Montana (and other state) hunter orange laws out dated?

[MThuntr]

Based on the number of people I see in places these days, being visible to other hunters seems like a good idea especially with the number of bumbling idiots out there (such as guys that are glassing with their riflescope not binos). I feel like states that have limit the number of hunters per unit or season it's less of an issue.

That being said I'm indifferent and it has been a requirement in all of the states that I've lived in. Deer and elk don't see orange like we do and I don't think it plays in the success of a hunt unless the person is way out in the open where animals would see your outline.

 

[maxx075]

You can definitely tell who the sole western hunters are. Back on the east coast, if it's rifle season and you're not wearing orange, you're likely to get. Hell, you may even get shot at wearing orange. People will see movement and just point and shoot hoping to hit something.

 

[willfrye027]

No orange required in CA. I think they’re hoping we hunters shoot each other..

 

[PablitoPescador]

The most convenient think about orange is it makes other hunters visible. The safety component doesn’t seem super important to me here in MT, but it sure is nice being able to see pumpkins hiking south so that I know to go north

 

[Renegade14]

Utah changed their requirement last month from 400 square inches on the head, chest, and back to just one article of orange on the outermost layer of clothing. Could just be a hat.

I like being able to see where other people are at, for safety and to be able to change plans around if you see people doing something that messes with your original idea.

 

[WCB]

I honestly don't get why guys are so bent out of shape of having to wear it? The getting shot thing is far fetched however...easy to spot areas I don't want to go into because other guys are sitting there. Or the fact it deters most guys from walking right up on my location because they can see me.

 

[jhm2023]

I can agree with hat only, but past that, I think it should be up to the individual to assess the risk and make the decision on their own, and the government can keep their dicks out of people's Kool-Aid. I always abide by applicable hunting regs, but sometimes I get the feeling orange laws are there for fish cops to find hunters easily and they sell it to us as a safety measure. If it were truly about "safety", then ALL land users would be required to wear it and not just certain user groups. Let's not forget there are also eastern states that don't allow hunting on Sundays, require use of straight wall cartridges and shotguns, and have ridiculous caliber restrictions for tiny whitetails, so my opinion on state agencies having the efficacy to produce good regs based on facts and logic is not great. This is my opinion on the matter and I spent the first 26 years of my life east of the Mississippi, so I see both sides of it.

 

[UncleBone]

Then you'd have to require all people out in the woods to wear orange......even dog walkers. I'd rather the government just leave it up to every individual. It's our life and/or safety, leave the responsibility for that with us.

Oh I am with you. I am just pointing it out. I personally believe "it's my body my choice" on this issue.

 

[StickSlingers]

I honestly don't get why guys are so bent out of shape of having to wear it? The getting shot thing is far fetched however...easy to spot areas I don't want to go into because other guys are sitting there. Or the fact it deters most guys from walking right up on my location because they can see me.

I think for me anyways, it has more to do with the fact that I’m being forced to wear it without any clear cut evidence that it makes a large enough difference in hunting accidents and they don’t make anyone but hunters wear it during hunting season. Allot of my favorite hunting jackets and shirts don’t come in orange. And for me the alleged benefits don’t outweigh the inconvenience of donning and doffing a vest everytime i layer up or down. It would make more sense to me if it was just a hat. The second you put on a pack your vest is almost fully covered. And while i see your point in that it makes it easier to spot other hunters, sometimes i don’t want people to know where im hunting.


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[mlevimadden]

That could have easily been me. No biggie.....I've had ML hunters shoot bulls out from under me 5 times since 2010. I'm sure those won't be the last ones, just the way I hunt. I expect all hunters to identify their target before actually shooting at it......even though given what we see in society today, I probably shouldn't. Oh well, I'm not changing. However, when I hunt without a tag and help ML or rifle hunters out, I normally wear an orange hat. But that's more so that the folks I'm hunting with can more easily find me.

I can PM you the unit to see if it was, but I don't think this guy was very close to your height. If you don't mind sharing, what is the strategy walking up on a wallow while archery hunting? I would think the odds of getting a decent shot before a bull took off would be pretty low, but my archery elk success rate has been pretty low, so maybe I'm doing it all wrong...

