A properly attired hiker: Blaze orange in hunting season

TL;DR: Wearing the same amount of blaze orange as required by hunters is wise. Hunters will not shoot at “anything that moves,” but instead, they will not shoot at all if a person is in their firing area. Wearing blaze orange is good for safety; the hunters appreciate it, and wearing blaze orange is a respectful way of sharing the outdoors among all users.

A few years ago, during a shoulder season backpacking trip (attempt!), Swami and I started the first day of rifle season for elk hunting.

This day meant that the taking of blaze orange (also called hunter orange) for our trip was an excellent idea.

Oddly enough, the wearing of blaze orange is not a requirement for non-hunters in Colorado.  But, we thought it would still be a good idea for our safety and the hunters’ peace of mind.

With that recent experience in mind, here are some ideas for the wearing of blaze orange beyond a simple vest.

What are the dates and rules for hunting season?

The most obvious step is to find out what date the various hunting seasons start in your state (or province if hiking in nearby Canada).  Note that “hunting season” is a broad term. Hunting season gets split into different types of hunting, areas,  and even weapon types. Big game? Fowl? Deer? Elk? Bowhunting? Muzzle? Rifle? The specific location and unit? You get the idea.

Different seasons and areas have different rules. GENERALLY rifle season requires blaze orange; strictly bow hunting season does not. But, again, find out the dates and regulations for the specific area first.  The various sites I found for all the states had many outdated links.  Better to Google, for example,  “Hunting season dates in Colorado“ More specific and up-to-date.

After that, find out the blaze orange regulations. How much is required, and where you must wear it. Google is again your friend for specific rules.  Here’s a current site for that type of info.

In Colorado, 500 square inches must be worn and visible. That means visible both above the waist and on the head.

As you can see from some of the older photos, we did not 100% follow the hunting regulations during that weekend as hikers. As my awareness increased over the seasons, I changed my clothing for rifle season in particular.

As of 2020, I wear a vest, a hat cover (typically not in stock until the fall), and a pack cover. During cold weather, I wear a blaze orange thermal top.  When it is cool but not cold, a light thermal crew top works well. More info on those items below.

As mentioned, Colorado only requires blaze orange for hunters. In my home state of Rhode Island, wearing blaze orange is required of all users of the DEM lands. 

Regardless of the specific regulations concerning who is required to wear blaze orange, all outdoor users really should wear blaze orange during this time of the year.

When we were hiking that weekend, the hunters appreciated that we wore blaze orange. We are sharing the woods, and all users want a good experience for everyone.

Wearing blaze orange is needed for safety, the vests and headgear are inexpensive, and wearing the blaze orange gear is easy to do.

Though hiker accidents are rare during hunting season (esp. compared to the number of people using the outdoors for recreation), any accidents that do happen are typical because no blaze orange gets worn.

According to this article from a hunting-focused website:

In 2010, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reported that in the past 20 years, 81 percent of victims in vision-related hunting incidents were not wearing hunter orange clothing.

 So, no reason not to wear blaze orange clothing.

In the La Sal Mountains Oct 2019. Note the visibility versus the 2014 photos. I wear a blaze orange thermal under my fleece, a blaze orange pack cover, the blaze orange hat cover, and an Orange Aglow vest.

What to wear?

Many retailers will not stock blaze orange or blaze pink items meant for hunting until around early September. If an item below is out of stock currently, the retailer might stock it again once the general rifle season starts before the fall.

• The first and most obvious place is the vest for the core area. Avoid plastic vests and get better polyester vests. These vests are perhaps $10 or less. I like mine sized larger for putting over my other clothes, including insulation layers. At this time of the year, many big box stores, local hardware stores/outfitters, and XYZMarts tend to have the blaze orange.
  • If it is cold, I have a blaze orange thermal top that works well and provides much visibility. Crew tops avail, too that are 100% synthetic, light, and inexpensive.
  • If you are looking for lightweight vests that breathe and dry quickly, check out the Orange Aglow products.  About 2.2 oz for a vest with mesh that ventilates well and has excellent coverage. The designer of the gear hunts avidly in varied conditions. Additionally, he thru-hiked the PCT in addition to a good chunk of the CDT.  He also sells panels suitable for attaching to a pack or your dog’s harness.  UPDATE OCT 2019: Joan and I started using these vests after the owner gave us two to try. Very effective and only $15.
  • Note: I would not wear construction vests. From what I read on hunting forums, the reflective white stripes can mimic, at a glance, a specific animal hunted. :O  

