Deer hunting is so popular across the U.S. that, in most areas, you are more likely to see another hunter in the field than a buck. It is nice that our sport is so popular. Another comforting fact is that (despite what the anti-gunners would like you to believe) hunting is an extremely safe sport. Hunting is safer than all water sports (including fishing and boating), safer than all sports involving horses, and safer than ball sports. Hunting is safer than golf, for crying out loud.

However, common sense dictates that while hunting we dress in such a way that other hunters do not mistake us for a deer. Buckskin clothes and a coonskin cap are probably not a good idea, even though they served Davy Crockett well. On the other hand, we do not want to unnecessarily alert the deer to our presence. And there in lies the rub.

International (blaze) orange is accepted as the most visible color to other people, and it is an excellent choice if being seen is the only consideration. Unfortunately, it has a reflectance like nothing in nature, particularly on nylon type fabrics. So, even though deer lack color vision, international orange hats and vests stand out in black and white almost as well as they do in color.

You can easily verify that for yourself by taking a black and white photograph of a friend wearing, say, a blaze orange cap standing 100 yards away against a background of woods or brush. That cap will really pop out in the picture.

So, if you don't want to be visible to deer, blaze orange is best avoided. Or, in jurisdictions where it is required, at least kept to the legal minimum and worn in a less conspicuous location than a hat, since the head and hands are what we human beings move most, and the parts of us that a deer are most likely to spot. (International orange under shorts would be good.)

Fortunately, red is also a traditional deer hunting color. And, while quite visible to the human eye, red does not stand out to deer. That is because the reflectance of red is about the same as the reflectance of green in black and white vision. Photograph a red apple among green leaves in black and white and you will see what I mean.

Even better that a large area of red, like a red jacket, is a large area of red broken up by a black pattern. Thus the popularity of red and black plaid hunting clothes.

Red and black plaid is nearly ideal for our purpose. It is easily visible to other hunters, but not to deer, exactly what we are seeking. It is also easy to find in stores, and no more expensive than any other color or pattern. Red and black plaid patterns are commonly found on hats, coats, and shirts suitable for deer hunting. (Examples of all three can be found on the Clothing and Outdoor Wear Page.)

Okay, now that we know what to wear, here is a final comment about what not to wear. It should be obvious that we want to avoid camo pattern hats, shirts and coats. Avoid earth tones like green, gray, brown, and tan except for pants and gloves.

And avoid white. You might think that white would be good, as it is visible to other hunters. Unfortunately, deer typically have patches of white beneath their chins and on their neck, and certain hunters shoot at those white patches. A white collar (a white anything) is an invitation to disaster. Dress smart; dress safe.