 

[jimh406]

I think orange makes sense because there are still people out there using rifle scopes for binoculars to determine what they are seeing. The hope is that they won’t have to bear down on me if I’m wearing orange although from what I’ve heard, some people still look at people with orange on.

Also, it makes it easier to see hunters from a distance which can impact your approach.

If you see people wandering around without orange, it’s a giveaway that they could be a poacher.

Other than owning orange, I don’t find it as any disadvantage. I’ve had big game walk within a few feet of me while wearing orange. Many of us probably have.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I hunt in the desert SW a lot, I have friends who Insist on wearing tan hunting vest and pants. Trying to pick them out on the side of a hill, or even in the flat brush covered desert, is all but impossible. I alway wear at least a blaze orange hat and or vest. I once asked them if they had a hard time locating me, to which they said no, I said so why don't you wear something orange. They don't like it.

 

[idelkslayer]

I don't have much faith in the average hunter's judgement, I wear orange even when it isn't required and I put an orange panel on the back of my backpack. Realistically, by the time I put on my backpack and bino harness there isn't much of the vest that is still visible, hence the back panel. I will also admit that there are times when I don't wear orange either because of being in a remote location or clear indications that other hunters are not in the area. More often than not I tend to wear it anyway.

There may be another element to this. It makes it a lot easier for Game Wardens to identify and locate hunters in the field.

 

[StickSlingers]

I don't have much faith in the average hunter's judgement, I wear orange even when it isn't required and I put an orange panel on the back of my backpack. Realistically, by the time I put on my backpack and bino harness there isn't much of the vest that is still visible, hence the back panel. I will also admit that there are times when I don't wear orange either because of being in a remote location or clear indications that other hunters are not in the area. More often than not I tend to wear it anyway.

There may be another element to this. It makes it a lot easier for Game Wardens to identify and locate hunters in the field.

I think you hit the nail on the head with the game wardens


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[snowtoy83]

I hunt Oregon every year and I can’t tell you how many times I have been “scoped” by people that apparently don’t carry binoculars. I can see the value of wearing orange, people are dumb and stuff happens.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Go hunt 2nd rifle in Colorado and tell me you dont think orange is necessary!

 

[Fowl Play]

Yeah, guys who don’t wear orange during rifle/muzzleloader seasons trust their fellow man way too much. I’m not going to rat you out if you’re not wearing it, but I am going to think you are pretty dumb. But you are entitled to your opinion as I am mine.

I mean, if I catch movement in the distance in a hunting situation I may check it out through my scope. If you want to be sitting in my crosshairs while I confirm my target. Go for it. I’m not going to shoot you, but I wouldn’t have scoped you if you were wearing orange.

 

[jhm2023]

Yeah, guys who don’t wear orange during rifle/muzzleloader seasons trust their fellow man way too much. I’m not going to rat you out if you’re not wearing it, but I am going to think you are pretty dumb. But you are entitled to your opinion as I am mine.

I mean, if I catch movement in the distance in a hunting situation I may check it out through my scope. If you want to be sitting in my crosshairs while I confirm my target. Go for it. I’m not going to shoot you, but I wouldn’t have scoped you if you were wearing orange.

Dang, you say those who don't wear orange are dumb but openly admit to intentionally violating a firearms safety rule afield. Interesting. You're good at proving that point about trusting fellow man too much.

 

[Fowl Play]

Dang, you say those who don't wear orange are dumb but openly admit to intentionally violating a firearms safety rule afield. Interesting. You're good at proving that point about trusting fellow man too much.

You can take it how you feel. Scoping another hunter is never intentional, and I do not think I have violated any firearm safety rule. The hunter not wearing orange has. It is not always possible to identify your target by eye, especially when you are carrying a weapon capable of accurately firing a round 500+ yards.

I actively try to keep items in the edge of my scope before I identify it. But even when I am carrying binoculars, I have pulled out my scope to check out things I could not identify under a lower magnification. Any hunter who claims he has not done this, is either a liar or kidding himself.

 

[StickSlingers]

Go hunt 2nd rifle in Colorado and tell me you dont think orange is necessary!

Do you think you’d get shot without it? And if so why? Not trying to be a dick, I’m genuinely curious


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