Blaze Orange

[BlackBelt]

Blaze orange is not a Kevlar cocoon. In brush or under canopy you may or may not be visible to another hunter.

How many people on this forum have shot at a deer on a ridge line or towards a road/house?

Have you ever hunted where you could see flashes of cars color passing on a nearby road? "Oh, a bullet could never get through all the trees to the road or to that house..." If you can see flashes of cars passing a bullet can get through.

Everyone on this forum needs to make sure they are thinking about where their bullet/s are going after the shot. Hit or miss.
(Is a deer worth dying for? /// needs to be "Is a deer worth killing for?) Safety starts above the buttstock folks.

Orange has its place but excluding in combat I have had bullets zip by me, way too close, while wearing orange.

If a hunter is shot, wounded or killed, or property/livestock is damaged, it will be by a hunter/shooter that didn't understand how dangerous THEY were.

Good post.
An old man told me years ago, "When bullets start flying towards you, your mistakes about training and gear will become crystal clear in a nano-second."
He was 1000% correct.
Wear your orange while hunting. There is no downside.
Many people think only about themselves. They bristle at someone telling them what to do. I get that. I dont take orders anymore either.
But picture your kids or grandkids saying, "Papa PLEASE be careful when you are hunting."
What they are really saying is "Daddy (grandaddy) I love you SO much. I am going to NEED you as I grow through life. Please do whatever it takes to be safe so you will be there for me when I need you most."
To you if that means just putting on a hat and vest it seems like only a little for you to do. Your family is asking that, even if they dont say it outloud.
You are not doing it for yourself or the law.
You are doing it for your family.

 

[Tenntrapper]

I wear orange anytime I'm hunting...even in my own yard..
I kill deer every year, limit out most years. Serious question...If there is a downside to wearing it, as far as deer are concerned, can someone please explain what it is to me/us?

 

[Jcalder]

I wear orange anytime I'm hunting...even in my own yard..
I kill deer every year, limit out most years. Serious question...If there is a downside to wearing it, as far as deer are concerned, can someone please explain what it is to me/us?

Tell me what good my orange does when I'm sitting in a barn

 

[Tenntrapper]

Tell me what good my orange does when I'm sitting in a barn

Probably not much. But it doesn't hurt either.
I'm just curious what the big deal is about wearing it. Of course, it isn't the law but...is it ok to not wear a harness in a tree if it's on your own land? What about....you shoot from a rest in that barn, correct? Do you leave the safety off on your rifle, or wait till you are about to shoot? After all, it's not going to go off just sitting there, right? I know it's not the same thing...but isn't it worth it to your wife and kids to be as safe as possible? Again, just curious.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Not required.

 

[Jaahspike]

I wear mine walking in but take it off while "on stand". If someone is trespassing, I want to see them before they see me. When I'm on my feet, i don't want to get mistaken for a deer. I'd dress out at about 230.

Excellent post

 

[DMD]

I only wear if I am wandering about looking for a shot deer.

Why?? I've been hunting for 35 years, not one time have i ever felt I spooked a deer because I was wearing orange. And, it's especially a no brainer in Tennessee where you can wear camo orange. There is no sense in taking the chance. Two things I will not do - enter woods during ml/gun season without orange and get in a tree without a harness. Two simple, common sense things you can do to save your loved ones and yourself a lot of pain, anguish and tears.

 

[AJared]

I wear orange anytime I am near the woods during deer season. If I am going to be shot, I at least want to know I did what I could to prevent it. Buck fever makes people do some strange things. It doesn't cost a penny to wear it.

 

[Omega]

Here is a serious question, of all hunters accidentally shot, how many were not wearing orange? I feel that most "accidental" shootings are because the shooter shot at a sound or didn't check his backstop, none of which would have been helped by any color vest or hat. We wouldn't even be discussing this if all hunters identified their target before squeezing off a round. I know most of you trophy hunters do, hell how can you not if you are aging a deer before shooting, but many meat and new hunters don't. I will wear it when I am on public, specially when still hunting, and if I am on my new to me land, but once I get the lay of the land I do not.

 

[DMD]

Here is a serious question, of all hunters accidentally shot, how many were not wearing orange? I feel that most "accidental" shootings are because the shooter shot at a sound or didn't check his backstop, none of which would have been helped by any color vest or hat. We wouldn't even be discussing this if all hunters identified their target before squeezing off a round. I know most of you trophy hunters do, hell how can you not if you are aging a deer before shooting, but many meat and new hunters don't. I will wear it when I am on public, specially when still hunting, and if I am on my new to me land, but once I get the lay of the land I do not.

I have nothing but anecdotal evidence, but every accidental shooting incident I can remember during a hunting incident was someone NOT wearing orange. It makes zero sense not to wear it. I'm not depending on other's woodsmanship or lack of woodsmanship for my safety. "If all hunters"... I'm not depending on other hunters being smart, I've seen far too many who were anything but. And, everyone of us has done something really dumb with a gun and gotten away with it at one time or another. Accidents happen, do whst you can to keep yourself from being involved in one.

 

[tug]

In all 50 states, almost no one dies from a boating accident when they are wearing a life jacket. And almost no one is shot wearing orange.

You do you. But there is this thing; consequences.

 

[oldmanelrod]

Are landowners required to wear blaze orange? On the TWRA app, I can see where it says you do not. But on TWRA website, I do not see it.

