Wearing Blaze while Archery Hunting?

[SartellMN]

The regs say that all hunters must wear blaze during gun season and muzzleloader season. How does thing effect how everyone hunts? I am not sure if I can ground-hunt for deer with blaze. Do you just sit up in the stand wearing blaze then? If yes, then why bother with camo during the regular season?

[Lip RIPPER!]

I've bowhunted a number of times during the muzzleloader season on the ground and the orange has never seemed to be a problem for me. Anyone else?

[Bogsucker]

Deer are color-blind. Orange camo is as effective as regular camo, though not as aesthetically pleasing to most hunters. All(35) of the deer I've shot have been from the ground and none of the deer have seen me whether I was wearing orange, orange camoflage or camoflage. The key to hunting from the ground is to not move or move very slowly and have cover(tree, stump, bush, etc...) behind you.

[T-ProGuy]

I agree with Bogsucker...it has always been my understanding that deer are color-blind, but their eyes are able to sense ultra-violet light, making items that reflect large amounts of UV light appear as what we might call blue, or at the very least, brighter than other surrounding things. The color of your camo does not make any difference...the idea behind the camo is to break up the outline of the human body as much as possible. Granted, you are probably best off with a camo that somewhat mimicks the surroundings you hunt in, but just as long as your silhoutte is masked, it makes it much harder for the deer to spot you.

[jbjr]

Deer are color blind, blaze orange camo works ok.

The orange is for humans not deer....

[mechanictim]

I have had deer walk within feet of me while sitting on a log while wearing blaze orange, seems to be the perfect color for camo. only draw back is it seems to attract other hunters,especially the gabby kind who think a bowhunter is going to tell them of a nearby rooster or monster buck they can blast away at.LOL

[89Bronco]

On Saturday I had a spike and a six-pointer literally within feet of me. Less than two yards. I believe as long as you don't smell and you don't move they won't know you're there no matter what you're wearing.

[Mr. B]

I had four deer with in 20 yards of me this weekend. A spike, a doe with her fawn and the only one that had any idea I was there was the huge 8 point I shot at. I am not sure how he knew I was there but just as I was going to release he took a step. I was so focused on the deer I did not see the oak tree until my arrow shattered into it. As long as you are still and they can not smell you it does not matter what you wear.

[st.croixfishin]

I had some luck also this weekend seeing 8 does while wearing blaze orange. 2 were in shooting range-one to small and the other one saw me, no clue how it saw me. It was coming right on my 10 yard trail braodside(wind in perfect dircetion, high stand, thought I was gonna have a nice doe for the freezer) then it lifts it head up and stares me down for about 10 min. then trots away, sometimes those old does are smarter than them big ole bucks. Theres always next time I spose.

Bob Downey

[Stratosman]

Last year during a deer drive I was posted on a fallen tree that was 4 feet off the ground, a doe ran right up to the tree and stood there, so close I could have kicked her in the head and she didn't even know I was there. Deer cannot see color, movement and smell are what you need to worry about the most.

[ricqik]

It doesn't matter how good of a camo you're wearing, those older does and bucks have seen enough humans and easily reconizes the basic shape of the human. IMO.

[Guest]

Ihave had very good success when I get my stand at least 20 feet off the ground. The chance of the deer winding you or seeing you is way less. Get up high and play the wind right and you will see your success rate increase. Also, please use a safty harness as it is a long way down. I have to say, camo or blaze orange my success is about the same

[CrappieJohn]

They make a "blue blocker" spray coating to apply on your blaze which gets rid of the super brightness. Using filters they have shown how a blaze coat will literally glow and will appear as a bright grey to those animals which have vision limited to the whites, greys and blacks....like deer. The thinking is thatr deer are functionally color blind, but the have now proven where deer can see some colors, but to what extent it is not for certain. Anyway, this spray dries clear and creates a filter to eliminate some of the color absorbtion in the blue range of the spectrum. It works well for me and I have to haunt from a ground blind.

Motion and scent are greater enemies for those of us who hunt low. Time has made it perfectly clear to me that three things cannot be ingested when hunting from a ground stand: alcohol, garlic, or onions. All three of these will crawl out of every pore in your hide and deer are very affected by these smells. I used to smoke and have had deer come right down a path (gun hunting) while I was puffing away without much of an effect unless the wind was blowing right on them. I'd say that smoke is the least offensive of all smells we take into the woods, unless you've made chili a main course at each meal for three days prior to the hunt. lol. Be clear,though, that I am not condoning the habit of smoking! Period!

As far as the blaze is considered, you were it out of necessity,but remeber that you are upright, like a tree, and as long as you stay still the deer will simply note you as being one that is bright. I always try to be against a tree or use brush to break up my outline. Even in a high stahd, if you are a foot away from that tree you are a human outline with a great deal of light behind you. That is how the one individual got noticed I'd bet.