• Since you are hiking, you need to have your pack with blaze orange visible as well.  Though many sell blaze orange pack covers, they are generally sized for larger, non-cottage gear, backpacks and tend to be made of heavier material.  I did find a small silnylon pack cover  I’ve since switched to for hunting season. Easy on/easy off and not much weight penalty. Similar to this one. Other cottage manufacturers have ones for sale as well.

• The head is the last part that needs to be visible. In the past, I used a bright orange bandanna covering the hat. It worked OK but not as ideal as the color of the bandana is faded.  I attempted to use some tape this time around, but that did not work.  You can buy blaze orange ball caps, boonie hats, and warm hats.
  • However, I do not necessarily want another set of headgear.  I found this neat piece of gear online that covers my existing hats. It works for both the wide-brimmed hats I favor and quickly fits over my warm hat too. It easily fastens on ball caps.  No need to buy an extra set of headgear for hunting season. At ~$5, very reasonable in price as well.
    • A blaze orange headband seems more readily available and under $4 as a potential option.
    • A  blaze orange “doo-rag” style one could work well. Just cut down the extra fabric.
    •   As I mentioned above, the items may get out of stock easily. A reader below suggests a buff. Here’s a $9 version that looks fine for hat-covering purposes or multi-use in general.

Oct 2020, La Sal Mountains. Joan sporting the 2 oz Orange Aglow vest. 

You have a safe, versatile, and not at all heavy (concerning ounces) coverage for hunting season for a small monetary investment.

As a side note, some states now allow “blaze pink” as an alternative. There are no standards for what constitutes blaze pink. Check the local state jurisdictions to see if they allow this choice.  This motif is relatively new; there are fewer options for a high visibility pink vs. a more subdued pink esp with non-cotton technical clothing. Here’s a simple vest, ball cap, base layer shirts, and a  warm hat. 

What about other high-vis colors?  If your clothing collection includes a high-vis yellow-green shirt such as found for construction or running, that should work. Assuming the local areas do not require blaze orange for all outdoor users regardless of hunting or not. However, many hikers tend to wear muted colors. Myself included.  Unless you happen to have high vis colors already in your clothing collection, I think blaze orange makes for a better choice.  Hunters tend to look for blaze orange, and there are more non-cotton options available for blaze orange, such as thermals, hat and hat covers, pack covers, etc., vs. the other colors.

Canine companions and blaze orange

On our recent trip, I was a bit surprised to see a trail runner out with no blaze orange clothing. Even more surprising, to see his dog with no blaze orange on. A brown dog with white spots…..Yikes!

Safety for your pooch is just as important. Perhaps even more so in a sense, your furry friend is on four legs and running.

At the very least, get a blaze orange bandanna to attach to your dog’s collar.

Better yet, a vest or harness is going to give more coverage and visibility.  And if you want something more durable,  Ruff Wear sells a more robust harness if needed.

Already have a harness and don’t wish to buy additional gear? Orange Aglow sells safety panels that could easily attach to an existing harness.

Photo from Ruff Wear blog

At dawn and dusk

As noted by Colter in the comments, visibility is very low at dawn and dusk.  The time when many hunters are out and about, too. Wearing a LED light of some sort is advisable. Many headlamps have a low light, blinking mode that works well for long-distance visibility.

In the end…

There is no reason NOT to wear blaze orange when hiking. For the hiker and outdoors people in general, the wearing of blaze orange will keep you safe, put the hunters at ease knowing you are helping with general safety, and make for a more pleasant experience for everyone sharing the woods.   It is not that “hunters are shooting at everything.” Most are responsible. The wearing of blaze orange helps hunters so they can see you are nearby before they take their shot.

The clothing and gear are reasonable in price, and the weight penalty is slight.

Just do it.

Courtesy of thehikinglife.com. My blaze orange coverage is expanded currently vs. 2014 when we took this photo.

Revised 2022