A few years back my Father and I were thinking a stand of pine trees on our farm. The farm was in DeKalb County, AL about 50 miles from our house in Chattanooga so we were property owners who were seldom on the farm-we were absentee land owners. That day we had a couple of deer hunters come marching out of our adjacent hard woods and ask us who we were and what we were doing it. Neither of us wanted a confrontation, we had both been to war and seen death, so we politely explained that we owned the land they were hunting on and we were working our trees. We did not tell them to leave but they did.
The moral is if you are an absent land owner it us better to err on the side of safety and wear your orange. Those hunters could have quick to shoot and accidentally shot one of us. It may suck but it may also save your life.

 

[Planking]

I take off my orange hat when i get in the stand. Too many looking to trespass on me.

 

[RockMcL]

I know of three properties near me that the houses & outbuildings absolutely refuse to wear orange,,,I guess that is why all three properties have had structures struck by bullets.

I know a guy who lost a horse not wearing orange. Another goats. (Yep, no orange) Even met a guy in Pennsylvania that caught a guy who shot his rooster by the side of the road and argued that it was a chocolate chip cookie pheasant.

Nothing wrong with wearing orange but make sure we are not part of the ones shooting everywhere they don't see orange.

As far as what deer see/notice if they are in a familiar area they see shapes that were not there before, big time. If you truly have time close to deer you get that and your behavior is adjusted accordingly orange or not.. When you tuck in your outline so a deer doesn't notice you you also are fairly obscured from other hunters orange or not.

A lot of folks beliefs have been stated in here as facts and that's alright because everyone is wanting for all of us to be safe. My belief based on my limited exposure to hunting accidents with people that have been in them is the majority of accidents are gun handling in close amongst friends and family. Not keeping weapon pointed in a safe direction and accidental discharge was bottom line causation in every case I have actual knowledge of.

The same applies to fratricide and military handling of weapons except, now as a civilian, I can't disarm and face plant idiots.

What is in front of our muzzle is fixing to get killed or damaged whether it is what we think we are pointed at or beyond that.

Safe hunting y'all

 

[RockMcL]

I know of three properties near me that the houses & outbuildings absolutely refuse to wear orange,,,I guess that is why all three properties have had structures struck by bullets.

I know a guy who lost a horse not wearing orange. Another goats. (Yep, no orange) Even met a guy in Pennsylvania that caught a guy who shot his rooster by the side of the road and argued that it was a **** pheasant.

Nothing wrong with wearing orange but make sure we are not part of the ones shooting everywhere they don't see orange.

As far as what deer see/notice if they are in a familiar area they see shapes that were not there before, big time. If you truly have time close to deer you get that and your behavior is adjusted accordingly orange or not.. When you tuck in your outline so a deer doesn't notice you you also are fairly obscured from other hunters orange or not.

A lot of folks beliefs have been stated in here as facts and that's alright because everyone is wanting for all of us to be safe. My belief based on my limited exposure to hunting accidents with people that have been in them is the majority of accidents are gun handling in close amongst friends and family. Not keeping weapon pointed in a safe direction and accidental discharge was bottom line causation in every case I have actual knowledge of.

The same applies to fratricide and military handling of weapons except, now as a civilian, I can't disarm and face plant idiots.

What is in front of our muzzle is fixing to get killed or damaged whether it is what we think we are pointed at or beyond that.

Safe hunting y'all

The **** above is for the common name of a male pheasant that starts with a c and is spelled the same as a an appendage some of us use for several natural functions...I have been sensered

 

[Swampster]

Why?? I've been hunting for 35 years, not one time have i ever felt I spooked a deer because I was wearing orange. And, it's especially a no brainer in Tennessee where you can wear camo orange. There is no sense in taking the chance. Two things I will not do - enter woods during ml/gun season without orange and get in a tree without a harness. Two simple, common sense things you can do to save your loved ones and yourself a lot of pain, anguish and tears.

Why? It is not necessary for me. I have never in my life hunted anywhere except on my own property. I am essentially in my own back yard as the five spots I generally hunt from are only a few hundred feet from my house, across agricultural fields. I am only deeper into the woods when searching or retrieving. NOW, I will wear orange during hunting season if I am going to be in those woods whether it is for hunting, maintenance, or other reasons. But to sit in a box stand 20 feet inside the tree line near the center of my property, no.

 

[Roadracer6]

What about neon green (chartreuse)? Many states allow it...haven't heard of TN though. Was pheasant hunting last wk out of state and a guy from AR had it on. In the fall, to me, it stands out more. I've mistaken fall leaves in the stand for an orange hat/vest.

 

[chewymalone]

I wear orange on my property all the time. I've literally had a doe touch my vest with her nose while sitting against a tree. Movement and scent is what gets you caught by deer.

 

[LA man]

I wear my orange tndeer hat on my property

 

[MUP]

I don't, if someone is going to shoot at me, I prefer they have a hard time seeing me.

I've experienced this scenario. Had a guy looking for me in the trees, but I shouted him out and off my property. He never saw me. Yes, no hunter orange required on privately owned land, and I prefer to see them before they see me. This is meth-head and poacher country tho, ymmv. I own this property tho. If I'm on any type of public land, or other property than my own, I'll definitely wear orange.