Kip’s Comments - January 10, 2026

This is Why (With a Bonus)

This afternoon I went out to watch for short-eared owls, hoping to finally record a close view of one of the flighty birds. Not one short-eared owl was seen by this guy, but I did see quite a few northern harriers.

As I waited and watched for owls, two pheasant hunters walked into view. No matter where they were, their hunter orange (blaze orange) made it clear to other hunters they were out in the field. Both were very easy to see and identify.

As I watched the hunters I noticed another flash of orange at a lower level. One of their dogs was wearing an orange covering too, making the dog quite visible. They did have a mostly white dog (pointer?) without any orange that was easily seen without snow on the ground. Had there been snow on the ground, I am not sure how easy the white dog would have been to see.

The blaze orange regulation required for hunting of some species is a good thing. This picture illustrates its effectiveness.

Hunter (Blaze) Orange in the Field - Image 1056053

There were two other hunters in the same area today, also wearing blaze orange. I give all four of them credit for being out in this afternoon’s conditions. When the wind is blowing faster than the temperature is high, conditions are ugly. Every now and then we were treated to a wind/snow burst too. And we do this willingly….

Wind/Snow Burst - Image 1056087