DNR needs to do better job of communicating Youth Firearm season — blaze orange

Buffalo Fishhead wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Michael Best wrote:</div>
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

Do you really think that blaze orange is to blame for a hunter shooting before they knew what they were shooting at?
Knowing your target and what’s beyond it are some of the first rules one learns in hunter/ gun safety.
Maybe we should all start wearing bullet proof armor to protect ourselves in the field. That way everyone can just shoot at everything and nobody will get hurt.

Michael Best wrote:

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.

Same here. I don’t agree with special seasons for any groups. Fishing or hunting.

suzuki wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Michael Best wrote:</div>
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.

Same here. I don’t agree with special seasons for any groups. Fishing or hunting.

I agree. I am not for a special season for any demographic for deer, waterfowl, etc. I’ve stated my opinion on this before. When I was growing up and wanted to go hunting, I went on opener like everyone else did.

That being said, this thread is really not about whether we agree there should be special season for one demographic. Its about wearing the proper blaze orange when a specific season is open. Its very clear on what you need to wear, and when. If you choose to recreate outdoors during these seasons, follow the requirements. Not difficult. If you don’t want to wear adequate blaze orange, then you risk being cited, or worse, getting shot.

gimruis wrote:

That being said, this thread is really not about whether we agree there should be special season for one demographic. Its about wearing the proper blaze orange when a specific season is open. Its very clear on what you need to wear, and when. If you choose to recreate outdoors during these seasons, follow the requirements. Not difficult. If you don’t want to wear adequate blaze orange, then you risk being cited, or worse, getting shot.

Correct this isnt about whether the special seasons should be in place or not its the fact that people, even some life-long hunters in this thread do not even know the requirements of when to wear orange. So all the condescending about its the hunters responsibility falls on everyone here because its clear as mud that there is a lot of room for interpretation based on some of the replies here. The regulations shouldnt read like a piece of legal-ease it should be cut and dry and no room for interpretation.
In regards to someone required to wear orange on their own property, I dont think that should be necessarily required either. I would do it for personal safety concerns perhaps, but if you are on a block of large private land I dont think orange should necessarily be required. There are other rules that apply on public lands that do not for private lands so I see it sort of the same way.

Correction good sirs. The guide CLEARLY states you can also wear blaze pink.

suzuki wrote:

Correction good sirs. The guide CLEARLY states you can also wear blaze pink.

Yes! My middle son always wore bright pink socks playing youth football. That way we could always tell where he was. The coaches would even just call him “pink socks”. He wanted to buy a pink deer coat but I said you already have blaze bibs so not mixing and matching.

I agree with some of the other guys I am not a fan of the youth hunts either. And I have kids and avid outdoorsman so that is saying something.

Also I am typically pretty up to date on the regs. I was pheasant hunting last weekend and surprised to find out that there was an “early anterless deer season” going on. Some 3 or 4 day special season. Same with early teal and on and on. Ridiculous.

lindyrig79 wrote:

I was pheasant hunting last weekend and surprised to find out that there was an “early anterless deer season” going on. Some 3 or 4 day special season. Same with early teal and on and on. Ridiculous.

First time I heard about that early anterless season was when I was getting my kid’s youth firearms license last wednesday. There was a guy getting his license and his daughters. He got his license for a zone on the East part of the state for early anterless and then his daughters for somewhere out by Alex. Hmm, I wonder how that works?

If I am hunting public land, I am wearing orange no matter what. To many dumb asses out there.

Charles wrote:

If I am hunting public land, I am wearing orange no matter what. To many dumb asses out there.

Good idea. However, there’s more to it. You need to have the specific amount of required blaze orange when a deer firearms season is open. The law applies to private land too, not just public.

I know people who have been upland bird hunting with their orange hat and/or vest on that they would normally wear, and that was not enough. So yes, wearing blaze orange is good and required. But you need to make sure you wear enough of it at certain times of the hunting season too.

Tim Conroy Jr. wrote:

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.

So you are saying sitting next to a tree gun deer hunting(stationary) you should be allowed to wear camouflage clothing??
All your neighbor sees hunting 800 yards away is woods. He thinks that’s a safe backstop shooting at a deer. He won’t see you sitting in camouflage.
I’m just asking for clarification. Not trying to start an argument.

Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. I’m not saying you should do it, but it should be allowed. If I’m sitting in a fully enclosed box or ground blind, you can’t see me at all anyway, so what difference does it make? Sitting next to a tree, even better, as you have a bullet stop behind you. That’s turkey hunting 101. And yes I do wear orange walking out for turkey, but no I do not want to see any requirements for such.

I can’t understand some of these people claiming the orange requirements are simple. They are only simple if you are always 100% of the time wearing a full sized orange jacket and full orange hat. If that’s you, great. The rest of us who aren’t hunting deer don’t have it so nice.

So you want to hunt pheasant, so you need orange above the waist, usually a vest. Great. Oh, but now you have to either find an orange hat cover, or an orange hat that is comfortable, or you can keep careful watch of the complex dates that are firearms deer seasons. I guess just always wear both vest and hat, and accept the nanny state that is MN.

So now you want to hunt waterfowl. This is one of the exceptions, but great, there’s an exception to the exception. During a deer firearm season, you do have to technically (thank got not enforced) wear orange any time you are field hunting waterfowl. So now you have to bring a vest and an orange hat with you for every time you get up and move. Just crippled a bird that is running across the field on the youth deer weekend? You legally have to put on your orange to go chase it. So I’m sure some safety jerk out there is saying “just do it”.

Now you want to hunt varmints or turkeys. There’s already a huge lump of regulations for varmint hunting during deer firearms seasons, so most just avoid it. Turkey hunting though, the season dates are what they are, this year October 2-31. That overlaps the youth and early antlerless firearms deer seasons. There’s no exception for turkey hunting. The way the regulations are written, if you hunt during this time, you have to wear orange above the waist, and an orange hat 100% of the time, no exceptions. Yeah… good luck with that.

That’s just scratching the surface. The MN orange regulations are convoluted and stupid.

“When deer hunting, or upland game hunting, orange above the waist must be worn unless in a stationary position.”

That one sentence is all that is needed, that’s all that should be in the regulations, not this full page of “what if’s” garbage that we have now.

To bad they don’t publish some sort of book with rules in it

Seriously, if people are not going to read and understand the rules, what can the dnr do?? They are not tough to understand, the dnr also takes emails and answers pretty quick. I think one problem is folks tend to try and read between the lines, just read what they say, nothing more.

How many pages in the hunting & trapping reg book now ?

In 2021, it is 125 pages. That is absolutely insane !

Ha!!! DNR taking emails? I lived in Minnesota 26 years. In all that time I never ONCE got an answer from them by email. Once in a while you can get an answer from a CO officer, but you have to be careful who you ask, because some of them are not friendly people.

Of course we try and read between the lines. The lines say we have to turkey hunt in blaze orange, what the heck else are we supposed to do? The only saving grace in the state is that the CO officers usually think with their brain. They aren’t going to give you a ticket for wearing camo when turkey hunting, same as they won’t give you a ticket for having leeches in your cooler without exchanging the water when you leave. Both being plain as day against the law by the rule book, but stupid as can be.

The Minnesota hunting and fishing rule books are insanity. I read them every year multiple times, and you can’t memorize them. When I go to the state, I always have to give myself a refresher, because the rules are so full of nonsensical laws you would never expect to see otherwise.

Tim Conroy Jr. wrote:

Oh, but now you have to either find an orange hat cover, or an orange hat that is comfortable

Sounds pretty rough

Tim Conroy Jr. wrote:

The lines say we have to turkey hunt in blaze orange, what the heck else are we supposed to do?

How many people turkey hunt in the fall? I don’t know of any to be honest. And I know a lot of people that hunt here. I know a fair amount of people who spring hunt but none who hunt them in the fall. All the other seasons are open in the fall so I have zero interest in hunting a turkey this time of year when I can hunt them in the spring.

BTW I agree with you on the turkey hunting and blaze orange. Turkeys see the full color spectrum so it won’t work. My suggestion would be to turkey hunt when there isn’t a firearm deer season open. Which really isn’t that many days in the fall to be honest.

Mn used to require a lot more orange for deer hunting. Now its like many other states with a hat and upper body excluding arms so basically a vest. That’s a safe amount but not so much you look like a pumpkin monster.

On one hand, we have people who are asking why the MNDNR isn’t doing more to notify people of every special circumstantial date or season involving hunting (think walls of signs every 50 yards of public land, automated text messages round the clock, maybe knocking at your door and beating you over the head with the free regulation booklet every Sunday that you’re too lazy to read).

