I took 2 of my boys out for the youth firearm season in MN this past weekend. I was astounded by the number of other hunters (non Deer) that were not wearing sufficient orange. Grouse hunters, archery, etc. None of them were even aware it was going on.
The DNR needs to put a calendar and highlight all dates where required blaze orange is necessary and put it in each section of the regs.
Some of the guys were from out of state grouse hunting.
Completely agree, even non hunters in the woods should at least have a orange hat on just for safety. Some also falls on the parents to teach their kids right from wrong also. I have some family that was out for the youth hunt that posted pics on social media with them and their kids not wearing orange or pink above the waist while sitting in an enclosed stand. The other nephew had a camo hat on instead of an orange hat. 
I wouldnt say its the DNRs fault really. Its in the regs. I follow it but I barely see people if ever where im going on public.
I wouldnt say its the DNRs fault really. Its in the regs. I follow it but I barely see people if ever where im going on public.
Yes and no, the responsibility falls on the person in the field, but its certainly something that could be easily made more obvious.
My buddy was camping on tax forfeited land and bow hunting. SOmeone plopped down an ice castle near his stand, running their generator and kids were riding bikes all around with no orange. The dad was out with older kids hunting, but left the rest back with the wife and she was letting them roam free.
I am so glad I don’t hunt on public land.
The overlapping seasons coupled with the lack of responsibility shown by those who use the land (hunting, hiking, etc) to know seasons and regulations is crazy. The DNR funds free regulation pamphlets and has a fully accessible website to the people who recreate on public land. What more are they supposed to do? If a person is pulled over for speeding and there isn’t a speed limit sign within sight, is that something to b**** about? If people want to know the seasons, regulations, or safely recreate in the woods by being informed…they will.
i dont think alot of people even know there is a youth hunting season
i dont think alot of people even know there is a youth hunting season
They dont. Every single person I talked to who was hunting grouse or archery deer had no idea there was a youth firearms season and its not like they just started this. It has been going on for several years now.
What more are they supposed to do?
In general I agree with you that the information is there, but it could be MUCH easier to find than scrolling through pages and pages of stuff. Merely by putting a calendar with the highlighted dates when blaze orange is required would be a simple enough solution I would think.
I was chatting with a buddy just last night about the lack of people wearing orange and he said “it only needs to be 100 square inches so I bet you lay your blaze hat down that is a 10 by 10 area = 100 inches”. This is a guy who’s hunted his entire life and in several states. I have no idea where he got this info from because I see nothing like that in MN regs. So even people who hunt a ton dont even know the rules. LOL
I got checked by an officer when I returned to my vehicle, while out Pheasant hunting. A group of waterfowl hunters were also entering the parking lot from the field when the officer wheeled in.
I was of course wearing Orange but the waterfowl hunters were not. I’m not 100% sure on the rules myself but they did not get a ticket.
The cuyuna rec area was open to both deer hunting and mtn biking. At least they close the biking trails for the November season.
I was of course wearing Orange but the waterfowl hunters were not. I’m not 100% sure on the rules myself but they did not get a ticket.
Dont quote me on this, but I dont believe you are required to wear orange for waterfowl. I havent hunted waterfowl in years, but I believe when I did it wasnt a requirement. Probably because the season was long over before firearms season. These early seasons cross over so many different activities now.
Can’t put this on the DNR.
If anything they should have more enforcement out there ticketing people who think it’s too much work to do what they are responsible for doing, that’s reading and understanding the laws. They shouldn’t be required to make it easy for everyone who refuse to read and learn the stipulations of their season on their own.
You want to hunt? Then it’s your responsibility to know and follow the rules or you’ll be subject to a fine.
I think it all boils down to lack of law enforcement. If more officers were out ticketing the offenders more people would decide that maybe it is important to know and understand the laws.
Can’t put this on the DNR.
If anything they should have more enforcement out there ticketing people who think it’s too much work to do what they are responsible for doing, that’s reading and understanding the laws. They shouldn’t be required to make it easy for everyone who refuse to read and learn the stipulations of their season on their own.
You want to hunt? Then it’s your responsibility to know and follow the rules or you’ll be subject to a fine.
I think it all boils down to lack of law enforcement. If more officers were out ticketing the offenders more people would decide that maybe it is important to know and understand the laws.
Agreed that there should be more enforcement in the field but it’s not funded. There are so few COs in the field that it is ridiculous. By enforcement, I don’t mean people out citing everyone for every minor violation. One of the best ways to get people to remain invested in the outdoors is to have COs educate as well as enforce. I’ve had many positive interactions with COs where they have taught me something (not necessarily about the regs) that made me appreciate them.
