Blaze orange is a requirement in most jurisdictions during the firearms deer season.  Know how much you need to wear and what articles of clothing must be orange to be in compliance with regulation, but more importantly, visible to other hunters. Simonson Photo. 

By Nick Simonson

The approaching opener of firearms deer season serves as a reminder of what draws us into the outdoors.  Time spent with friends and family amidst a harvested bounty of soy and corn, tucked away in the draws and along the edges of grass-rimmed sloughs in blinds and stands, or picking a favorite hillside overlooking a rill lined with deer trails all highlight the combination of tradition and excitement of the season, and few other days bring people out in the numbers that firearms deer opener does.  With that rush of people, and the rush of adrenaline that comes with the opportunity to harvest a deer and punch that tag, comes the need for heightened safety in the field and for each person to see other hunters, and make him or herself visible to other sportspeople while remaining concealed from deer.

Blaze Up

The foremost requirement of any firearms deer season is the donning of a blaze orange hat and at least a blaze orange vest that match up with the requirements in your given jurisdiction.  Some areas allow for hot pink substitutions as well these days, so that option is available in places like Minnesota.  Know what is legal to wear and what you should be watching for in other hunters by checking the regulations for appropriate high-visibility hunting wear.  When in doubt, add more.  If you have a camo base layer carrying over from the early bow season, make sure that the added orange offsets the ability for those garments to blend in.

Unblinded

When hunting from a ground blind or an elevated, enclosed stand, make an effort to put some sort of sign that the structure is occupied.  This could be anything from a clip-on blaze orange cover for the roof of the blind to simply clipping or clamping an orange vest in a door or window on the blind.  When others see the orange addition, they’ll know that the structure is likely occupied by a fellow hunter.  Remember that in most circumstances that you will still have to wear the requisite blaze orange while hunting from a box blind or elevated stand, even if you’re clad in the darkness and shadow inside of the structure.

Let Them Know

Oftentimes, deer hunts at the start of the season will take many people to public lands, and while you may be the first one on sight before sunrise and legal light, others may come after you entering from other vantage points onto the public parcel or, even if it isn’t the most courteous, parking where your vehicle is and following your trail in. If you’re in position and catch sound from approaching hunters, or see a line of orange making its way toward your spot, make sure they see you.  While doing so may spook deer, or perhaps slow the hunt down, everyone getting safely out of the area when hunters bump into one another is the ultimate goal.  Standing up and offering a silent wave of an orange hat or glove to catch their attention, or issuing a sharp whistle to perk their ears as they approach your area will help limit contact and provide the group with an idea to turn around and find a new place to hunt and keep everyone safe.  There’s no need for conflict, but definitely a necessity for courtesy in a situation like that, and also know that others accessing public lands you might be still hunting can push deer in your direction – a silver lining to the fact that so many people are looking for a place to hunt.

Keep these tips in mind to see and be seen this upcoming firearms deer season.  Wear the right colored garments to set yourself apart from the landscape.  Identify occupied hunting structures and remember to take those markers down with you as you leave. If things get too close between another group and you, give them a wave or a whistle to catch their attention and provide an opportunity for them to backtrack or consider alternatives on public land.  Put it all together and everyone will stay safe during this all-important opener and the entirety of this hallmark hunting season each autumn. 

Simonson is the lead writer and editor of Dakota Edge Outdoors.