# do pheasants recognize blaze orange?



## pintailtim

have hunted with a few guys that won't wear any blaze orange because they think it will spook birds....what do you guys think? Do you wear orange or not?


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## R y a n

pheasants are color blind if I remember correctly

anyone?

Your friends are silly to worry about color spooking them. The noise they make and their movement will scare them long before the recognize the color they are wearing.

take care


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## Ref

Early in the season, I wear some blaze orange.....my hat and some orange on my vest. When there is snow on the ground and the birds a alot spookier, if I'm posting, I wear white. I've seen them flare from guys wearing camo or orange clothing.


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## deacon

I believe noise is a hunters biggest concern.

If you have have a chance find a spot where pheasants cross the road in the morning and evening and watch them react to vehicles, they can hear them from quite a distance and it is amazing how many people drive by not noticing the birds.


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## Bobm

R y a n said:


> pheasants are color blind if I remember correctly
> 
> anyone?
> 
> Your friends are silly to worry about color spooking them. The noise they make and their movement will scare them long before the recognize the color they are wearing.
> 
> take care


Birds see color perfectly, way better than we do, as a general rule if a animal has bright coloration it sees color and it uses color in the reproduction aspect of its life.

If you are hunting alone in area with no open big game seasons not wearing orange will make a big difference in your success pheasant hunting


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## pheasantslayer

I don't think it makes as big a difference as some people think it does. Hunters noise is what seems to be the biggest fault from some of the groups that i've hunted with. I am sure most of you have hunted with a group of people that reminds you of a circus. Pickup doors slamming shut as hard as they can be, shotguns loading up for the first walk, then come the dogs 10 dogs for 10 people. I think the biggest clue for a pheasant is hearing all the whistles being blown. I would say a pheasant is more prone to run from whistles than from blaze orange. Don't get me wrong, I do like it when people walk tree rows right next to me in white bedsheets, I need a good laugh from time to time. I don't know how much difference that will make when the people and dogs start slogging through cover and when someone takes the first shot. From my experience the best thing you can do is try to corner them as best you can or get your nikes on and try running after them.


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## rowdie

Why would a rooster have so much color if the hens couldn't see it?? That makes no sense, and I believe Bob is dead on.

I don't think wearing orange would matter to the guy walking, but to the guys blocking I think it does. Pheasants will flare and fly away from guys moving aroung at the end, and when I block (which isn't much) I try to hide the best I can. I never wear orange. But if I hunted with a large group, and or people I didn't know very well, I'd have to put some on, and maybe a lot if they were new to the outdoors/hunting.


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## Fallguy

Bobm said:


> Birds see color perfectly, way better than we do, as a general rule if a animal has bright coloration it sees color and it uses color in the reproduction aspect of its life.


From what I have always learned is that animals such as birds and fish use coloration to help select a mate. The way I understood it was that the most common pattern is a colorful male of the species. The bright contrast and color means a healthy, strong gened individual. The female instinct is to mate with that male to have better offspring. Sexual selection is what our college biology prof called it. The female of the species is dull and blends to protect the young. The males instinct is just to spread his DNA. Just think about how many hens a rooster will have in his harem! It makes sense!


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## Rick Acker

Yes they do see color. Does it make a difference not wearing orange?...Late season maybe...Early season, I don't think it makes much of a difference. Noise is what gets them running a 100 yards in front of you, not the orange.


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## Crazy Horse RVN

If color is so detrimental in hunting Pheasants should I dye my French Britt a nuetral color? :roll:


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## ruger1

I'd rather go home empty handed than eat a face full of shot.

The guys I hunt with are exceptional in all regards, especially saftey. However accidents do and can happen. Blaze orange is one more tool to minimize accidents.


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## Chaws

I couldn't even imagine stepping into a field without a blaze hat and of course my blaze mothers upland game bag/pack. If it's colder I have a full heavier completely blaze long sleeve shirt. I wear the same type of clothes regardless of hunting by myself or in a group. Easier to be spotted so another group of hunters don't encroach on you either.


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## Crazy Horse RVN

Obviously I was just joking with my previous post about dyeing my dog a nuetral color. In fact, when hunting my dog wears a bright Orange collar.

I always wear a Orange hat and an Orange vest or coat with at least 250 sq. inches or blaze Orange.

I've had the misfortune of being shot twice in the field. Fortunately on both occasions the injuries were very minimal. On the first occasion I recieved one 7 1/2 pellet in the lip. On the second occasion I endured a blast of #8's from about 50 yards to my back. I thank my Filson canvas coat, for if not for that coat I surely would have been seriously peppered. As was the case one pellet struck me in the back of the head and one pellet passed through the coat and entered the skin at my right elbow. A week later the pellet at the elbow extracted itself in the form of a burst pimple. The coat had about 30 pellet hits, some of them passing through the coat but never hitting flesh. 
I was darn lucky.

Of course, my hunting partner was profusely sorry. It was an accident. We still hunt together though we're both much more careful.

Only a fool would not wear at least a bright blaze orange cap.


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## MSG Rude

Crazy Horse RVN said:


> Of course, my hunting partner was profusely sorry. It was an accident. We still hunt together though we're both much more careful.


So how is Dick these days?

 Just a little humor.


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## rooster hunter

*They hear your coffee cup hitting the counter at the diner and start running.. and couldn't give a rat's keester what you are wearing.

