"Pink has become the new orange."
Similar to most other states, Washington requires hunters to wear at least 400 inches of fluorescent orange during various hunting seasons. Earlier this week, however, hunters were given a new color option, as Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill to add fluorescent pink as an alternative safety color.
With the new law taking effect this summer, state officials hopes the extra color choice will attract more female hunters in the upcoming season.
"By adding fluorescent hunter pink, we are providing more choices to our hunters," said David Whipple, a hunter education division manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. "Women are one of the fastest-growing hunting groups, though we believe that this option will feel inclusionary to all hunters. This attention is also helping to highlight the safe behaviors for continued reductions in hunter injuries and incidents."
According to the WDFW, the decision to begin requiring hunters to wear blaze orange clothing has made a big dent in the total number of hunting-related accidents.
Washington is now the 10th state to offer pink as a safety color, too.
"Orange will always be the classic safety color, but I think our state's hunters can appreciate something new and different—and because fluorescent pink doesn't blend in with anything else in the forest or field it offers the excellent visibility we need for safety," said Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver said.
Wilson, who's been undergoing treatment for breast cancer, is a longtime hunter and the bill's prime sponsor. She said support for the bill was unanimous.
"I can see hunter pink being very popular with both women and men, especially because pink is also linked to the fight against breast cancer," she said.
The new law will take effect July 1.
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