Game and Fish crazy rule on orange requirements…

[elks96]

So I had a game and fish employee stop by my camp today. Currently in the unit I am hunting we have rifle lope, archery deer and archery elk. I asked a question about the Orange requirement. I have a lope tag, the tag opened for rifle the 15 of September. So I asked, if I am hunting even with archery only/no fire arm do I require orange? I gave him the example that this morning I was hunting the junipers and thick trees areas. Not a lope area but in the unit. I asked about if I needed orange.

He looked up this spot as he could not say for certain… After looking at this spot he said regardless of tag any one hunting big game during a rifle season has to wear orange. So I asked again, I asked a clarifying question or 2. I said so because the antelope rifle tag is currently open, anyone hunting in the unit has to wear orange? He said the way it is written, yes… so n archery elk hunter in the wilderness area should be wearing orange? Yes because there is a fire arms/rifle season.

He then went on to state that it would be the wardens discretion and he has never heard of such an issue.

The end result is I have to run into town and grab a hat…. If I did not have the antelope tag, I would not worry, but now I know…

So what do you think? Archery elk hunters on Ferris and green need to wear orange because of the lope tags?

I think we should explore and see how this might be changed…

 

[2lumpy]

People with rifles have been known to make mistakes and think they have seen an antelope. Makes it harder to mistake a fluorescent orange color for a pronghorn. He just may have saved your life, or not.

 

[mulecreek]

I don’t wear orange when bow hunting elk while rifle deer is going on. I’ll let a warden make an issue of it before I will worry too much. So far no warden has said a thing.

 

[Rie bread]

orange is how i know where not to hike

 

[elks96]

So as an update. He went and spoke on the radio with 3 other wardens. They all agreed, that if you have an antelope tag and there is an antelope rifle season you have to have the orange. No big deal. They also all 3 said that the way the law reads it would require all hunters to wear orange… However none of them would require or mention a person hunting deer elk bear etc. if those seasons are not open for rifle yet.

Interesting they all agreed it could be an issue if they wanted to press it but none of them do press it…

So I will be wearing an orange hat even in the timber and wilderness etc. because I have the lope but my wife son and buddy all wear camo since they don’t…

 

[elks96]

People with rifles have been known to make mistakes and think they have seen an antelope. Makes it harder to mistake a fluorescent orange color for a pronghorn. He just may have saved your life, or not.

Isn’t there evidence that the rate of accidental shooting in states with orange and with no orange requirements are virtually the same?

 

[5yearcoueshunter]

What I also find weird is the person hunting with you doesn't have to wear it. So only the hunter. Also, bird hunters don't have to either. Saw sage grouse hunters with no red while Antelope hunter is wearing it in the same unit.

 

[jm77]

As with many regulations with G&F the law is written with broad meaning. These types of broad regulations stand a higher chance of a judge siding with the defendant. But not always...

I've always taken the regulation as meaning no orange during special archery for that tag, but with more and more overlapping seasons, the regulation might need a revamp.

 

[elkantlers]

Wyoming probably has the best Hunter orange requirement. I wouldn't sweat wearing an orange hat. It could be worse.

 

[elks96]

I set my son to fixing my orange hat… Hummm

Better than solid orange I gues…

 

[2lumpy]

Isn’t there evidence that the rate of accidental shooting in states with orange and with no orange requirements are virtually the same?

Never checked. I just believed what I was told when they explained it to me when I started hunting in 1961.

 

[Chesterwyo]

I understand not wanting run afoul of the law. But how much hunting time did you lose wringing your hands about this?

 

[Rackmastr]

What I also find weird is the person hunting with you doesn't have to wear it. So only the hunter. Also, bird hunters don't have to either. Saw sage grouse hunters with no red while Antelope hunter is wearing it in the same unit.

I'm headed down this week to hunt with my wife carrying the tag. Wasnt sure if I had to have orange on as well as someone accompanying her. Good to know at least as it was on my list to check on

 

[mightyhunter]

As with many regulations with G&F the law is written with broad meaning. These types of broad regulations stand a higher chance of a judge siding with the defendant. But not always...

I've always taken the regulation as meaning no orange during special archery for that tag, but with more and more overlapping seasons, the regulation might need a revamp.

JM77 is spot on with his analysis. It is a broad regulation subject to all sorts of interpretations. The items of clothing mentioned are not defined. What actually constitutes a vest? Think about that. I have a friend who always has a blaze orange ball cap pop riveted to his pack that he never removes while hunting.

There is not much difference between the rate of injury between blaze orange and no blaze orange states in the West. When I lived in Idaho many years ago, they had a couple of hunting deaths where a hunting companion shot the fellow he was hunting with. In both instances, the surviving hunter was having an affair with his deceased friend’s wife. A couple of others involved slipping and falling with a loaded rifle.

I wear a camo ball cap that has blaze orange in it. It just isn’t worth the hassle. Over time these hats fade from exposure to sunlight. I get a new one about every 10 years. Just sayin...mh

 

[HikeHunt61]

I have a loose mesh vest which I tuck mostly behind my daypack, and has a couple square inches visible at most. If I am in an area with other hunters, I make it much more visible.

I don't like orange hats much- when you are sneaking over a rise, I don't want that orange to be the first thing seen.

 

[ClearCreek]

Here are the Wyoming clothing requirements listed on page 6 of the 2022 Antelope, Deer and Elk Hunting Regulations:

Clothing Requirements. Hunters Required to Wear Fluorescent Orange or Fluorescent Pink Clothing. All persons hunting big or trophy game during an open regular season, shall wear in a visible manner one (1) or more exterior garments of a fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink color that shall include at least one of the following: a hat, shirt, jacket, coat, vest or sweater. Fluorescent orange camouflage or fluorescent pink camouflage are legal. Hunters participating in limited quota muzzle-loading seasons are also required to meet the fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink requirements. Archers and crossbow hunters hunting during a special archery season or limited quota archery only Type 9 season are exempt from this requirement.


It says to "wear in a visible manner", that does not seem real vague. The idea is to be able to be seen from any direction (360 degrees) by another hunter.

Let's have a safe fall hunting season.

ClearCreek

 

[PleaseDear]

We had something similar here in my home state with the overlap of the Bow elk season and the Youth Rifle hunt.


We, bow hunters didn't need to wear orange but I don't like sneaking around in the timber Spot-n-Stalk elk when someone is shooting a rifle!



So, I just did this to my bow, and all went well.



Robb

 

[PleaseDear]

When I had my bow in hand, I would just wrap them on my pack......



Robb

 

[nontypical]

I've never worn orange in Wyoming while bow hunting. Never even occurred to me. Well...til now.

 

[2lumpy]

When I had my bow in hand, I would just wrap them on my pack......



Robb

View attachment 88209

Is that a Bingham Archery bow PleaseDear? Looks very familiar, from the late 1960s.

 

[PleaseDear]

No DC, it is one of two I made in Wood Shop back in High School..




Robb

 

[2lumpy]

Yep, Bingham Archery sold those kits to hundreds of high schools shops back in the 1960/70s. I have one that looks almost identical. Fun to see you still getting it done with one. They were out of the Ogden area I think.