LANSING — Sen. John Proos recently supported measures that would enable hunters and anglers to show proof of a license on their smartphones and allow deer hunters in Michigan next year to wear pink instead of the traditional hunter orange.
“Our rich hunting heritage plays a vital role in Michigan’s economy and way of life — with Michigan hunter participation ranking third in the nation,” said Proos, R-St. Joseph. “An easy-to-use smartphone app and more flexibility in hunting colors could improve convenience and safety, attract more people to try hunting and help us conserve and preserve our great outdoors for generations to come.”
Public Act 377 of 2016 will allow hunters to wear “hunter pink” or other colored clothing as determined by the Natural Resources Commission, as an alternative to “hunter orange.” The new law requires the state to review whether hunter pink or any other colors are effective and safe for hunters to wear and requires the NRC to authorize by Oct. 1, 2017, what additional colors may be worn while hunting.
“Hunting is a favorite tradition and pastime for many southwest Michigan families, and it all starts with safety,” Proos said. “Wearing hunter orange when hunting with a firearm has been the law in Michigan for three decades, but it turns out that wearing hunter pink could be even safer.”
A recent University of Wisconsin study evaluating the visibility of various colors demonstrated that hunter pink is the safest color to wear when hunting. The study found that pink was more visible to humans and less visible to deer.
“Smartphones put a world of information in our hands in virtually any location and could improve convenience for all sportsmen,” Proos said. “By putting mobile technology to use, we could also enhance the outdoor experience in Southwest Michigan — with access to valuable information about boating access sites and more than 200 miles of local trails.”
Senate Bills 1073-1075 would require the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to provide smartphone applications that display base hunting, waterfowl and all-species fishing licenses for customers by March 1, 2018. The bills would also require the DNR to further implement mobile technology into other services, such as providing information on points of public access, nearby trails, descriptions of game species and hunting boundaries.
SBs 1073-1075 have been sent to the governor to be signed.