Blaze Orange Regulations for Every State
What are the blaze orange requirements for your state? Check the up-to-date regulations on your state agency website or on the International Hunter Education Association website.
Blaze orange is also known as “fluorescent” or “hunter” orange; 400 square inches is about as big as four sheets of paper. Check your state regulations to see if mesh or camouflage designs of hunter orange meet regulations.
Blaze orange is always a good idea, even if it isn't required. Did you know that deer can't even see it?
Do I Need Blaze Orange In My State?
Alabama — All hunters must wear an outer garment above the waist with at least 144 square inches of hunter orange above the waist or a hunter orange hat during firearm seasons for deer, elk, and bear. Check with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for specifics.
Alaska — Hunter orange is not required in Alaska, but it is strongly encouraged.
Arizona — Hunter orange is not required in Arizona, but it is strongly encouraged.
Arkansas — During big game firearm seasons, hunters must wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange above the waist, as well as a blaze orange or hunter safety green hat. At least 144 square inches of blaze orange is also required on each visible side of ground blinds.
California — Hunter orange is not required in California, but it is strongly encouraged.
Colorado — Colorado hunters of deer, elk, or antelope must wear at least 500 square inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange above the waist, including a head covering, during firearm seasons. Bowhunters are not required to wear blaze orange during archery-only seasons.
Connecticut — Anyone hunting from Sept. 1 through the end of February in Connecticut must wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange above the waist and visible from all sides, except archery deer hunters during archery-only seasons. Other exemptions exist. Check state requirements.
Delaware — During firearm season, hunters in Delaware must wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange on the head, chest, and back.
Florida — All Florida deer hunters, and their companions, on public lands must wear at least 500 square inches of fluorescent orange above the waist. Bowhunters are not required to wear blaze orange during archery-only seasons.
Georgia — Georgia law requires deer, bear, and feral hog hunters, as well as their companions, to wear at least 500 square inches of hunter orange above the waist during firearm deer seasons.
Hawaii — All those hunting or accompanying hunters in public areas in Hawaii must wear a solid blaze orange shirt, vest, coat, or jacket. The blaze orange must be visible from both the front and back while carrying game or wearing a backpack. Check state requirements to learn about certain exceptions..
Idaho — Blaze orange is not required in Idaho, but it is recommended.
Illinois — Illinois hunters of all game must wear 400 square inches of blaze inches as well as a hat during firearm deer season. Upland game hunters must wear a blaze orange hat.
Indiana — When hunting deer, small mammals, pheasants, and quail in Indiana, hunters and bowhunters must wear a blaze orange jacket, vest, hat, or coveralls. Bowhunters are not required to wear blaze orange during archery-only season.
Iowa — When hunting upland game birds, you must wear a hat or cap that is 50% blaze orange. When hunting deer with a firearm, you must wear at least one item—other than a hat—that is blaze orange. When hunting deer while using a blind, you must also place at least 144 total square inches of blaze orange material on your blind.
Kansas — Big game hunters in Kansas and their companions must wear a hat that is at least 50% blaze orange and visible from all directions as well as a minimum of 100 square inches each on the front and back of their torso.
Kentucky — During deer or elk season, all hunters in Kentucky must wear solid blaze orange as an outer garment on the head, chest, and back. Waterfowl and turkey hunters are exempt.
Louisiana — Louisiana hunters must wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange on their head, chest, and back during open deer firearm season. When hunting on private land, hunters may instead wear a blaze orange hat; requirements don’t apply to hunters in deer stands on private lands that are legally posted or archery hunters. More requirements apply for wildlife management areas and dog seasons for rabbits/squirrels. Check state requirements.
Maine — Maine hunters during open deer firearm season are required to wear two articles of solid blaze orange clothing visible from all sides: a hat and a jacket, vest, coat, or poncho. Moose hunters in the moose district must wear one piece of clothing that is solid blaze orange.
Maryland — All Maryland hunters and their companions must wear a solid blaze orange hat and a vest or jacket with at least 250 square inches of blaze orange on front and back. An outer garment that is at least 50% hunter orange can substitute for the vest or jacket. Exceptions apply; check state requirements for details.
Massachusetts — During firearm seasons in Massachusetts, hunters must wear at least 500 square inches of fluorescent orange on the chest, back, and head. During pheasant and quail season, hunters on WMA land must wear a hunter orange hat. Exceptions apply; check state requirements for details.
Michigan — Between August 15 and April 30, Michigan hunters must wear a hat, jacket, vest, or raingear that is blaze orange. Blaze orange should be visible from all sides and worn as an outer garment. See state for exemptions.
Minnesota — Hunters and trappers in Minnesota during open firearm deer season must wear blaze orange on a cap and jacket, vest, shirt or similar. Exceptions apply; check state requirements for details.
Mississippi — Mississippi deer hunters in firearm season must wear at least 500 square inches of hunter orange visible from all sides.
