Bow hunting during muzzleloader season in Colorado.

[Matt44]

Do you have to wear orange?

 

[Dave0317]

Found this on Google:

Bowhunters won't have to wear fluorescent orange

Bowhunters won’t be required to wear fluorescent orange/pink during September muzzleloading season after the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission last week turned down a proposal by agency staff to impose

www.gjsentinel.com

 

[Mighty Mouse]

No

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

You might not have to but I sure would! The CO muzzleloader/rifle hunter motto…

 

[Jbehredt]

Had a shot fired into a herd I was dogging. Didn’t scare me enough. Couple years later I called one in with his rifle at the ready looking very confused by me waving my arms and speaking sternly. Decided to add some flashes of orange to my wardrobe. At a minimum I keep an orange bandana on my bugle tube.

 

[Matt44]

Had a shot fired into a herd I was dogging. Didn’t scare me enough. Couple years later I called one in with his rifle at the ready looking very confused by me waving my arms and speaking sternly. Decided to add some flashes of orange to my wardrobe. At a minimum I keep an orange bandana on my bugle tube.

That’s rough lol. People are wild. Got to stay on your toes for sure.

 

[Matt44]

Found this on Google:

Bowhunters won't have to wear fluorescent orange

Bowhunters won’t be required to wear fluorescent orange/pink during September muzzleloading season after the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission last week turned down a proposal by agency staff to impose

www.gjsentinel.com

I noticed on cpw website where it talked about it but didn’t fully understand what they meant. It was kind of a gray area

 

[Gerbdog]

I've added some orange to the setup this year. The two legged animals in the woods here in CO are the most dangerous of all the wild animals around here.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I noticed on cpw website where it talked about it but didn’t fully understand what they meant. It was kind of a gray area

See below from page 15 of the 2022 big game brochure. Bowhunters are not legally required to wear orange during muzzleloader season. CPW was considering it after last year's fatal accident but ultimately decided not to make it a requirement.

That said, it's a good idea to have some orange in your pack to put on if you feel the situation warrants it. I would for sure tie on some orange if packing a set of antlers out of the woods.

 

[bz_711]

I've never worried about it as I've overlapped season multiple times and have never seen a muzzleloader hunter in the woods...and maybe heard one shot ever (but was near dark and I think just unloading).

But - you do have things like this unfortunately: https://www.themeateater.com/hunt/b...tally-killed-by-fellow-elk-hunter-in-colorado

 

[5MilesBack]

I generally don't wear it while bowhunting even overlapping the ML season. But I have had five ML hunters shoot bulls I was working since 2010, and I never knew any of them were even there until I heard the shots. I'm a pretty aggressive bugler, and at least two of those hunters told me that they heard two bulls going at it so snuck in and shot one of them. I guess I should be glad that they picked the other bull to shoot. I do generally wear an orange hat when I'm calling for a ML hunter I'm hunting with. I might start doing that as well during ML week when hunting solo.......or just keep taking chances. Who knows.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I generally don't wear it while bowhunting even overlapping the ML season. But I have had five ML hunters shoot bulls I was working since 2010, and I never knew any of them were even there until I heard the shots. I'm a pretty aggressive bugler, and at least two of those hunters told me that they heard two bulls going at it so snuck in and shot one of them. I guess I should be glad that they picked the other bull to shoot. I do generally wear an orange hat when I'm calling for a ML hunter I'm hunting with. I might start doing that as well during ML week when hunting solo.......or just keep taking chances. Who knows.

Same. It’s the ones you don’t seee that are dangerous. I wear orange on the back of my pack. Figure it’ll keep someone from shooting me in the back.

 

[SuspiciousFish]

Has anyone had luck with the Orange Algow vests? I figure it would be better safe than sorry and they seem like they dont interfere with movement etc.

Amazon.com : Orange Aglow Signature Mesh Blaze Orange Camo Hunting Vest (Large) : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : Orange Aglow Signature Mesh Blaze Orange Camo Hunting Vest (Large) : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

 

[5MilesBack]

I found this brand new with tags shirt in a thrift store for $2. Poly polo shirt.......figured it might come in handy some day. I've never seen or found anything blaze orange that would be more comfortable than this, especially for ML season.

 

[PVHunter]

Has anyone had luck with the Orange Algow vests? I figure it would be better safe than sorry and they seem like they dont interfere with movement etc.

Amazon.com : Orange Aglow Signature Mesh Blaze Orange Camo Hunting Vest (Large) : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : Orange Aglow Signature Mesh Blaze Orange Camo Hunting Vest (Large) : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

They're inexpensive, so I keep a vest as well as a bag cover from orange aglow tucked in the top of my pack - feels like the cost / weight / option value calculus lines up here.

 

[CJF]

I would at least wear a orange hat....me and a buddy called in a pair of ML hunters and when I finally caught a glimpse of them in my binos they were scanning the woods with their scopes....certainly with loaded and capped guns. They had been pointed at us numerous times during the whole ordeal. I decided that day was the last archery hunt I would make during muzzle loader season.

 

[browning2480]

I would at least wear a orange hat....me and a buddy called in a pair of ML hunters and when I finally caught a glimpse of them in my binos they were scanning the woods with their scopes....certainly with loaded and capped guns. They had been pointed at us numerous times during the whole ordeal. I decided that day was the last archery hunt I would make during muzzle loader season.

Muzzleloader hunters in Colorado shouldn’t have scopes. I assume this was a different state?

 

[CJF]

Muzzleloader hunters in Colorado shouldn’t have scopes. I assume this was a different state?

What an embarrassment. You are right....looking back on it the one guy had his muzzle loader on sticks, or tripod or something pointed in our direction and the other looking through binos maybe. It's a vague memory from long ago.

 

[browning2480]

What an embarrassment. You are right....looking back on it the one guy had his muzzle loader on sticks, or tripod or something pointed in our direction and the other looking through binos maybe. It's a vague memory from long ago.

Either way you had a gun pointed at you. My advice for all bow hunters is just to skip that week of Muzzy. Want you all to stay safe

 

[5MilesBack]

My advice for all bow hunters is just to skip that week of Muzzy. Want you all to stay safe

Ya, me too. All bowhunters should also skip the week of the full moon, as well as the first week since they aren't in full rut yet. And that last week all the elk have been pushed onto private land. So the bottom line here is that all bowhunters should stay home during archery.