On the other hand, we have someone complaining about having to find a comfortable orange hat to wear in public woods during deer season.

…quite the range of crazy exists around these parts

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Tom Condon Jr. wrote:</div>
The lines say we have to turkey hunt in blaze orange, what the heck else are we supposed to do?

How many people turkey hunt in the fall? I don’t know of any to be honest. And I know a lot of people that hunt here. I know a fair amount of people who spring hunt but none who hunt them in the fall. All the other seasons are open in the fall so I have zero interest in hunting a turkey this time of year when I can hunt them in the spring.

BTW I agree with you on the turkey hunting and blaze orange. Turkeys see the full color spectrum so it won’t work. My suggestion would be to turkey hunt when there isn’t a firearm deer season open. Which really isn’t that many days in the fall to be honest.

According to the MN DNR 2021 turkey harvest report, 6,507 fall turkey licenses were sold in the state. According to the MN DNR 2020 deer harvest report 12,510 licenses were sold for the early antlerless deer season. There is no data on how many bought youth licenses.

I hunt fall turkey. I know other people who fall turkey hunt. Only in Minnesota would a suggestion exist to simply not hunt because the all mighty whitetail shooters are out, and they are so much more important than everyone else. You know, the animal that has the longest hunting season of any edible animal.

@Suzuki, when did MN ever require more orange for deer? It wasn’t in the last 20 years. The orange hat was not required until maybe 10-15 years ago. I swear in the 90’s, orange wasn’t even required, it’s a little before my time, but the red flannel used to be the standard. I’m willing to admit shooting accidents have gone down a decent amount since orange became the standard, but they did not change at all when the orange hat was tacked on. They remain at practically nothing. with or without the stupid hat.

@Reef Whooligan, no it is not the end of the world, but the point is the MN orange requirements are not simple. I can’t fathom how a person could possibly make them more complex, they are the most convoluted in the midwest. Many an orange ratchet strap has been sacrificed so I could meet the stupid orange hat requirement.

Tim Conroy Jr. wrote:

@Reef Whooligan, no it is not the end of the world, but the point is the MN orange requirements are not simple. I can’t fathom how a person could possibly make them more complex, they are the most convoluted in the midwest. Many an orange ratchet strap has been sacrificed so I could meet the stupid orange hat requirement.

Agreed! Just google search “Blaze Orange requirement” and one of the results is a site that has the blaze orange requirements by state. MN is the worst and has the “see regulations for exceptions” while the vast majority are plainly laid out.

Tim Conroy Jr. wrote:

I hunt fall turkey. I know other people who fall turkey hunt. Only in Minnesota would a suggestion exist to simply not hunt because the all mighty whitetail shooters are out, and they are so much more important than everyone else.

Unfortunately, you are right Tom. The almighty whitetail IS more important than other game and bird species. Because it represents the largest portion of hunters and revenue, that’s why. In fact, even if you add up all the other hunter participation numbers together, it wouldn’t be as much as deer hunters.

I’m not saying I agree with it, that’s just how it is. Kinda like the walleye on a pedestal here in the fishing world.

Tom I have tried 3 times to respond to you with a quote but the post never saves. I’m sure you are right and I’m remembering wrong.

No worries Suzuki, I just get fired up about topics such as this sometimes. It’s one of those things that no matter how a person feels about personal responsibility, a regulation such as this should at least be universal. It just ruffles my feathers that someone starts a thread like this about obscure regulations, all the while the DNR is hiding in the trees dressed in all brown. The guys out giving tickets to hunters for not wearing a special hat are sneaking around the brush dressed as a friggin deer!

@gimruis, you are completely right. I don’t have any problem with it, In the past I’ve usually shot 2 deer a year myself, and I have a lifetime license, so I’ll continue to shoot at least 1 in MN forever possibly.

All I’m asking is that the deer hunters sitting up in the trees hold their tongues because someone else wants to hunt turkey in camouflage on “their” weekend. Or ducks, or whatever. Maybe deer guys don’t quite understand that most animals aren’t practically blind. Deer can’t see me in blaze orange 10 yards away. A duck can see orange from at least 500 yards.

Tim Conroy Jr. wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>gimruis wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Tom Condon Jr. wrote:</div>
The lines say we have to turkey hunt in blaze orange, what the heck else are we supposed to do?

