Wearing blaze clothing when small game hunting

For several years now, a growing number of small game hunters have been drawing attention to wearing blaze clothing when hunting. A security measure in enclosed environments, in the small game hunting circles everyone is quick to don blaze orange - why?

For several years now, a growing number of small game hunters have been drawing attention to wearing blaze clothing when hunting. A security measure in the enclosed environments favoured by Scolopax Rusticola, in the small game hunting circles everyone is quick to don blaze orange - why?

WEARING NEON CLOTHING WHEN SMALL GAME HUNTING

Why wear blaze clothing when hunting?

Essentially, in France, wearing blaze clothing when hunting is a good habit developed by big game hunters, particularly for driven shooting. In many regions, it has been ruled mandatory to wear blaze clothing for all big game hunting. Today, in more and more regions, departmental schemes for hunting management are making it mandatory to wear blaze clothing for hunting small game, thus including small game.
It appears that in the near future, these obligations will be extended across all national territory, at least for hunting large game in groups.

So, to get back to the source, why is blaze orange used for hunting clothes?

The answer is very simple: to be seen and not to be seen. Effectively, many studies have shown that large animals, particularly boars, can't see the orange colour as they don't pick up that wave length. This is known as a dichromatic vision of colours, which is based on blue and green and which skips red tones. Furthermore, the blaze orange colour is highly visible to humans in all lighting conditions.

Why wear blaze clothing when small game hunting?

Because small game hunters hunt an environment that is often very enclosed, where it’s difficult to be spotted. Many small game hunters hunt in pairs for a more social aspect, and have often experienced difficulties in seeing their hunting buddy when the dogs stop and point in biotopes where small game can be found, as these areas are by definition very thick and dense. By wearing a blaze accessory, they very quickly realised that they were hunting more safely and also that it was easier to identify the exact position of their hunting buddy. This enables them to make sure they’re safe and to stand out if needed to use dogs in good conditions.

Furthermore, the solitary small game hunter who travels alone with their dogs in the middle of the woods is also easier to spot for other hunters who may be hunting in the same area, and they can also be spotted by other hunters who think they’re alone. They’re also easier to spot for large game hunters who may be posted nearby. What small game hunter hasn’t found themselves at least once right in the middle of a large game group hunt? Wearing blaze clothing therefore means you can be seen and easily identified by other hunters in the area, but also by other people using the same outdoor space, who can hence take measures to make themselves seen and improve safety for everyone all round. Blaze clothing therefore enables you to see other hunters and be seen by others. Safety in hunting is therefore increased.

Does wearing blaze clothing when small game hunting have an impact?
are you less efficient when you wear blaze clothing for small game hunting?

To answer this question, we’ve consulted several small game hunters, and they’ve given us their opinions of the question.

For Bastien: “The pros: Seeing and being seen by other hunters and other users, so you’re safe. I think it’s also a visual marker for dogs coming back on recall. I can’t find any cons when you only hunt small game, there are only pros”

For Franck: “I’ve been hunting small game for several years now with blaze clothing. In terms of the pros, I’m clearly visible to other hunters and when I’m hunting with my companion or a friend, it’s a lot easier to identify each other’s position when the dogs stop and point in the “undergrowth”. As for the small game, I haven't noticed any major differences. It is a bird with incredible, 360-degree vision. It sees everything, especially hunters and dogs. I don’t think the blaze details make a big difference, and I especially don't think that it changes a lot in regard to the bird. However, what is for sure is that, in terms of safety, nothing can compare. Today, I can’t hunt without blaze details on my jackets or vests, I definitely recommend it."

For William, it’s even simpler. “I use blaze details to be visible to others. I can only see pros and no cons for small game hunting in woodlands.”

Finally, for Battite as well, the main advantage is visibility for everyone, in particular when hunting with friends. It’s a lot easier to be seen and to identify the exact position of others. Obviously, there’s no impact on hunting with pointing dogs, and he adds a humorous touch: “Plus, you can’t lose your vest when you’ve left it on a branch during a break”.

Do small game hunters use blaze clothing elsewhere in the world?

We’ve asked Remi, a small game hunter (Scolopax Minor) from Quebec a few questions:

Is it mandatory to wear blaze clothing when hunting in Canada?
It’s been obligatory to wear a blaze orange bib when hunting in Quebec since 1981. It’s also obligatory in the rest of Canada and in many American states, except for wildfowl hunting.

So do small game hunters wear blaze clothing?
Of course, American small game hunters wear blaze orange clothing and they don't complain about it. The hunting equipment manufacturers have created clothing with blaze details that are suited to small game hunting which are woodland neighbours and which are most popular to hunt.

What are the pros and cons of wearing wear blaze clothing when small game hunting?
Tried and tested for many years, this colour is highly visible in all seasons, meaning hunters under the cover of vegetation have good visibility and boosted safety, thus avoiding accidents.
Honestly, there’s no cons to wearing this high-visibility colour which is now part of the standard kit for hunters with pointer dogs, from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

What about solognac in all this?

As we’ve found, many small game hunters in France and around the globe are wearing clothing with blaze details more and more. The fact that they feel safer in it seems to be the essential criterion behind their choice.
Today, here at Solognac, we’re offering you products adapted to your sport, and particularly the hunting waterproof jacket 900 blaze-brown, which is a newcomer to the Solognac range, exclusively available online.