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This is especially true during deer season, when you find people using their rifle scopes in place of binoculars. It is very unnerving to see some one 100 yards away glassing you with their rifle mounted to their shoulder and their hand on or near the trigger of a 30-06.

I have never found that the color makes a bit of difference to most game. In general most game is a prey species. I believe prey is more sensitive to motion than to color. On the other hand, I want to wear as much camo as the law allows while hunting bear, coyote, etc.

When bird hunting. I not only wear orange. I also have orange safety vests for the dogs.

Pete

Take a look at the Wisconsin deer hunt in two weeks where we have almost 600,000 hunters in the woods for a week and where we take almost 400,000 deer during that time period. Blaze orange, as we call it, is mandatory for 50% of your upper body and your hat if you wear one.

Although not required, blaze orange is highly recommended for upland birds and as a former Hunter Safety Instructor in Wisconsin we strongly recommend it. We even suggest that turkey hunters wear some blaze orange to and from the field when hunting.

And for me, when I am walking into the woods in the dark on opening morning, on public land, I will be carrying a flashlight and a head lamp. All I need is some jumpy hunter shooting before sun-up at a sound.

Rocketman, its everyman's sport here.

Rocketman,
As a Sea Bee we use to watch the cameo covered Marines try to sneak up on us. To me it looked like a guy in a bright Orange suit sneaking up the hill. I see animals by their movement, usually before some one with perfect collor vision does. I have been sitting on a log and have had a deer walk up to me, that is until I moved and yelled Boo. That is more fun than shooting the animal.

BOO!!

this thread brought up a point I'm curious about. What type and how extensive is hunter safety training in the UK and how does it compare to typical US training?

I believe nearly all of the states now requires some form of hunter safety training over here. Some are fairly extensive, requiring not only classroom work but also actual gun handling and live firing.

When I took my hunter safety course 30 or more years ago, it was only about 4 hrs of class work. I think it's something like 8-12 hrs or more now in California. This requirement is in addition to any requirements for safety training in order to purchase a gun in Calif. I know that handguns require training and a test in Calif, not sure about long guns.

I used to scoff at this type of training as I was given this type of instruction by my father at around 6yrs of age in the wilds of early '60s Montana and reinforced for a number of yrs afterward under his watchful eye. So, in my teens in Calif, I thought everyone should know this stuff. It soon became apparent everyone should get some kind of standard training and some shouldn't even be allowed to pick up a gun. I see it all the time in city raised people that buy their first gun in their early adulthood.

BTW, blaze orange is optional in some states, but often many hunters will voluntarily wear it.

There is no mandatory safety training in the UK.

However, the BASC run shotgun safety courses and in order to shoot deer, many places and many police forces (who control firearms licensing) favour DSC level 1 or 2, which cover all aspects of deer hunting from quarry I.D to marksmanship, to processing meat.

As all land is in private ownership, it is hard (impossible) for some city-based newcomer to just start wandering about shooting things.You need to convince the landowner that you are safe to trust on his patch or in his company - usually a personnal recommendation is required.

There are some issues regarding corporate driven shooting days bought by big companies, like banks, as a day out.When Guns are inexperienced, we generally place a loader (minder) to stand with them and stop any dangerous or unsporting behaviour.

Most of us learned to shoot with a father, keeper or relative when we were kids and the formal rules for shooting in the UK are very rigorous and inflexible - mess up and you don't get to shoot there again.

Shooting accidents are almost unheard of and fatalities occur once every decade or so at most. Despite this, I think a voluntary form of formal training is a good idea for those coming to the sport as adults. It is hard to argue against it.

Dig posted "Despite this, I think a voluntary form of formal training is a good idea for those coming to the sport as adults. It is hard to argue against it. "

Up to a point Lord Copper. Where I part company is in the potential involvement of any government body; national, county, state, whatever.

Once a "anti" government like the current Bliar (not a spelling mistake) administration gets a handle on hunter training (or anything else connected to shooting sports) they will endevour to crush the life out of us.

Voluntary, as you say...fine. Compulsory via statute and backed by politicians..nein mein Fuhrer!

Eug

It sounds like the UK hunters are not so unlike US hunters of yesteryear. Nowadays, most states require some hunter safety training and allow for some "grandfathering" of older hunters that had licenses before the training requirements.

While it's not common, there are hunting accidents in the US reported by the media, seemingly every year. However, given the sheer quantity of hunters, I believe the stats would reveal very low % of accidents. I suspect not a lot of difference between UK and US in hunting accidents per hunter.

The biggest problem here in Michigan is deer hunters falling out of trees. Wish I was kidding on this, but it's a fact and a serious threat to that sport. Four fatal falls this year so far, and probably many more serious injuries. I have a co-worker who is now a caretaker for her quad husband - fell out of his stand and laid there all night. I'm not sure his survival was all that fortunate really.

I believe there are statics showing in the U.S.A. that Shooting is safer than playing Ping Pong.
When I shot in Scotland I was require to join CPSA. It insured me (I believe) against shooting accidents. It was very reasonable and would be a very good money maker for the NRA or any other shooting group along with membership.
When I shot my friend stayed with me and made sure I was in the right spot, did not shoot at any out of my area birds, was awake(haw!), and did not shot in the wrong direction. (in the vicinity of someone) After the fist series, he left me alone and helped the beaters. I got to beat once and that was really fun, especially watching the dogs.
jas