Every year it gets worse with the special hunts and seasons and regs and slots and exemptions. Yes it’s on everyone to keep up and know the laws, but easy to understand how people miss some things.
I say just let everyone hunt and fish year round and manage harvest as such. yeah it sounds crazy…but is it??
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Mookie Blaylock wrote:</div>
I was of course wearing Orange but the waterfowl hunters were not. I’m not 100% sure on the rules myself but they did not get a ticket.Dont quote me on this, but I dont believe you are required to wear orange for waterfowl. I havent hunted waterfowl in years, but I believe when I did it wasnt a requirement. Probably because the season was long over before firearms season. These early seasons cross over so many different activities now.
We got checked a couple years ago duck hunting during firearms deer season you have to have blaze orange above the waist while walking to and from your place of waterfowl hunting. Stern warning was all that was given to us.
We got checked a couple years ago duck hunting during firearms deer season you have to have blaze orange above the waist while walking to and from your place of waterfowl hunting. Stern warning was all that was given to us.
Ah yes, that is the way it was when I hunted as well. That was so long ago they had the split seasons, maybe they do now, but I havent done it in over 25 years.
MN regs do not say that. It only says that waterfowl is one of the exceptions.
DT
yeah it sounds crazy…but is it??
Yes.
MN regs do not say that. It only says that waterfowl is one of the exceptions.
DT
pg 33 in the regs says else wise. If you are waterfowl hunting on public land that you walked into and firearm for deer is open on that land as well, then you need to have blaze orange on when walking out if during legal shooting hours.
I don’t see that.
DT
Screenshot_20211025-171425_Drive.jpg
It says on the water or stationary which means blaze on when walking in and out of the field.
It’s seems to me that it is always worthwhile to wear blaze when others are hunting in the area. I even carry a blaze vest during spring turkey season, wear it walking in and walking out. Much better than being shot at by someone.
This is part of the reason I do not pheasant hunt anymore until after firearms deer season is over, both youth and general. I have known what the blaze orange requirements are during these seasons for years. My standard pheasant vest with orange shoulder patches is not good enough when there is a firearms deer season open.
Its very clear to me in the regulations what needs to be worn. But then again I pretty much know the regulations for every season that pertains to the hunting I do. I can easily see that someone that is recreating in the woods or fields would not be aware of the blaze orange requirements. However, not knowing is not good enough. As several others have mentioned, its on the people participating to follow the rules and the conservation officers to enforce it.
Read the 2 lines I have marked.
Screenshot_20211025-175430_Chrome.jpg
Justin and Jensen, I believe you have the correct interpretation. Makes sense.
I really dislike the youth hunts. Waiting until I was 12 and hunting with the men was a rite of passage. These special hunts trivialize the experience.
Another thing that really really irritates me is telling me that I have to wear blaze orange on my highly taxed property. I used to host a historic encampment on my property for like minded hunters/reenactors. Flint lock fire arms, 18th century encampment with all the trimmings. Many of us made our clothing, even to the point of dyeing the leather and cloth with walnut hulls and plant based dyes. Now the DNR can tell me I have to wear blaze orange if I carry a gun. I can go do anything else I want in my woods and not wear orange but if I want to hunt small game I have to wear orange or face enforcement action. I don’t think I’ll be getting a prorated license fee or reduction in my property taxes compensating me for the loss of precious Fall days in the field.
I agree with Duke.
Not sure why there has to be a youth season at all.
When I was a kid growing up in ND it was tradition to not be at school on Friday of deer opener. All fall I was hunting ducks, pheasants, grouse and archery deer till gun season came around. Didn’t need a youth hunt.
Colorado has multiple gun seasons during the archery season. Only the gun hunters are required to wear blaze orange.
Colorado has multiple gun seasons during the archery season. Only the gun hunters are required to wear blaze orange.
And, a muzzleloader hunter shot and killed an archery hunter this fall in Colorado thinking the archery hunter was an elk.
Buffalo Fishhead
There’s a name for duck hunters who wear blaze orange. Bird watchers.
I personally consider the orange requirements ridiculous. I wear orange myself, but now I have to keep track of what season are what to decide if I need to wear my stupid orange hat or not? Just make the requirement orange above the waist and get on with life. Nobody wearing an orange vest was ever shot that would have been saved by an orange hat. Minnesota hunting regulations are already a convoluted mess, why does even a safety requirement have to be? Orange above the waist for upland game or deer hunters, done, all the regulation you need. If you choose to wear more, good for you. Instead of a full page of exceptions, it should be that you can take it off when in a stationary position, that’s it. It shouldn’t matter what season it is.
Wear orange when in transit duck hunting, tuck it in a bag while actually hunting. Ducks don’t know the difference and may save you some pain.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