Where orange and make sure everybody can see you...*


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## fetchingfloyd

pintailtim said:


> have hunted with a few guys that won't wear any blaze orange because they think it will spook birds....what do you guys think? Do you wear orange or not?


not sure about orange but when a rooster around here sees "yellow" (lab) he heads for the hills :lol:

birds have really good eyesight so color or not, they will see motion. I dont know if roosters can see orange or not, i would bet they can as birds have very keen eyesight, especially late season roosters that have hunted and pushed all season.


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## Gooseguy10

For the walkers, it doesn't matter what color you wear as the birds hear you before you get close.

However, I think pheasants definitely spot the blaze orange posters are wearing. I have seen many roosters flare similar to waterfowl upon seeing blazed orange clad posters.

In any event, I still wear blaze orange whether I am walking or posting.


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## msapper

Anyone who would even consider being a poster w/o orange would have to have a few screws loose. Consider this: if the birds can't see you, might it be possible your hunting buddies won't either?


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## Jmnhunter

Gooseguy10 said:


> However, I think pheasants definitely spot the blaze orange posters are wearing. I have seen many roosters flare similar to waterfowl upon seeing blazed orange clad posters.
> 
> In any event, I still wear blaze orange whether I am walking or posting.


Gooseguy hit the nail; whenever I post I try to duck down when the birds start flushing and it helps alot; otherwise they will flare if they spot you :beer:


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## ruger1

Another example:

I've seen to many people get hurt in the field due to errors in judgment or stupidity. I'm going to do everything I can to optimize my safety. There is no way I'd ever enter the field without Blaze Orange on.

My father had a beautiful shot on a grouse one day and he didn't shoot cause something just "didn't feel right". Once he analyzed the situation, he realized he could see glimpses of his partners Blaze Orange through the brush right beyond where the grouse flew. The Blaze Orange was enough to give him an uncomfortable feeling in a split second even though it wasn't a conscious thought. That's a good enough lesson for me.


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## Gooseguy10

[quote

Gooseguy hit the nail; whenever I post I try to duck down when the birds start flushing and it helps alot; otherwise they will flare if they spot you :beer:[/quote]

I too try to get a low profile while the birds are flushing at a distance. As I described earlier, I have seen many birds flare away from posters. Another reason to keep a low profile is to keep the dogs from running ahead. I know in a perfect world the dogs wouldn't stray too far from the walkers but I have seen dogs fun the length of hunting field b.c they see people standing at the end.

As the walkers get closer (within 60 yards) I stand up to be seen by the other hunters. By that point, the birds have no wear to flare to with out getting shot at by either the posters and/or walkers.


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## MnPheasantGuy

I am more concerned about someone knowing that am I there rather than a bird busting me. Although, we are talking about Minnesota and public land is a little more crowded. 
I guess I have never tried going without orange, mostly because it is illegal, but I haven't had any trouble limiting out while wearing it.


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## Rick Acker

MnPheasantGuy said:


> I am more concerned about someone knowing that am I there rather than a bird busting me. Although, we are talking about Minnesota and public land is a little more crowded.
> I guess I have never tried going without orange, mostly because it is illegal, but I haven't had any trouble limiting out while wearing it.


It may be illegal in Minnesota? ( I don't know your states laws) but it's not in North Dakota. Common sence comes into play. If you are hunting public land, that's a no brainer. If you are hunting private posted land with hunting partners that know and trust...you can get away without blaze orange. Again, it's the noise factor is what scares most birds away, not the color. Late in the year, when it's a little tougher to pick up late season birds and fewer hunters, I sometimes scale down the blaze orange.


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## MnPheasantGuy

Rick Acker said:


> MnPheasantGuy said:
> 
> 
> 
> I am more concerned about someone knowing that am I there rather than a bird busting me. Although, we are talking about Minnesota and public land is a little more crowded.
> I guess I have never tried going without orange, mostly because it is illegal, but I haven't had any trouble limiting out while wearing it.
> 
> 
> 
> It may be illegal in Minnesota? ( I don't know your states laws) but it's not in North Dakota. Common sence comes into play. If you are hunting public land, that's a no brainer. If you are hunting private posted land with hunting partners that know and trust...you can get away without blaze orange. Again, it's the noise factor is what scares most birds away, not the color. Late in the year, when it's a little tougher to pick up late season birds and fewer hunters, I sometimes scale down the blaze orange.
Click to expand...

Yeah, we only need one article of clothing that is orange to be from the waist up. I usually just have a vest. Good to know, though, if I try NoDak for some birds. Minnesota has had a huge increase the last 5-6 years. I am assuming ND has been the same. How are the spring numbers looking? It seems like we have a lot of birds around here in MN.


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## nodakoutdoors.com

I don't think the pheasants faired as bad as many think...but of course some areas are better off than others.


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## Maverick

I was out scouting my area's last weekend and here is what I personally saw. Total number's were down about 50% in my area. I saw a few hens without broods, but the one's I did see had an average of 8 chicks (All looked pretty healthy, even saw a few feather-balls fly)! So it does look good for the new hatch. Numbers are down, but there is a bit of confidence with the hatch this year!


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## lesser

Goose guy is all over the question for you. I would watch what he posts because he seems to know what he is talking about and answers the exact question. Great question. You can make the decision weather you feel comfortablel with your hunting partners not wearing orange.


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