Hunter Orange Question

[Ttannahill14]

So I'm joining my buddy on an archery elk hunt in CO in a couple weeks. He has the elk tag. I picked up a rifle bear tag.

#1 priority is elk hunting, but I'll have a rifle strapped to my back in case we spot a bear.

Assuming I need to be wearing orange if i have a rifle on my pack...? No way to say I'm not hunting I'd imagine.

 

[GlockZ]

While I'm not well versed in Colorado's requirements for hunter safety orange, to err on the side of caution I would at the least have on a blaze orange hat and keep a vest tucked in my pack. From what I've seen, most western states will allow you to get away with just a blaze orange hat, but it's probably best to check out there requirements first.

 

[longbow51]

You're carrying a rifle, you have a tag. You're hunting.

CO regs: Unlawful to

• Not wear at least 500 square inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange or solid florescent pink material above the waist on an outer garment while hunting deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, or moose during a muzzleloading or rifle season. Part of the fluorescent orange must be a hat or head covering visible from all directions. Camouflage orange or camouflage pink does not meet this requirement. Mesh garments are legal but not recommended. Bowhunters are not required to wear fluorescent orange during archery seasons. Colorado Parks and Wildlife strongly recommends wearing daylight fluorescent orange or florescent pink clothes in the field even if you’re not hunting. For details about the florescent pink alternative hunter safety color approved in 2016, please read the Authorized Fluorescent Pink fact sheet.

 

[Laelkhunter]

If you have a Rifle in your possession and a hunting license for rifle hunting, you need to meet the Hunter Orange requirements.

 

[longbow51]

And, I wonder, why go to the trouble of having fluorescent pink as an alternative? Seems like a lot of trouble over nothing. If you read the fact sheet not even any studies which show it works, nor any real guidelines? Are the CO folks into coordinating their hunting clothes now?

 

[1100RemingtonMan]

I was a Survey in the Marine Corps and I will tell you you can see fluorescent pink further than blaze orange. One looking from one mountain to another miles away we would rap a canvas panel around the tripod for the other Surveys to see us one side was blaze orange one fluorescent pink , it was not even close the Pink always won for standing out. When that did not work we used a signal mirror and flashed the other crew. And no I would not use pink.

 

[Ttannahill14]

Thanks guys, that's what I figured.

Good luck to you all this season!

 

[seeth07]

I'm not so sure the act of carrying the rifle constitutes hunting. Anyone can carry a rifle anywhere in the US pretty much as an exercise of their 2A rights. Its called open carry. The fact you have a bear tag in your pocket however locks you in as hunting with that rifle and the hunter orange or pink law I believe kicks in. Actually I think in CO don't you have to wear orange even while bow hunting for bears?

 

[LongCut]

I saw an article on it a while ago. I think there was a push to allow it in regards to breast cancer, then there was some thought given to accommodate and encourage female hunters. I could be wrong on my details, but it's a while since I read about it.

It's interesting to know that pin can been seen farther than orange. I wonder if I wear pink if that will deter other hunters from my general area more than orange?

 

[SFC B]

This is directly from the current brochure.....500 inches AND a hat during ANY firearms season.

"HUNTERS MUST WEAR FLUORESCENT ORANGE OR PINK Law requires hunters to wear at least 500 square inches of SOLID DAYLIGHT FLUORESCENT ORANGE OR FLUORESCENT PINK material on an outer garment above the waist while hunting deer, elk, pronghorn, bear or moose with any firearm license. A fluorescent orange or pink hat or head covering, visible from all directions, is also required. This includes all muzzleloader hunters. It also includes archery hunters who hunt during rifle season. Archers hunting with an archery bear, deer, elk, pronghorn or moose license, or licensed for private land hunting through the Ranching for Wildlife program do not have to wear fluorescent orange or pink, but should consider wearing it to increase safety while in the field. Auction- and raffle-license holders do not have to wear orange or pink when hunting with archery equipment when no rifle seasons are open. If using a ground blind or pop-up blind, hunters should display orange or pink that is visible from all directions on the outside of the blind. CAMOUFLAGE ORANGE OR PINK DOES NOT QUALIFY! Mesh garments are legal but not recommended. CPW strongly recommends wearing daylight fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink clothes in the field, even if you’re not hunting. Wearing orange or pink is for hunter safety, as big game animals don’t see these colors like we do. Movement, sound and smell are what give hunters away. "

 

[wytex]

Hat and a vest.

 

[seeth07]

What would happen if:
1) you were archery elk hunting (only carrying a bow on the trip)
2) in your wallet you also had a valid bear tag

Game warden checks you, sees your bear permit, do you get a fine for no orange?

One step further in case the response is yes to above:
3) you have an orange hat and vest in your pack but aren't wearing it but have it in case you spot a bear where you can then put it on to hunt that bear.

Legal now?

 

[JohnCushman]

As per a game warden a couple of years ago when I had both archery and rifle tags...... You only have to wear orange if you're carrying your rifle. If the only weapon you have with you is your bow, then you don't need orange. If you happen to be carrying your rifle too, then you need orange.

