CO Orange Law

[Lee_R]

This topic has been beaten to death but I can't help myself from pointing out some flawed logic once again.

From CPW website:

"Bowhunters are not required to wear fluorescent orange during archery seasons. Colorado Parks and Wildlife strongly recommends wearing daylight fluorescent orange or florescent pink clothes in the field even if you’re not hunting."

So rifle bear hunters, in the field at the same time as archery Elk and Deer hunters, ARE required to wear orange, even though they are the ones with the high powered rifles and scopes. Meanwhile, Archers head to toe in camo are sneaking around the brush while a Bear hunter could have his or her scope trained on the movement from 400 yards away hoping it's a bear about to step into the open. So about the only good the orange is possibly doing is keeping the rifle bear hunters and the muzzleloader hunters all from shooting each other. Archers, you're on your own out there! I've also heard the argument that the orange law is just so law enforcement can more readily identify those carrying guns, but it's pretty common knowledge that a vast majority of Archery Hunters are also carrying a sidearm so that theory is pretty useless. I'm an advocate for common sense.

Edited to say, wearing orange isn't dumb, the inconsistency in the laws requiring it is.

And that was the exact point of my question. Everyone should or no one should be wearing it, but if the point is safety (as they claim) everyone should regardless of weapon. Personally, I think it's required of gun hunters so CPW (and other states' game officers) can spot and monitor hunters easier under the guise of catching poachers as the logic of safety has gone out the window given the current rules.

 

[5MilesBack]

Archers, you're on your own out there!

That's fine.......just the way we want and expect it.

Personally, I'm all for personal choice and allowing folks to make their own health and safety decisions without the help and mandates from the government. Beyond that......the easiest way to solve this would be to keep gun seasons out of the archery seasons.

And has already been pointed out........if this was only about safety, then EVERYONE using public lands would be required to wear it during firearm seasons, regardless what their activity is.

 

[George Hamrick]

I know it’s not required by law, but why chance it? Elk can’t see it, so I really don’t see any downside to wearing it. Not worth possibly getting shot over when an orange hat or vest might have prevented it.

 

[Savage99]

Not here to debate blaze orange laws, but if one agrees with this then it should apply to everyone in the woods during firearms season - hikers, campers, bird watchers, geocachers, rock climbers, mountain bikers, etc.

Should have been the mic drop of the thread. Logic.


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[Nickofthewoods]

the easiest way to solve this would be to keep gun seasons out of the archery seasons.

Definitely. The overlapping seasons probably weren't that big of deal at one point in time.

 

[cnelk]

Its kinda like not having to have Firearm Safety if you're born before 1949....

They must be the smart ones

 

[3forks]

I didn’t read every post so someone may have posted something similar, but any dumbshit that shoots into cover without identifying the target or those guys that shoot people/their buddies because they get “buck fever” don‘t seem to be deterred by anyone wearing orange. I look at it the same way I do driving, there are speed limits and laws against people driving drunk or recklessly, but those laws don’t stop the people who drive recklessly or drunk.

 

[Southforkguy]

Not commenting on the OPS question but just sharing my view on wearing orange.

I keep my Blaze orange talon on my pack even when I'm treestand bowhunting whitetails. It says hey squirrel hunter with .22 LR don't forget I'm sitting here.

 

[sndmn11]

I still haven't seen a high qulality pink hat or vest. Any links?

 

[beachbunny]

man, with muzzleloaders shooting 300 yds and some of the kooks,i've seen, you better belive i;d have a piece of orange

 

[Felix1776]

Not here to debate blaze orange laws, but if one agrees with this then it should apply to everyone in the woods during firearms season - hikers, campers, bird watchers, geocachers, rock climbers, mountain bikers, etc.

You're right. I've never proclaimed the orange laws are consistent or make perfect sense. They don't.

 

[Jakerex]

Same crowd that continues to preach “CAMO DOESN’T MATTER” is the same that won’t wear orange. Like an elk, or any game animal for that matter, gives an F about an orange hat and / or vest.


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[Jakerex]

Not here to debate blaze orange laws, but if one agrees with this then it should apply to everyone in the woods during firearms season - hikers, campers, bird watchers, geocachers, rock climbers, mountain bikers, etc.

Agree with all of this, unless it’s only archery season. When bullets are flying, orange should be worn by all. Think of all the $$$$$ the state could make fining hikers and bikers, then the price of hunting licenses could come down


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[Poser]

Agree with all of this, unless it’s only archery season. When bullets are flying, orange should be worn by all. Think of all the $$$$$ the state could make fining hikers and bikers, then the price of hunting licenses could come down


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There is no “only archery” season in CO. Rifle season for bear covers the same dates. Granted, sept bear habitat and sept elk habitat don’t necessarily overlap so much, but with that in mind, it does feel rather ridiculous to be the only person wearing Orange on the trail when you are also the only person sporting a rifle.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

Many CO game laws make zero sense, including this one. I wear an orange hat even when archery hunting, I don’t wear a vest.

I’m going to have a hat on regardless, it makes it easier for another hunter who might slip in to see what’s going on after hearing me calling, in addition to the “safety” aspect.

It is also very handy when bow hunting to mark the location you shot from, or where you find first blood or lose a blood trail.

It makes me shake my head when archery guys are camo’d out head to toe, face painted, sitting still right along a trail, well away from a truck or camp, and then get mad when somebody happens to walk by as if it was possible to know that they were there.

I don’t wear an orange vest if I don’t have to, as I find them a PITA to deal with when changing layers, and I have a mesh one.

 

[swampokie]

Ive always wondered what kinda special force field protection archers have to prevent being struck by a bullet. I guess all us mortal muzzleloader hunters will just continue to shoot only the muzz and bear rifle hunters that choose to go without orange and wish we could be covered by the special force field possessed by archery hunters and the granola militia.

 

[Sykes]

Prepare yourself for the moral soldiers to tell you to always wear orange regardless of the law.

I thought you were joking, you weren't. Hell I take it off or don't even put it on rifle hunting. Hate wearing that shit

 

[Mkrueger88]

Not needed if you’re archery. Although I’m gonna bring some and put on the pack this year. Had a muzzleloaders go off under 200 yds from me last season in CO…and that was a little to close for comfort ha.