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Greetings all.

I looked at a trailcam picture that was taken yesterday. I was walking in to my spot and a deer triggered my camera while I was about 200 yds or so away. I was wearing a jacket with kryptek altitude jacket and pants that were Realtree advantage. I effectively look like a dark blob.

Now I have always been of the opinion that camo doesn't matter. What does mattered is being still. Like many I have killed them in jeans and solid shirts.
So yesterday I saw them stepping out and I froze. However, while standing still they immediately picked me off. Wind was in my face so they did not smell or hear me. They stomped a few times then trotted off.

So these deer picked me out being perfectly still. I am thinking it is because I looked like a dark, solid object and the camo at distance did not break up my outline. While its difficult to let one scenario completely change my thoughts on camo this scenario was pretty interesting.

What are yall's thoughts on this scenario? What camo patterns have you all found that do not turn into a dark blob at distance? Based on this picture and scenario I may change things up a bit with my camo. Thanks
I think most camo is entirely too dark and too busy and is made to appeal to the buyer.

I've had good luck with two camo patters. One was "Mountain Mimicry" on a Core4 Element hunting pant and jacket (since has gone out of business). The other is Kuiu Valo.
Originally Posted by gsganzer
I think most camo is entirely too dark and too busy and is made to appeal to the buyer.

I've had good luck with two camo patters. One was "Mountain Mimicry" on a Core4 Element hunting pant and jacket (since has gone out of business). The other is Kuiu Valo.

Good advice thanks
I agree with gsganzer as to camo being to dark and to busy.
In my experience it is all about the tone and being VERY aware
of the background behind you.
I've long known this. High contrast (like black and white), and large patterns are more effective in hiding you from "color blind" animals, IMO.



fish and birds, are not color blind, so If you are water-fowl or turkey hunting, maybe the standard camo works better. Plus, you are a harder target to find by other hunters..... smile
This is a picture of my 2 sons in a pine forest with Kuiu camo. If you don’t believe it works, you are blind…



[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
I don’t have no science to back me up , but this has been my experience
Skme years ago I was reading up on deer vision
Supposedly they pick up ultra violet light very well
So looking into it , it seems that most clothes give off a ultra violet light or reflection
Especially the ones washed in color brightner detergent
So I found out about this spray on that kills the ultra violet light
You can also get it as a detergent too
So I laid my camo out and sprayed both sides thoroughly . Hung it across fence and put it on next morning
I am very skeptical about gadgets , scents , and such
But like scotts308 have been busted many times setting very still and sometimes at distances
So late in the evening I was setting back under a holly tree that had some low limbs on it
A 5 point came through , stopped in front of me just looking around
It’s gaze crossed right over me
When it looked back over its shoulder I took the shot and got him
So now I got one positive effect from it
Which don’t hold much water with me
Couple more times I had deer walk right up to me either on the ground
So as years went on I gained confidence in the stuff and use it regularly
I have been busted a few times using it , but it definitely doesn’t happen often anymore
Supposedly you can get the same effect by simply using detergent without color brightners in it
But I continue to use the uv killer spray and kill the hell out of deer
Just my experience
Kenneth

And yes, they are a buisness, and they do design camo to attract the human eye and supposedly some of it I’d high in UV light spectrum
Originally Posted by shrapnel
This is a picture of my 2 sons in a pine forest with Kuiu camo. If you don’t believe it works, you are blind…



[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
What are you trying to say
Those boys stand out like dogs balls
Predator Fall Grey totally breaks up your outline in any conditions.
Originally Posted by Castle_Rock
Originally Posted by shrapnel
This is a picture of my 2 sons in a pine forest with Kuiu camo. If you don’t believe it works, you are blind…



[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
What are you trying to say
Those boys stand out like dogs balls
Yeah, I'm not sure of the point. If it worked, we shouldn't be able to see them, no? Maybe if they had on snow camo gaiters...
Originally Posted by gsganzer
I think most camo is entirely too dark and too busy and is made to appeal to the buyer.

