One Countries new perspective on Blaze hunter Safety
- Thread starter WhelanLad
- Start date
you shoot over ridges :|
We use the horizon as a target holder.
Deer see blue better than we do, that's been proven years ago. They even see into the ultra violet spectrum. Whether they are horrified by the glow in the dark images or are merely amused is a different issue.
We've had to hunt with approved colours in rifle seasons my whole life, and my father's before that. Until the last few years that meant red, orange, yellow or white head to foot, (usually coveralls) including a hat which could be any of those colours except white. Lately waist up, and safety vests have been approved as good enough. Nobody seems to get shot, including everyone else in the bush who isn't required to wear them. The COs have fought the elimination of colours, mostly because they like to be able to identify hunters while driving down the road. Honestly, if they believed that it was a huge safety issue they would be wearing the stupid things themselves.
The funny thing is; having hunted with and without safety colours all over the world I'm still not convinced it makes much difference either way as far as game seeing you. Birds sure can. Game pick up on movement more than anything, and I haven't found that wearing a Santa Claus suit is a obstacle. My biggest peeve with the mandated colours is it makes it harder to availe yourself of all the high tech clothing out there.
This is similar topic to hi viz on motorcycles or bicycles. Does it blend into the background? Maybe. Is it good practice to ride sober and defensively? Absolutely. I prefer to do both to mitigate risk as much as possible. YMMV.
I've had moose walk to within 12 feet of me while dressed like a big glowing pumpkin, and have been busted by deer at 200 yds in the same outfit. Generally, I don't think the animals care. I agree that birds aren't colour blind, but grouse are too stupid to care. I've had ducks get up and leave half a mile away when I poked my head out on shore. A couple of weeks earlier, dressed in neutral colours, they didn't even notice.
I would prefer not to have to wear it. Mandatory orange is really an indictment of our hunter education system. Don't shoot unless you know what you're shooting at, species, ###, age, and don't shoot unless you know what's behind the target, and most "accidents" would go away.
I own a blue blaze fleece tee shirt, from stony creek, and do were it sum times, bush hunting, its an unnatural color in the NZ bush, doesn't seem to be any worse or better, for deer visibility than anything else I use,
Orange, esp faded orange, matches closely with the summer coat of red deer, and with the dead fronds of punga tree ferns and palms, and esp so in low light conditions, with shafts of sun light, penetrating threw the bush, many bush hunters have gone off orange for bush hunting, I normally were dark green or camo. fleece.
Very high UV light here, and clothing fades color, very quickly, what might last ten years in Canada, will be faded in one year here, and we have year round hunting, for over 12 big game animal's, so likely get more use over the course of a year as well.
I look at blue blaze, as a specialize piece of equipment, for NZ bush hunting, orange works much better once outside of that application.
Orange, esp faded orange, matches closely with the summer coat of red deer, and with the dead fronds of punga tree ferns and palms, and esp so in low light conditions, with shafts of sun light, penetrating threw the bush, many bush hunters have gone off orange for bush hunting, I normally were dark green or camo. fleece.
Very high UV light here, and clothing fades color, very quickly, what might last ten years in Canada, will be faded in one year here, and we have year round hunting, for over 12 big game animal's, so likely get more use over the course of a year as well.
I look at blue blaze, as a specialize piece of equipment, for NZ bush hunting, orange works much better once outside of that application.
copy that loud an clear.
I'm actually not fussed wearing blue! I'm into it! haha
filmed a few deer this past week up close wearing blue!!
WL
https://youtu.be/5iakdPZQ2Ug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iakdPZQ2Ug
Should be a video here fellas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iakdPZQ2Ug
Should be a video here fellas
If you want to imbed a video, there's a little button to click one, right ^ here in the dialog box ( second from the right, looks like a little film strip) When you click on that, paste your link into the little pop-up box instead of the main dialog box.
Im fine with the blaze since the orange does stand out like crazy but what i dont like is that you cant wear the "camo style blaze". Those few slashes of black against the bright orange dont hide you from people but i can see it helping break up your shape (especially if wearing those coverall style outfits).
The colour thats left will still shine through.
The colour thats left will still shine through.
