Hunters orange under 18 yoa

[jjenness]

From what I understand, there was a study done with the data from states that do not require orange and it was found that there have been zero accidental shootings from a person mistaking another person for a game animal. Most accidental shootings happen while bird hunting. It does make me second guess not wearing orange while bow hunting during a rifle season, like crosscreeks said, because I surely want people at 600 yards away to know I am right there in close proximity to the animal they are about to shoot at. But bow hunters in MT already deal with this two days out of the bow season, when they open up the youth only deer hunt. Never made sense to me why we archery hunters don't have to wear orange during that two day rifle season, but yet we do for all others.

 

[okielite]

It does happen occasionally.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/22/marine-reservist-shot-and-killed-by-oregon-bear-hunter/

 

[jjenness]

It does happen occasionally.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/22/marine-reservist-shot-and-killed-by-oregon-bear-hunter/

Thanks for the example. I stand corrected.

 

[okielite]

Thanks for the example. I stand corrected.

No problem. Thanks for bringing it up. Made me do some research and it's really saddening to read some of these.

http://www.twincities.com/outdoors/ci_26857292/wisconsin-squirrel-hunter-shaken-after-accidentally-shooting-bowhunter

http://www.whdh.com/story/27579597/man-shot-by-hunter-while-walking-in-hyannis-woods

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/hunting/2009/10/illinois-hunter-killed-friend-bowhunting-accident

 

[jjenness]

Okie those are without a doubt some terrible accidents. Makes me think twice about my position on the subject, but I still don't think I would wear orange if I didn't have to. Maybe it's due to a lot of the areas I hunt not having many people, if any, while if am out there. Thanks.

 

[shootbrownelk]

To me the examples that Okie provided were for the most part, not identifying your target. Breaking a basic gun safety rule. Orange might have helped in those cases. But there really are no "Accidents". If you can't tell what you're shooting at, you don't shoot.
I wear an orange hat here, only because I have to by law.

 

[RICMIC]

I have been a firearms safety inst. for 25 years, and hunter orange is part of the safety component. I hate wearing orange too, but have run into a lot of people out in the woods who I would choose not to hunt with. I was shot at once while not wearing orange, but since at the time we were trying to arrest a murder suspect and I got to shoot back, I'm glad I wasn't. I like the WY rules that allow you to just wear the orange hat.

 

[bdan68]

I loved that in Wyoming we only had to wear an orange hat. Here in Washington it's 400 square inches of orange, minimum. So that requires at least a large orange vest. If the back half of the vest is covered by a backpack, then technically you probably aren't meeting the minimum requirement.

 

[PlainsHunter]

I wear orange while hunting rifle season in MN and Nebraska. I have never felt like it gave me away during rifle season, but I've never worn in while bow hunting so I don't know how animals would react to it up close. I'd wear it for rifle deer season even if it wasn't the law. On my head at a minimum.

 

[Matthoek21]

The idea behind this proposal seems a bit backwards to me. Shouldn't I be worrying about youth hunters seeing me and knowing where I'm at? I'd be more worried that they'd be shooting in my direction rather than the other way around.

I agree with this statement. I'm not worried about them wearing orange. I'm worried they'll shoot at me if I'm not wearing it. I'm a bowhunter and hate orange but definitely don't want to be hunting public land with not only kids but older men and women who are not properly brought up in a hunting background. This happens a lot more on this side of the country. I've got people I work with that when I hear their hunting stories it just makes me cringe.
I also had a similar situation where a guy I was hunting with threw up his gun to look through his scope to see if that was me sitting in a deer stand on the edge of a wood line. If you don't have anymore sense than that you shouldn't have a license. Have never hunted with them again...and they have incredible property in Illinois.