Bowhunting with blaze orange

[SlowBowinMO]

This weekend is our "youth" hunt weekend.  I'm all for the youth hunt and have taken my kid's in the past, but today found me bowhunting alone instead.  To comply with the law during the youth hunt I wore blaze orange as required.  I always feel silly in blaze orange, especially with a bow in my hand.  I can't say it hurt me today though, I had a 6 point standing at 45 yards and a 3 pointer walk right past me, although any hopes of a turkey are abandoned when I'm in blaze.

Have you been able to successfully bowhunt in blaze?

[mscampbell75]

Yes, not yet w/ trad gear. But hopefully to changed that soon.  But during the wheelie days, I've taken serveral deer while wearing a blaze hat.  A blaze hat is required during NC muzzle and gun seasons, even if bow hunting.

I does feel like I have a beacon on top of my head the first few hunts after bow season end.  Having hunting 3wks camo-ed from head to toe.  But, after I get some deer within bow range and are oblivious to my presance (with my blaze on), I dont think about much after that.

I must say though, I do feel safter with blaze during gun season.  Its funny, I see people around here hunting a 5 acre field with a 300win Mag.  And whats worse, this past friday night after a hunt, I had to wait for some does to move out of the field so I could get outta there with out spooking them.  I was walking out and heard a high powered rifle less that a quarter mile from me.  It was dark out.  They had to be using the scope for the extra light.  I can welcome with the blaze at that point.

[Rooselk]

On those rare occasions when I venture into the woods with my bow during the modern rifle season, and admittedly they are few, I wear blaze orange while hunting grouse. On at least two occasions I've come across deer. Both times were completely by accident since I wasn't specifically looking for deer. I guess I could say that the blaze orange didn't make a lot of difference; but neither did the way walked in the woods. My approach on both occasions would have been entirely different had I been actually hunting deer and not grouse.

[Looper]

Yes.  In SC, you are required to wear blaze orange during all gun hunts.  I only wear a blaze orange hat, though. I haven't seen that it affects my success, though.

The biggest buck I ever shot, I was wearing my grandpa's blaze orange winter hunting outfit.  This thing was neon. My grandpa said I needed to wear it so his (idiot) friends wouldn't mistake me for a deer. I was like a big orange Michelin man, but I had a nice 11 point buck follow a scent trail right up to me.  I was walking to my stand and heard him coming up behind me.  I shot him at about 20 yards.  I did shoot him with a .30-30, but it would have been an easy bow shot.

[eman614]

i shot my biggest buck ever wearing blaze orange this morning. it was 18yards away and didn't have a clue i was there. shot him with a home made longbow, to make it even better.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Originally posted by Braveheart Archery:
This weekend is our "youth" hunt weekend.  I'm all for the youth hunt and have taken my kid's in the past, but today found me bowhunting alone instead.  To comply with the law during the youth hunt I wore blaze orange as required.  I always feel silly in blaze orange, especially with a bow in my hand.  I can't say it hurt me today though, I had a 6 point standing at 45 yards and a 3 pointer walk right past me, although any hopes of a turkey are abandoned when I'm in blaze.

Have you been able to successfully bowhunt in blaze?

There are numerous times every year when I have to wear blaze orange to bowhunt -- youth seasons and WI gun seasons in the CWD Zone -- and I agree with your assessment. I always feel a little odd trying to blend in and be stealthy while wearing clothing designed for the exact opposite purpose. But the deer don't seem to mind, and a few of them have found their way into my freezer while I was dressed up like a carrot stick.

[Cottonwood]

Yep, and it did not hurt me one bit.

[imhntn]

We are in primitive season in Okla and I had to wear a blaze hat to bowhunt today.

[huey]

I was thinking the same thing yesterday while trying to hide. I have taken deer while feeling stupid in my safe suite. It might not matter to the deer, but I took it off while going around the 2000lb bull that did not like it.

[mcgroundstalker]

I've never bow hunted wearing blaze orange but have taken quiet a few deer at "bow range" (under 20 yds.) during firearms season wearing a vest and hat in blaze. They never knew I was there.....

... mike ...

[fisherick]

I have taken my best buck while bow hunting and wearing an orange camo vest and hat during our shotgun season. I have found that hunter orange in wool or fleece does not reflect light as much as the poly fabrics and don't seem to spook the deer.

[ripforce56]

Gun hunted for years wearing a Red and Black plaid Woolrich wool hunting suit with  a Blaze orange hat! Still have it, shot my first deer a nice 9pt about 12yards away while sitting on a big rock deer never even looked my way! Now I am dressed in camo from head to toe and they sometimes zero right in on me  like I am a neon sign! Go figure, but then again when I gun hunted the rut was always on so they were not as wary as normal!

[Mojostick]

The truth is, while blaze orange may seem silly to you, if you use the "camo orange", it's as fine a camo pattern as ASAT or Predator, as far as the deer eyes are concerned.

For turkey, you're screwed. But for deer, don't give it a 2nd thought as long as there's some "camo" to it.

Once the leaves come down, camo orange is the best skyline camo I've ever used.

My 2nd best bow buck was killed in cold temps wearing my camo orange and I've never had any hint of deer seeing me in it.

I can't say the same about dark, blobby "greenish" camo's.

[straitera]

Blaze orange is required here on public land. Not only a large portion on the torso but also on your head. I have had animals in general too close too often to concern myself. I have NOT hunted turkeys while wearing blaze. Not sure the effect. Like you, I was concerned especially at first. Now, I definitely feel orange is much safer for me when I'm in the woods with journeyman or newbe gun hunters. Also, I haven't worn camo in 30+ years.

[JPE]

Blaze orange is also required in Mo. during the youth season.While I have not taken a animal with my orange on this weekend I had numerous bucks around me but not offering any shots. The closest was at about 10 ft. and the farthest was at about 15yds. I really think it is the movement they see. I have always understood that deer are color blind. As for the blaze orange camo it is not legal here in Mo.   Jim Pyles

[Mojostick]

To deer, blaze camo offers the same open background pattern like ASAT, Predator or Skyline camo.

Now some states don't allow camo orange. But if you can use camo orange, deer see it as a good camo pattern.

Notice this study done with a guy wearing a bright red Hawaiian shirt...
 http://whitetail.com/camo1.html

[rocketman]

During muzzleloading season, while ground hunting wearing a full blaze orange sweatshirt and hat (non-camo)I've been as close to deer as I've ever been. On 3 occasions now I've been at less then 8 yards standing with nothing between me and a deer.  The closest one being when I was cresting a rise and 4 deer were combing up the other side, I was caught out in the open with nothing between me and the lead doe, I froze and she walked past at roughly 6 feet.  I really think plain blaze orange may be my best camo for deer.

[Mojostick]

In snow, plain blaze is snow to deer.

[Cootling]

My wife and I bowhunt during our rifle season, when we are required to wear blaze, and last fall we killed 2 nice bucks, both with shots under 15 yards.   Based on many years of similar experience, I don't think wearing blaze is much of a handicap.

[Friend]

Blaze orange may effect the hunter's confidence more than the deer's increased ability to detect you. My belief, whether factual or not, is that your movement can be more easily detected since you are wearing a solid color. I try to be even more conscious of my movement when hunting in blaze orange.