Full camo during rifle season?

Waterfish · 11-09-2003, 01:00 PM

Would you feel safe wearing full camo (with no orange) during rifle season? I would never do it, but I've wondered about it for years. I've talked to other hunters who were in full camo who said they thought it was safer because other hunters couldn't see them, and therefore they weren't a target. Maybe there is some truth to this, but when I am hunting my eyes looks for movement, not just color. How do you feel about this?

Fish Hawg · 11-09-2003, 01:15 PM

I have seen three people this year in full camo

, hunting the Battle Ground Unit for elk, during rifle season. That unit is any thing with hair is legal. Not very smart with all of those hair hunters out their. You would think they would get a clue [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] . That is one major reason why I don�t hunt that unit any more.

KingFisher85 · 11-09-2003, 01:38 PM

Yea, any place where it is open to any animal and your in full camo....your asking for it....To many sound shooters out there.

1pump · 11-09-2003, 02:09 PM

The brother of a good friend of mine was shot and killed by his partner while wearing camo. They didn't bother wearing orange because they figured, as experienced hunters, that neither one of them would be dumb enough to shoot the other.
As far as being concealed, mistaken identity isn't the only reason hunters get shot. If several hunters, unaware of each other, are approaching the same animal, there could be an unpleasant situation if somebody wandered into another hunter's line of sight or into a stray bullet. :depressed:

dla · 11-09-2003, 02:17 PM

Although it is irresponsible to not "be sure of your target and beyond" (golden rule #4), people can't be dorks sometimes. The hunting accident reports are grim.

I believe in blaze orange when rifle hunting. I find it sad that there are a lot of young guys out there who don't think it is important. I wish them well.

Fish Hawg · 11-09-2003, 02:30 PM

If you don�t move the animals will walk right up to you or past you. The blaze orange does not bother them from what I have seen

. They see movement [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] .

skein · 11-09-2003, 02:52 PM

Hunter orange, to me, is just like a PFD. I wear the one when I'm hunting and the other when I'm boating.

It's a numbers game. Most of the people who drown are not wearing a PFD. Most of the people accidently shot in hunting situations are not wearing orange.

What's that deer, elk, or even grouse really worth?

Skein

Chromaflage · 11-09-2003, 03:14 PM

Well, I hunt a private tree farm where the numbers of hunters are VERY limited. I wear full camo, but a blaze orange/camo hat and a blaze orange day pack with orange straps. I believe that camo during rifle season is little more than a confidence booster. Deer are color-blind, but can see contrasts extremely well. Further, IMHO, deer seem to be more spooked by movement that appearance. Regardless of what someone is wearing, the natural cover can be used to break up a sillouhette. Obviously, the more visible you are to other hunters, the safer you will be. I'm with QF - if they don't see movement or smell you, they will walk right up to you. I have sat in tall brush - hunter orange and all - right along a deer trail and have had deer walk up and scare the snot out me - i could have literally reached out and honked their noses as they walked by.

As far as shooting at movement in a hair tag unit - all I can say is IDIOTS!!! [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img] If you don't see the body or head of an animal, you've got no business chambering a round, taking the safety off and putting that finger on the trigger. If you do, you've got no business being in the woods in first place. No life or limb is worth filling a deer tag over.

Many states' hunting regs require at least some hunter orange to be worn during rifle season. I don't understand why Oregon's does not. I'm wondering what it would take to change the regs.

ORS

[ 11-09-2003, 04:33 PM: Message edited by: OregonRedside ]

2LEYS · 11-09-2003, 03:59 PM

I don't think it is a matter of people wanting to conceal themselves. I think they are trying to look cool.

Norm · 11-09-2003, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Waterfish:
I've talked to other hunters who were in full camo who said they thought it was safer because other hunters couldn't see them, and therefore they weren't a target.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">[img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img] Just about every year someone gets killed doing just that. Remember, they don't give out IQ tests before they issue tags. Being clearly marked as a non-animal with blaze orange is without question safer. If I'm bowhunting in an area were I'm likley to run into other hunters, I'll even throw on my red vest. I've shot more than a few critters up close wearing orange, it's not a disavantage.

Albacore Tuna Captain · 11-09-2003, 05:44 PM

I hunt in Kansas because I find Oregon too dang dangerous. The reason Kansas is safer is that there is not a huge population of new hunters who have just moved here from California and have never hunted before. Kansas is wide open and hunters there are required to wear orange. But the best reason is that there are huge farms that you can only hunt on if you have permission. You don't risk being out there with some dang idiot.

There are too many idiots who will shot at movement no matter what it's wearing.

I use to hunt in plain clothes (no orange or camo) in Oregon and had people sending rounds over my head because they heard movement. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img] Lucky for me they couldn't see me!

So I don't think it really makes a difference. I believe we should require everyone to take a hunter safety course and everyone wear orange and when someone kills another hunter due to brush or sound shooting, they should be charged with manslaughter or criminal negligent homicide because IT ANI'T NO ACCIDENT!!

