Am I wearing enough orange?

[jefftk]

I was just reviewing the MA hunting laws again, since this will be my first season hunting here...
I came across this:

16. HUNTER ORANGE: During any season when deer may be hunted by means of a firearm, including the paraplegic, shotgun, and primitive firearms deer season, any person entering the fields or woods for the purpose of hunting deer must wear on head, chest, and back a minimum of 500 square inches of "hunter orange" clothing. A person hunting waterfowl or coyote during the shotgun deer season must wear the same 500 square inches of hunter orange, except when hunting waterfowl from within a blind or a boat. During the archery season, a person is not required to wear hunter orange, except that on wildlife management areas stocked with pheasant or quail, during the pheasant or quail seasons, all hunters must wear a "hunter orange" cap or hat (except night hunting for raccoon).

When I hunt in NY I wear an orange vest over a camo coat and a camo hat, as well as a camo backpack. The vest is the only orange.
Will this be enough? Or will I need an orange hat? And what about orange on my back?, since usually my backpack would block the orange vest from my back...

 

[pj150]

500 Sq inches is about 3.5 sq feet. It's just about a large sized vest front and back.

Add in the hat and you should be good to go legally regardless of the camo backpack.

 

[jefftk]

500 Sq inches is about 3.5 sq feet. It's just about a large sized vest front and back.

Add in the hat and you should be good to go legally regardless of the camo backpack.

I like my current hat.... Maybe I can just tie an orange bandana over it.

 

[RB101]

IWhen I hunt in NY I wear an orange vest over a camo coat and a camo hat, as well as a camo backpack. The vest is the only orange.

With all the yahoo's running around in the woods (yes, I have been inadvertently fired upon before) I think it is usually just good practice to have orange on front and back. I think with a camo hat you are fine, and I also wear a blaze vest over a camo set-up. But what if someone was walking up on you from behind, they are going to see the back of a camo hat and a camo backpack moving away from them. Buy a blaze backpack too dude. That way you are covered safely and legally with the square footage requirement.

 

[Woodstock]

I like my current hat.... Maybe I can just tie an orange bandana over it.

Good luck finding a "hunter orange" bandanna. I'd strongly recommend a HO hat. Come up over a ridge in deer season with a dark hat in low light and there are nitwits out there that might send a slug your way.
If you hunt any of the state wildlife management areas, even for small game, the HO hat is required.

 

[Broc]

Unless you are going deep into the woods, far west, where only people that can use a compass would go, I would wear something Orange over the back pack.

Way too many irresponsible people out there that just want to sboot at something. I know a few of them.

 

[dlarge]

You're never wearing enough orange where I come from.

 

[boxerjake77]

During the times HO is required, I go hat, and vest. Since I have a pack on, I have a cheapo HO vest
that I open and pin on my pack so my upper body is covered.

 

[Sparkey]

I hunt the northern zone in NY and never wear orange you don't have to and I never see anybody out in the backcountry where we hunt but around here for shotgun season you cant have enough orange. I even make sure I have some orange on my legs.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

I was just reviewing the MA hunting laws again, since this will be my first season hunting here...
I came across this:


When I hunt in NY I wear an orange vest over a camo coat and a camo hat, as well as a camo backpack. The vest is the only orange.
Will this be enough? Or will I need an orange hat? And what about orange on my back?, since usually my backpack would block the orange vest from my back...

The law requires chest, back, and head coverage. That means that you need an orange hat and you need to do something about the backpack. I attach 1/2 of an old orange vest as a "flap" that hangs over my back pack to meet the requirement.

Bob

 

[Fixxah]

During archery season, no orange required.

I use an HO vest and knit hat when it's other seasons.

Backpack is HO but strategically spray painted to blend into the brush.

Sent from the Hyundai of the droids, the Samsung Replenish, using Tapatalk.

 

[Dnotarianni]

500 Sq inches is about 3.5 sq feet. It's just about a large sized vest front and back.
.

Guess I'm about 750sq in with a 4xl vest to go over my camo jacket! I'd feel better if I could find a Kevlar vest in orange!

Dave

 

[DURAMAX_1]

Does anyone take there orange off While up in a tree stand Is that even legal?

 

[jefftk]

Ok.. Got it..

I do have some orange hats.
I keep a seat cushion dangling from the back of my pack, so I'll just see if I can find an orange one to use instead. Otherwise I'll get another orange vest to tie to it.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Does anyone take there orange off While up in a tree stand Is that even legal?

It is legal to do so in Connecticut if you are up at lest 10 ft but not in Mass. There really is no reason to. It really doesn't bother the deer.

Bob

 

[CRSIII]

I hunt the northern zone in NY and never wear orange you don't have to and I never see anybody out in the backcountry where we hunt but around here for shotgun season you cant have enough orange. I even make sure I have some orange on my legs.

Cuz they're not wearing orange.

In ma, if I were to hunt on public land, I would wear one of those hard hats with an orange strobe light!

 

[PATRON]

Get yourself a can of orange spray paint the one they use to mark the roads,then spray away.
When you look like a cheetos your all set.

 

[MisterHappy]

UNless you're wearing Kevlar under your regular clothes, don't skimp on the HO.

As for Bambi - I knew a guy who was wearing an orange camo outfit - HO mixed with black splotches. He stepped out from behind a tree 2 feet from a deer, and it didn't see him.

 

[Ex-Pat Texan]

yea.. the deer, being unable to see it, don't mind the color and if it keeps me from taking a .30 slug I'm definately on board..

 

[FrugalFannie]

During archery season, no orange required.

I use an HO vest and knit hat when it's other seasons.

Backpack is HO but strategically spray painted to blend into the brush.

Sent from the Hyundai of the droids, the Samsung Replenish, using Tapatalk.

Why? Are animals able to distiguish the color orange? Are all animals able to or just some?

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Why? Are animals able to distiguish the color orange? Are all animals able to or just some?

According to the what I have read and my encounters with wildlife deer cannot distinguish the florescent orange but bear can see color. IMO the main reason to do that is to avoid the "blob effect". Even though they do not see in color it would all be the same shade of grey to them.

Bob

 

[Broc]

people with orange vests have been killing deer for a few years now. I think thats enough proof.

do yourself a favor, and hunt really far away from everyone, try to go to the west side of 495, away from all the idiots, or most of them at least. Unless you are feeling brave.

 

[Rapid Fire]

I personally would wear as much as possible, take it from someone who was shot during Pheasant season. thanks god for Bird shot !!
I agree with everyone about all the yahoos in the woods.

 

[pj150]

I got pelted by lead rain a few times by a few rounds thrown my way. Not pleasant but good thing it was somewhat a of distance between us. Thought about returning fire but that would not have been good.