I've had good luck with two camo patters. One was "Mountain Mimicry" on a Core4 Element hunting pant and jacket (since has gone out of business). The other is Kuiu Valo.

Yep, the Core4element mountain mimicry stuff is great, use it all the time. Have to buy it on Ebay these days but some is out there.
It has a good mix of white and lighter colors with dark to break up your outline. Works really well during archery season up here and in open country.
Originally Posted by Whttail_in_MT
Originally Posted by Castle_Rock
Originally Posted by shrapnel
This is a picture of my 2 sons in a pine forest with Kuiu camo. If you don’t believe it works, you are blind…



[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
What are you trying to say
Those boys stand out like dogs balls
Yeah, I'm not sure of the point. If it worked, we shouldn't be able to see them, no? Maybe if they had on snow camo gaiters...



You guys need to get out more…
Originally Posted by shrapnel
This is a picture of my 2 sons in a pine forest with Kuiu camo. If you don’t believe it works, you are blind…



[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
Here's more what a deer would see. They see much better at night so they'll be seeing this when it's too dark for us to see much at all.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
Originally Posted by shrapnel
Originally Posted by Whttail_in_MT
Originally Posted by Castle_Rock
Originally Posted by shrapnel
This is a picture of my 2 sons in a pine forest with Kuiu camo. If you don’t believe it works, you are blind…



[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
What are you trying to say
Those boys stand out like dogs balls
Yeah, I'm not sure of the point. If it worked, we shouldn't be able to see them, no? Maybe if they had on snow camo gaiters...



You guys need to get out more…
You're right, I do need to get out more. Good hitnrun comeback...
Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
Originally Posted by shrapnel
This is a picture of my 2 sons in a pine forest with Kuiu camo. If you don’t believe it works, you are blind…



[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
Here's more what a deer would see. They see much better at night so they'll be seeing this when it's too dark for us to see much at all.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
I've had deer walk within feet of me while wearing my blue and black plaid Filson and sitting against the base of ponderosa pines. I hear tell they can see blue really well, but the large blocks of plaid must blend in well with the vertical stripes of pine bark. That was back when I got out more though so maybe it's different now.
Originally Posted by Whttail_in_MT
Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
Originally Posted by shrapnel
This is a picture of my 2 sons in a pine forest with Kuiu camo. If you don’t believe it works, you are blind…



[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
Here's more what a deer would see. They see much better at night so they'll be seeing this when it's too dark for us to see much at all.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
I've had deer walk within feet of me while wearing my blue and black plaid Filson and sitting against the base of ponderosa pines. I hear tell they can see blue really well, but the large blocks of plaid must blend in well with the vertical stripes of pine bark. That was back when I got out more though so maybe it's different now.



What do you want me to say, I’m wrong?

If you can’t tell there is an advantage of blending in with good camo, it really doesn’t matter. It does create a lessening of a threatening outline by having a good camo pattern. Take it or leave it…
I certainly have had deer, elk and antelope bust me while staying totally still too. Sometimes (though rarely) even when I am laying prone or hidden behind bushes. Sometimes they just have that incredible ability to pick out danger no matter what you’re wearing. The UV theory can certainly be a factor too.

Count me in the camp of most camo = dark blob, in a general sense to human eyes. I rarely wear camo of any kind but when I do, I prefer it be very light colored. I just have had better experiences with it, as opposed to darker camo. 9/10 times though I have blue jeans and a red/black plaid shirt on and can’t say I have seen any consistent situations or circumstances where critters pick me out visually, if I stay still. The red/black plaid seems like a dark blob too but maybe the red color offsets the blob effect? Hell if I know…

If a guy just likes camo of any pattern/shade, then rock on I guess but I see zero advantage to it over plaid or at least something other than solid colors in front of a contrasting background.
Zero.
Like others have ^ ^ ^ posted.
Most is sold because of human eye appeal.

JMHO- the most effective pattern I ever
had was the original ASAT stuff.
It was never easy to find around here, and
I don't like buying clothing or footwear
that I can't try on before paying
That Kulu looks good per my previous post - good contrast, large pattern. If it is also UV killed. Thoroughly de-scented also helps.

