Blaze Orange vs. Camo

M

MMRemington

New member
Joined
Nov 29, 2018
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15
Location
Boise, ID
Hey All,

So, new to the world of hunting and something that I've always wondered about was when & why to wear blaze orange vs. camouflage? I understand it's worn for safety in the event you happen to be hunting the same area as another hunter, and that deer can't see it like we can (appears grey / brown - or at least that's the color pattern they assume). Are there certain times you opt to wear blaze orange over camo? If so, when or why would you do so?

Just curious what y'all think. I see pictures & videos of hunters fully decked in camo, and I see pictures & videos of people in jeans & a blaze orange vest. I have the camo - do I need to invest in some blaze orange, too?
 
In Oregon adults do not need Camo. When I hunt private property in do not wear. When hunting public I do. I appreciate other hunters also wearing it. First and foremost safety but when your looking through glass and can spot someone I will go the other way not to ruin their hunt. I was hunting one year with my buddy and we got seperated. He got pretty turned around and was several canyons away. I climbed up to the top of my hill when it was getting late and losing light but he could see my Orange.
 
Makes sense. I was considering wearing my camo (jacket & pants) as a "base layer", and then getting a vest or a hat in blaze orange just for the safety aspect. Wanted to see what others thought and did before doing so though, just so I wasn't out there looking like a clown on my first hunt!
 
MMRemington said:
Makes sense. I was considering wearing my camo (jacket & pants) as a "base layer", and then getting a vest or a hat in blaze orange just for the safety aspect. Wanted to see what others thought and did before doing so though, just so I wasn't out there looking like a clown on my first hunt!
Click to expand...

Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks. Many years ago, a friend of my dad’s was shot and killed while sitting on the tailgate of his truck next to the rack of the bull he’d just finished packing out. Maybe orange would have made a difference, maybe not. But what can it hurt? That memory has stayed with me since I was a kid, so I always wear orange during rifle seasons. It only has to make a difference one time to be worth it. I also like being able to see other hunters when I’m glassing so I know what areas to avoid.
 
Even if it isn’t required (like in Oregon) I wear an orange hat. I want other hunters to be able to see me.
 
I hunt mainly in the east where orange is required for rifle season. We also have a high hunter density. Even during our late muzzleloader season when orange is not required, I still wear a orange hat at the least. I'd rather be overly cautious than dead.
 
MMRemington said:
Makes sense. I was considering wearing my camo (jacket & pants) as a "base layer", and then getting a vest or a hat in blaze orange just for the safety aspect. Wanted to see what others thought and did before doing so though, just so I wasn't out there looking like a clown on my first hunt!
Click to expand...

I get where you are coming from, but I'd rather look like a clown than a corpse.
 
I prefer vests to hats in close quarter eastern hard woods. I think it is easier to pick out a solid hat looking around. That said, I'd never hunt anything but bow season without something with blaze orange on.
 
Yeah, that's all great feedback and I completely agree: Rather look like a clown than a corpse! Great information & glad to hear I wasn't wasting my time asking the question and looking at vests for Christmas gifts...

Hunting Wife - really sorry to hear your story about your dad's friend. Like you said, maybe orange would have helped, maybe not, but it "only has to make a difference once to be worth it". I like what you said there.

Thanks everyone for the input. Time to go get myself a vest! Or better yet, have someone get me one for Xmas :p
 
I wear earthtone solids and a blaze hat and vest during rifle seasons and camo during archery, duck, and turkey season.
 
Camo and camo patterns are more for fooling humans than animals. I can't remember how many deer I've taken at archery ranges, (less than 30 yds), with a muzzleloader while covered in orange and wearing blue jeans. Wear a vest at minimum, go home to your family at night.
 
Well that settles it, I'm adding a couple vests to my wishlist this year! Really appreciate the input everyone, I'll post back after I *hopefully* get the vest to do a review on it: Construction, pockets, fit, etc.

Have a great week y'all.
 
California does not require orange but I always wear some orange. My favorite deer hunting vest is actually an upland bird vest with large zippered pockets. It also has a waist support belt and with back issues it helps if I am carrying a heavy load. I probably own 6 or 7 orange vests but the upland bird vest is now the one I use the most. In rainy weather I wear a waxed cotton vest that is orange over my rain gear. I also wear an orange hat most of the time.
 
I will disagree with some of the posts here about camo. I think there is a sharp divide near the Mississippi river where east of that it starts to matter. More people and tighter areas call for minute advantages. The distances and low hunter densities west of that line fade that small advantage. In fact, if I am hunting public land in the east I even try to wear multiple camo patterns to help break my silhouette. Similar to a game animal with a dark back and light belly. Blaze orange is both necesary and required but it can and will show up to game animals similar to a shiny white face.

While this is not necessarily the point of the op it may be useful if they travel east on a hunt. Even the famous buck trackers in the northeast wear a checkered pattern flannel which I think breaks them up. I prefer large light and dark patterns that don't darken with distance. Small patterns and realistic prints look like solids at about 50 feet.
 
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