Beau44

Ok this is my first post and I am sure someone will have the answer I need. I am taking my 9 year old son out with me on opening Shotgun Season here in Iowa. He isn't going to be shooting I am just letting him go out on the morning Hunt. He has been showing an interest in hunting and I figured what the heck I might as well let him go with me.

Anyway here in Iowa Blaze Orange is the law and I will make sure he is covered from top to bottom with Blaze Orange and I will have my share of it on also. The thing is I am disabled and I can't climb trees anymore so we will be hunting under a small pine tree that I have good cover under. I have a couple of Lawn chairs out under the tree that we sit on and most of the time I take a sleeping bag with me to cover up the lower part of my body. (yes, I said Lawn chairs When it is hard to walk it is even harder to get up off the ground.) Last year I didin't worry about my Blaze Orange not really showing as much as I should have but this year I think I want to make sure Since he is going with me.

I guess what I want to know is If I cover his Sleeping Bag with Blaze Orange is that going to spook any/many Deer that come by? My Wife bought 2 yards of Blaze orange cloth at the Fabric store and I am thinking of having her pin the Blaze Orange on the outside of his sleeping bag so he is really visible.

The place I hunt at is my brother-in-laws timber. I am the only one out there at least I should be the only one around. It is 40 acres of timber with an area that funnels down into a very narrow clearing. Last year I had about 50+ deer go by both Bucks and Does, so if everything goes ok I should be able to get one when he is with me.

Last year I was to sick when I was out there so I didn't get one. plus I was being real picky I either wanted a Big Doe or a buck. I only made it out opening day with plans to go out the 2nd day but I didn't get to go again.

I just want it to be safe for my son and his first time out. Last year was the first year I myself got to go out after not being healthy enough to go Deer hunting for over 11 years. I had just had enough and couldn't take it anymore letting Deer season go by. So I decided 2 days before the season started to get my License and my Brother-in-law had everything setup and helped me get out to where I was going to sit and hunt. Heck, he doesn't even hunt. I couldn't ask for a better brother-in-law

Sorry about getting off track about the Blaze orange question. Looking forward to hearing some input on this. I am looking forward to this forum. I have been looking for a forum like this one and so far what I have found here it is awesome.

jrbsr

That is the right place to start with orange and saftey.

Teaching your son saftey safety safety is one of the most important parts of hunting.

Being seen even if you think you are the only ones in that part of the woods.

Because 6 hunters thought they were safe in the woods and got shot and killed.

No matter how lame the hunter orange seems it will save your life if there is some one else there.

And being still you should be fine as the deer are concerned.

I am disabled to so sitting still for long peroids of time is hard so I know how you feel about that.

So back to the orange thing you can never be to carefull.

And tell your son welcome to the hunting world and

remember Safety Saftey Saftey and more Safety

Good Luck

jrbsr

Firehawk7309

I'm not sure what anyone else thinks, but if the wind is in your favor and your scent and movement is at a minimum you both should be fine. I've killed two deer from a ground blind like the one that your describing and the orange didn't seem to matter. The movement and scent will be more of an issue being on the ground, but you can take care of both of these. On a different note, it's good to hear you are taking your son out. I go out of my way for people who take their children out with them hunting. Two thumbs up to you and good luck!

annieoakley

First let me say welcome to the board. I also make alot of my own camo and hunting clothes. I have found that if you break up the pattern with anything just so it isnt all orange that they really dont seem to notice it. Maybe your wife could camo it up some. Just to break up the solidness of it. Good luck with your son. You will make memories taking him. I know cause I taught both my son and my daughter too hunt and they are young adults now and dont hunt with mom like they use too, But I will never forget the times they did.

BowmanJim

Don't worry about the deer seeing the blaze orange. Wind and movement are you're key elements. Safety is the first consideration. I remember my first hunt with my father. We didn't even see a deer but just being in the field in the pursuit of game with my dad was the greatest thing. To this day it's not the kill that matters, it's the hunt that I love.

Shot a nice buck on the last day of the shotgun season from the ground at 20 yds (I was standing beside a 7 ft pine) as he walked right towards me. I was wearing a blaze orange vest and hat. The fact that I stood perfectly motionless while he approached and I had the wind in my favour which allowed me to be succesful.

Talondale

When I'm hunting from a blind I wrap an orange vest around an adjacent tree so that it can be seen. If I'm in a pop up and have orange on it doesn't get seen. So I'd say wrap the tree and leave the sleeping bag normal.

BTW I still wear the orange, and in VA it's legal to just have it hanging within arms reach, but I do both.

Beau44

Thanks for all the information. I think I will take the Blaze Orange cloth my wife bought and just hang it up in the tree we are under. It is only about 8" tall. The backside of the tree we will be under is protected by the hill right behind us so if I put the Blaze Orange on the frontside I think I will feel better about safety.

Sounds like the forecast for the first day is for winds out of the southwest around 5 to 15mph with a low Friday morning of around 30 degrees and a high Saturday of around 48 degree's, so far everything is working out prefect.

I cannot believe how excited I am about Deer hunting this year. Not sure if it is because of my Son going with me or I just feel Lucky this year.

I was going to go hunting during the disabled Deer season here in Iowa. In fact I had all the paper work filled out by the Doctor and needed to just go to a DNR Office and get a the licesnse. The day before I was going to get my License my appendix decided to rupture and I spent about 10 day in the the hospital with an infection after I had surgery. That is the way my luck is always has been. But this time I am feeling better than I have in Month's so I am pretty sure I am going to make it though this season, at least a couple of days of it.


Before I got sick about 11 years ago I used to hunt some land my In Laws farmed. It had a big timber that came with the land the rented. Well After the 3rd year I was hunting it and I was standing behind this really big Oak tree about 1 hour before the official time to start shooting at Deer here in Iowa which is 1/2 before sunrise I was looking around as the sun was coming up and just about every where I looked I saw Hunters with their Blaze Orange on. I think at the time I counted like 18 hunters. All I could think of at that time is if some clown doesn't see me where I am standing and shoots at a deer I might get nailed. The problem was their was only supposed to be about 8 hunters out there that were in our group and the rest were not supposed to be there. It got so bad I decided to find another place to hunt with out so many hunters.

When we would catch up with the tresspassers they would act like they didn't realize they were on someone else's land. They knew darn well they were not suppposed to be there. Heck I remember running 2 groups of Hunters off 2 years in a row that acted like they didn't know they were tresspassing maybe the first time but not the second time. Should of turned them into the law but I hate to do that to anyone.

So Far at my Bother-in-Laws which is about 72 miles away he has never had a problem with tresspassers. he lets a few people Bow hunt and pheasent hunt if they want to but with people just walking on it hasn't been a problem. He is a Police Officer in City about 30 Miles East from where he lives He grew up in the area so I am not sure why people are respecting his land and not others. I suppose it coul dbe he is a Cop but he has got to be the mellowest person I know So I am sure that people around the area don't think he is a thug or mean person.

White-tail-deer

Sounds exciting!! You must let us know how your hunt goes, and let us know how excited your boy is!!!

losthwy

Be sure to wash all your outer clothing in a non UV brightning detergent.

slugman

Welcome ....When I hunt out of my ground blind I'll take my vest off and hang it outside above my blind from a branch or something. Has worked for me. Better safe than sorry.