# Blaze Orange for Extended Archery Area



## spacinout (Jul 19, 2014)

This is my first year archery hunting and I know that if I'm in a unit where a firearm hunt is going on at the same time that I am required to wear orange. I have tags for both elk and deer for the extended archery season. 

A buddy told me that there was and will be again soon, an antlerless elk any legal weapon season going on the north side of I-80 in East Canyon. I got on the DWR website and searched antlerless elk hunts on their Hunt Boundary Map page and noticed that there have been and will be starting up again the 11th, any legal weapon antlerless hunts on the Wasatch, Salt Lake Units and the East Canyon, Davis-North Salt Lake Units. The regs say that muzzleloaders and rifles aren't allowed in Salt Lake County South of I-80 and East of I-15 for BUCK DEER and BULL ELK. Does this mean that antlerless elk hunters can use a firearm up Millcreek, Little Cottonwood and Lambs Canyon? So do I need to be wearing my orange when I'm up there? Thanks for your help!


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## silentstalker (Feb 19, 2008)

The answer is yes. They can hunt those cows with rifles.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

According to the regs, you are required to be wearing orange during the seasons and in the areas you mention. However, if you were to see 100 archers up there during that time, you would most likely be the only one wearing orange.

I'm not saying that's right legally speaking. That just seems to be how it plays out. I'm not sure it's ever enforced during those antlerless seasons.


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

Fortunately, these regulations will change next year per the current DWR proposal which has been approved by 2 of the RAC's without even any discussion:

"R657-5-48. Hunter Orange Exceptions.
(1) A person shall wear a minimum of 400 inches of hunter orange material on the head, chest and back while hunting any species of big game with the following exceptions:
(a) Hunters participating in a once-in-a-lifetime, statewide conservation or statewide sportsmen hunt.
(b) Hunters participating in an archery or muzzleloader hunt outside of an area where an any weapon general season bull elk or any weapon general season buck deer hunt is occurring.
(c) Hunters hunting in a cooperative wildlife management unit unless otherwise required by the operator of cooperative wildlife management units; and
(d) Hunters participating in a nuisance wildlife removal unit authorized under a certificate of registration by the division."

Item (b) means you'll only be required to wear it if a general season bull elk or buck deer hunt is going on where you're hunting. For all other big game hunts, including antlerless, archers and muzzy hunters are good to go without it.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

elkfromabove said:


> Fortunately, these regulations will change next year per the current DWR proposal which has been approved by 2 of the RAC's without even any discussion:
> 
> "R657-5-48. Hunter Orange Exceptions.
> (1) A person shall wear a minimum of 400 inches of hunter orange material on the head, chest and back while hunting any species of big game with the following exceptions:
> ...


Thanks for the clarification. Glad they are changing it next year. Seems like a pretty common sense approach.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Utah's rules and regs are getting to the point that there is going to be a lot of grey areas. 

Just make it simple, if you are packing a rifle or in a area that a rifle hunt is going on wear it. 

Either that or get rid of the requirement to wear orange completely.


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## spacinout (Jul 19, 2014)

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the clarification. I sometimes feel like I need a law degree to figure out the hunting regs for Utah.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

Critter said:


> Utah's rules and regs are getting to the point that there is going to be a lot of grey areas.
> 
> Just make it simple, if you are packing a rifle or in a area that a rifle hunt is going on wear it.
> 
> Either that or get rid of the requirement to wear orange completely.


I would prefer that they get rid of the orange requirement, or that they had just an orange cap requirement like Wyoming does. Simple. No grey area. If you are rifle hunting put on an orange hat and go.

I would still likely wear an orange vest on the rifle deer and elk hunts, but don't necessarily think it should be compulsory.


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