting season. 

Personally, I have a bright orange baseball hat as well as the same color fleece beanie that I wear depending on the weather, and recently I picked up an orange long sleeve thermal type shirt for increased visibility. They are not true blaze orange which of course would be best but they are for a person that normally wears earth tones, extremely bright.  (It's close) I'll use my headlamp around dawn and dusk a little more than normal and make noise anytime if I feel it might help / I think someone else may be in that particular area for whatever reason.

I also like to specifically target wilderness areas as I've found that around here, hunting usually goes hand in hand with motorized vehicles and I will usually pass on opening or closing days / weekends, perhaps holidays...

Anyone else make any changes to their gear or routine? 

Aaron..............

 

I've discussed this before............ (Hiking today, disappointed with sign) 

November and especially deer hunting season always makes me a little uneasy.  Two of my favorite hiking areas are close to hunting areas. A .30-06 bullet can travel a long way.   

In the fall I wear an orange shirt, but then wear a green jacket if it's cold.  So I'm really not getting the intended effect.  So basically I let vanity (I'm also an earth tone person, and don't like orange) get in the way of safety.  

I've been meaning to buy an orange hat or poncho, and try to increase my trail visibility.      

[seano]

Hunting season is usually unpleasant in the high country, so I mostly stay out of the woods until there's enough snow to ski.  I will wear my red hat if I think of it, but if someone is trigger-happy enough to shoot at anything that moves, I figure that clothes won't help me.

[toejam]

Hunting laws are so bizarre to me I never know it's hunting season until I'm at a trailhead with a bunch of hunters. Seems like it comes really early here when it's still summer - late September this year. I always hike anyway, but maybe go further from the trailhead. I wear brightly colored clothing if I know.

[iio]

Often when I'm out hiking, I will be wearing a bright red fleece jacket and one of my packs is bright red too. Where I live & most often hike is treeless, so visibility for long distances is great, and have never heard of close occurrences from others out in the country.

[lonerock]

I used to work under contract with the BLM and Forest Service doing wildlife studies in fairly remote areas. I always wore an orange vest- sort of the type road crews wear. On one occasion I  had just started one of my surveys and was about 1/2 mile from the forest service road when a shot rang out and a section of a tree about 15 feet away from me splintered. I immediately began yelling out to catch the attention of the careless hunter who couldn't see my orange vest. Fortunately that was the end of it except for the chills and rage I  felt  for some time.

When I m out doing a recreational hike during hunting season I  avoid areas where I  see vehicles on the move or parked.

[PaulMags]

I wrote this last year and revised a bit this year...

http://www.pmags.com/a-properly-attired-hiker-blaze-orange-in-hunting-season

 

And here's a photo of me last month hiking during hunting season:

 

[Aconcagua]

Sufficient concealed firepower in case I have a need to return fire...

[Char]

My state, and I would imagine all the states, legally require anyone in the woods or on public land to wear hunter orange during the deer firearms season.  I have a wide selection of hunter orange clothing to wear in all weather conditions.  The best piece is a bright orange, webbed vest that works in all weather conditions except the most extreme heat which is rare in November.  I can wear it over a heavy or light coat.  I have an orange stocking cap I wear whenever the weather is cool because there is often something "in season".  My avatar picture shows the orange vest and cap. 

I have also been shot at with bullets whizzing by and hitting nearby trees.  Once I was walking down the trail and came upon a hunter with his bow drawn, ready to let the arrow fly when he saw me and said, "Oh...I almost...."  He didn't finish his sentence. 

I found a dead doe today that the hunter failed to retrieve.  So sad.  About a week ago, I had followed a trail of splattered, fresh blood of a wounded deer and saw a doe off to my right through the trees.  I wonder now if the one I found today was the one that was wounded last week.  No telling how long she suffered before dying.

P.S. My dog also has a bright, hunter orange collar. 

[PaulMags]

Surprisingly, a lot of states do NOT require non-hunters to wear blaze orange during hunting season.

I know Colorado does not for example.

Still, I think it is an excellent idea to do so personally.