Deer season...any worries?

[311Hemi]

Just wondering if you guys have any worries when setting up on the edges of lakes/slews now that deer season is upon us?

Heading out tomorrow morning and this just came across my mind last night.

[Eckie]

My first thought is .... No, one should be fine on/near a lake when most deer hunting happens in the woods.

However, with all the horror stories we hear about these days, I'd be a little more than a little leary about being covered in head to toe camo in any location other than my living room this weekend.

I can all but guarantee that Monday's news will have at least one story involving a senseless fatal shooting of some type (and that person will be wearing blaze orange, no less).

Don't think it's worth the risk of a duckie or two tomorrow and Sunday.

[Ducks and Fish]

I just had this conversation with my wife last night and she doesn't want me to duck hunt this weekend because of the deer hunters. I will be wearing orange setting up and going to and from my hunting spot. But, obviously I am not going to be wearing the blaze while hunting.

Am I little worried? Yes, I am a little worried about an errant shot or some (Contact Us Please) shooting at noise.

[Eckie]

Gopack ~

Great idea on the blaze orange...can't be too careful....good luck and be safe this weekend.

[BoxMN]

Before I started deer hunting, we in a blind on a private lake the morn of deer opener. We always used to joke around that some goofy deer hunter would shoot one of us... Well, wouldn't you know, we hear this thrashing through the cattails, and see a deer coming our way. Up behind us on a hill was a guy in a hay bale blind. Sure as crap, we see a splash in the water not 10 yards from us.... then hear the CRACK of the rifle. Then another....

We were not hit, but boy did we hit the deck - about 6 of us diving for the ground. The deer got away, and we started yelling, and fired a few shots in the air...

When we left (after shooting some ducks) the guy was not there any longer. There is no way he didn't know we were there, as we drove in AFTER shooting time, and we saw him and he definitely saw our truck lights and the truck, as we went by him about 40 yards away on a field road.

Anyway, I have not been afraid to duck hunt during deer season, but no matter how careful you are there is always a chance that some yahoo will do the wrong thing. I personally would not walk through woods or even a field to get to a duck hunting spot in deer season, especially public area. But if you leave from a boat access in a boat, and sit on a lake, you shouldn't have any problem. But I would wear an orange cap and vest any time you were not in your blind for sure.

good luck to all the deer hunters and duckers. I will duck it this weekend, and my deer hunt trip is next weekend.

[TV BOY]

A few years ago we had slugs wizzing overhead! Some ignoramus was tresspassing and shot at a doe on the ridge right behind us. That was one of the few times I heard my Dad get worked up and chew someones behind. That was back before everyone had cell phones.

Some of the best duck hunting can be during the deer season. I thought we were safe on rented land, but you never know....

Good luck, and great idea wearing blaze setting up etc..

[HugoBox]

I was in the blind with BoxMn when we had our close call. since then if I'm near woods or public land I'll keep some orange on even in the blind. That same day we actually shot a fair number of divers with orange hats on. We also had a big buck (that I'm assuming was being pushed) swim through our decoys on Big Marine.

[BoxMN]

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Good luck, and great idea wearing blaze setting up etc..

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If I am not mistaken, not only is it a good idea, but it is the law during deer season.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

i think theres a provision in the regs that allows waterfowlers to not need blaze orange; but its a hell of a good idea i.m.o. i will be wearing a blaze orange beany while in my layout blind if i go out tomorrow.

[glenn57]

tvboy, rockville mn, just west down the road from ya.

[LovenLifeGuy]

Box is right. You have to have blaze orange on if duck hunting this weekend. I will be out Sunday with some on!

[bassman222]

You DO NOT have to have blaze orange while waterfowl hunting during deer season. Not saying it wouldn't be a bad idea while setting/picking up etc.

[EpicAdventure]

Ok, everyone is making me nervous about going out this weekend. I was going to go down by North Lake/Gores Pool WMA by Hastings. Does that see much deer hunter activity?

