Hikers should also don hunter orange

I agree with the Thursday letter, “State negligent for not ensuring safety,” that the death of any hiker is a tragic event, and my condolences go out to her family and to the family of the 14-year-old hunter. I also think the writer is right that there is plenty of negligence to go around, including with the hikers.

On page 17 of the hunting regulations it states that it is a requirement that hunters wear a minimum of 400 inches of fluorescent orange exterior clothing above the waist. Why aren’t hikers required to wear the same? Experienced hikers should know better than to be hiking in the mountains without fluorescent orange clothing. I think the suggestion that they put a 3- to 5-mile boundary around trails during hunting season is a little ridiculous and not realistic. Why not close the trails to hikers during hunting season? That’s not very realistic either, is it?

John K. Graham

Lynnwood