Wearing Orange

[CTHunter]

Hunted for pheasants with my 2 Britt's today at Cranberry Mountain. Was greeted by 3 guys bird hunting with 3 dogs and they were all in full camo. I usually wouldn't care but the field grass is 6' high plus in some areas and I didn't see them until they were 40' from me. Just think its reckless to hunt like that. Any thoughts?

Edited December 1, 2013 by CTHunter

[Early]

Hunter orange is great stuff.....Should be worn for most hunting.

[Jeremy K]

I guess its up to them , i dont trust other people that much so i wear it . Im not really sure why some people choose to not wear . I know it always seems to start an argument though.

[josephmrtn]

if im hunting alone (private land) i dont always but if im hunting w someone i do... or if i txt the neighbor and he is out hunting

[ants]

I use to bird hunt a lot. I always wore an orange vest and hat, for that very reason. Tall grass, thick hedge rows..it only makes sense to me..

[bkln]

Don't let bubba catch you with this thread , he will be all over ya.... :-)

[bubba]

nope sorry.  My only thought was if the grass was 6 ft high how would orange help unless they were 7 feet tall.  Just my thought.  And for the record I never said I did not agree with BO I do not agree it has to be mandatory.  

[bkln]

Sorry bubba to bust your chops, in NY is ain't mandatory.... :-)  (just messing with ya bro...)

[bubba]

I know no biggie

[landtracdeerhunter]

Hunted for pheasants with my 2 Britt's today at Cranberry Mountain. Was greeted by 3 guys bird hunting with 3 dogs and they were all in full camo. I usually wouldn't care but the field grass is 6' high plus in some areas and I didn't see them until they were 40' from me. Just think its reckless to hunt like that. Any thoughts?

 

If wearing orange will prevent just one accident, I'm all for it.

 

Did u get any pheasants?

[fasteddie]

Maybe they had a Death Wish ! 

[crappyice]

With the amount of trespasses mentioned and discussed on this board, I changed my private land philosophy on blaze...I wear it in some form always...there always seems to be someone else walking around or Another treestand or sign of other in the woods.

[Five Seasons]

There's no reason not to put AT LEAST an orange hat when bird hunting. I even put a brush guard orange vest in my dog. Especially during deer season. I also wear a pheasant game vest that has orange on it.

[Five Seasons]

With the amount of trespasses mentioned and discussed on this board, I changed my private land philosophy on blaze...I wear it in some form always...there always seems to be someone else walking around or Another treestand or sign of other in the woods.

Ditto. Even when I know there SHOULD be nobody. I have at least a hat on when approaching or leaving. And a vest when tracking.

[crappyice]

When bird hunting, I am LOUD AND OBNOXIOUS! Constantly talking to my dog, he wears a bell, I am always blowing my whistle...too many buttholes trying to hunt near my dog just in case something bumps in their direction. I have had these guys stalking on the other sides of hedgerows and throw shots over the row and our heads....nimrods,

[GreeneHunter]

I usually wear an Orange Camo type coat and naturally my orange knit cap .  That's just me .

[CTHunter]

I guess Crappyice is like me! I have run into to many guys lurking on the edges and I don't want to be responsible for shooting in their direction because I did not know they were there.

[NYbuck50]

Hunting birds like that without orange is a suicide mission. Those guys are nuts

[Doewhacker]

When bird hunting, I am LOUD AND OBNOXIOUS! Constantly talking to my dog, he wears a bell, I am always blowing my whistle...too many buttholes trying to hunt near my dog just in case something bumps in their direction. I have had these guys stalking on the other sides of hedgerows and throw shots over the row and our heads....nimrods,

 

Same here, my wife had a nimrod try that when she was out this year. This guy actualy had ahold of my dog and played dumb when she confronted him. She cussed him out twice before leaving, damn loser.

[bubba]

How did hunters ever survive a season before blaze orange. Reminds me of people wanting to be taken care of by the govt. Expect me to be sure you do not shoot anyone. Not my responsibllity

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[bluecoupe]

While it's not a law that BO is required, I think if it's not being worn that it should be a law that you can't sue.  Not wearing it makes no sense what so ever.  (and I swore that I wasn't even gonna open this thread this time...   Anyone wanna volunteer to just   )?   The line forms to the right.

