[farmboy1964]

This past deer season I was cited for not having enough orange on. I had just left a parking area and was on a public road waiting to walk into my hunting spot. I was wearing a large orange vest and had my orange hat in my pocket, hadn't put it on yet. This seems a little excessive to me, if not just wrong. Can anyone give me some wisdom?
Thanks

 

[quackmaster4]

Yeah, put your hat on.

 

[surveyor]

are you saying that your point is you don't feel the need to meet the legal requirements? not sure of your reasoning at this time.

 

[Pa-Plinker]

... Can anyone give me some wisdom?
Thanks

Wear a fluorescent orange hat while hunting !

You won't get much sympathy around here when you are acknowledging that you were knowingly in non-compliance with the F.O. regulations. The WCO had no way of knowing when you planned on putting your hat on.

 

[R.W.J]

Just curious as to why you feel it was excessive or wrong?

 

[justshoot]

"just left a parking area and was on a public road waiting"
If you can't hunt on this road, were you hunting? Was your weapon loaded?

 

[Pa-Plinker]

"just left a parking area and was on a public road waiting"
If you can't hunt on this road, were you hunting? Was your weapon loaded?

If he couldn't hunt where he was (e.g. safety zone), then he was in violation of other laws/regs in addition to the F.O.

 

[Woods walker]

Here is the regulation, the pinch was not excessive.

(1) General. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), it is unlawful to hunt or assist to hunt game or wildlife or move to or from a hunting location, from 1 hour before legal hunting hours to 1 hour after legal hunting hours outside of a motorized vehicle, at any time without wearing a minimum of 250 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange-colored material on the head, chest and back combined so that it is visible in a 360° arc. This shall include going to or from a hunting location before or after legal shooting hours. Except as provided in subsection (b)(2) and (3), camouflage orange clothing is lawful provided it contains the minimum amount of fluorescent orange-colored material

 

[dpms]

The regs are the regs but if someone were to ask me if I thought a fine was warranted if this person was only guilty of not knowing that in route to or from a vehicle, the required FO had to be displayed, my answer would be no.

I did not know this reg either until a month ago and I have broke it often in the SRA getting to my hunting areas. I would be peeved if I got pinched for a infraction like that. A warning woud correct any future problems.

 

[PerryTuscarora]

Sure he broke the law as written. But the PGC could practice a little good Public Relations in cases like this. Why so quick to pinch someone all the time for very minor infractions. Give out a warning and document it in the database and if repeated by the hunter then they get pinched. If the hunter had not had a FO hat on his person then pinch him on the spot.

I feel it's a little excessive for a pinch in this case but you have to know the laws. Ignorance is no excuss. Chalk it up as a lesson learned.

 

[Woods walker]

Do you or any one else that immediately jumped on the OP's side know for sure the citation was given exactly the way the OP stated? I don't and neither do you. I have found that when people get a citation and complain about it, they usually paint themselves as put upon and the officer as overly officious. Very few people tell the truth as it happened, to paint themselves in a better light.

 

[Treestand]

why when standing on the road with a vest on and a hat in the pocket would the wco think the op was trying to break the law? in those temps we had in rifle I often take my hat off and wipe my brow after climbing a hill or something.....am I breaking the law I guess so but in the grand sceme of things im not trying to get away with anything and really not hurting anyone.
john s this is only my for instance and not ment to say the op or wco are in the wrong!!

 

[outofstater]

Yep, we had different temps. Why i had a light weight hat on most of season totaly f/o. I kind of feel out of place in the woods with out a hat and sure wouldnt have it in my pocket. I used to wear camo orange until i started hunting in Colorado last 4 years. There law is solid orange no camo orage is allowed. I will say this past season a place i was set up for i seen a f/o hat on a hunter 2 miles away before i seen any other orange due to his position. Very important to be seen. A simple screw up pay the fine and move on.

 

[good ole boy]

If his gun wasn,t loaded then he shouldn,t have been cited.But if it was then this opens a whole other jar of wax.What is the fine for thi very minor malfraction?Heck it ain,t likehe was out in camo or street clothes.

 

[GRock]

Last year I hunted an archery only area during rifle season. I wore my orange vest and hat, hunted until dark. Got out of stand, packed up, took off most of my warm clothes including orange insulated hat and put in backpack. Made my way out to truck after dark, where a wco was waiting. He questioned me about my hat, and since I wasn't wearing it after dark, I received a $300.00 fine. I paid it, I was wrong, but that was a ridiculous amount for that infraction. A warning or a smaller fine would of been more appropriate.

 

[R.W.J]

If his gun wasn,t loaded then he shouldn,t have been cited.But if it was then this opens a whole other jar of wax.What is the fine for thi very minor malfraction?Heck it ain,t likehe was out in camo or street clothes.

§ 141.20. Protective material required.
(a) The following requirements apply:

(1) General. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), it is unlawful to hunt or assist to hunt game or wildlife or move to or from a hunting location, from 1 hour before legal hunting hours to 1 hour after legal hunting hours outside of a motorized vehicle, at any time without wearing a minimum of 250 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange-colored material on the head, chest and back combined so that it is visible in a 360° arc. This shall include going to or from a hunting location before or after legal shooting hours. Except as provided in subsection (b)(2) and (3), camouflage orange clothing is lawful provided it contains the minimum amount of fluorescent orange-colored material.

 

[R.W.J]

Last year I hunted an archery only area during rifle season. I wore my orange vest and hat, hunted until dark. Got out of stand, packed up, took off most of my warm clothes including orange insulated hat and put in backpack. Made my way out to truck after dark, where a wco was waiting. He questioned me about my hat, and since I wasn't wearing it after dark, I received a $300.00 fine. I paid it, I was wrong, but that was a ridiculous amount for that infraction. A warning or a smaller fine would of been more appropriate.

An orange violation is a summary of the 5th degree///

Summary offense of the fifth degree, not less than $100 nor more than $200.

The DJ sets the fine amount not the WCO.

 

[GRock]

Add all the court costs up. I paid 300 dollars. If I had the citation yet I would post it.

 

[farmboy1964]

Thanks folks for all of the input. Interesting to see the different perspectives. I have to admit I am the libertarian type so getting pinched for what seems a minor issue to me is a bit grating. I have tried to be as accurate as possible by the way as I do want to get an honest opinion of my situation. Seems if no major problems were happening then a warning would be the more appropriate action here. I believe the fine will be about $150 as suggested by the officer, but I haven't seen the citation yet in the mail and officer wouldn't give me a copy?

 

[R.W.J]

Add all the court costs up. I paid 300 dollars. If I had the citation yet I would post it.

I believe you. The DJ max'ed you out.