High Sierra Topix

Hunting season where applicable.. Yes, even in the wilderness areas.. Wear it and be safe..

Well said. Judy and I would study the zones and opening weekends, avoid the opening weekends in any zone, but then do fall fishing in areas after the openers in our fall day-glo outfits. In addition to our clothes (fluorescent hat and vest), we'd drape an extra orange vest over our rucksacks/backpacks as we hiked, too.

Are there actuals accounts of hikers being shot at in the Sierra in recent decades? Can wearing blaze orange while hiking in the Sierra be equated to wearing bear bells while hiking in the Sierra? Im not much of a big game hunter, but I do believe that any rifle season tags issued in the Sierra are buck only, which means hunters need to verify antlers before taking a shot. I just cannot imagine someone mistaking a human for a buck.

even hunters make mistakes. It's not a good time of year to blend into your surroundings. As a hunter, I don't even like hunting big game opening week. Some hunters are pretty scary in their method and/or training.

When in a hunting zone, it's really easier to wear the orange and be seen. Not sure why the bear bells came into play there. It's like comparing apples to oranges

rlown wrote:even hunters make mistakes. It's not a good time of year to blend into your surroundings. As a hunter, I don't even like hunting big game opening week. Some hunters are pretty scary in their method and/or training.

When in a hunting zone, it's really easier to wear the orange and be seen. Not sure why the bear bells came into play there. It's like comparing apples to oranges

I understand, just wondering if its an actual problem or just a reaction to a fear. I wear a blaze orange hat and bright colored shirt on opening day of dove season (blyth, its a madhouse) because all the idiots that shoot low. They can usually be found wearing head to toe camo too, as to hide from these ultra discriminating dove.

People wear bear bells while they hike because they think it might save them from a rabid bear trying to eat them to death. People wear blaze orange while hiking because they think it might save them from being shot to death at the hands of a blind guy with a rifle and dear tag.

Are bear attacks a problem in the Sierra?
Are hiker shootings a problem in the Sierra?

I think its more like comparing cran-apple juice to a mixture of apples and cranberries.

There are stats on the DFG site, but they seem to only be from '94-'06. Must have lost funding. They tout Hunter safety Ed as the reason for fewer accidents. There are fatals listed for big game, which looked like a father might have shot his son who moved into view. There were no obvious "shot a hiker" statistic.

The most interesting stat mix was for shotguns and waterfowl/upland game hunting. As a hunter for waterfowl, you are not required to wear orange (except for pheasant, i think). As a big game hunter in CA, you are required to wear 400 sq. in. (i think) of orange. Most waterfowl accidents seemed to be swinging on a bird and then, there's your partner when you pull the trigger. A big no-no.

Not directly related to the Sierra, I have hunted out of state a couple times, and I was in orange, and still had a bullet whiz by my head. All i'm saying is, in a popular hunting zone, wear it. It adds one more degree of safety.

There was another thread on bear bells. pointless in the sierra. They don't shoot back or generally attack. Not like we're giving them high caliber rifles..

rlown wrote:Not like we're giving them high caliber rifles..

Wait isn't that what that Coburn amendment was about? Something about arming bears, wasn't it? No? Oh, right: bearing arms! Of course. I knew it was one of those...

LOL, I used to have a bumper sticker that said "I support the right to arm bears"
Seriously, rlown is right, far better to be safe and seen.

Whatever you do don't show up in this.

Only thing missing is a dog in Antlers..