Legality of hunting in a ground blind with no orange visable?

[Ryan Becklund]

I was hunting on opener with my son when we walked around the corner of the woods and saw one of those dog house blinds set up. This is on public hunting land not private. Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge to be exact. When we walked around the corner and saw this blind I could not see if anyone was in it and it had no visable blaze orange showing at all. We stood there for a couple mins before the guy stuck his head out the door and motioned to us that he was in there. Is this a legal thing? I know it is a VERY unsafe one but am wondering if it is legal as well?

Thanks!

[Quackaddict9]

which part of Agassiz? South of Thief Lake? I have hunted back there before but maybe a different area from where you are referring to. I would want to put orange on the blind to be safe but I'm not sure what the law is on ground blinds during rifle season?

[bogwalker]

Within the next year or 2 there is legislation coming up addressing this issue.

[lcornice]

Within the next year or 2 there is legislation coming up addressing this issue.

I wouldn't be surprised; however, it's pretty much common sense. When the blaze statutes were written, there were no pop-up ground blinds. Since they've gotten popular in the last fews years, it's really become an issue. I wouldn't be surprised if the law is changed; however, there is nothing to preclude someone from throwing an orange vest on the blind (even though the law doesn't dictate so). I do it with my ground blind and I'm starting to see it out there with others. So ... even if you're not required, it's one of those common sense things that shouldn't require legislation (but will).

A good example of statutes not being designed to predict technology is those electronic ignition muzzleloaders. When the statutes were crafted many years ago, unloaded mean free of powder from the pan or primer removed. Who would have thought unloaded meant 'take the battery out of your muzzleloader'. Thus, to qualify as unloaded the CVA electra cannot have a charge in the barrel since it has neither a primer or pan. Make sense? It's off topic but it's my favorite example (unless of course you own an Electra)

[Ryan Becklund]

We hunt just a little south of the north gate. We have hunted in there for the last 10 years or so. Only a couple times has there been anyone that comes walking thru there. The guy with the blind was on the ditch grade just south of the airport closed area where a bunch of does were coming out into a green field. My son and I were checking that north end on friday before the season and we walked out into a pack of 4 timberwolves. They were only 75-100 yds from us for about 5 mins.

IC - I appreciate the answer to my question. Common sense is something that some people just don't have when it comes to deer hunting. I actually might bring a blind with me next year and use it if it is real windy again. I WILL have orange on all 4 sides tho. law or not....that's just plain stupidity!

[Musky Buck]

The person using a ground blind should take all safety precautions and put blaze orange something on it so it's visible, heck I would put an orange like bike flag above it just so others might leave your area, if you have it hidden in camo you are more likely to have hunters walk right up to you bugging ya anyway, that should become a law soon before we hear of a tragedy. Picture a guy guarding a field, lets say a doe and fawn are out there grazing and someone from the other side of the open field walks up sees the deer, surveys the area quickly sees no orange and starts firing at them, who would be at fault, I'd say on public land anyway the guy in the blind, they say know your target and whats beyond it, anyway I'll never ground hunt or ground blind hunt without being visible, be careful everybody !

[deerminator]

lcornice, please help make sure it isn't too overboard when the reg does come out. : ) Like 50 percent of the blind has to be covered in orange or something. lol. That said, I do think some kind of orange should be required. I personally put a big orange X with duck tape on each side of my ground blinds when hunting. Its easily noticeable to hunters and deer are none the wiser from my experience. I do this while archery hunting on private land during gun season, mind you, where people are not supposed to be hunting. But I'd rather be safe than sorry.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I think in WI you need 144" square

[hanso612]

Tree stands in low lying areas that are camoed in present the same problems. Hunters firing from ridge tops put these hidden hunters at risk too. The walls of a tree fort are no match for a 30-06.

Be safe out there guys, it's getting close to desperation time and many mistakes are made by hunters who haven't filled a tag by pushing the boundaries at the end of season.