Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Orange coat or safety vest?

Orange coat or orange vest over your regular clothes? I know it likely depends on the weather. But I find having a coat and layering for the weather works the best.
Besides I have my stuff in the pockets already.

I have a blaze orange shell that I wear over my coat. I can adjust my layers to match the weather, then have the shell to cover the result. I've even taken my coat off and just worn the shell when dragging to not get sweated up.

Years ago I read that deer were thought to see blaze orange as white. True or not, I suspect that it appears bright to them just as to us. For that reason, I try to avoid that color or any other bright ones on my arms and hands because they are moved the most and I don’t want to wave a bright flag. I have a couple of orange vests, but my favorite is on I made by cutting the sleeves off of a “Winchester” fleece jacket I found at Whatamart. It’s a jumbo size, even for me, and has zippered pockets, plus it adds a layer of warmth. Fits over anything, even my Filson Double Mac.

A few years back, my wife bought me a Bemidji blaze hunting jacket, made of 30oz wool. It’s a lot lighter than the Filson, even with the heavier-weight cloth, and is a good jacket for when I want to go light. Gotta watch that movement when wearing it though. Nice stuff, Made in America.

Neither.

orange vest. Usually take it off and hang it on the back side of the tree when I get up in a tree stand.

IMO, using a coat is counter to the concept of layering, at least where I hunt. Because you always have to have the coat on to be legal.

If I'm walking uphill for any amount of time (kind of hard to avoid that out here) you'll be overheated with a warm coat on, especially in September.

Depending on the weather but I have a light fleece orange hoody under my coat for when I take my coat off. Mostly, I wear a heavy coat riding into my hunt area, then only wear the hoody when hunting. Never did like a vest. Smell and movement will bust you quicker rather than what you are wearing.

I've got blaze orange in a variety of options, depending on activity level and weather. Lightweight vest, vest with pockets, zip up hoody and thin synthetic long sleeve shirts.

Nope. Blaze orange hat that's about 25 yrs old and a little dingy or a red hat.

Browning blaze orange vest.

Has hand and snap pockets on each side to carry bullets and snacks.

Coat or vest in MS as long as it’s 500 sq2 inches.

Same here. Orange hat is all you need for LA private land deer hunts, per the state regs.

Since game animals see movement better than they see colors, so I wear a camo orange vest because my arms move more than my torso.

to make sure the back of the tree doesn't get shot? @jc189

It depends on the weather and temperature. I have a variety of orange garments. T shirt on the light side, a thin 3X vest, insulated reversible orange/camo vest, orange fleece zip up sweatshirt, and a couple of heavy coats.

Dale

Hat and vest for me, need both here to be legal. Some wear more as recruits in the pumpkin army of PA

If someone mistakes me for a Deer 20 feet up in a tree with an orange vest hanging next to me, on a private lease behind locked gates, someone is armed trespassing and blind as Fugg. Lol.

A reversible orange/green vest works great for me. It allows easy layering for moving or sitting. Orange is mandatory in Maine but not in NH so in NH the orange side is out when I'm moving but I sit with the green side exposed. Probably doesn't matter since I've had deer get very close in Maine while sitting like a pumpkin.

I have 5 sons/SILs and 5 grandkids that hunt here on the farm. I buy those orange vests sold in a clear plastic at Walmart for about 4.99. I probably have 20 of them. I have everyone an orange cap given me from our local coops or fertilizer companies. Very rarely see anyone wearing an orange coat during deer season. Must wear both cap and vest here, even on private land.

I bought one of these Primos GunHunter's vest last year. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1818418062?pid=939324
Lots of pockets for all the crap I "need" and a backpack pouch for an exrat coat or vest so I can layer under it.
I keep all my stuff in it and just put it on over whatever I am wearing depending on the weather. My only problem with it is that it's kind of heavy so I cut off the flop down seat. I also replaced the buttons with a zipper.

always a vest but once i get in my stand i take in off including the orange hat , i wear a dark green jacket , a camo hat in the stand ,all my stands are dark inside the stand too.