Blaze pink bill passed by House

Minnesota hunters may be sporting a new color.

The House passed HF3208 on Wednesday by a vote of 75-54, a bill that would make it legal for hunters to wear blaze pink in addition to blaze orange.

Sponsored by Rep. Tom Hackbarth (R-Cedar), the bill will now go to the Senate where it is sponsored by Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria). 

Supporters of adding blaze pink to blaze orange as the color options that must legally be worn when hunting deer and small game, believe the new color could attract more female hunters and say there is some evidence the color may actually be less visible to deer.

But opponents say that evidence is far from conclusive and would like further study of the issue before any action is taken.

Several DFL members also wondered why the bill, which is a provision of the omnibus game and fish bill passed by the House the day before, had returned in a different form.