CO Blaze Orange Requirements

[grahambiel]

Question that may not have a definitive answer - is it explicitly written somewhere whether wearing a hood over your blaze orange hat technically makes you illegal when hunting in colorado rifle seasons? By the letter of the law it would seem to since wearing the hood the hat is no longer visible from 360

I know there is debate around whether wearing a backpack could technically make you illegal by obscuring your orange vest so I'm guessing the answer to this may be the same (i.e. no clear answer but most folks just do it).

Anyone know if this is clearly spelled out anywhere or have anecdotal evidence through discussions with game wardens?

 

[Newtosavage]

I don't think that meets the intent of the regulation. If it were me, I'd just call a CPW game warden and ask. They aren't hard to reach and every one of them has always returned my call if they didn't pick up straight away. I had a 30 min. conversation with a GW out of Steamboat last year while my buddy and I were glassing a herd of elk from the highway. Nicest guy and super helpful.

Sometimes asking a GW in the field how they would enforce a specific situation is very helpful.

 

[Salmonchaser]

I did ask the pack question last year. Warden told me I needed to attach something to the back of the pack.

 

[grahambiel]

Yeah and I got a panel for my pack - even if its not technically required i think its just smart.

I agree that wearing a hood seems to take away from the intention of the regs but I'm thinking forward to how I'm gonna feel if im glassing in the early morning with howling wind - beanie and neck gaiter help a lot but sometimes throwing a hood up is a game changer. I'm not trying to push the limits but feels silly to have outer layers with hoods I can't legally use

 

[ChrisAU]

I did ask the pack question last year. Warden told me I needed to attach something to the back of the pack.

Yep I was told at the Gunnison CPW office that I needed orange on my pack.

 

[ericF]

Look at their particular wording and you can see there is no gray area about it when it comes to a hat/beanie. Unless you can see your covering from 360 degrees you are in violation.

From page 14 of the 2019 Big Game Regulations.
"A fluorescent orange or pink hat or head covering, visible from all directions, is also required."

 

[huntsman22]

paint your hood orange......

 

[jspradley]

Get a blaze orange buff, they stretch over just about anything and will keep you legal

 

[longbarrel]

I always carry a couple thin, cheap orange vests and an orange hat or stocking cap not just for legality but safety when other hunters might be present. Can be especially important if you have a head/cape strapped to your pack.

 

[jspradley]

I always carry a couple thin, cheap orange vests and an orange hat or stocking cap not just for legality but safety when other hunters might be present. Can be especially important if you have a head/cape strapped to your pack.

I always cringe a little when I see dudes walking around with coyote brown packs with a monster rack strapped to them sticking up and no orange anywhere.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

put your hat over your hood. Problem solved. Or get a blaze orange hoodie.

 

[Halftime Heater]

Blaze buff or baseball cap to throw on over the hoodie