What to Wear Pheasant Hunting: Head-to-Toe Guide

What to wear pheasant hunting? Wear a blaze orange hat and an orange vest or jacket, brush-resistant pants or chaps, broken-in waterproof boots and light layers you can shed as you walk. Pheasant hunting means miles of walking through tall grass, cattails and field edges, so dress for movement and visibility first and warmth second.

Below is a head-to-toe list, how much blaze orange you need, whether camo helps, how to layer and what upland shirts to bring. See our pheasant and upland hunting shirts.

What do people wear to pheasant hunt? Head to toe

• Hat: blaze orange cap, plus a warm orange beanie for late season.
• Upper body: a moisture-wicking base layer, a light mid layer and a blaze orange upland vest or strap vest with a game bag.
• Legs: brush pants with a tough front facing, or chaps over regular pants.
• Feet: broken-in boots with good traction; waterproof if you hunt wet sloughs or snow.
• Hands and eyes: thin gloves you can shoot in and shooting glasses.

How much blaze orange do you need?

It depends on where you hunt. An upland outfitter sums it up: "Blaze orange helps other hunters see a person moving through cover, and the required amount and placement vary by state and hunting area" (Drake Waterfowl: Clothing for Pheasant Hunting). Check your state wildlife agency's current regulations before the opener. Even where it is not required, an orange hat and vest are the norm in group drives because hunters walk in lines and blockers stand at the end of fields.

Keep the orange visible: a backpack, sling or jacket should not cover the orange areas.

Do you need to wear camo when pheasant hunting?

No. Pheasants are usually flushed by walking hunters or dogs, so hiding is not the point the way it is in a turkey blind or duck blind. Many hunters wear camo or earth-tone shirts under an orange vest because they like the look or already own them. A camo shirt is fine as a layer, but it does not replace required blaze orange.

How to layer for a pheasant hunt

1. Base: a close-fitting synthetic or merino layer. The same guide notes that cotton "absorbs moisture and tends to hold it," which is uncomfortable once you start sweating.
2. Mid: a fleece or hoodie for cold mornings that you can stuff in a game bag by noon.
3. Outer: the orange vest or a brush-resistant upland jacket, depending on temperature.

Early season can be warm, so a long sleeve shirt under a strap vest is often enough. In late season, add an insulated layer and windproof outer.

What colors not to wear pheasant hunting

Avoid anything that makes you blend into the field around other hunters. Brown, tan and grass camo without orange can make you hard to see when a bird flushes low. Add orange on top so your line can always see you.

Pheasant hunting shirts for the field and the truck

Our pheasant designs are all-over printed with field camo, rooster artwork and a custom name on the sleeve. They come in several styles, including Long Sleeve Shirt, Hoodie and Zip-Up Hoodie, so you can pick a layer for opening day or the drive home. Wear them under your orange vest, not instead of it. Our hoodie style is polyester brushed fleece with a lined hood; check the style details on each product page.

• Pheasant Hunter camo shirt with custom name – from $29.99
• German Shorthaired Pointer pheasant shirt – from $29.99
• Rooster pheasant camo shirt – from $29.99

Hunting waterfowl too? Read what to wear duck hunting, or see our youth hunting clothing guide if you are taking a young hunter out.

FAQ

What is the dress code for pheasant shooting?

In the US there is no formal dress code; hunters wear practical layers, brush pants, boots and blaze orange where required. Driven shoots in the UK follow a more traditional tweed dress code.

Do you need to wear camo when pheasant hunting?

No. Pheasants are flushed, not ambushed, so camo is optional. Blaze orange matters more for safety.

Do you need blaze orange for pheasant hunting?

Requirements vary by state and hunting area, so check your state regulations. Most hunters wear an orange hat and vest either way.

What colors not to wear when hunting pheasant?

Avoid all-brown or all-camo outfits without orange, since they make you hard for other hunters to see in tall grass.