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Real hunters wear pink: New color joins blaze orange on approved high-visibility list

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hunters hats
Photo Courtesy: Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division

Alabama hunters looking to expand their in-the-woods fashion choices will have another legal option besides traditional blaze orange this hunting season.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division announced that fluorescent pink, often called “hunter pink,” is now an approved alternative to hunter orange in situations where high-visibility clothing is required. The agency recently shared examples of legal and illegal hats and vests to help hunters prepare before heading into the field this fall.

During gun deer season, including youth deer season and special muzzleloader and air rifle deer seasons, hunters on private and leased lands, as well as public lands that are not designated Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), must wear either:

  • An outer garment above the waist with at least 144 square inches of solid hunter orange or fluorescent pink, or
  • A full-size hunter orange or fluorescent pink hat or cap.

The department said hunter orange or fluorescent pink must be a solid color and visible from every angle.

A representative from the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division said orange and pink were selected because they are less likely to blend into the natural surroundings than other bright colors, such as yellow.

“Orange and pink are two colors that you don’t often see naturally in the woods,” the representative said. “That bright of an orange or pink color won’t be seen naturally in any season. Yellow can sometimes blend in with certain leaves or bright plants and can easily be mistaken.”

What is legal? According to the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division:

  • Solid blaze orange or fluorescent pink hat
  • Small logo or patch on front of a blaze orange or fluorescent pink hat
  • Solid blaze orange or fluorescent pink vest with at least 144 square inches of visible material

What is NOT legal? Hunters should avoid wearing:

  • Partially orange or pink hats
  • Large printed logo covering blaze orange or fluorescent pink hats
  • Orange or pink camouflage patterns
  • Red safety vests or other shades of red
  • Yellow reflective safety vests

The department emphasized that only solid hunter orange or fluorescent pink materials, commonly called blaze orange or ten-mile cloth, meet Alabama’s legal requirements.

According to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the visibility requirement does not apply in certain situations, including:

  • Hunting fox, raccoon or opossum during legal nighttime hours
  • Turkey hunting
  • Hunting migratory birds, including crows
  • Hunting from an elevated stand at least 12 feet above the ground
  • Hunting from an enclosed box stand
  • Traveling inside an enclosed vehicle
  • Walking no more than 20 feet directly between an enclosed vehicle and an exempt hunting stand

Hunters and trappers on Alabama Wildlife Management Areas must also wear a minimum of 144 square inches of hunter orange or fluorescent pink, or a full-size hunter orange or fluorescent pink hat.

The WMA exceptions are similar, including turkey hunting, migratory bird hunting, nighttime hunting for certain species, hunting from elevated or enclosed stands and traveling inside an enclosed vehicle.

The new fluorescent pink option gives hunters another highly visible choice while maintaining the safety standards required under Alabama’s Game and Fish regulations. Hunters are encouraged to verify that their clothing meets the state’s visibility requirements before the season begins.