Hunter Orange Requirements by State

Before you go hunting, it is important to know the hunter orange requirements for your state. In Georgia, hunters must wear a blaze orange vest, hat, or other item of clothing that covers 500 square inches above their waist. You should also ensure that the members of your hunting party are wearing the proper attire and are easily visible in the woods. The International Hunter Education Association offers a list of the requirements for different states.

In Colorado, if you're planning to hunt with a firearm, you need to wear at least 500 square inches of fluorescent orange above your waist. You must also wear a blaze orange hat. The requirements for hunter safety vary by state. In California, hunters do not need to wear orange while bowhunting. In Connecticut, you must wear blaze-orange clothing and a head covering. In North Carolina, hunters must wear two or more blaze-orange garments above their waist and have their backs fully visible.

In West Virginia, big-game hunters must wear 400 square inches of blaze orange and a hat. In Wyoming, all hunters are required to wear a blaze-orange piece, but they can wear a blaze-orange hat instead. In Mississippi, if you're bowhunting, you must wear a blaze-orange poncho. In Oklahoma, bowhunters must wear at least 200 square inches of blazing orange.

In Alabama, hunters must wear blaze-orange clothing above the waist during firearm deer seasons. This includes a hat. During the open-deer firearm season, Maine hunters must wear a hat that matches their blaze-orange clothing. In Arkansas, hunters must wear a blaze-orange jacket or hat with a minimum of four hundred square inches of orange on the front and back. For those who don't want to wear a poncho, they can wear one piece of blaze-orange clothing.

New York hunters don't need to wear fluorescent orange while deer hunting in New York, but they're encouraged to do so. Besides wearing an orange hat, the hunter can also wear a fluorescent orange coat or vest. However, camouflage-orange clothing will not satisfy this state's hunter-orange requirements. If you don't follow the rules of your state, you may find yourself getting into trouble.

While blaze-orange clothing is not required in Idaho, it is highly recommended. It is not required in Illinois, but it is mandatory to wear a hat that matches your blaze-orange vest. You're also required to wear a blaze-orange vest and hat during deer seasons in these states. Depending on your state's requirements, it may be necessary to wear both a hat and a vest with a blaze-orange vest.