What is with the people in the trees wearing blaze orange while deer hunting with a firearm? Blaze orange has saved hundreds of lives because it is more apparent in the woods than other colors, like brown, blue, green, and pink. Blaze orange is very bright and can be spotted from a distance, whereas colors like green and brown blend in with a hunters surrounding, making it harder for others to see them. Hunters are not mistaken for an animal while wearing blaze orange because no animal is blaze orange, and it does not blend in with a hunters surroundings.
In fact, there was a law enacted in Minnesota for hunters to wear blaze orange during the firearms deer season. It was enacted because there were many deaths due to hunters mistaking others as an animal, or the person shot was not visible from a distance. “In 1986, the law required blaze orange or red be worn during the firearms deer season. Beginning in 1994, red was dropped and only blaze-orange clothing was legal during the firearms deer season. The law requires “the visible portion of the person’s cap and outer clothing above the waist, excluding sleeves and gloves, is blaze orange”’ (Smith). Some hunters get so excited; they shoot before they look to see what their target is, and what may be behind it. There are ways to prevent being mistaken as an animal, or not being seen or heard, even if you are not a hunter.
Even though a person is not hunting and they are in or near a hunting area, they should wear blaze orange or a different bright color, like neon green, or bright pink. Wearing a bright color will help hunters to see a person from a distance, and help hunters not mistake a non-hunter for a deer or other animal. If a non-hunter chooses not to wear blaze orange during the firearms season while they are in or near a hunting area, they should follow these guidelines (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources):
“Wear bright clothing. Choose colors that stand out, like red, orange or green, and avoid white,
blacks, browns, earth-toned greens and animal-colored clothing. Blaze orange vests and hats are
advisable.
Don’t forget to protect pets. Get an orange vest for an accompanying dog.
Make noise. Whistle, sing or carry on a conversation when walking to alert hunters that someone is in
the area.
Sound carries well across woods and forests, and hunters should listen for any sounds of animal
movement.
Be courteous. Don’t make unnecessary noise to disturb wildlife. Avoid confrontations.
Make presence known. If a nonhunter hears shooting, the person should raise their voice and let
hunters know they’re in vicinity.
Know the dates of hunting seasons. Learn about where and when hunting is taking place.
If hunting makes a nonhunter uneasy, the nonhunter should choose a hike in a location where hunting is not allowed”
One of the more dangerous methods of hunting is driving deer. This can be done safely if everyone involved follows the safety guidelines for doing a deer drive. Some things to do to be safe according to Outdoor Life are:
Only allow the drivers at the end to carry a firearm
Allow the standers to load their guns when they get to their post and unload it before they leave the post
Everyone involved in the drive knows the route and make sure everyone knows where the posters are standing
(Sapir).
In case you are not sure of what you are shooting, do not shoot. It is better to be safe than sorry. If someone is going to shoot, they should make sure they know what their target is and what is behind the target. A bullet can hit something, like water or metal, and ricochet off, possibly hitting a person and in some cases killing them. Most often, a person is shot because someone mistook them for a deer, or someone shot at a deer and ended up hitting a person behind the deer. In other cases, a person might have been cleaning their gun and they forgot the gun still had bullets in it, and the gun goes off while they are cleaning it, and are shot (Smith).
In Minnesota, the law is that hunters must wear blaze orange on the upper half of their body, and it must be clearly visible. Blaze orange is an apparent color, and can be seen better than other colors in the woods because it sticks out. Hunters should not forget to wear blaze orange, so they can be seen by others hunting around them. Be safe this hunting season: wear blaze orange, make sure you know your target, what may be behind it and the location of others in your hunting party. Happy hunting!
Works Cited
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. News Release. 7 October 2013. 10 October 2014.
Sapir, Glenn. Deer-Drive Strategies: Heading Whitetails in the Right Direction. n.d. 24 October 2014.
Smith, Doug. Blaze-orange clothing: It's the law and it saves lives. 1 October 2013. 10 October 2014.
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