Hunter Orange Requirements By state and province.
Alabama
All hunters during gun deer season must wear a
vest or cap with at least 144 square inches of solid Hunter Orange, visible
from all sides. Deer hunters in tree stands elevated more than 12 feet from
the ground need not wear Hunter Orange, except when traveling to and from tree
stands. Only Hunter Orange, Blaze Orange or Ten Mile cloth is legal.
(Exception: waterfowl, turkey and dove hunters and those hunting legally
designated species during legal right time hours.)
Alaska
Upland and big game hunters are strongly
recommended to wear Hunter Orange.
Upland and big game hunters are strongly
recommended to wear Hunter Orange.
Arkansas
It shall be unlawful to hunt any wildlife, or
to accompany or assist anyone in hunting wildlife, during a gun or
muzzle-loading deer season without wearing an outer garment above the
waistline, of daylight fluorescent blaze orange (Hunter Orange) within the
color range of 595nm - color range of 555nm - 565nm (Hunter Safety Green)
totaling at least 400 square inches, and a fluorescent blaze orange or
fluorescent chartreuse head garment must be visibly worn on the head.
EXCEPTIONS: (1) While migratory bird hunting. (2) While hunting in areas in
which hunting of deer with guns is prohibited. PENALTY: $50.00 to $1,000.00.
California
Upland and big game hunters are strongly
recommended to wear Hunter Orange.
Colorado
It is unlawful to not wear at least 500 square
inches of solid (camouflage orange is not legal; mesh garments are legal, but
not recommended) daylight FLUORESCENT ORANGE material in an outer garment
above the waist, part of which must be a hat or head covering visible from all
directions while hunting deer, elk or antelope during any muzzleloading rifle
or rifle seasons. BOW HUNTERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO WEAR ORANGE DURING THE
ARCHERY ONLY SEASONS.
Connecticut
No person shall hunt any wildlife from
September 1 through the last day of February without wearing at least a total
of 400 square inches of fluorescent orange clothing above the waist visible
from all sides. This color requirement shall not apply to archery deer hunting
during the separate archery seasons (orange is required for archers during all
firearms deer seasons); to archery and firearms turkey hunting; to waterfowl
hunters hunting from blinds or a stationary position; to hunting raccoon and
opossum from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise; or to
deer hunting by a landowner on his own property.
Delaware
During a time when it is lawful to take deer
with a firearm, any person hunting deer in this State shall display on his
head, chest and back a total of not less than 400 square inches of Hunter
Orange material.
Florida
All deer hunters, and those accompanying them,
on public lands during open deer season must wear at least 500 square inches
of Hunter Orange on an outer garment above the waist. (Exception: bow hunters
during bow season.)
Hawaii
"Hawaii Administrative Rules Title 13-Chapter
122-12 (f)(2)" with regard blaze-orange garments while hunting of game birds:
With the exception of Spring Turkey Hunting or designated archery areas, no
person shall hunt, serve as a guide, accompany, or assist a hunter in any
hunting area, where firearms are permitted, without wearing an exterior
garment (shirt, vest, jacket, or coat) made of commercially manufactured,
blaze-orange material or solid blaze-orange mesh material with a maximum mesh
size of one-eighth inch. (All types of camouflage orange are prohibited for
these garments.) When carrying game or wearing a back pack, the blaze-orange
on the upper torso must be visible from both front and back. Hawaii
Administrative Rules Title 13-Chapter 123-22 (g)(1) addresses blaze-orange
garments while hunting game mammals: No person shall hunt, serve as a guide,
accompany, or assist a hunter in any hunting area where firearms are permitted
without wearing an exterior garment (shirt, vest, jacket, or coat) made of
commercially manufactured, solid blaze-orange material or solid blaze-orange
mesh material with a maximum mesh size of one-eighth inch. (All types of
camouflage orange are prohibited for these garments.) When carrying game or
wearing a back pack, the blaze orange on the upper torso must be visible from
both front and back.
Georgia
All dear, bear and feral hog hunters, and those
accompanying them, during firearm deer seasons must wear at least 500 square
inches of Hunter Orange on outer garments above the waist.
Idaho
Not required. The wearing of hunter orange is
strongly recommended for upland and big game hunters.
