Hunter orange - Safety - CO Elk hunt

[GMMAT]

Several-parts question....

Preface - I will be hunting public land in CO, in Sept..  Two of our first days will be at the tail-end of the ML season.  I would "think", for safety reasons, I'm gonna want to wear "some" hunter orange.

1.  How much?
2.  What would you suggest? (vest?  Hat?  Camelback has an orange rain cover for their packs? Other?)
3.  Are elk's vision similar to their whitetail cousins?

Thanks for your replies.

jeff

[Mick C]

Not required for archery but the state law says 500in for gun hunters. if you want to i would say a hat cover then you can take it of if you like. i always use the orange ribon when packing out.

[kadbow]

I don't wear any but keep alert.  It is not a bad idea to carry an orange bandana or something you can break out if the need arises and definitely if you are packing out game.  Elk's vision is similar to deer.

[4dogs]

I would recomend wearing a vest for more coverage of your vitals front and back during the muzzle loader season. Elk are supposed to see the orange in shades of grey...They depend more on nose than anything and they pick up on movement very quick, like most game.

[ChuckC]

I Gotta look at the regs again.  In the past there was no such requirement for archers, but I am reasonably certain I saw (last year) where that wasn't true now during any gun season.

I carry a camo / orange hat and wear it orange side out during ML seasons.  I also have a blaze orange neckerchief and a mini vest that I have folded inside my pack that is for tying to the rear side of the pack if I feel the need or when packing out.

If I am not hunting but just walking around during a gun season I always wear an orange vest as well as a hat.
ChuckC

[ChuckC]

Just reread them and I guess it is open to interpretation.  

Says you must wear 500 sq in during a gun season.  Immediately following that it says archers do not have to wear orange during the archery season.  

So what if the seasons overlap ?  
ChuckC

[MSwickard]

No orange required for archers.  I do not wear orange when muzzleloaders are afield.  One advantage for us is we can see the muzzleloader hunter long before they see us.  If you see ML hunter just stear clear of them, they wil never know you are there.  But if you feel you need to wear it nothing is stopping you.

Mike

[Ragnarok Forge]

Here in Washington you have to wear Blaze Orange in overlapping archery / gun seasons.  It sounds like it is the same in Colorado.  Here it cannot be a hat.  It has to be on the body and visible from all directions.  If it was me I would blaze orange to the max.  No way to recall a 50 call Maxiball once it is fired.

[LKH]

If you decide to wear orange, it's no big deal.  The camo type isn't legal in CO, but a piece of it will work for you.  Animals don't really see it the way we do.  I've had coyotes walk by within 25 yards when wearing it and if a coyote will ignore it, everything else will too.

[GMMAT]

Thanks for your help, guys.  I think the firearms season goes out on the 18th.  I am arriving on the 16th....and may just use those two 1st days as my "acclimation period"....lol.

If I decide to go out.....I'll pack, accordingly.

Your responses are much appreciated.

Sincerely,

jeff

[TOEJAMMER]

In Colorado, orange is NOT required of archers during the archery season including the overlapping muzzleloader season.

[MSwickard]

Here is the verbage from the 2010 COLORADO BIG GAME REGs.

IT’S AGAINST THE LAW TO:

25. Not wear at least 500 square inches of solid DAYLIGHT FLUORESCENT ORANGE material in an outer garment above the waist while hunting deer, elk, pronghorn, bear or moose with any firearm. Part of the fluorescent orange must be a hat or head covering visible from all directions. Camouflage orange does not qualify. Mesh garments are legal but not recommended. We strongly recommend wearing daylight fluorescent orange clothes in the field even if you’re not hunting

[GMMAT]

I won't be hunting with any firearm.

[ChuckC]

Not wear at least 500 square inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange 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 does not meet this requirement. Mesh garments are legal but not recommended. Bowhunters are not required to wear fluorescent orange during archery seasons. (The DOW strongly recommends wearing daylight fluorescent orange clothes in the field even if you’re not hunting.)

Just go this off the web too.  See the difference in verbiage.  Very confusing.  Maybe this is from last year's regulations and not this years.
ChuckC

[MSwickard]

ChuckC

Not sure where you got that definition "during muzzleloading or rifle season"?, but even the 2009 BG Regs has it as with any firearm.

Mike

[ChuckC]

from their website.  did a search on "hunter orange.   see

wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/PlanYourHunt/ResourcesTips/Unlawful.htm -

I'm going back in to look elsewhere.
ChuckC

[MSwickard]

That's strange that they word it differently, but it does say bowhunters are not required to wear orange during archery season.

Either way it's not required.

Mike

[wapitimike1]

I learned the hard way about hunting in CO. Avoid gun season of any kind at all cost ML included. I've hunted several times but one year I had a piece of private. It made no difference I had two guys with MLs almost start shooting at my Montana decoys from 150yds out. I was in my DB  looking over this wallow when I noticed orange in the timber across the way. I watched them come out see my deecs and throw there guns up. At that point I yeld loud and allot cause I was in line with one of the gunners.
They approached me, I told them they were on private land which I'm sure they new (the prop was fenced and well marked). They'd said they'd been hunting it for years and thought it was public. I ran into two other guys on the property and one gut pile that week. Never again will I hunt gun season of any kind!!

[Huntswithbows]

The first weekend of the ML season is what I would avoid.  By the time you arrive I'm willing to bet you will have little to no competition.

[ChuckC]

Mike, in Wisconsin bowhunters are not required to wear orange either. .  unless there is a gun season in effect (deer).  then we have to wear orange also.  From my point of view the above is very confusing.

As I stated above though, I typically don't wear it when I am up there, except maybe the hat.

Where I go there are not so many ML hunters.

And . .  What's up with the price increases ?  Elk and bear both but especially bear !
ChuckC