by Travis Lau, Pennsylvania Game Commission Press Secretary
Those cool, cloudless autumn days are just too nice to waste indoors.
And for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians, there’s no better way to enjoy each fall than by going hunting.
Hunting is as safe as it’s ever been. Great strides have been made over many decades to educate and train hunters to be safe, and the number of accidents has dropped from several hundred to less than three dozen each year.
Another big catalyst for increased hunter safety can be traced to requirements for hunters to wear fluorescent orange during most seasons.
Because Pennsylvania has so many hunters, it’s never a bad idea to wear orange while heading outdoors – especially in the fall. In fact, on state game lands, those who aren’t hunting or trapping are required to wear fluorescent orange from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15 each year, except for on Sundays.
Not all hunters are required to wear orange. It depends on what they are hunting. And in the fall, waterfowl hunters or archery deer hunters in camouflage, as well as those who hunt or trap furbearers, are among those who might be encountered on public lands.
Still, the fact remains that hunters wear orange to be seen, and you can, too. The more orange you wear, the more visible you are.
In most seasons where there is a requirement for hunters to wear orange, the hunter must wear 250 square inches of orange material on the head, chest and back combined. The orange material must be visible from 360 degrees. A fluorescent orange hat and vest, like those worn by hunters, will fulfill this requirement.
While nothing beats wearing orange for ensuring others can see you, it’s also wise to avoid wearing certain colors during hunting seasons. In particular, avoid wearing white in areas hunting might occur during the fall and winter deer seasons, avoid wearing red, white or blue during the fall or spring turkey seasons, and avoid wearing black during the bear seasons. These colors stand out on those animals in the wild, and while cases of people being shot in mistake for game – like other hunting accidents – have been on the decline for years, following this advice will help to keep you safe. Even when wearing orange, it’s best to avoid wearing these colors during these seasons.
The orange requirement for game lands that begins Nov. 15 applies to anyone present on game lands who is not engaged in lawful hunting or trapping activity. Those users are required to wear 250 square inches of fluorescent orange material on the head, chest and back combined, or in lieu of that, a fluorescent orange hat. The orange material must be visible from 360 degrees.
Hiking is permitted on state game lands throughout the year, but other nonhunting uses of game lands, such as recreational riding of horses and bicycles can only occur on Sundays throughout the bulk of the hunting seasons – from the first Saturday in September through the third Saturday in January.
Pennsylvania’s 1.5 million-acre system of state game lands largely was assembled through the fees hunters and trappers pay for their licenses. Game lands serve primarily to provide habitat for wildlife and hunting and trapping opportunities for license buyers, but other secondary recreational uses of game lands long have been permitted.
Those who hike on game lands are advised regulations require groups of 10 or more people to obtain a special-use permit, and this requirement applies to those using trails. An application is available on the Game Commission’s website, at the bottom of the State Game Lands page, found under the Hunt/Trap tab. The completed application can be sent to the appropriate Game Commission region office, and contact information for those offices can be found on the back of the document.
Hikers on the Appalachian Trail also are reminded that some portions of the trail in Pennsylvania pass through state game lands are open to hunting and trapping.
But no matter where you hike, it’s never a bad idea to be sure you’re seen.