Hunting season safety for hikers and runners

Sharing the woods safely

Many public lands, including national forests, state forests, wildlife management areas and some parks, allow hunting in season. Hikers, trail runners, riders and dog walkers share those lands with hunters. The aim is not to keep you out of the woods; it is to make sure every hunter who sees movement knows at once that it is a person.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service's advice for non-hunters is short: learn where and when hunting is taking place, stay out of designated hunt areas, stay on designated trails, wear bright clothing, make noise, and make your dog visible. The rest of this guide turns that into a setup you can use on a run or hike.

Hunting season falls in the same months as short days and the first cold snaps, so it sits alongside darkness and winter prep in our seasonal outdoor safety calendar.

Find out when and where hunting happens near you

There is no single US hunting season. Each state sets its own seasons by species, weapon type and area, along with legal shooting hours and orange rules, and the dates change from year to year. Fall is the busiest time in many states, and many also hold spring turkey seasons, so check again in April and May.

The reliable source is your state fish and wildlife agency (in some states it is called the Department of Natural Resources, Game Commission, or Department of Fish and Game). Its website or printed regulations guide lists seasons, legal shooting hours and which lands are open. Search for your state's name plus "hunting regulations".

Also check the land manager for the place you plan to go. National forests, state parks and local open-space agencies often post hunting information, closures or safety zones at trailheads and online. Some areas allow hunting; others do not. Rules can differ between two trailheads a few miles apart.

If you are traveling to hike somewhere new in the fall, check the local rules there too. See running safely while traveling for planning outings away from home.

Wear blaze orange, and wear enough of it

Blaze orange (also called hunter orange) stands out against a fall forest in a way earth tones never will. The USDA Forest Service advises hikers to wear at least one article of hunter orange viewable from all directions, such as a hat, jacket or vest, and to cover the backpack with orange. The US Fish and Wildlife Service suggests fluorescent red, orange or green, and New York's Department of Environmental Conservation recommends blaze orange or blaze pink.

Think about what can be seen from behind and from the side, not just from the front. A hat plus a vest or jacket is better than either alone. A pack cover or orange bandana on your pack helps if the pack hides your back.

Avoid colors that look like game. The Forest Service warns against white or tan during deer season, because a glimpse of white could be mistaken for the tail of a deer. The Fish and Wildlife Service also says to avoid earth-toned and animal-colored clothing, which rules out a lot of hiking wardrobes.

For runners, blaze orange running hats, lightweight vests and bright technical shirts are easy to find and comfortable to wear. You do not need hunting gear, just something bright and visible from every side.

Make noise and stay on the trail

Quiet trail running and silent hiking are part of the appeal, but in hunting season they work against you. The US Fish and Wildlife Service suggests whistling, singing or talking as you walk so hunters know you are there. If you hear shooting, raise your voice and let hunters know you are in the vicinity. Do not duck into cover or go quiet: being heard is the point.

Stay on marked trails. The Fish and Wildlife Service notes that trails are designed to improve the safety of public users. Pushing off-trail through thick cover is when you are most likely to be moving quietly in exactly the places hunters are watching.

Leave headphones at home or keep them off in areas open to hunting. You want to hear shots, voices and anyone calling out to you. Our guide to running with headphones safely has more on staying aware.

Be courteous if you meet a hunter. A friendly hello confirms you have seen each other. Once they know you are there, the Fish and Wildlife Service asks non-hunters not to make unnecessary noise that disturbs wildlife.

Dogs, timing and choosing where to go

Dogs moving through brush can look like game. The US Fish and Wildlife Service suggests a brightly colored bandana or a blaze orange dog vest, and New York's DEC recommends keeping dogs on a leash with a brightly colored collar, leash or covering. A leash also keeps your dog on the trail and away from hunters' areas.

Timing matters too. Light is poor around dawn and dusk, which makes everyone harder to see and identify, and those are also popular hunting hours. Your state's regulations list legal shooting hours; compare them with local sunrise and sunset on the Holler daylight tool and add extra orange and noise if your run overlaps.

Many runners and hikers change venues during the busiest weeks, such as the opening days of a firearm deer season. Parks and preserves where hunting is not allowed, rail trails, and paved greenways are good alternatives. If you are not sure whether hunting is allowed somewhere, check with the land manager before you go.

If you walk your dog in fields or woodlots near home, the same rules apply, and the visibility ideas in how to stay safe dog walking alone at night carry over. Riders can find more on the horseback riding safety page.

Tell someone your route and return time

Hunting season overlaps with shorter days and colder weather, so a twisted ankle or a wrong turn in November carries more risk than the same thing in July. New York's DEC advises telling someone your intended destination and return time and updating them if plans change, and packing the 10 essentials, especially a light source, a map and a first aid kit. Our answer on what to carry when hiking alone has a full list.

A trip plan with your trailhead, route and when you expect to be back is the simplest version. With Holler, your Guardians open a private live link in any web browser, with no app or account, and see where you are. If you add a return time and have not checked in five minutes after it, Holler's server sends them an overdue alert, even if the app on your phone is closed. Remote trailheads often have weak signal; when you lose it, updates pause and your last known location stays visible. See staying safe hiking with no cell service for what to do in dead zones.

If you or someone else is hurt, call 911. Holler does not contact emergency services; it keeps your people informed.

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