I've experimented enough with both to agree with Kenneth66, not just on the UV killer, but also with scent killer if done properly, and if advantageous to the situation. A couple sprays front, back, and boots ain't gonna cut it.

LMAO when I see that on hunting videos.

Twice I have been wearing ordinary camo pattern, de-scented and UV killed which had worked often before (even as a blob if against a tree, brush, etc). I donned a new, untreated jacket once (elk) , and a day pack the second time (moose) , and got nailed because of them in dusk conditions. "Deer" see farther into the UV spectrum that we do, and those two items apparently attracted unwanted attention with their "glow". With the daypack, I had cow moose filtering around me in heavy dusk, within yards. Those in front of me never twigged - those that could see the new daypack - every single one stopped and stared for a bit, before continuing on. By yards, I mean 15- 30 feet.

The scent killers? As above, and I have had moose standing over me as I was seated on the ground, back against a tree, with the critter 5 to 20 feet away, scenting the air. I believe they could smell something, or were searching for a scent (I'd been calling) , but never twigged to "human", and kept about their business, sometimes for extended periods of time. Had a young , maybe 3 year old sub-legal bull, come into my call once. I was behind a couple logs, anyway. He bedded down 12 feet away, and I did not move more than my eyelids for the next several hours. The big boy kept circling, but never showed. frown

Of course, if you are out of sight, down wind, and don't get caught moving, you are golden no matter what you wear or how you stink, assuming you have a steady, and not swirly wind. Moose hunting where I do, in heavy cover, I can have the wind change directions 10 times a minute at times. Makes it tough with visibility under 30 yards.

Killed a yearling bull one time when the only approach to see him was with him directly downwind. I knew he was there when I'd smeared rut-pit dirt all over me, since I'd been several days out there already. Walked right up to 30 yards from him. Bang, splat!

After awhile, I myself started to like the way I smelled. smile

Caribou hunting on open tundra, alpine or arctic, I don't give a rip how I look or smell. Sheep are another matter. Those things have EYES! It doesn't matter what you are wearing - if you are moving in their visual range, they WILL see it!

I once sky-lined myself before seeing the band of Dall's rams a week before season. When I did, through the 10X40s, later the spotting scope, they already had me pegged. At 3 1/2 miles by the map! There was an over-full curl in that band of 9, across the valley.

I should have hunted there, instead of the mountain I was on, where later that day I found a band of 7 with a legal full curl, who didn't seem well. The next weekend opening day I found what the wolves had left of him; some small rib-pieces, and a skull with tooth marked horn tips, which I kept.

My camo hadn't helped a damned bit! smile
Camouflage is a lot like sock puppets in that some are better at concealing one's identity than others. And some stick out like sore thumbs.

When I don a camo item I don't think it's going to make me one with the surroundings, it just happens to be camo and fits the comfort bill at the time.

Regarding the pics posted above, if rod and cone differences between our eyes and those of ungulates causes them to view the world as Rock Chuck shows, to my eyes that Kuiu pattern would stand out more to an animal than it would to me. Individual eyesight likely plays into how well we think something blends in as well so somebody else may see it differently. To each their own.
Originally Posted by Kenneth66
I don’t have no science to back me up , but this has been my experience
Skme years ago I was reading up on deer vision
Supposedly they pick up ultra violet light very well
So looking into it , it seems that most clothes give off a ultra violet light or reflection
Especially the ones washed in color brightner detergent
So I found out about this spray on that kills the ultra violet light
You can also get it as a detergent too
So I laid my camo out and sprayed both sides thoroughly . Hung it across fence and put it on next morning
I am very skeptical about gadgets , scents , and such
But like scotts308 have been busted many times setting very still and sometimes at distances
So late in the evening I was setting back under a holly tree that had some low limbs on it
A 5 point came through , stopped in front of me just looking around
It’s gaze crossed right over me
When it looked back over its shoulder I took the shot and got him
So now I got one positive effect from it
Which don’t hold much water with me
Couple more times I had deer walk right up to me either on the ground
So as years went on I gained confidence in the stuff and use it regularly
I have been busted a few times using it , but it definitely doesn’t happen often anymore
Supposedly you can get the same effect by simply using detergent without color brightners in it
But I continue to use the uv killer spray and kill the hell out of deer
Just my experience
Kenneth

