how many of you guys wear your blaze orange vest and hat, as required in Illinois, while in your stand. i was reading where alot of people wear the orange until they get into the stand and then take the orange off. i have always wore mine the whole time, in fear of getting a ticket. its probably stupid because i hunt private land hundreds of yards away from any roads. im not against anyone taking theirs off, im just wondering if you guys thought that i would get in trouble for taking off my vest and hat off once in my stand?
I will absolutely guarantee you if you're caught in IL by a CPO you will be cited- even on private property. We just covered this in the Law section at last weekends Hunter Safety Education classes with our visiting CPO.
I believe (know) that you are not alone in "shedding" once on stand.
Do you need a vest and hat? I thought reading through the rulls that you only needed so many square inches of orange.
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First time hunting, and have to say kicking myself for not starting sooner. Those ducks, geese, and deer better watch out for my 870.
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First time hunting, and have to say kicking myself for not starting sooner. Those ducks, geese, and deer better watch out for my 870.
We almost never see a CPO out around here (Never right around my farm) but people in the area still get busted for no orange, hunting after hourse, too many shells in the gun yadda yadda yadda. Usually a neighbor or someone gives the CPO a heads up and one a CPO has a heads up he will catch you. Know 2 guys caught for digging mineral pits 2 years ago... The fine was one thing, being forced to carry out all of the dirt from the area and than haul in clean dirt to fill the hole sounded like a real nice deterrent to me.. ouch, my back ached just thinking about it.
From page 10, Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations - 2005-2006......
Blaze Orange Clothing Requirements
It is unlawful to hunt deer with any firearm whaen not wearing a solid blaze orange cap/hat and an upper outer garment displaying at least 400 square inches of solid blaze orange material. NOTE: Camoflauge blaze orange material does not meet the requirements.
End
As far as the cap/hat goes, some CPOs will nail you for having even a patch on it, as that would not be solid blaze orange. Now vests are a little shady. I have a vest that is camo orange on the bottom half but solid blaze orange on the upper half. It meets the requirement as it is at least 400 square inches od solid blaze orange up top. However, some CPOs may not see it that way. Our guest CPO at class said he would consider this vest as compliant, but that other CPOs may not. Alot depends upon why you have had contact with the CPO. If you have another violation (or more) you would be likely to be cited for the vest, too, and the judge could sort it out.
Very intresting thing here is that I can find no where in the digest where it says that the upper garment must have the blaze orange on the front and the back. A 20" X 20" area is 400 sq. in........what if it was just on the back, with say your back to a tree or brush? Just some curiousity here, I will speak to a CPO or two and see what their book states.
Keep in mind ............... "The digest provides a summary of hunting and trapping regulations.........." The CPOs work out of their official reg book which is much more intensive. I could see some potential problems.
That makes it a lot more clear. Reading those IL books for hunting I get so dang cofused. I have spent two different nights reading that thing and I learned a lot but was still cofused by a bit of it.
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First time hunting, and have to say kicking myself for not starting sooner. Those ducks, geese, and deer better watch out for my 870.
Very intresting thing here is that I can find no where in the digest where it says that the upper garment must have the blaze orange on the front and the back. A 20" X 20" area is 400 sq. in........what if it was just on the back, with say your back to a tree or brush? Just some curiousity here, I will speak to a CPO or two and see what their book states.
Blaze Orange in a Treestand
