Regulation question

[bigmactog]

We we're hunting on Sat. and we're greeted by a ranger telling us we didn't have a orange hat or a vest on. We ask him if this 6000 acres is archery only and he said yes it is. He then told us primitive firearms started this morning and we had to have a blaze orange hat or vest on while in the field (we had gone back to the camper and changed in something cooler to go back and track a blood trail), we we're tracking when he greeted us. I told him that I had been there for 2 yrs hunting and no one ever said anything about blaze orange - even him which I spoke to twice last year while hunting.

Here's what the book states -
Deer hunters using archery equipment during any antelope, deer or elk firearms (muzzle loader or gun) season in any open hunting area (zone, county, or area) must conspicuously wear either a head covering or an outer garment above the waistline consisting of hunter orange. Camouflage hunter orange is legal.

My question is "open hunting area (zone, county, or area). Isn't the fact that this is 6000 acres archery only - not open - it's archery only. Anyone know if this a closed area to other hunting since it's archery only. We all 3 got tickets.

[buzzcut]

I assume you were on a WMA? County regulations apply to WMAs,so if there is an open gun season for any species at that moment,squirrel etc,you must were an orange vest on your way to and from the stand.You can take it off once you're in the stand.This was explained to me first hand by a Game Warden at Lake Cooper,who promptly sent me into town to buy an orange vest.

[zramsey]

Looks like the quote is from the Oklahoma rule book. Every zone has a primitive season and the area you are hunting is within a zone since they cover the whole state. That's why I always have an blaze hat in the backpack.

[TexasBob]

My uncles got a ticket in the Sam Houston National forest one year. GW told them that since you can hunt rabbits or squirrels, they needed orange on. i don't understand why the book doesn't just state that you have to wear orange on public land. Would save a headache.

[blacksunshine]

My uncles got a ticket in the Sam Houston National forest one year. GW told them that since you can hunt rabbits or squirrels, they needed orange on. i don't understand why the book doesn't just state that you have to wear orange on public land. Would save a headache.

that wold make too much sense....I have never figured out why the people that right the reg books cannot just come out and specifically state stuff like this......

maybe a new racket for the roving game wardens/rangers of the public domains is to start selling hunter orange items at a 25% markup....they could rake in the coin cause who is not gonna buy from him and leave the area to track down some hunter orange?

[bigmactog]

Just got off the phone with the state - they said that "open hunting area" means it's open to hunt deer. Even through it's closed to firearms, it's open to hunt deer, must wear at least a orange hat or vest. I pointed out, that's a little confusing since it's closed to firearms but states open hunting area. No worries....