Thread: Safety Colours

I wonder if Swazi or H&F etc will start making safety clothing available in a light blue option. Don't get me wrong, I love my NZHS blaze beanie but in the last few day with the recent events I have also purchased a bright blue beanie for future bush armed and unarmed walks.

What do you guys wear in the way of safety clothing and or lights? What about your dogs - do you kit them out too?

I have a selection of blaze and yellow stuff as does the dog. And seeing as I talk about him a lot, might as well share that I have had some frustration with finding a sort of racing silk type pull-over that is both light weight but also a bright colour. I think I will have to resort in making something less target-like for him.



(This last one is KiwiGreg rocking a sweet NZHS beanie but also a rad bush shirt that I like the look of - Sweet hood!)

At the end of the day it wont matter what you are wearing if they dont identify there target.

There is a article in a mag round here on blaze, facts are your 80% less likly to be killed wearing blaze. and virtually 0 chance of being shot by a bowhunter because they have to identify which part of a animal they are shooting at just as a rifle hunter does but some rifle hunters are happy to shoot at hindquarters or any part of the animal

Yeah, wtf that it bollocks!

Take a look at my avatar, photo taken in low light in the bush.
It goes human stag human(well Greg anyway) neither of the humans look like the deer but the one in blaze definitely does not look anything like the stag

I wear the polos/t-shirts similar to this for work, occasionally wear them while hunting too... don't spook the deer too much. Once you wear them in they are not as bright, rather be seen than dead.

<> Hi Viz Tee Shirt <> B SAFE B SEEN <> | Trade Me

I saw a pic on here that truley shows the blaze orange blending into our bush and hunting grounds.

This is Leathel's pic hope you don't me mind sharing it.


Sun down and sun up there is a lot of blaze in the bush.......but theres still no excuse too shoot at blaze!!!

I might have too invest in some bright clothing but most of mine are camo or green. Blue sounds safest and I have personaly witnessed a knob about too take a shot at a white moving object before the clown pulled the trigger I gave the prick a look thru my binos and it was some dude walking a creek bed in white overalls.Didn't know the rifle owning clown but was just at the right place at the right time......Ferkin idiot!!!!

Personaly I wouldn't feel safe in blaze. Every one to there own I guess

Ideally blue as there is f all in our bush thats blue, unfortunately its one of the colors deer see and see exceptionally well.

Came across this exert from the Mountain Safety Council "developing safe hunting practice" pdf......
http://www.mountainsafety.org.nz/ass...Summary(2).pdf

No one colour is satisfactory as a protective factor for all conditions, however ‘United Nations’ blue
came out as the most visible colour in the greatest variety of conditions, but can be affected by going darker when wet
if made of an absorbent material. A range of high vis orange clothing was tested. It was good in most conditions, but
there are circumstances where it might be confused with deer, especially in some light conditions. The outcomes of this
project indicate that the wearing of colour that contrasts with the environment, on its own, is not sufficient. Rather,
hunters need to modify a range of behaviours.

Originally Posted by cambo

Came across this exert from the Mountain Safety Council "developing safe hunting practice" pdf......
http://www.mountainsafety.org.nz/ass...Summary(2).pdf

No one colour is satisfactory as a protective factor for all conditions, however ‘United Nations’ blue
came out as the most visible colour in the greatest variety of conditions, but can be affected by going darker when wet
if made of an absorbent material. A range of high vis orange clothing was tested. It was good in most conditions, but
there are circumstances where it might be confused with deer, especially in some light conditions. The outcomes of this
project indicate that the wearing of colour that contrasts with the environment, on its own, is not sufficient. Rather,
hunters need to modify a range of behaviours.

What do you mean?

I'm kind of on the fence concerning blaze. Some say it draws attention too easily. I was told years ago at my FAL safety test that some colour blind people see it as brown. It looses it's effectiveness as it fades. I've seen a lot of people wearing ancient blaze swannies and caps that could be seen the wrong way at dusk. The thing I like about it is if you are hunting with mates you can keep track of each others position more easily, because you know they are there and wearing blaze. I passed up the last deer I had in my sights because I was 99% sure it was a deer, but another guy staying at the hut had said he would be hunting east of me on the same side of the river. I was watching the hind feeding and sunning herself, I could see parts of a deer quite clearly. The hind quarters, front legs, neck etc through gaps in the vegetation. But there was that 1% of doubt and quite frankly the idea of shooting someone gives me the shits. I decided to circle around and get closer, but the wind betrayed me and I lost her, but I wasn't dissapointed.

The problem with blue is it will contrast you with the deer as well, more than any other colour

This last poor guy to be shot ,did they say what he was wearing ie blaze ?

Not sure.

Blue chequered Swandri's were all we meat hunted in for years ,used to cut the bottoms of for arse paper then the sleeves ,if deer could see it well they weren't letting on lol ,and its is easy to see when you bump in to ya mate in the bush .

Originally Posted by Dougie

What do you mean?

Another quote form the MSC PDF....

Changing behaviour
Hunters can minimize the likelihood of shooting, or being shot by, another hunter by modifying a range of behaviours.
These are listed in descending order of the frequency in which the corresponding contributing factor appears in the
incidents analysed (that is, the first is the most common contributing factor). Including bush, navigation, first aid and
camp craft skills, and careful compliance with the New Zealand Arms Code:
1. A hunter must not shoot at shape, sound, movement or colour, including those that belong to a deer,
without confirming that their target is a deer.
2. A wise hunter will wear clothing that contrasts with the environment, including deer in that environment.
3. When hunting together with a companion, cease hunting if visual contact with that companion is lost, and
do not resume hunting until visual contact is made and confirmed.
4. A hunter must develop a self-awareness that enables them to identify buck/stag fever in themselves,
and counteract it with extra care while hunting.
5. Use binocular vision to identify the target; use the scope only to place the shot.
6. Snap shooting is to be avoided unless target identification is complete.
7. If an area is obviously heavily occupied by other hunters consider going hunting elsewhere.
8. Hunters should undergo hunter specific training.
9. Hunters should belong to a club. Club membership is most likely to be the source of training and
peer guidance.
10. Hunters should agree on hunting areas (‘blocks’), with a clearly defined ‘no fire zone’ between areas.
Do not hunt outside the agreed area, including on the way back to camp.
11. If a linear boundary is agreed (for example a ridge line or creek), no shots may be fired toward or over
that boundary line.
12. If it is absolutely necessary for one hunter to knowingly move into another’s area, perhaps because of
an emergency, do not stalk into the area. The hunter should enter in a way that it is obvious they are
not a deer.
13. Do not move into the firing zone or arc of fire of a hunting companion.
14. Sight more than a single small part of the deer and confirm it as the target.
15. Minimise the likelihood of colour similar to that of a deer being visible.
16. Do not shoot when others are known to be in the firing zone.
17. When hunting together with a companion in parallel keep sight of each other,
maintain an arc of fire 180 degrees away from your hunting companion with
a ‘no fire zone’ between shooters, including forward and back.
18. When hunting together with a companion, and taking turns hunting, the non
hunting companion does not resume hunting until mutually agreed.
19. Hunting is not a time to fool around. Do not behave like a deer knowing your
mate is hunting nearby. He may end up hunting you.
20. If carrying a deer carcass cover it in some way so that it is clearly contrasted with
the environment, including deer in that environment.
It is also important to remember that hunters as individuals participating in a precision,
high risk activity should ensure that their general health, including their eyesight, are up
to the requirements of the activity.