And yes, they are a buisness, and they do design camo to attract the human eye and supposedly some of it I’d high in UV light spectrum

I don't use any detergents when washing my camo.
Washing machines were designed to be used without 'soap/detergent', that is why they have the agitate cycle.
Do you run a rinse cycle first to rid the machine of any remnant UV "brightener" enhancers?
Originally Posted by Whttail_in_MT
When I don a camo item I don't think it's going to make me one with the surroundings, it just happens to be camo and fits the comfort bill at the time.


Same.

No way I'm donning a uniform. Some guys are better accessorized with matching ensembles than a red-carpet event for a movie premier.
Staying still and/or being mindful of light/shadows, skyline (and of course - wind) is key – heck of a lot cheaper and no need to sweat the carpeting not matching the drapes.
Originally Posted by shrapnel
Originally Posted by Whttail_in_MT
Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
Originally Posted by shrapnel
This is a picture of my 2 sons in a pine forest with Kuiu camo. If you don’t believe it works, you are blind…



[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
Here's more what a deer would see. They see much better at night so they'll be seeing this when it's too dark for us to see much at all.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
I've had deer walk within feet of me while wearing my blue and black plaid Filson and sitting against the base of ponderosa pines. I hear tell they can see blue really well, but the large blocks of plaid must blend in well with the vertical stripes of pine bark. That was back when I got out more though so maybe it's different now.



What do you want me to say, I’m wrong?

If you can’t tell there is an advantage of blending in with good camo, it really doesn’t matter. It does create a lessening of a threatening outline by having a good camo pattern. Take it or leave it…
I didn't say anyone is right or wrong. I just posted color and b&w for comparison. Make up your own mind.
The stripped hoodie I got in a yard sale for about $2, over 30 years ago. It is almost always my go-to hunting shirt. It is more effective than you might think, especially in timber. It does have a few camp-fire spark holes in it now.

The Jacket (also usually my go-to for hunting, and everyday...)came from SG- for about $35, maybe 15 years ago.IIRC. Both are synthetic fleece, warm, don't hold water, dry quickly.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
I've been wearing this camo parka for about 25 years. It's fleece, mostly waterproof, and uninsulated. It's loose enough to fit over a down coat so it can be warm if needed. With the hood, it's especially good in the wind.
I don't know if the camo has ever done me any good. I've shot a lot animals while wearing it, both with and without an orange vest.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
All I appreciate the time in replies and advice so far. Thanks again


Scott
As stated, most detergents have UV brighteners. Don't use those.
Originally Posted by Kenneth66
I don’t have no science to back me up , but this has been my experience
Skme years ago I was reading up on deer vision
Supposedly they pick up ultra violet light very well
So looking into it , it seems that most clothes give off a ultra violet light or reflection
Especially the ones washed in color brightner detergent
So I found out about this spray on that kills the ultra violet light
You can also get it as a detergent too
So I laid my camo out and sprayed both sides thoroughly . Hung it across fence and put it on next morning
I am very skeptical about gadgets , scents , and such
But like scotts308 have been busted many times setting very still and sometimes at distances
So late in the evening I was setting back under a holly tree that had some low limbs on it
A 5 point came through , stopped in front of me just looking around
It’s gaze crossed right over me
When it looked back over its shoulder I took the shot and got him
So now I got one positive effect from it
Which don’t hold much water with me
Couple more times I had deer walk right up to me either on the ground
So as years went on I gained confidence in the stuff and use it regularly
I have been busted a few times using it , but it definitely doesn’t happen often anymore
Supposedly you can get the same effect by simply using detergent without color brightners in it
But I continue to use the uv killer spray and kill the hell out of deer
Just my experience
Kenneth

