With the number of female hunters growing, Wisconsin legislators have decided that the next logical—if not somewhat misguided—step in the continued recruitment of women is to add blaze pink clothing. Sen. Terry Moulton, co-chairmen of the state legislature’s sportsmen’s caucus, is leading the charge. The sportsmen’s caucus, which was formed last January, is a bipartisan group of legislators who focus on outdoor issues and plan to unveil a new bill to legalize blaze pink for deer hunters this week, according to the Star Tribune.
Moulten wrote in a column last week in the Dunn County News that the blaze pink bill will encourage women to become hunters and keep them involved in the sport. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, female hunters made up about 10% of the state’s gun deer hunters in 2014, 2013 and 2012 and accounted for about a quarter of all hunters between the ages of 10 and 12 in 2014. Females also bought 35% of the new gun deer licenses last fall.
While Moulten says that blaze pink is just as safe as blaze orange based on experiments conducted with Majid Sarmadi, a textiles expert at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, some worry that blaze pink is not as visible as blaze orange and could lead to more shooting accidents.
"Where is this coming from?"asks Jeff Schinkten, president of Whitetails Unlimited. "A guy in blaze orange sticks out like a sore thumb. If blaze pink does the same thing, great. I like the idea that we're catering to the women to get them into the sport ... but I'm more about safety than fashion."
Ask any female hunter why she hunts and I’m guessing that it’s not because of the clothing. Instead, she may tell you that not only is hunting an empowering skill to learn, but it is also a way to control where her family’s food comes from as well as a great way to spend time with family and friends. Perhaps a better idea would be to create more events and opportunities for women to learn about hunting and outdoor skills, instead of focusing on a hunting recruitment fashion initiative. Personally, as a female hunter, I’d like to see our clothing accented in a color other than pink.
wait... wut? orange clothing is MANDATED for hunters?
I thought they just wore it because they didn't like getting shot. I didn't think there needed to be a law.
It is. In my state you need to be wearing at least two articles of blaze orange clothing, and one has to cover your chest/torso area. Blaze orange is actually being debated in my state legislature right now. There's a bill to allow hunters to wear red instead of blaze, because apparently the Amish are prohibited by their beliefs from wearing blaze orange.
The only state I know of that does not require hunters to wear blaze is NH.
Post by secretlyevil on May 27, 2015 16:24:01 GMT -5
Someone needs to seriously get up to the podium and ask how this will create more jobs.
And yes @momi, in WI, clothing has to be legislated because people are that stupid. Too bad it's state by state because there are way more states that need to make that a law.
ETA: If it is a law in most states there needs more enforcement than. I feel like I observed more hunters that don't wear it versus those that do.
Post by UMaineTeach on May 27, 2015 16:30:59 GMT -5
the pink is dumb. there are better ways to increase women in hunting.
I have never had a female tell me they don't hunt because orange is ugly. I do know some women hunters who would wear pink. Because they need all the pink.
Oh yes because women care about their outfits above all else.
I care about the COMFORT of my outfit above all else. Women's cuts for hunting attire, sports jerseys and uniforms? Absolutely! But I'm much rather have the "regular" colors than a pink washed version.
Someone needs to seriously get up to the podium and ask how this will create more jobs. And yes @momi, in WI, clothing has to be legislated because people are that stupid. Too bad it's state by state because there are way more states that need to make that a law.
ETA: If it is a law in most states there needs more enforcement than. I feel like I observed more hunters that don't wear it versus those that do.
honestly, we don't deserve to be the top of the food chain.
Post by penguingrrl on May 27, 2015 16:45:25 GMT -5
Yes, I'm sure it's the fact that while engaging in the sport they aren't allowed to wear pink that is stopping women from hunting and now they'll see a huge influx of women hunters. I think this might be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
Yes, I'm sure it's the fact that while engaging in the sport they aren't allowed to wear pink that is stopping women from hunting and now they'll see a huge influx of women hunters. I think this might be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
It's probably just what women tell their husbands when they don't want to go hunting, kind of like the "headache" excuse. "Oh honey you know I'd love to hunt with you, but that orange color just isn't good on me. When they make blaze pink clothing then I'll go with you "
because apparently the Amish are prohibited by their beliefs from wearing blaze orange.
lolwut
I guess they have a prohibition on wearing bright colors. But red also seems like a bright color to me, so I'm not sure where the distinction lies, or why that would be ok when orange isn't.