Missouri — Missouri law requires the hunter orange color to be plainly visible from all directions during firearms deer hunting seasons. The most important clothing choices are a hunter orange hat and hunter orange outerwear—shirt, vest, or jacket. Exceptions apply; check state requirements for details.
Montana — Montana law requires that all big game hunters and anyone accompanying a hunter must have at least 400 square inches of hunter orange material above the waist visible at all times. A hunter orange hat or cap alone does not meet state requirements.
Nebraska — All big game hunters and bowhunters in Nebraska must wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange on the head, back and chest during firearm deer season; upland game hunters are strongly encouraged to wear blaze orange.
Nevada — Blaze orange is not required in Nevada, but it is recommended.
New Hampshire — Blaze orange is not required in New Hampshire, but it is recommended.
New Jersey — All deer, game bird, and small mammal hunters using firearms in New Jersey must wear a blaze orange hat or another item with at least 200 square inches of blaze orange visible from all sides. Exceptions apply to hunters of waterfowl and wild turkey as well as bowhunters.
New Mexico — Hunters on White Sands Missile Range must wear at least 244 square inches of blaze orange; hunters on Fort Bliss or McGregor military reservations must wear a blaze orange hat and vest.
New York — Anyone hunting big game with a firearm, or accompanying someone hunting big game with a firearm is required to wear solid or patterned fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink hat, vest or jacket.
North Carolina — North Carolina hunters after prey other than foxes, bobcats, raccoons, opossums, or turkeys with a firearm must wear a fluorescent orange hat or garment visible from all sides.
North Dakota — Big game hunters, and those hunting during firearm seasons, in North Dakota must wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange with a hat and garment above the waist.
Ohio — During deer season or primitive season in Ohio, hunters must wear a vest, coat, jacket or overalls that are blaze orange. Waterfowl hunters are an exception.
Oklahoma — Oklahoma deer, elk, or antelope hunters who use firearms must wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange as an outer garment above the waist and a hat. During open firearm deer season, all hunters must follow these requirements. See state for exceptions.
Oregon — In Oregon, hunters under 17 years old must wear fluorescent orange visible from all directions as a shirt, jacket, coat, vest, sweater or head covering when hunting game mammals or upland birds with a firearm. All hunters are encouraged to wear hunter orange.
Pennsylvania — During the regular firearm deer season in Pennsylvania, hunters must wear at least 250 square inches of hunter orange on their heads, chests, and backs. This rule also applies to special archery deer season hunters when the archery season coincides with the general season for turkey or small game. Other requirements apply to groundhog and spring turkey hunters. See the state for details.
Rhode Island — All hunters in Rhode Island must wear at least 200 square inches of fluorescent orange above the waist and visible from all sides; additional requirements vary by season and type of game.
South Carolina — When hunting deer, bear, and hogs on WMA land in South Carolina, hunters must wear a hat, coat, or vest of solid international (or “blaze”) orange when hunting during any gun and muzzleloader season. Exemptions apply; see state for details.
South Dakota — All big game firearm hunters in South Dakota must wear more than one hunter orange garment above the waist; turkey hunters are given an exception.
Tennessee — Tennessee hunters must wear at least 500 square inches of blaze orange on their head or upper portion of their body, visible from front and back. Hunters on their own properties or participants in firearm turkey hunts proclaimed by the commission are exempt.
Texas — On National Forests and Grasslands in Texas, hunters and their companions must wear at least 144 square inches of blaze orange on the chest and back as well as a blaze orange hat.
Utah — During centerfire rifle hunting in Utah, hunters must wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange on the head, chest, and back. Some exceptions apply; see Utah officials for details.
Vermont — Blaze orange is not required in Vermont, but it is recommended.
Virginia — Virginia hunters during firearm deer season must wear hunter orange on the upper body or a hunter orange hat visible from all sides. Alternatively, they may display 100 square inches of hunter orange within body reach, at or above shoulder level, and visible from all sides.
Washington — A minimum of 400 square inches of blaze or “hunter” orange worn above the waist and visible from all sides is required in Washington. A hat alone does not meet this requirement. Firearm hunters and those hunting deer/elk during firearm seasons are required to use hunter orange. Exceptions and additional requirements apply. Check with the state for more details.
West Virginia — During deer gun season, all West Virginia deer hunters must wear an outer garment with at least 400 square inches of blaze orange.
Wisconsin — During firearm deer season in Wisconsin, hunters must wear at least 50% hunter orange as outer garments above the waist, including head covering. Waterfowl hunters are given an exception.
Wyoming — Wyoming big game hunters must wear at least one fluorescent orange piece, such as a vest, jacket, or coat. Only licensed archery hunters at certain times of year are exempt. Small game and bird hunters are required to wear blaze orange when pheasant hunting in a WMA or on lands bordering Glendo State Park; all are strongly recommended to wear hunter orange.