And yes, they are a buisness, and they do design camo to attract the human eye and supposedly some of it I’d high in UV light spectrum


i use Atsko U-V-Killer sportswash for about 20 years. i use earth scent too. deer don't notice me, even down winded deer. before, i was always seen or winded. i used to go to tree stands, but ever since my stroke, a homemade ground blind. i have deer about 4 or 5 feet away and i'm invisible.

i don't do U-V spray anymore. i use the sportwash for it.
To no one in particular: If you really think this whole UV thing through, eventually you get a palm-2-face moment and realize what a twat you've been believing in it. I had been asked by a rep from Atsko to test the product. I did. It didn't work. He sent me some more stuff and different directions. That didn't work. Then one day. . . Arrrgh! It hit me. It's all here:

Elephant Repellant

I almost lost my gig at D&DH over this. I had to promise not to test any of their advertisers' products and to make sure future criticisms were labeled as "just my opinion."

There is a speck of truth to this whole UV thing. However, it is the opposite of what was portrayed by the various marketers. Deer do see vaguely into the UV range. However, it is the lack of UV reflection that warns them they're looking at white fur and not snow.

As to the whole camo thing in general, you're talking to a guy who hunts in a radioactive hunter-orange clown suit. I bought this thing as a thumb-2-nose to Atsko, proclaiming I could hunt in it and be more successful than dowsing myself with their product. It just so happen, that I did have good luck in the suit, so it stuck.

[Linked Image from genesis9.angzva.com]

Back to this camo thing. As I get on, I have found hunting in brown Carharts, olive drab field coats, etc. to be about as effective as any super-duper camo I got handed to try. I can say that now. If I had to pick one camo pattern that really did it for me, it would have to be this one:

[Linked Image from genesis9.angzva.com]
It used to be sure-fire around the Greater Ohio Valley in October.

If I had to pick a currently available pattern, I'd have to go with Flecktarn

[Linked Image from images.esellerpro.com]
I previously posted this parka that I've worn for more than 25 years and I've shot a lot of both deer and elk while wearing it. It's the best possible camo pattern for a reason - I didn't pay for it. It was a birthday gift from my dad all those years ago. The animals don't seem to care what I'm wearing so the price I paid for it takes precedence.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
Camo is over rated.

Million of deer died to hunters in red plaid Woolrich outfits.

Buck trackers in Maine and the NE walk up to bucks in green plaid.

It's movement and scent that give you away.

Camo is more for the hunters....
shaman- edit your image addresses by adding a s to the end of http so everybody can enjoy them without clicking...
Originally Posted by Whttail_in_MT
shaman- edit your image addresses by adding a s to the end of http so everybody can enjoy them without clicking...


Done. Thanks, I'd missed that-- too much blood in my coffee system. I had to readjust levels.
Originally Posted by hicountry
Camo is over rated.

Million of deer died to hunters in red plaid Woolrich outfits.

Buck trackers in Maine and the NE walk up to bucks in green plaid.

It's movement and scent that give you away.

Camo is more for the hunters....


Camo is simply a fashion statement!!
Deer do not see in black and white, they are red / green color blind is all.
As stated above they do see some UV and various colors.
Originally Posted by las
Do you run a rinse cycle first to rid the machine of any remnant UV "brightener" enhancers?

Yes
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
This is an amazing debate on the merit of camo. There needs to be a application to obtain grant money to study the issue.
I wore solid wool for years, never felt handicapped and until recently wore solid bottoms. Having experimented with lots of camo over the years, I settled on KUIU mostly because it works as advertised (warm, functional, etc.) but mainly because they make the most comfortable hunting clothing I've ever worn. I used to spend a lot of money on suits for work but these days, my most expensive and favorite clothing is my hunting gear. Lots of lightweight fabrics that fit well, stretch and are warm and durable. I have solids too but I don't wear my hunting clothes out of season so camo makes sense to me. I do believe that in much of the hunting I do in GA pines at often close range, camo does make a difference. If I hunted in the west most of the time, I'd still wear KUIU (seriously, you could sleep in this stuff it's so comfortable) but probably more solids.