Illinois
It is unlawful to hunt or trap any species,
except migratory waterfowl, during the gun deer season in counties open to gun
deer hunting when not wearing 400 square inches of solid blaze orange plus a
hat. It is unlawful to hunt upland game (pheasant, rabbit, quail or partridge)
when not wearing a hat of solid blaze orange.
Indiana
Deer (bow and gun), rabbit, squirrel, grouse,
pheasant, and quail hunter must wear at least one of the following solid
Hunter Orange garments: vest, coat, jacket, coveralls, hat or cap. (Exception:
bow hunters for deer until firearms season starts.)
Iowa
A person shall not hunt deer with firearms
unless the person is at the time wearing one or more of the following articles
of visible, external apparel: A vest, coat, jacket, sweatshirt, sweater,
shirt, or coveralls, the color and material of which shall be solid blaze
orange. A person shall not hunt upland game birds, as defined by the
department, unless the person is at the time wearing one or more of the
following articles of visible, external apparel: A hat, cap, the color and
material of which shall be at least fifty percent solid blaze orange. Upland
birds include pheasants, quail, partridge, ruffed grouse, and woodcock.
Kansas
Big game clothing requirements: (a) Each
individual hunting deer or elk and each individual assisting an individual
hunting deer or elk, shall wear Hunter Orange clothing having a predominant
lightwave length of 595-605 nanometers; (b) The bright orange color shall be
worn as follows: 1) a hat with the exterior of not less than 50 percent of the
bright orange color, an equal portion of which is visible from all directions;
2) a minimum of 100 square inches of the bright orange color on the front of
the torso; and 3) a minimum of 100 square inches of the bright orange color on
the back of the torso.
Kentucky
Hunter orange garments shall be worn by all
deer hunters while hunting on any location on property where any deer gun
season is permitted by regulations. Garments shall be worn as outer coverings
on at least the head, chest and back. They shall be of a solid, unbroken
pattern. Any mesh weave opening shall not exceed 1/4 inch by measurement.
Garments may display a small section of another color. Camouflage pattern
hunter orange garments do not meet these requirements.
Louisiana
Any person hunting deer shall display on his
head, chest, and/or back a total of not less than four hundred square inches
of material of a daylight fluorescent orange color known as "hunter orange"
during the open gun deer hunting season. Persons hunting on privately owned,
legally posted land may wear a cap or a hat that is completely covered with
hunter orange material in lieu of the foregoing requirements to display four
hundred square inches of hunter orange. These provisions shall not apply to
persons hunting deer from elevated stands on property which is privately owned
and legally posted, or to archery deer hunters, hunting on legally posted land
where firearm hunting is not permitted by agreement of the owner or lessee.
Maine
Anyone who hunts with a firearm during any open
firearm season on deer is required to wear two articles of solid-colored
hunter orange clothing (fluorescent orange) which is in good and serviceable
condition and which is visible from all sides. One article must be a hat. The
other must cover a major portion of the torso, such as a jacket, vest, coat,
or poncho. Regulations for 1991 still require that anyone who hunts in the
moose hunting district during the moose season must wear one article of solid
Hunter Orange clothing.
Maryland
All hunters and those accompanying them must
wear either: 1) a cap of solid daylight fluorescent orange color; 2) a vest or
jacket containing back and front panels of at least 250 square inches of solid
daylight fluorescent orange color. Maryland requires 50% of Camouflage Hunter
Orange garment to be daylight fluorescent orange color.; or 3) an outer
garment of camouflage fluorescent orange worn above the waist which contains
at least 50% daylight fluorescent orange color. (Exception: Hunters of wetland
game birds, fur bearing mammals, doves, crows, wild turkeys, bow hunters
during archery season only, falconers, and unlicensed hunters o their own
property.
Massachusetts
All hunters during shotgun deer season and deer
hunters during primitive firearm season must wear at least 500 square inches
of Hunter Orange on their chest, back, and head. (Exception: waterfowl hunters
in a blind or boat.) All hunters on Wildlife Management Areas during pheasant
and quail season must wear a Hunter Orange hat or cap. (Exception: waterfowl
hunters in a blind or boat, and raccoon hunters at night.)
