Eight out of ten hunters who were accidentally shot did not wear blaze orange according to the latest hunter safety survey in New York state. Eighty percent. The other 20% were attributed to not verifying what was behind a target.
It is astounding almost half the states in the U.S. still don’t mandate hunters wear orange. A simple, lightweight vest and hat can make the difference between you returning home from a hunt on your feet or in a body bag. Even if your state does not require it, you should wear orange when in the field.
The notion game animals are spooked by orange is preposterous. They are much more concerned with movement and scent than what color you are. LocaCarnivore’s Editor in Chief has worn orange and stood in the middle of deer herds numerous times. The deer didn’t notice until either he moved or the wind shifted.
This great video from Texas’ game department shows you how important orange is when hunting. Watch and learn. Hunter orange: there is no rational excuse to not wear it.