[Linked Image from imagizer.imageshack.com]
Best camo I’ve ever seen is an old green and black Woolrich coat my dad wears. It’s not the straight checkered pattern but has different sizes and the colors kind of overlap. It probably wouldn’t work as well in other places, but it kicks ass in the conifers of north Idaho. He becomes almost invisible when he holds still.

Some of the original camouflage from the 80’s seemed to be more effective than a lot of the newer stuff.

The best use of camo is to hide from other people.
Only used the atko wash once , usually hose down my hunting clothes a couple days before season with spray
Take them off at the end of the day and put them in vehicle
The ole lady is a heavy smoker
I know I’m pissing into the wind by doing this , but it makes me feel warm and fuzzy 😀
I have seen a marked difference since I started using the atko
Seldom get busted anymore
I hunt from stands and make shift ground blinds
And occasionally stalk , which negates the atko
Because of movement
Some areas are some what thick and it might take 30-45 minutes to move a 100 yds , espeacially if I’m in a productive area
In the end of the day we all do it our way and we love every minute of it
So with that , wish you all the best of luck
Kenneth
Much to the chagrin of the wife my 'camo/outer hunting clothes' reside on the porch for the better part of two months.

IMO as long as one isn't wearing dark solids and limits movement deer won't notice if not already looking for you.
Wearing fashionable camo is a great identifying sign to become a mark for theft. Those dressed head to toe in matching designer camo in this season's hottest look very likely have a pickup (with topper) full of expensive outdoor gear.
Originally Posted by Raeford
Much to the chagrin of the wife my 'camo/outer hunting clothes' reside on the porch for the better part of two months.

IMO as long as one isn't wearing dark solids and limits movement deer won't notice if not already looking for you.


You left out the blue painter's tape on the gun barrel. I hear they see that from miles away.
Originally Posted by shaman
Originally Posted by Raeford
Much to the chagrin of the wife my 'camo/outer hunting clothes' reside on the porch for the better part of two months.

IMO as long as one isn't wearing dark solids and limits movement deer won't notice if not already looking for you.


You left out the blue painter's tape on the gun barrel. I hear they see that from miles away.

Apparently, blue is on the spectrum that deer see very well.
Moot point up here, once rifle season starts, anybody in the woods, must wear a minimum of 400sq inches of hunter orange on their upper body + complete head covering in hunter orange, also.

Still kill stuff, it's about the wind, scent & movement !
Let me throw in a few more data points on this topic.

I've got a spot on the back of the house, where I go and sit in the evening and watch deer. Imagine a 2-person lifeguard chair. I'll go out and have my evening cocktail and sit with the binos. This time of year, I usually get a floorshow starting around a half-hour before sunset. The east field has nearly 500 yards of observable pasture. The south field has less than 300 yards.

My normal attire these days are bib overalls and a white T-shirt and white tube socks. The deer know I frequent the spot. They look for me as soon as they come out in the field. I've learned that they key on the white shirt and socks. If any bit of that shirt is showing, the deer get hinky. Now that the evenings are cooler, I'm wearing a jacket, usually a brown barn coat. That coat has to be buttoned up so no white shows, and I can't move my feet around so my socks show. If I do, I'm setting off deer at the farthest extent of my viewing. If I'm well covered, the deer may come and graze within 50 yards of the house.

The other point I wanted to make is that the key to any camo is that the viewer has a hard time perceiving the wearer. When I'm wearing white socks and a white T-shirt, it's easy for the deer to form the gestalt of a human. Back when I bow hunted, I usually wore a camo poncho-- either the one I showed y'all in the previous post or something similar. When I was in it, sitting or standing, it was very hard for anything to resolve the shape into a human form. It isn't just that you need to have splotchy colors and shapes, you need to change the shape you present so the viewer can't pick it up. For hunting Kentucky during rifle season, I just switched to a hunter orange poncho. Believe it or not, the deer really didn't give a hoot about me. Orange blobs just don't register as humans.

