A New Look for Minnesota Deer Hunters

Undated (KROC AM News) - There will likely be a new look to Minnesota’s deer hunting season this year - as in blaze pink.

The 2017 state legislature approved the option after considerable debate. Wisconsin adopted the option last year, meaning hunters can wear either blaze orange or blaze pink.

The Wisconsin lawmaker who proposed the color option thought it would get more females to consider deer hunting. That led to some controversy as female hunters called the bill sexist. But the bill passed and now Minnesota is offering the same option.

The Minnesota DNR says of the 550,000 deer hunters in Minnesota, about 70,000 are females. That’s up from 55,000 in 2010.

Is there any difference between the two colors? During the Wisconsin debate, lawmakers heard from an expert who told lawmakers certain shades of pink could be brighter than blaze orange. He also testified it was likely that deer would notice orange more than pink.

Here is the Minnesota law that enacted the color option:

Sec. 94. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 97B.071, is amended to read:
84.2397B.071 BLAZE ORANGE CLOTHING REQUIREMENTS; BLAZE ORANGE
84.24OR BLAZE PINK.
84.25    (a) Except as provided in rules adopted under paragraph (c), a person may not hunt or
84.26trap during the open season where deer may be taken by firearms under applicable laws and
84.27ordinances, unless the visible portion of the person's cap and outer clothing above the waist,
84.28excluding sleeves and gloves, is blaze orange or blaze pink. Blaze orange or blaze pink
84.29includes a camouflage pattern of at least 50 percent blaze orange or blaze pink within each
85.1foot square. This section does not apply to migratory-waterfowl hunters on waters of this
85.2state or in a stationary shooting location or to trappers on waters of this state.
85.3    (b) Except as provided in rules adopted under paragraph (c), and in addition to the
85.4requirement in paragraph (a), a person may not take small game other than turkey, migratory
85.5birds, raccoons, and predators, except while trapping, unless a visible portion of at least one
85.6article of the person's clothing above the waist is blaze orange or blaze pink. This paragraph
85.7does not apply to a person when in a stationary location while hunting deer by archery or
85.8when hunting small game by falconry.
85.9    (c) The commissioner may, by rule, prescribe an alternative color in cases where
85.10paragraph (a) or (b) would violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, Public
85.11Law 103-141.
85.12    (d) A violation of paragraph (b) shall not result in a penalty, but is punishable only by
85.13a safety warning.