The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Tactics and Training

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old August 31, 2013, 07:46 AM   #1
johnelmore
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 6, 2013
Posts: 456
Blaze Orange vs Chartreuse Yellow

High viz colors are important for hunting and range training.

Recently I was at a huge stadium and I looked through the large crowd. A few in the stadium had blaze orange shirts while a few more had on chartreuse yellow. My personal opinion was that those with chartreuse yellow were far more visible then blaze orange. In fact I could readily spot those with yellow on from about 200 yards among a crowd of people.

When I hit the range I choose the yellow instead of the orange. In fact, I use these shirts for more then just firearms training but also when Im traveling at an airport where my wife will pick me up. When I go out in a crowd with my children I also find a way to put some yellow on them whether it be a shirt or a hat. Its so much easier to find someone in a crowd with yellow.
johnelmore is offline  
Old August 31, 2013, 08:09 AM   #2
Rifleman1776
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 25, 2010
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 3,309
In the uses you describe either is probably effective.
But in the woods neither should be depended on to protect the foolish from the foolish. In the woods even light brush can hide and camoflage those colors. I am a believer in the use of high viz clothing for hunting but neither should be depended on alone for safety. Common sense and caution must always prevail.
Rifleman1776 is offline  
Old August 31, 2013, 09:03 AM   #3
geetarman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 18, 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,157
I have tried both the orange and green FO sights and the green is far easier to see for me.

Same thing on my bike. High visibility fluorescent green/yellow on my bags helps others see me.
__________________
Geetarman

Carpe Cerveza
geetarman is offline  
Old August 31, 2013, 09:20 AM   #4
dahermit
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 28, 2006
Location: South Central Michigan...near
Posts: 6,501
Quote:
High viz colors are important for hunting and range training.
Blaze orange has reduced the number of accidental shootings during hunting season...however, I do not understand the reference to being important for "range training". Please explain.
dahermit is offline  
Old August 31, 2013, 10:12 AM   #5
jmr40
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 15, 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 10,792
It depends on background colors. Are you are referring to the bright lime green type shirts and vests worn by many road construction crews? If so it works better than orange in urban environments. But in some places in the woods, in certain light it can blend in pretty well with some greens found in nature. Many safety vests used by LE when directing traffic or working an accident now have some of both colors as well as refelctive strips. I wouldn't be opposed to hunting clothing with some of both colors. But don't think the safety green alone would be a good idea in many outdoor settings.

I also doubt if you saw anyone in a stadium wearing true hunter safety blaze orange either. It is not the same as common orange colored clothing. If it is a true safety orange it has a glow to it in low light when new, and should be discarded when it is faded enough that it loses that feature.
jmr40 is offline  
Old August 31, 2013, 10:51 AM   #6
Frank Ettin
Staff
 
Join Date: November 23, 2005
Location: California - San Francisco
Posts: 9,471
The question may be moot for many hunting applications because the color to be worn is often specified by law (or by rule when hunting on private preserves).
__________________
"It is long been a principle of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully." -- Jeff Cooper
Frank Ettin is offline  
Old August 31, 2013, 11:07 AM   #7
Pahoo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 16, 2006
Location: IOWA
Posts: 8,783
It's the law and a great color !!!

Quote:
A few in the stadium had blaze orange shirts while a few more had on chartreuse yellow.
I use to paint, front sights Blaze-Orange then Blaze-Red and not have gone exclusively to "chartreuse", unless another color is requested. It's important to specify chartreuse, not just yellow or green. ...

Quote:
The question may be moot for many hunting applications because the color to be worn is often specified by law (or by rule when hunting on private preserves).
That is true and very specific as to not only color, but patterns. It's possible that in the future, it could changed but I doubt if we will see it, in the near future. ....

Be Safe !!!
__________________
'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

Last edited by Pahoo; August 31, 2013 at 03:58 PM.
Pahoo is offline  
Old August 31, 2013, 11:13 AM   #8
hogdogs
Staff In Memoriam
 
Join Date: October 31, 2007
Location: Western Florida panhandle
Posts: 11,069
The reason Blaze Orange was chosen over every other bright color was during testing they determined that the BO was more visible to folks with varying degrees and types of color blindness...

That is what I was told anyway...

One guy I was speaking to on this said they tested all of the "day-glo" neon/florescent colors too... Ain't you glad day-glo neon pink didn't perform better than the orange???