So how do I manage in the Orange Clown Suit? Mostly I succeed through concealment. On my treestands, I've got camo plastic shower curtains secured to the shooting rails. On my tower blind, I have burlap camo backed with black opaque landscape fabric.
Originally Posted by New_2_99s
Moot point up here, once rifle season starts, anybody in the woods, must wear a minimum of 400sq inches of hunter orange & complete head covering in hunter orange, also.

Still kill stuff, it's about the wind, scent & movement !
Idaho doesn't require any orange on hunters 18 and older. They recommend it but don't require it. That's as it should be - individual choice.
However, we have many miles of hiking/biking trails in our mountains, many of which go through some prime hunting habitat. No mention of orange on hikers and bikers is ever made. I'm a hunter and I have the gun. I'm unlikely to shoot myself no matter what I'm wearing. It's the hikers who are in danger from careless hunters.
Originally Posted by shaman
My normal attire these days are bib overalls and a white T-shirt and white tube socks. The deer know I frequent the spot. They look for me as soon as they come out in the field. I've learned that they key on the white shirt and socks. If any bit of that shirt is showing, the deer get hinky. Now that the evenings are cooler, I'm wearing a jacket, usually a brown barn coat. That coat has to be buttoned up so no white shows, and I can't move my feet around so my socks show. If I do, I'm setting off deer at the farthest extent of my viewing. If I'm well covered, the deer may come and graze within 50 yards of the house.

Maybe they can smell your feet and torso when you don't cover up and you just think they're seeing you, but, really, they're smelling you?? (grin)
Camo.. I have had some great hunting in a bright orange grundens rain jacket.
I am very particular about my camo, without it I can never seem to shoot a deer.
Here's a few that I would have missed had I not been wearing the best camouflage available. ( grin)
Cat
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The best camo in the world is only good if it matches your background. Might be great in one place and ten feet away your busted.
Will game animals get confused and leary when the green leaves on a tree turn vibrant red, orange , or yellow in the fall ? ---- Smell and movement ===your #1 enemy
KUIU or similar patterns. Large blocks of color and lighter colors to contrast with darker ones. Mossy Oak type camo all turns into one dark blob.

catnthehat basically has the same old school approach with the large block plaid.
No surprise that rifle hunters laugh and joke about the need for camo. I'd much rather hear from Archers on this issue. I really don't much care what rifle hunters think about camo
My pop used to wear tiger stripe in upstate NY. I'm partially color blind, I guess they call it color lazy. I had a hard time picking him up when he stopped walking.
I wear 40 years worth of military surplus, and cheap sale price camo. Nothing on me matches. I think it confuses the deer, and they think I'm just some homeless guy looking for someplace the sleep. Works every time!
Originally Posted by reivertom
I wear 40 years worth of military surplus, and cheap sale price camo. Nothing on me matches. I think it confuses the deer, and they think I'm just some homeless guy looking for someplace the sleep. Works every time!
I also wear different camo to really break up my outline
Originally Posted by moosemike
No surprise that rifle hunters laugh and joke about the need for camo. I'd much rather hear from Archers on this issue. I really don't much care what rifle hunters think about camo

I'm an archery hunter. Post-rut when the leaves are off the trees it is much easier to get busted. I believe they see movement and hear movement more than anything. When a guy is wearing your standard "Mossy Oak/Real Tree" it is very dark compared to the sky at your back. It is also very reflective because the average guy doesn't consider using just plain water or a UV-dampening detergent. While I have killed deer with my bow in "normal" clothes, purpose-built camo seems to be quieter and offer more range of motion for the archer. It is also important for clothes to be properly fitted. A loose hoodie can be disastrous in the stand when drawing a bow. Don't ask me how I know. For what its worth, I like the Sitka Elevated II pattern jackets designed for bow hunting. During gun season, I don't really care.
Originally Posted by gsganzer
I think most camo is entirely too dark and too busy and is made to appeal to the buyer.