Michigan
All firearm hunters on any land during daylight
hunting hours must wear a hat, cap, vest, jacket, rainwear, or other outer
garment of Hunter Orange visible from all sides. All hunters, including
archers, must comply during gun season. Camouflage Hunter Orange is legal
provided 50% of the surface area is solid Hunter Orange. (Exception:
waterfowl, crow, dove, and wild Turkey hunters, and bow hunters for deer
during open archery season. Michigan requires 50% of a Camouflage Hunter
Orange garment be open Hunter Orange.
Minnesota
A person may not hunt or trap during the open
season where deer may be taken by firearms under applicable laws and
ordinances, unless the visible portion of the person's cap and outer clothing
above the waist, excluding sleeves and gloves, is blaze orange. Blaze orange
includes a camouflage pattern of at least 50 percent blaze orange within each
foot square. This section does not apply to migratory waterfowl hunters on
waters of this state or in a stationary shooting location or to trappers on
waters of this state. In addition to requirements already mentioned a person
may not take small game other than turkey, migratory birds, raccoons, and
predators, except when hunting with nontoxic shot or while trapping, unless a
visible portion of at least one article of the person's clothing above the
waist is blaze orange. Minnesota requires 50% of a Camouflage Hunter Orange
garment be open Hunter Orange.
Mississippi
All deer hunters during any gun season for deer
must wear in full view at least 500 square inches of solid, unbroken Hunter
Orange visible from all sides.
During firearm deer season, all hunters must
wear a cap or hat, and a shirt, vest or coat having the outermost color be
Hunter Orange and must be plainly visible from all sides while being worn.
Camouflage orange garments do not meet this requirement. (Exception:
Department of Conservation areas where deer hunting is restricted to archery
methods.
Montana
All big game hunters and those accompanying
them must wear at least 400 square inches of Hunter Orange above the waist. A
hat or cap alone is not sufficient. (Exception: bow hunters during special
archery season.)
Nebraska
All deer, antelope, mountain sheep or elk
hunters with firearms must wear at least 400 square inches of Hunter Orange on
the head, back, and chest. Upland game hunters are strongly recommended to
wear Hunter Orange.
Nevada
Upland and big game hunters are strongly
recommended to wear Hunter Orange.
New Hampshire
Upland and big game hunters are strongly
recommended to wear Hunter Orange.
New Jersey
All hunters with firearms for deer, rabbit,
hare, squirrel, fox of game birds must wear a cap of solid Hunter Orange or
other outer garment with at least 200 square inches of Hunter Orange visible
from all sides. (Exception: waterfowl, wild turkey and bow hunters.)
New Mexico
Upland and big game hunters are strongly
recommended to wear Hunter Orange.
Upland and big game hunters are strongly
recommended to wear Hunter Orange.
Any person hunting game animals other than
foxes, bobcats, raccoons, and opossums, or hunting upland game birds other
than wild turkeys, with the use of firearms, must wear a cap or hat on his
head made of Hunter Orange materials or an outer garment of Hunter Orange,
visible from all sides. (Exception: landowners hunting on their own land.)
Every person, while hunting big game, shall
wear a head covering and an outer garment above the waistline, both of
daylight fluorescent orange color, totaling 400 square inches or more and both
to be worn conspicuously on the person. This section does not apply to any
person hunting big game with bow and arrow during special bow hunting seasons.
Additionally, while the muzzleloader and the deer gun seasons are in progress
in an area, all big game hunters, including bow hunters, are required to wear
a head covering and an outer garment above the waistline of solid daylight
fluorescent orange color, totaling at least 400 square inches.
Hunting any wild animal (except waterfowl) in
the daylight during deer gun season, the statewide primitive deer season, and
the special area primitive deer season is unlawful unless the hunter is
visibly wearing a vest, coat, jacket, or overalls that are either solid hunter
orange or camouflage hunter orange.
All firearm deer, elk or antelope hunters must
wear a head covering and outer garment above the waist with at least 500
square inches of clothing of which 400 square inches must be Hunter Orange.
The camouflage orange pattern is legal as long as there is at least 400 square
inches of daylight fluorescent orange. All other hunters must wear either a
head covering or outer garment of Hunter Orange during open gun deer season.
(Exception: waterfowl, crow, or crane hunters, and those hunting furbearing
animals at night.)