Brent
hogdogs is offline  
Old August 31, 2013, 12:36 PM   #9
Mike38
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 28, 2009
Location: North Central Illinois
Posts: 2,706
Being involved with Emergency Medical and Search & Rescue, I have noticed a trend switching from blaze orange to that lime green color in vests and hats. There must be a reason for it. Personally, I can see the lime green color better then orange, but I’m sure other people and other circumstances differ.
Mike38 is offline  
Old August 31, 2013, 01:37 PM   #10
johnelmore
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 6, 2013
Posts: 456
The yellow/green appears as a dirty yellow to those with Deuteranopia or Protanopia. It appears as a light blue to those with Tritanopia and grey to those with Achromatopsia.

Blaze Orange appears as a muddy orange...almost brown..to those with Deuteranopia and Protanopia. It appears as a light red to those with Tritanopia and a grey to those with Achromatopsia.

The most common forms of color blindness is Deuteranopia and Protanopia which effects about 10% of the male population. Tritanopia is the rarest form effecting 10 in 1 million people. Achromatopsia occurs in varying forms and effects 8% of the male population. It is very rare for a woman to have any color blindness. The percentage is less than .05%.

Anyone who is color blind should seriously consider not involving themselves in hunting. I know I might get contrasting opinions on that statement but I just think its wise. In any event people who are color blind usually have gotten used to the condition and know how to work around it. If the red light isnt red to them they still know they are required to stop.
johnelmore is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 02:54 AM   #11
peacefulgary
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 26, 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 714
Quote:
I use to paint, front sights Blaze-Orange then Blaze-Red and not have gone exclusively to "chartreuse", unless another color is requested. It's important to specify chartreuse, not just yellow or green. ...
I have found a paint that I really like for front sights.
It's enamel paint from Model Master called Cadmium Yellow Light.
Very nice!
peacefulgary is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 08:34 AM   #12
drcook
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 25, 2009
Posts: 285
Quote:
Anyone who is color blind should seriously consider not involving themselves in hunting.
Why ? Put up some evidence that folks that have a physical issue of one kind or another are any less safe or conscientious than anyone else.
__________________
dr = david r. not Doctor, but thanks for the compliment, most folks just call me dave
drcook is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 08:43 AM   #13
Hansam
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 21, 2012
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 763
Blaze orange was actually chosen specifically because it is a color that does not occur anywhere at all in nature. Chartreuse on the other hand does occur although in limited quantities in nature.

For safety reasons it was better to choose a color that humans could identify with as being another human. After all when you're in the woods and you see even a small amount of blaze orange you know its either another person or something man made. If you see a splash chartreuse it could be a light bud from a plant, a feather color etc.

I'd posed this question to our local DNR warden and that was his answer - he said it was also the answer that was given to them back when the law was made. Whether or not it really is the answer it is a logical one and seeing that blaze orange hasn't negatively impacted my deer hunting at all I'm not going to worry much about it. As it has already been said - blaze orange requirements have greatly reduced accidental shootings during hunting seasons.
__________________
This is who we are, what we do.
Hansam is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 10:47 AM   #14
Pahoo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 16, 2006
Location: IOWA
Posts: 8,783
Common sense, is not so common !!!

Quote:
I'd posed this question to our local DNR warden and that was his answer
Here is a question posed by one of our hunter safety instructors at our spring workshop. After posing the question or problem, most of us just rolled our eyes. Others were too polite and said nothing. .....

The instructor questioned the use of Blaze-Orange on clothing when we then shoot Blaze-Orange clay birds. Thought that a hunter might get confuse and when seeing Blaze-Orange in the field, Just start shooting. .....

Be Safe !!!
__________________
'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.
Pahoo is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 11:50 AM   #15
Jim243
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 5, 2009
Location: Just off Route 66
Posts: 5,067
Quote:
The instructor questioned the use of Blaze-Orange on clothing when we then shoot Blaze-Orange clay birds
Gee, do you think it might be easier to see Blaze-Orange clay pigeons?

Remind me the next time I go hunting not to shoot those Blaze-Orange birds that go flying past me. Unfortunately, Dick Cheney does not follow those rules. (LOL)

Jim
__________________
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Jim243 is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 06:42 PM   #16
peacefulgary
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 26, 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 714
Quote:
Blaze orange was actually chosen specifically because it is a color that does not occur anywhere at all in nature.
I'm not so sure about this statement.

I've seen autumn leaves that were blaze orange.
And flowers that were blaze orange.
And some peppers and carrots too.
And I think I recall seeing a blaze orange mushroom cap once.
And if you included colors found within the oceans I'm sure the statement is not true.
And I'm sure that there is some insect somewhere in the world that has blaze orange coloration.
Possibly a reptile too?

I can't think of any color that cannot be found somewhere in nature.
Even lava and fire are part of "nature".


