THE COLORS OF FALL AND THE "WILLFULLY IGNORANT"

This time of year, the lush greens of summer turn to the breathtaking colors of fall.  The woods look as if they’re ablaze. The “flaming” colors of maples, poplars and oaks set against a green, brown and gray background are marvelous to see.  

With the fall, another color of the season appears—blaze orange.  It is a color that is strongly suggested by the State of NH for hunters and people in the woods during hunting season.  In some states, wearing blaze orange apparel is a requirement for those who hunt.  Blaze orange is a color that is not found in nature.  Thus, it is a color that stands out—especially in dim light.  I’ve hunted in the Rocky Mountains--particularly at daybreak and dusk.  At those "low-light" periods--even across distant canyons, the blaze orange apparel lights up as if someone threw a switch.  Simply put, the use of blaze or “safety” orange is to make the wearer visible and to help prevent accidents.  

The author and "gunner" sister

I need to make a point here.  The “shooting” hunter does not need the blaze orange.  Blaze orange is to make someone else visible to the “shooter”--perhaps the shot is not safe because someone is in the vicinity or background of the target. Without blaze orange, a person could be nearly invisible.    Blaze orange has prevented countless accidents.  How many we’ll never know.  Statistics only report injuries and fatalities.  

Today, I "bird hunted" in an area set aside by the State of New Hampshire and the Federal Government as a "multi-use" area.  In other words, although no motorized vehicles are allowed, hunters, fishers, hikers, bicyclists, joggers, mushers and others may use the area.  Here, hunting is not only allowed, but is encouraged!  I for one have no difficulty in sharing the area with other outdoor enthusiasts, however, I have a word to say about those who I will call “the willfully ignorant"..people who fail to acquaint themselves with what is going on in the world around them.

A beaten path

I met a young woman bicycling through the area wearing dull gray athletic clothing.  I met another young woman (They’re all young at my age!) walking along a pathway with dark gray sweatshirt and light gray “slacks”.  I met what appeared to be a family group of adults and children strolling along the corridor wearing dull, nearly bark-colored clothing.  Then I saw two bicyclists in black, gray and silver clothing.   They all blended into the forest  because not one of them wore any blaze orange!  Theirs were the colors of the woods.

I suggested to my sister (who was actually the ‘gunner’ of our little duo) that I should carry a couple of blaze orange baseball caps and give them away, but after the third group of people, I realized that I couldn’t afford to outfit “the willfully ignorant”.  We learned from speaking to them that they had absolutely no idea that hunting season was in progress.  I wondered, "What planet do these people live on?  Are they so buried in their televisions and i-pads  that they are unaware of the world around them?"  (The media does countless “public safety” announcements --for the benefit of hunter and non-hunter alike--about blaze orange and the hunting seasons of the fall.)    It seems that people choose to ignore what is  going on in the world ... ......yep, the willfully ignorant.

Blaze orange even does its job when you're resting

Consider this: If a bird were to rise up, a rabbit to run out of the brush, or a deer to trot out into the open, the focus of a hunter would necessarily be on the prey.  Without proper “fall colors” (blaze orange) non-hunters who wander into the out-of-doors could be nearly invisible in the before-mentioned situations.  In other words,  someone in the background could be easily unseen and anything from hurt feelings to a tragedy could ensue.  Who would really be at fault?  The “shooter”, or the “willfully ignorant” outdoors enthusiast?  Regardless, two families could be "ruined"!

Blaze orange hats and other forms of apparel are available for nominal fees at multitudes of retail stores.  Information is available on the internet and in the press concerning hunting seasons.

 For everyone's sake, let's all be aware of the world around us!  Let's be wise and safe!  …..  and by the way Sis, you really look 'alive' in blaze orange!