EDIT.....this is for archery season with the rifle bear overlap (that is what OP asked about)

 

[seeth07]

As per a game warden a couple of years ago when I had both archery and rifle tags...... You only have to wear orange if you're carrying your rifle. If the only weapon you have with you is your bow, then you don't need orange. If you happen to be carrying your rifle too, then you need orange.

I had a different answer when I asked a game warden if I could use my bow without orange during 2nd rifle season...

 

[JohnCushman]

I'm talking about during archery season, like the OP is asking about.

 

[kwyeewyk]

It also includes archery hunters who hunt during rifle season. Archers hunting with an archery bear, deer, elk, pronghorn or moose license, or licensed for private land hunting through the Ranching for Wildlife program do not have to wear fluorescent orange or pink, but should consider wearing it to increase safety while in the field.

This is confusing, I'm assuming the second sentence should probably say "Archers hunting with an archery bear, deer, elk, pronghorn or moose license, or licensed for private land hunting through the Ranching for Wildlife program do not have to wear fluorescent orange or pink, (unless hunting during a rifle season, then orange is required) but should consider wearing it to increase safety while in the field"?

This would mean both the bear hunter (OP) and the archery elk hunter would be required to wear orange for this hunt right?

 

[seeth07]

This is exactly why I support the Rinella movement for a Federal mandate that every state adopt the law that whenever you have a firearm in your hand, you need to have an orange hat that can be seen from all directions. Done. No more complex law regarding it lol

Excludes Turkey and watefowl hunting of course

 

[ZBB]

As per a game warden a couple of years ago when I had both archery and rifle tags...... You only have to wear orange if you're carrying your rifle. If the only weapon you have with you is your bow, then you don't need orange. If you happen to be carrying your rifle too, then you need orange.

EDIT.....this is for archery season with the rifle bear overlap (that is what OP asked about)

I had an archery deer tag on the prairie last year so I picked up the plains elk tag and this is what the warden told me as well.

Seems like it would be wise to call the people that will write you a ticket to get the best answer.

 

[TheGreek]

This is directly from the current brochure.....500 inches AND a hat during ANY firearms season.

"HUNTERS MUST WEAR FLUORESCENT ORANGE OR PINK Law requires hunters to wear at least 500 square inches of SOLID DAYLIGHT FLUORESCENT ORANGE OR FLUORESCENT PINK material on an outer garment above the waist while hunting deer, elk, pronghorn, bear or moose with any firearm license. A fluorescent orange or pink hat or head covering, visible from all directions, is also required. This includes all muzzleloader hunters. It also includes archery hunters who hunt during rifle season. Archers hunting with an archery bear, deer, elk, pronghorn or moose license, or licensed for private land hunting through the Ranching for Wildlife program do not have to wear fluorescent orange or pink, but should consider wearing it to increase safety while in the field. Auction- and raffle-license holders do not have to wear orange or pink when hunting with archery equipment when no rifle seasons are open. If using a ground blind or pop-up blind, hunters should display orange or pink that is visible from all directions on the outside of the blind. CAMOUFLAGE ORANGE OR PINK DOES NOT QUALIFY! Mesh garments are legal but not recommended. CPW strongly recommends wearing daylight fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink clothes in the field, even if you’re not hunting. Wearing orange or pink is for hunter safety, as big game animals don’t see these colors like we do. Movement, sound and smell are what give hunters away. "

I just pulled the CO regs out and the above is the exact wording on page 15. The two sentences highlighted in red above are confusing and poorly worded. At first glance, I thought the first sentence meant that a hunter with an archery elk tag hunting the archery elk season (Sept 2-30) using archery equipment would have to wear orange because he would be hunting during a rifle season (rifle bear Sept 2-30) but we know that is not the law. When the first highlighted red sentence is read in conjunction with the 2nd highlighted red sentence, I thought these two sentences are simply contradictory. Then I went back and reread the entire paragraph trying to give each sentence meaning that made sense as a whole and was not contradictory to any other sentence. When I read it like that, I understand the entire paragraph to mean that if you are hunting deer, elk, pronghorn, bear or moose with a firearm license you have to wear orange, regardless of what weapon you are using. For example, if you are hunting with a firearm elk license during a firearm elk season, but are hunting with archery tackle, you must still wear orange. I'll confess, it never dawned on me that you could hunt with a firearm license during a firearm season with archery equipment, but page 14 of the regs states exactly that, that handheld bows can be used as a lawful method of take during the rifle seasons for deer, pronghorn, elk, moose, and bear.


Reading and understanding hunting regulations shouldn't be this complicated, but they always seem to be. But I guess most laws are.

 

[WyoDoug]

So I'm joining my buddy on an archery elk hunt in CO in a couple weeks. He has the elk tag. I picked up a rifle bear tag.

#1 priority is elk hunting, but I'll have a rifle strapped to my back in case we spot a bear.

Assuming I need to be wearing orange if i have a rifle on my pack...? No way to say I'm not hunting I'd imagine.

If you have a rifle in your possession where game are present, it is prima facie evidence that you are hunting. You as a hunter are required to both have a license and wear orange in Colorado. So even though you are hunting bear the requirement still exists to wear orange in Colorado. Not saying that I am entirely for it because I had a hat shot off me in GMU 22 when I was a teen and I was decked in orange from head to toe.