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Growing up in FL, there was an orange requirement during deer gun season. A vest met the requirements, but I would usually shed it once I got in the stand. Why wear orange when I've got all this camo, thought I.
First assignment at Fairchild AFB in Spokane, WA, and shortly after arrival I found myself invited to hunt some private land for the ongoing gun season. Despite my most ardent searching, I could not find my vest.
The landowner chuckled at my conundrum, and offered me a huge orange parka. So I hit the woods looking much akin to a blaze orange marshmallow with this huge parka, never once thinking I would actually see something.
I sit on the ground, back against a blowdown, at the top of a ravine, thinking every animal in sight will know I am there, when I see movement coming up the ravine. I count a handful of deer. I shoulder my rifle and wait. Lead deer is a buck, 5 point, and he's working his way STRAIGHT towards me. I wonder how long he will continue this suicidal trek, as its obvious he MUST see this blaze orange blimp sitting there, and certainly one of those does is going to blow soon.
He kept up his casual death march.
Finally, with him at 25 yards, and more deer spread out behind him casually browsing, I decided to end my "how close will be get without seeing me" experiment with a shot to the chest, head on and slightly downward. Game over.
Now, there was nothing of significance between me and him or the others for that matter. By all accounts, he should have seen me. They all should have. But, they didn't. That's when I started believing about how deer see orange.
Don't get me wrong, I still think camo helps, and don't voluntarily wear orange during archery, but I am also not concerned about it during gun season.
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