Fall is the time for pumpkins, apple cider, crunchy leaves, and blaze orange! Wareham Land Trust has designated October 1^st through December 31st (i.e., deer hunting season) as “BLAZE DAYS” – a time to wear blaze orange clothing and gear while out in the woods. Although hunters are required to wear blaze orange during certain seasons, MassWildlife recommends that “all outdoor users who are in the woods during hunting season should wear blaze orange clothing as a precaution. Pets should also wear an orange vest or bandana for visibility.”

But how much blaze orange should you wear? A good rule of thumb is to wear at least 500 square inches of blaze orange, covering your chest, back and head. This might seem like too much math, but a full blaze orange vest will give you about 210 square inches on the front and about 210 square inches on the back. Adding a blaze orange hat will provide the rest. And voila! You are now wearing 500 square inches of blaze orange. However, you don’t have to stop there. The more the better! A full shirt or coat gives excellent visibility. And don’t forget Fido! Your four-legged friend could easily be mistaken for a wild animal. So, look into getting a vest or bandana for your pets as well. Click the following link to view a short video demonstrating the importance of wearing blaze orange: “Effectiveness of Blaze Orange” It should be convincing. Hunters have to wear it (it’s the law). For your safety, you should too.

By Mack Phinney and Elise Leduc-Fleming

Note: Hunting is not allowed on all Wareham Land Trust-owned properties or on any of the Town of Wareham-owned properties. However, for your safety, you should still wear blaze orange when visiting these properties between October 1 and December 31. Occasionally, an uninformed hunter may cross into a “no hunting allowed” property without knowing it.