How many people turkey hunt in the fall? I don’t know of any to be honest. And I know a lot of people that hunt here. I know a fair amount of people who spring hunt but none who hunt them in the fall. All the other seasons are open in the fall so I have zero interest in hunting a turkey this time of year when I can hunt them in the spring.

BTW I agree with you on the turkey hunting and blaze orange. Turkeys see the full color spectrum so it won’t work. My suggestion would be to turkey hunt when there isn’t a firearm deer season open. Which really isn’t that many days in the fall to be honest.

According to the MN DNR 2021 turkey harvest report, 6,507 fall turkey licenses were sold in the state. According to the MN DNR 2020 deer harvest report 12,510 licenses were sold for the early antlerless deer season. There is no data on how many bought youth licenses.

I hunt fall turkey. I know other people who fall turkey hunt. Only in Minnesota would a suggestion exist to simply not hunt because the all mighty whitetail shooters are out, and they are so much more important than everyone else. You know, the animal that has the longest hunting season of any edible animal.

@Suzuki, when did MN ever require more orange for deer? It wasn’t in the last 20 years. The orange hat was not required until maybe 10-15 years ago. I swear in the 90’s, orange wasn’t even required, it’s a little before my time, but the red flannel used to be the standard. I’m willing to admit shooting accidents have gone down a decent amount since orange became the standard, but they did not change at all when the orange hat was tacked on. They remain at practically nothing. with or without the stupid hat.

@Reef Whooligan, no it is not the end of the world, but the point is the MN orange requirements are not simple. I can’t fathom how a person could possibly make them more complex, they are the most convoluted in the midwest. Many an orange ratchet strap has been sacrificed so I could meet the stupid orange hat requirement.

I must be remembering wrong. Thanks for pointing that out. What’s not clear to me is whether or not you are required to wear a hat. It reads like it must have orange IF you wear one. That would mean brown hair Is legal but any color hat without orange is not. The wi dnr once stopped me while wearing a blue hat and gave me an orange one instead of a ticket. I swear they said no hat was legal.

Tim Conroy Jr. wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>gimruis wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Tom Condon Jr. wrote:</div>
The lines say we have to turkey hunt in blaze orange, what the heck else are we supposed to do?

How many people turkey hunt in the fall? I don’t know of any to be honest. And I know a lot of people that hunt here. I know a fair amount of people who spring hunt but none who hunt them in the fall. All the other seasons are open in the fall so I have zero interest in hunting a turkey this time of year when I can hunt them in the spring.

BTW I agree with you on the turkey hunting and blaze orange. Turkeys see the full color spectrum so it won’t work. My suggestion would be to turkey hunt when there isn’t a firearm deer season open. Which really isn’t that many days in the fall to be honest.

According to the MN DNR 2021 turkey harvest report, 6,507 fall turkey licenses were sold in the state. According to the MN DNR 2020 deer harvest report 12,510 licenses were sold for the early antlerless deer season. There is no data on how many bought youth licenses.

I hunt fall turkey. I know other people who fall turkey hunt. Only in Minnesota would a suggestion exist to simply not hunt because the all mighty whitetail shooters are out, and they are so much more important than everyone else. You know, the animal that has the longest hunting season of any edible animal.

@Suzuki, when did MN ever require more orange for deer? It wasn’t in the last 20 years. The orange hat was not required until maybe 10-15 years ago. I swear in the 90’s, orange wasn’t even required, it’s a little before my time, but the red flannel used to be the standard. I’m willing to admit shooting accidents have gone down a decent amount since orange became the standard, but they did not change at all when the orange hat was tacked on. They remain at practically nothing. with or without the stupid hat.

I must be remembering wrong. Thanks for pointing that out. Probably because so many people were wearing it head to toe 30 years ago then when I started hunting Wi it was just vest and hat. A few years ago the wi Dnr turned around when I was loading up and told me my blue stocking hat was illegal. They gave me a brand new dnr orange hat on the spot instead of a ticket. That was cool.

@Suzuki I run into the same posting problem. Replying using a quote has become nearly impossible on here.

buckybadger wrote:

@Suzuki I run into the same posting problem. Replying using a quote has become nearly impossible on here.

Click Quote and the entire post is placed in reply as a quote. Not entirely intuitive.

rvvrrat wrote:

Click Quote and the entire post is placed in reply as a quote. Not entirely intuitive.

It’s not quite that cut and dry. If there are multiple quotes in a post you are quoting you will run into issues. In general only keep the last quote in your quoted reply. That usually works for me every time.