PG

Last edited by peacefulgary; September 1, 2013 at 07:03 PM.
peacefulgary is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 07:45 PM   #17
johnelmore
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 6, 2013
Posts: 456
Im just saying if you have a limitation of any kind which might effect others safety then you should certainly reconsider and think about what you are doing. Safety is always first when it comes to firearms.
johnelmore is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 07:49 PM   #18
JohnKSa
Staff
 
Join Date: February 12, 2001
Location: DFW Area
Posts: 24,929
Without getting into any discussion or questions about what color hunting apparel should be...

The normal human eye is very sensitive in the green wavelengths, so any thing with a bright greenish hue is likely to stand out very well compared to other colors. It's why some emergency vehicles are chartreuse (bright greenish yellow) instead of red and why green lasers are more visible than red lasers even though the power output is the same.
__________________
Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?
JohnKSa is offline  
Old September 2, 2013, 10:27 AM   #19
Evan Thomas
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 7, 2008
Location: Upper midwest
Posts: 5,631
Yep. And a big part of the reason for painting fire trucks chartreuse is that it's far more visible at night, while red appears black in very low light.

Nighttime visibility is generally less of a concern for hunters...
__________________
Never let anything mechanical know you're in a hurry.
Evan Thomas is offline  
Old September 2, 2013, 02:17 PM   #20
Glenn E. Meyer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 17, 2000
Posts: 20,064
Deer also don't have trichromatic vision and do not perceive the oranges as well as we do.

http://www.qdma.com/articles/can-deer-see-blaze-orange

Many birds would see it quite well. They have better color vision than we do.
__________________
NRA, TSRA, IDPA, NTI, Polite Soc. - Aux Armes, Citoyens
Glenn E. Meyer is offline  
Old September 2, 2013, 04:14 PM   #21
Pahoo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 16, 2006
Location: IOWA
Posts: 8,783
It works !!!

Today while going home from the store, I ran into a "Vintage" group riding on three-wheeled motor cycles. To my surprised, this forum thread came to mind as eight out of ten riders, were wearing light jackets or vests, in "Chartreuse". They stood out surprisingly well. I'm also seeing ,more ball caps in this color. I guess bikinis might be next .....

Be Safe !!!
__________________
'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.
Pahoo is offline  
Old September 2, 2013, 07:54 PM   #22
Bob Wright
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 10, 2012
Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Posts: 2,986
Funny thing, I was just reflecting on this today.

Once while hunting in some pretty dense woods, early in the season, I spotted my son-in-law some distance away by his fairly new blue Levi's.

Bob Wright
Bob Wright is offline  
Old September 3, 2013, 06:58 AM   #23
dahermit
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 28, 2006
Location: South Central Michigan...near
Posts: 6,501
Quote:
Anyone who is color blind should seriously consider not involving themselves in hunting. I know I might get contrasting opinions on that statement but I just think its wise. In any event people who are color blind usually have gotten used to the condition and know how to work around it. If the red light isnt red to them they still know they are required to stop.
On the other hand, all they have to do is to be sure that the target is a deer, it was one they wanted to shoot, and to take aim just behind the shoulder...a deers shoulder does not look anything like a human's. To me, at least, there is no way I would make the mistake of taking a human for a deer or the other way around. I you dressed in a deer costume and I was hunting deer, you would be perfectly safe. Color blindness would not excuse such "mistakes" especially if they knew that they were color-blind.
dahermit is offline  
Old September 3, 2013, 10:15 AM   #24
Pahoo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 16, 2006
Location: IOWA
Posts: 8,783
They are starting to listen; perhaps ??

Quote:
Being in the fire academy I had to get a rescue knife. My choice was a blaze orange benchmade. Why? Say I drop it while doing search and rescue, or maybe running. It will be much easier to find
.
This is a good point that I have been trying to hammer into my grandkids heads. When I take them to GS's I most often let them pick out a hunting knife. I made it their choice and my warnings were ignored as they picked out the full camo patterns. You drop these in the woods or shallow water and it's gone. The last time, one picked a Blaze-Orange camo pattern. .....

Be Safe !!!
__________________
'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.
Pahoo is offline  
Old September 3, 2013, 09:39 PM   #25
Vt.birdhunter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 18, 2009
Posts: 637
I do health and safety for my company; years ago all personal safety vests were switched from orange to chartreuse. The reason we were given was "drivers associate blaze orange with traffic cones, and other traffic barriers. Drivers are willing to make occasional contact with cones, etc."

Statistically, accidents frequently occur when a driver mistakes a stationary worker in high vis orange for a road barrier. Drivers allow larger "buffers" when they think other people are vulnerable.
Ever slow down passing a jogger, cyclist, mommy with stroller?
Ever slow down for a single safety cone?
__________________
Maintaining a constant state of cat-like readiness and a heightened state of suspicious alertness.
Vt.birdhunter is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:40 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.13924 seconds with 10 queries