Upland and big game hunters are strongly
recommended to wear Hunter Orange.
All fall small game, turkey, bear and deer
hunters during the regular firearm deer season, and special archery deer
season hunters during any portion of the archery season that coincides with
the general small game or turkey seasons, must wear at least 250 square inches
of hunter orange material on the head, chest and back combined. Spring turkey
hunters must wear a minimum of 100 square inches of hunter orange on the head
or back and chest while moving from one location to another. Groundhog hunters
must wear 100 square inches of hunter orange on the head. All required hunter
orange must be visible in a 360 degree arc. (Exceptions waterfowl, mourning
dove, crow, flintlock deer season and archery season hunters except as
specified.)
Solid daylight fluorescent orange is required
statewide, and must be worn above the waist and be visible in all directions.
Examples which meet the orange requirements are a hat that covers 200 sq. in.
or a combination of hat and vest covering 500 sq. in. The following orange
requirements apply: 200 sq. in. by small game hunters during the small game
season; 200 sq. in. by muzzleloader hunters during the muzzleloader season;
200 sq. in. by archers when traveling to/from stands during muzzleloading
season; 500 sq. in. by all hunters (including archers) and all Management Area
users during shotgun deer season. Exemptions: Waterfowl hunters while hunting
from a boat or blind, over water or field, when done in conjunction with
decoys; Crow hunters, when hunting over decoys; Turkey hunters; First segment
dove hunters. In addition to above requirements, all other users (hikers,
bicyclists, horseback riders, etc.) of State Management Areas are required to
wear 200 sq. in. of solid daylight fluorescent orange from the third Saturday
in October to the last day of February annually, and during the established
mourning dove season and wild turkey season.
On all WMA lands and lands within the Central
Piedmont, Western Piedmont and Mountain Hunt Units during the gun hunting
season for deer, all hunters must wear either a hat, coat, or vest or solid
visible international orange. Hunters are exempt from this requirement while
hunting for dove, duck and turkey. Small game hunters while hunting at night
or on privately owned lands within the hunt unit are also exempt.
All big game hunters with firearms must wear
one or more exterior Hunter Orange garments above the waist. (Exception:
turkey hunters.)
All big game hunters with firearms must wear at
least 500 square inches of Hunter Orange on a head covering and an outer
garment above the waist, visible front and back. (Exception: turkey hunters
during gun hunts proclaimed by the commission and those hunting on their own
property.)
All hunters and persons accompanying a hunter
on National Forests and Grasslands, must wear a minimum of 144 square inches
of Hunter Orange visible on both the chest and back plus a Hunter Orange cap
or hat. Call the US Forest Service and US Army Corps of Engineers for more
information.
A person shall wear a minimum of 400 square
inches of hunter orange material while hunting any species of big game. Hunter
orange material must be worn on the head, chest, and back. A camouflage
pattern in hunter orange does not meet the requirements of Subsection (1)(a).
A person is not required to wear hunter orange material during an archery,
muzzle-loader, or bighorn sheep hunt, unless a centerfire rifle hunt is in
progress in the same area.
Upland and big game hunters are strongly
recommended to wear Hunter Orange.
Hunters during firearm deer season and those
accompanying them must wear Hunter Orange on the upper body, visible from all
sides, or a Hunter Orange hat, or display 100 square inches of Hunter Orange
within body reach, at shoulder level or higher, visible from all sides.
All hunters must wear fluorescent Hunter Orange
clothing with a minimum of 400 square inches of fluorescent Hunter Orange
exterior, worn above the waist and visible from all sides. (Exception: Persons
who are hunting upland game bird during an upland game bird season with a
muzzle-loading firearm, bow and arrow or falconry.)
All deer hunters during deer gun season must
wear at least 400 square inches of Hunter Orange on an outer garment.
All hunters during any firearms deer season
must have 50% of their outer garments above the waist, including any head
covering, colored Hunter Orange. (Exception: waterfowl hunters.) Wisconsin
accepts camouflage orange, though solid Hunter Orange is recommended.
All big game hunters must wear one or more
exterior garments (i.e. hat, shirt, jacket, coat, vest, or sweater) of Hunter
Orange. (Exception: bow hunters during special archery season.)
