Hunter orange

[Tom Wilberding]

This week Barb and I spent a few days in northeastern Colorado, spending one night in Sterling, another in Wray. We enjoyed birding at Prewitt Reservoir SWA, North Sterling State Park, Tamarack Ranch SWA, Red Lion SWA, Jumbo Reservoir SWA, Stalker Lake SWA, and South Republican SWA (with our SWA fishing licenses). We  enjoyed the trip very much, but looking back, we should have worn some hunter orange.

Most of these state wildlife areas have deer hunters now who all wear orange caps and vests. Some carry shotguns, others muzzleloaders. They were all friendly, but we should have been dressed like them for safety. BTW, we did notice another birding couple dressed in strict camo outfits with no orange, probably even less safe than Barb and I in our street clothes.

It was fun to see fall cottonwood colors and some eastern birds like Eastern Bluebird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Screech-Owl, and to hear the constant calls of Blue Jays.

Masks are good, and in retrospect, so is hunter orange.

Good birding,
Tom Wilberding
Littleton, CO