[mike rossi]

_{If my hunting partner and I did not wear blaze while hunting upland birds we would forfeit many opportunities because we would not know exactly were each other was. Yes, you can & should maintain voice contact... And you also should adopt the policy that " if its low, let it go"... But without blaze many opportunities would (still) be lost.}

 

_{Outside of your own hunting party is an entirely different issue. As crappyice & doe whacker said here, unethical hunters try to collect the paycheck for your hard work, and do it in a way that endangers both themselves and the hunters they are trying to sponge off of. Pretty ridiculous that someone would get satisfaction from hunting that way but there out there. At least these days you can avoid crowds, twenty or thirty years ago there were many more bird hunters. We stay a way from peak hunting activity  but still use blaze.}

Edited December 2, 2013 by mike rossi

[bubba]

I swore I was not going to go down this road again, but not all who choose not to wear orange are unethical nor thieves trespassers or hunting over your back.  Off topic but I love how people dress up in camp paint their faces for bow season but then harp about blaze orange any other time when most people are shot at close ranges and could happen just as easy with a bow.  

[mike rossi]

Bubba;

 

If we stick to the OP thought, which is about upland bird hunting, and I believe more specifically, hunting for liberated pheasant on public land, the perspective is different.  As in other forms of hunting, you don't shoot unless you know precisely where other members of your group are. Still, the entire nature of (this) activity is different then other forms of hunting. It is not possible to have that awareness 100% of the time - but the bigger percentage of time you do the less times you have to pass up shots. Even with copious amounts of blaze you still lose visual contact during bird hunting, couldn't imagine camo.

 

The second issue is other hunters. The sooner you see each other, the sooner one or the other can "yield". That doesn't always occur- people who don't know how to hunt or are slobs just keep working toward or paralle to each other, like aggressive drivers. The correct thing to do is either move off in a different direction or if far enough back let the other hunter(s) pass before you continue. The group or solo hunter further along the terrain feature (fence, hedgerow. etc.) or deeper in the cover has the "right of way".
 

As three or more of us said here; there certainly are unethical people hunting pheasants ( pheasant hunters) who do the exact opposite of avoiding other hunters and instead cut off, intercept or very unsafely lurk alongside - even covertly. Everyone of those unethical hunters we see is indeed wearing blaze. Are others doing the same in camo at time which are never seen?  A legal requirement for blaze during upland hunting would help somewhat because LE would be able to pick up a fraction of those hunters who do not comply and especially the ones who "lurk" for pheasants. Off course education trumps LE any day. I am not going to get into a pissing contest with Bubba or anyone else about this, but the last time relatives took hunter ed it was all about deer hunting. As a matter of fact, one instructor asked the class if anyone plans to hunt waterfowl, which several people indicated yes. The instructor then said he has something to say about it (waterfowl hunting) but will get back to it, he never got back to it... Even if you never hunt anything but firearm deer season to be safe and competent you need to have some general awareness about other forms of recreation that may be encountered. Same goes for non consumptive users. Birders tend to be more sophisticated then the others, including hunters, but the other land users are clueless. If you are going to be out on public conservation lands you should be responsible for some degree of awareness. I have cautioned against taking money from the public majority for access to WMAs, as is sought in Maryland, because it will build a sense of entitlement, however there should be some educational strategy in place. Likewise hunter education should be expanded.

 

On the other end of the spectrum. blaze can be taken to far. I have seen hunters wear it while hunting dove and turkey. I have also seen magazines or e-articles of it being used during youth waterfowl hunts. Certain groups such as The American Kennel Club (AKC), and The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVDA) require members to wear blaze during their sanctioned events when live ammunition will be used. I am sure the intent is to pound safety into youth and novices, but if they cant make simple delineations, ie. the different nature of duck and grouse hunting related to blaze orange, they may not be ready to start hunting in the first place...

 

 

 

Edited December 3, 2013 by mike rossi