So are most of the crazy guys only out on opener weekend? And it is a little less crazy later on?

[BoxMN]

Just to be 100% accurate, I agreed with above when he said you need it when "setting up", which seems partially true...

Page 30 in general rules:

"bLAZE ORANGE REqUIREmENTS

Small Game Seasons: You may not take small game unless a visible portion of at least one article of clothing above the waist is blaze orange, except when hunting wild turkeys, migratory birds, raccoons, or predators, or when hunting by falconry, with nontoxic shot or while trapping.

Deer Season: Also, you may not hunt or trap during the open season where deer may be taken by firearms (including special hunts, youth seasons, and muzzleloaders) under applicable laws and ordinances unless the visible portion of your cap and outer clothing above the waist, excluding sleeves and gloves, is blaze orange. Red is not a legal color, except for those who qualify under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. Blaze orange includes a camouflage pattern of at least 50 percent blaze orange within each square foot. This restriction does not apply to migratory waterfowl hunters on waters or in a stationary shooting location or to trappers on waters."

Just wanted to make sure I am not giving inaccurate info out

I think other deer hunters are the most likely to get shot mistakenly, than duck hunters. I hope we have a safe season so noone gets shot, of course.

[yakfisher]

"This restriction does not apply to migratory waterfowl hunters on waters or in a stationary shooting location or to trappers on waters."

This sentence of the reg would lead me to believe that unless you are on the water or stationary you should be wearing blaze orange. So if your not in a boat or sitting in the blind you should be wearing orange. Good luck huntin' gents.

[5806]

I would avoid Gores Pool during deer hunting season blaze orange or no blaze orange. 2 years ago I went down there for an afternoon hunt. I didn't pay close attention to the deer zone map and thought that the season was closed for that area. Wrong. There was all sorts of blasting away going on in the woods and I saw roving bands of "hunters" wearing orange moving all around the woods, popping out to the water every once in a while. Now I'm no deer hunter but I was pretty sure that that wasn't the way deer hunting is supposed to be done so I figured that the chances of these guys being able to distinguish a duck hunter from a deer was pretty slim. I was hunting the Vermillion river back water out of a shore blind and had walked in with no blaze orange on at all. I packed up and high tailed it out of there seriously expecting to get shot before I made it back to my truck.

North lake itself might be a different story since there isn't much for a deer hunter to setup in close by, but I wouldn't put it past anyone if there was one set up in that narrow strip of woods that runs from the launch up the west end of the lake.

[jumboperch]

If you are not in your blind yes you do have to wear blaze orange. any time you are moving, be in a boat or on foot you best have your orange on, it is the law.

[5806]

Geez thanks for the tip. Actually while I think it is a very good idea to wear orange while in transit during the deer season I don't read the regs as explicitly saying that. It says you may not hunt or trap. If your gun is unloaded and cased you are not hunting you are walking in the woods. There are no restrictions on activities other than hunting or trapping. For waterfowl hunters this boils down to no sneaking up and jump shooting. You can interpret it how you like and it is better safe than sorry for sure, I just don't think it says that you must wear orange when boating or toting your decoys back to the truck.

[311Hemi]

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I just don't think it says that you must wear orange when boating

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While I agree it's a good idea to wear it, I also agree that no blaze orange is required for boating (fishing).....which is pretty much what you are doing when your gun is cased and put away.

Walking through the cattails to find a cripple, yep.....I would have it on.

Thanks for the info!!

[Dean Schellinger]

I don't think people should be as concerned about breaking the law on this one and getting a ticket as they should be about taking a slug in the head. I would just hope everyone that goes out takes the safe route and wears some orange and lessens your chances of being another statistic....Way to many (Contact Us Please) with guns out there during deer season.

[LovenLifeGuy]

I must have miss read that one. I checked because im leaving in a few hours to duck hunt and was told you need blaze. I think I goter now. Thanks, guys.