Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

It's orange time for everyone in the woods

— Hunting season is here, and for hikers planning to spend time in the Maine woods, it's a good time to consider personal safety, both for you and the hunters with whom you'll be sharing the woods.

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The primary deer firearms season is Nov. 2 to Nov. 28 statewide.

Moose hunting season varies by wildlife management district, but by the time this column goes to print, moose hunting will be limited to southern Maine (roughly from Fryeburg east to Belfast) Nov. 2-28.

So what steps should hikers take to stay safe on the trail at this time of year?

''Having lots of orange clothing on is good,'' says Sgt. Kevin Adam of the Maine Warden Service, noting that a hat, bandanna and vest are good choices.

According to current Maine Hunting and Trapping Laws and Rules, deer hunters using firearms ''must wear two articles of orange clothing. One article must be a solid-colored hunter-orange hat; the other must cover a major portion of the torso, such as a jacket, vest, coat or poncho, and must be a minimum of 50 percent hunter orange in color.'' That's a good recommendation for hikers to follow as well.

''Don't wear brown or gray, colors that hunters associate with deer,'' Adam says. ''Even though hunters are supposed to identify their target before firing, why take that chance?''

''Be aware of your surroundings,'' says Brian King, spokesman for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. ''Assume that other hunters are out there where you are.''

King cautions hikers that just because they are on the Appalachian Trail or some other protected land where hunting may be prohibited doesn't mean hunters won't be encountered. Signs and boundaries can be missed by both hikers and hunters.

''Wear lots of blaze orange, be super-conscious and make noise,'' advises King. ''And study the hunting laws yourself.''

Rex Turner, outdoor recreation planner with the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, seconds that.

''The biggest thing I suggest for non-hunters is to be familiar with the rules of hunting,'' says Turner.

Turner implores hikers to know the hunting seasons and follow the same regulations that hunters do for high-visibility clothing. And realize you're going to be sharing the woods with other people, so don't get spooked when you run across hunters with firearms.

In the 17 years Adam has worked as a warden, he can't recall any incident between a hiker and a hunter. That may be due partly to the fact that there are far fewer hikers outdoors in the cold of November than there are hunters.

But if you hear shots or see hunters, make your presence known by waving or yelling.

This time of year, with its cold and wet weather and short daylight hours, presents a host of potential dangers beyond just hunting. There isn't much margin for error if you were to get injured or lost.

And Adam says the best safety tip is to tell someone where you're going, where you'll be parking and when you're leaving and coming back.

Take a cell phone, but don't rely entirely on it. Same thing goes for a GPS unit.

''Technology is great when it works and when you know how to use it,'' Adam says.

Better to carry a map and compass, and pack plenty of food, water and cold weather gear into your day pack in case you have to overnight in the woods.

Should something happen to you, use the cell phone (provided you can get reception). But don't call your family or friends, warns Adam. Call 911 so emergency services can locate you by your cell signal. Then stay put (don't continue to wander about) until rescuers arrive.

If you're not able to make a call, since you left a detailed plan for your day's outing with someone responsible (you did, didn't you?), they should call the Maine Warden Service, who will begin to look for your vehicle and then start a search for you.

For more information on hiker safety during hunting season, including hunting laws and rules and hunting season dates, contact the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife at 287-8000 or go online to www.maine.gov/ifw.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy has safety tips for both hikers and hunters at www.appalachiantrail.org online.

Carey Kish is a freelance writer and avid hiker from Bowdoin. Comments are welcome at

MaineOutdoors@aol.com