TheTexan · 11-09-2003, 05:46 PM

I never wore the orange back home in Texas, but I always hunted private property there. Since moving here I think it would be foolish not to wear the orange. I have heard the arguement that the orange serves only to get you scoped more. I am sure there are those out there that would scope someone wearing orange, but I would never even think about doing this. I did use my binos one time to look at a guy wearing orange, when he saw me he told me I was number 1, at least that's what I think that finger meant

. I have no idea why other than I had gotten to the ridge before him.

Chromaflage · 11-09-2003, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Albacore Tuna Captain:

I believe we should require everyone to take a hunter safety course and everyone wear orange and when someone kills another hunter due to brush or sound shooting, they should be charged with manslaughter or criminal negligent homicide because IT ANI'T NO ACCIDENT!! [/QB]

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] Absolutely! I'd go a step futher and require a refresher course every five years.

ORS

Waterfish · 11-09-2003, 06:51 PM

Well it sounds like most of us Ifish hunters are on the same page. So far no one has replied that does wear full camo with no orange. When I hunt, I wear an orange vest and sometimes an orange hat too. Then I usually find a good place to make a ground blind, and once in the ground blind, I take off the vest and hat. If I even get up to take a leak, I put the vest and hat back on. I also carry an extra orange vest in my pack, and when I get a deer or an elk, I put that vest over the head/horns for the pack out.

The Overfishin Condition · 11-09-2003, 06:54 PM

Quick Fisher, funny how being stupid oftentimes equates to being illegal. Tell those BG hunters that not only are they being careless, they're breaking the law. Also, as long as you're not hunting those BG areas anymore, point me in the direction of some deer, or those hunters, and I'll tell them when I see 'em.

Old MAn River · 11-09-2003, 09:17 PM

I would not feel safe at all, there is too many
people who shoot at anything that moves. I was
always taught that you make damn sure that it is
a clear shot and that it is an animal. I never
seen a hunter that looks like a deer!

But
I have been scoped by people, that must not own
a pair of binoculars! Duh, think about the what
if's and is your weapon loaded! May'be test hunters every couple of years. :grin:

TonTo · 11-09-2003, 09:35 PM

Although I always wear my orange,in Washington it is only required in modern firearm hunting areas,which Battle Ground is not,since it is a firearm restricted area.

StickFish · 11-10-2003, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 2LEYS:
I don't think it is a matter of people wanting to conceal themselves. I think they are trying to look cool.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">I do wear a blaze hat, but everthing else is camo because of the fabrics I want to use hunting. I tried to find blaze camo MTo50 gear from Cabellas but no go. The choice of fabrics for blaze orange is very limited.

Old Coot · 11-10-2003, 08:03 AM

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/outdoor_skills/

This address will take you to the ODFW Hunter Ed web page. Click on "Oregon Firearms Related Incidents" to go to an analysis of known firearm/archery injuries incurred while hunting within Oregon over the last several years. It is annotated as to whether orange was or was not worn by the parties. I encourage all hunters to read, and learn. It is pretty tragic, except maybe for the two elk poachers who called each other in. Sometimes you earn what you get!

[ 11-10-2003, 09:12 AM: Message edited by: Old Coot ]

The Overfishin Condition · 11-10-2003, 12:24 PM

TonTo- Shotguns and pistols are considered modern firearms I believe, which is probably why, at least for deer, BG unit 564 rules states on page 25 of the regs "Hunters orange required." I assume the same is for elk, but I'll verify later.

TonTo · 11-10-2003, 01:10 PM

Ok O-C I found it your right sorry ,oh btw it's on page 28

greenbuttskunk · 11-10-2003, 01:14 PM

Just my humble opinion, but wearing full camo during rifle season says to me you don't value your life enough. It's just plain irresponsible to me, especially in an area with lots of hunters. No matter how experienced and safe you might be, there are way too many knuckleheads out there.
I'll wear hunter orange and wear it proud, at least if I'm killed by a stray bullet my widowed wife won't be haunted by my carelessness.
GBs

Chromaflage · 11-10-2003, 06:34 PM

What's interesting about the summaries of incidents on the DFW web site is that there are no duck hunting incidents.

ORS

Albacore Tuna Captain · 11-11-2003, 07:35 AM

I think the significant and obvious results in all the summaries is

1. Hunters fired without being aware of their surroundings and location of partners.

2. Shooting at movement.

3. Carelessness.

4. Stupidity.

5. Recklessness.

I didn't make a comparison of how many hunters were wearing orange compared to those that didn't but I saw way too many people wearing orange getting shot too! I think this leads me to believe that there are way too many inexperienced hunters out there that have no business handling firearms.

Again, I'll hunt in a state that is not over runned with recent transplants to the country who have not grown up handling firearms on a regular basis.

Clackamas Drifter · 11-17-2003, 12:17 PM

I wear blaze orange not so much because I am worried someone will turn and shoot at a sound. If someone turns and shoots at a sound close, they might not see your orange anyways because they are a dam fool. I wear blaze orange, and appreciate others who do, because if I am sitting somewhere, and a person accross from me shoots the same deer I am hunting, the bullet may pass through the deer and strike me. So, hopefully a hunter will see the blaze orange on the other side of the deer and wait to shoot. If not, its all over but the cryin.