I could wish high schools would teach firearms safety. On the plus side, I do see a resurgence of parents teaching firearms safety at home.

"I came across a woman wearing a fluorescent pink jacket and huge, white framed sunglasses (on a cell phone, naturally) and found it very jarring."

So what? Squint a bit and pass her!

"I wear mostly greens, browns and greys when I hike, 99% of which is in State parks where hunting isn't an issue...where hunting is allowed, right up to our property line. When out on the fringes of camp, I make sure to wear a red hat or jacket."

Oh, really???

I think you'd better run your eye over this chart.

Among other sizes on the chart, a .22 short can travel up to one mile. A 7mm or .338 can travel up to FIVE MILES!

Anyone who thinks a property line is going to stop a person or a bullet just plain isn't thinking very clearly!

Sue

That's exactly how I feel, but was having trouble putting it to words. While canoeing in the BWCA, I once saw someone with a bright orange poncho across the lake. It intruded on my (illusion of) solitude. I think of it as "color pollution".

I hate to harp on this, but a good way to "become one with nature" is to have your relatives scattering your ashes in the woods you love so dearly.

Every fall, and I mean EVERY fall, I read the same story in our local paper.

One example, a young man, wearing a very faded orange sweatshirt, stuck his head through some bushes. His hair was dirty blond. His hunting companion shot him.

These stories are legion. I can understand if you are not a hunter, you don't notice them, and you find the presence of orange clad people in woods off putting.

Orange blaze is extremely noticeable. It sticks out like a sore thumb and you can see it through brush and timber. For a reason. Wearing a comfortable color that is not the color of a deer won't do you much good. You have to stick out as extremely unnatural or someone will pull the trigger in your direction.

It's called "buck fever." Fruitcakes who want a deer so bad they will pull the trigger at the slightest motion.

Tim

(Edited to add: A good way to accomplish this is to use an orange blaze hat -- they come insulated or cheap baseball cap style -- and an orange blaze vest. You can easily take them off and on, they won't add weight, and they are cheap. Available at most big mart stores.)

That's exactly how I feel, but was having trouble putting it to words. While canoeing in the BWCA, I once saw someone with a bright orange poncho across the lake. It intruded on my (illusion of) solitude. I think of it as "color pollution". [/quote]

If I come across anyone on my hikes, the encounter intrudes on my illusion of solitude. Color is irrelevant The pain and horror is assuaged if they happen to be an attractive lady...

Seriously, bright colors aid considerably in finding someone who is lost. You don't have to wear bright colors all the time, but you should have something available.

Your choice.

All I will add is I went to wal mart this morning, and they've got a mesh orange vest for $5, and a blaze orange snap closure baseball type cap for $3. A more expensive vest is $12.

If it's not hunting season, yeah, I would not wear these. But there's no excuse for not wearing them during hunting season. They will go on and off easily and not replace your regular hiking clothes.

End of my rants.

Tim

This is just so sad. Before I could get my license, I had to complete a hunter's safety course. I would never consider pulling the trigger on my rifle until I had completely verified my target.

This guy should have the book thrown at him. Accidental shooting... bah...

"Last week on the trail, I came across a woman wearing a fluorescent pink jacket and huge, white framed sunglasses (on a cell phone, naturally) and found it very jarring. "

When I was young, we were taught that a bit of color, say a
red jacket, really livened up photos of the backcountry.

Color pollution seems like a pretty silly concern in my mind.

I don't feel like I should have to dress in such a way just to fulfill someones fantasy.

If they want that kind of experience, they should take a hike up north in the Yukon and really live it.

"Among other sizes on the chart, a .22 short can travel up to one mile. A 7mm or .338 can travel up to FIVE MILES!

Anyone who thinks a property line is going to stop a person or a bullet just plain isn't thinking very clearly!"

A bit misleading. Most hunting rounds shot at hunting angles,
will hit the ground in well under a mile. A 30-06 round
sighted in for max point blank range and shot at the level
will hit the dirt by 600 yards.

I suppose if you hunt
tree squirrels with your Weatherby, you might have cause to
worry at 5 miles.

Here is a Ballistics Calculator so you can figure stuff out yourself.

http://www.biggameinfo.com/index.aspx?page=%2fbalcalc.ascx

I can see where the fish and game wants you to know the worst
case outcomes so people don't do stupid stuff like firing
into the air or across water, but I don't want hunting areas shut down based on the wildest of possible outcomes either.

its probably a worst case scnerio. My land is in WV so if I look up the mountain and see somehting I want ot shoot at then my hunting angle could be 45degrees
I'm also on a high peak so even something straight out and level from me would cross the next mountain or drop down and through a valley. I have to be extra careful.