doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How many wear blaze orange

It is truly amazing that such cosmically trivial things as mandatory seat belts, speed limits, blaze orange and motorcycle helmets are considered horrendous violations of personal sovereignty and examples of governmental abusive intrusion.

What small lives we live!

That's the point I'm making, there are way too many people out there hunting that shouldn't be. So we have to have it legislated that we need to wear blaze orange so the slob hunters don't mistake a human being for a 12 point buck.

In fact, last I checked there were still people being shot "accidentally" even though they were wearing blaze orange. Maybe hunting in general is just too dangerous even with people wearing BO. We should pass some laws to outlaw hunting, because isn't even one hunting death too many?

The point is, it is irrelevant what color we are required to wear. Education of young hunter's by hunting ed teachers and especially parents is the only thing that is going to reduce and eliminate hunting related shootings.

And I stand by my statement that if you are shooting at a spot that you wouldn't be able to tell if a person was there, unless they were wearing blaze orange, it is not a shot you should be taking in the first place. If people we being rightfully prosecuted for negligent hunting shootings, maybe the next moron would think twice before unloading his SKS rifle magazine at a deer running though a popple stand and shoot someone who is wearing blaze orange.

Ff
I agree with most of your statements, but I don't think those of us that wear blaze orange by choice should be condemned for doing it.

And you seem to think that wearing blaze orange is a bullet proof vest. If someone shoots wildly and hits another hunter, it is their fault, and they are acting outside the standards set by society. There is something called personal responsibility, that goes along with the privilege of hunting. And yes, people have to live up to those responsibilities if we are continued to be "allowed" to hunt.

Not everyone will follow the rules set to protect people from harm. And people wearing blaze orange will continue to be shot during hunting seasons. If you are not willing to educate people that the only way hunting shootings will be eliminated is by education of proper hunting ethics/techniques, you are the one passing the buck. Apparently you have no problem with people hunting in a dangerous manner. As long as you wear blaze orange your job is done.

I in no way want to condemn the wearing of blaze orange if someone wishes to do so, I hope that is not the message I am putting across. My problem is the belief that wearing BO is a silver bullet to eliminate hunting related shootings. Education of proper hunting methods is far more effective in regards to hunter safety, than whatever we choose to wear. I hope we can all agree on that.

No, not all can agree on that, Flintfan. Education is important but too often a crutch in my thinking. It's part of the answer. Why did the Great Recession cause less misery to Canada than any country of the G20?

It wasn't because Canadians are smarter than others. It was because of regulations. Banks weren't permitted carte blanche to do as they pleased. Education, supported by laws made in legislatures as will of the people, is the way to go.

That seems to be the way with blaze orange.

I hardly care one way or another about blaze orange. I am only agreeing with other posters that the color offends. I am quite certain that if my bathroom was painted blaze orange I would never again have a happy bowel movement.

My second post came after viewing a construction project outside my window. The customary blaze orange signs and barricades are erected everywhere. After taking in the scene I believe blaze orange is an acutely offensive hue. One wants to back away from it.

I�m not concerned that I will be accidentally shot for lack of orange. The law does not require me to wear orange. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don�t. I am sorry some find that unacceptable. I don�t care what you do.

Oh, and somebody raised the topic of my self-indulgence. I guess I�m less social than some of you. Good internet diagnosis. Honestly though, choosing my own clothing color isn�t a very satisfying, as far as self-indulgence goes.

Very good post, Ryan. I totally agree.

Sometimes I wear a BO cap if I like the logo on it, and I wear BO when It's required by law, not someone else's opinion.

I don't know how we were ever able to keep from shooting each other by not wearing it in over 55+ years of hunting!.

In Colorado, it is required by law when Big Game Hunting. I was hunting there and wearing the required amount of BO. I was setting by a log watching an area that was likely to have game pass through. I spotted two hunters wearing BO about 250 or 300 years away. Looked at them through my binoculars and watched as one of them looked at me through his rifle scope! If I had not been wearing BO, he would have never known I was there.

I agree hunter education is essential. In fact I teach 500 +/- students each year. My team pounds gun handling safety every class, and we are ruthless about reinforcing that during the field day exercises. But we also teach them the benefits of hunter orange, along with tree stand safety which is now the major killer of hunters by far. We don't tell them not to use tree stands, but the safest techniques along with the realities. As for those who should happen to get shot while not wearing hunter orange, I think a good case could be made you were negligent in not following the best practices and you owe me damages for subjecting me to all the horror such an experience entails.

I wear a blaze orange hat while bird hunting as a considerate act toward my hunting companions. I would like them to be able to know exactly where I am and never have to check their swing or not take a shot because I might be 'over there' somewhere and be not quite as visible as to make for a comfortable shooting situation.

On the other hand - If a person is shot in the pursuit of big game because that person was mistaken for game the shooter must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. He will suffer enough by the fact that his carelessness caused the death or maiming of a fellow hunter or worse, an innocent bystander but so what!?! His intent was to "kill" something and the fact that it turned out to be another human being doesn't lessen the motive of "to kill". Shouldn't we all be absolutely positive of our target before we squeeze that trigger? "It looked like a.." or "I thought it was a.." or "It sounded like a.." just doesn't cut it! Again and again every year hunters are a laughing stock because we shoot people in "hunting accidents". These are not accidents at all but are horrible incidents of negligence. Blaze orange or hunter orange might help hunters not to get shot but the lady hanging out her wash in a brown jacket and white mittens shouldn't be required to protect her own life with bright clothing... IT IS NOT HER RESPONSIBILITY !!