Precisely
Originally Posted by moosemike
No surprise that rifle hunters laugh and joke about the need for camo. I'd much rather hear from Archers on this issue. I really don't much care what rifle hunters think about camo


I don't bow hunt much anymore, but believe I have killed 3 elk and a moose with a bow, all sans camo. I think I was wearing camo for the few deer I have archery killed, IIRC.

Small sample, but I was given no indication that my normal plaid shirt/blue jeans wardrobe wasn't as adequate for archery ranges as it is for rifle ranges.
Sometimes wearing one pattern on the upper body and another for pants can help.
Originally Posted by navlav8r
Sometimes wearing one pattern on the upper body and another for pants can help.
I believe that
I have killed several deer at single digit yardage with my bow while wearing plaid shirts and whatever pants.

Most places I hunt the normal MossyOak or whatever type camo is much darker than the surrounding terrain. So like the OP indicates, you look like a dark object. Possibly drawing more attention to you than other non camo garment would.

The only common pattern I’ve ever found that I thought worked well for my area was the old Predator in gray, brown, black. I wore all I had out and haven’t found any replacements.
The asat camo is fairly light. works well for me. been using it exclusively for 10 years.
Funny semi related side story.

Was on a brown bear hunt with a guy and he about had a stroke when he saw me dressed in a plaid wool shirt and Carhartt pants. “Where’s your camo!?”, he asked. “Don’t need any, I’m fine”, I replied. “But the bears will see you, their vision, blah blah”.

“How many bears have you killed?”, I asked. “Uh, none”.

“Okay cool. Would you like to see the picture of the one I shot while I had on the yellow shirt? How about the one when I was wearing the gray and black plaid shirt? Or the one I shot last spring while I was wearing a red and black plaid shirt? Or there was the couple I shot when I wore my gray jacket, how about those?”

Cricket sounds followed.
Originally Posted by Castle_Rock
Originally Posted by shrapnel
This is a picture of my 2 sons in a pine forest with Kuiu camo. If you don’t believe it works, you are blind…



[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
What are you trying to say
Those boys stand out like dogs balls

Considering they're standing with zero cover it isn't too bad. I, however, don't like that pattern and think it's too dark overall.
Originally Posted by TheKid
Funny semi related side story.

Was on a brown bear hunt with a guy and he about had a stroke when he saw me dressed in a plaid wool shirt and Carhartt pants. “Where’s your camo!?”, he asked. “Don’t need any, I’m fine”, I replied. “But the bears will see you, their vision, blah blah”.

“How many bears have you killed?”, I asked. “Uh, none”.

“Okay cool. Would you like to see the picture of the one I shot while I had on the yellow shirt? How about the one when I was wearing the gray and black plaid shirt? Or the one I shot last spring while I was wearing a red and black plaid shirt? Or there was the couple I shot when I wore my gray jacket, how about those?”

Cricket sounds followed.


Too much money and too many hunting shows for that feller.

I was partial to chartreuse until I couldn't get the salmon stank out of it. laugh

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
That is a great bear. I’m jealous every time I see it, I never killed any big ones.

Think of how much better a bear you’d have gotten with a skookum camo ensemble.
Awesome pic Scott! I concur with you and Kid......not much of a camo guy here.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
Originally Posted by SKane
Originally Posted by Whttail_in_MT
When I don a camo item I don't think it's going to make me one with the surroundings, it just happens to be camo and fits the comfort bill at the time.


Same.

No way I'm donning a uniform. Some guys are better accessorized with matching ensembles than a red-carpet event for a movie premier.
Staying still and/or being mindful of light/shadows, skyline (and of course - wind) is key – heck of a lot cheaper and no need to sweat the carpeting not matching the drapes.

Word...
I get a kick out of the Kuiu/Sitka warriors in the airports. AKA the 'onesies" or whatever you want to refer to them as. Those completely decked out in matching Kuiu or Sitka gear and look like designer models. I see them constantly this time of year in airports.

Some pretty serious backcountry hunters I know wear all that stuff and swear by it, but I also know a lot of road hunters that do too.
You’re all a bunch of rookies! You are not dressed for hunting success unless your heels are camo’d too


[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]


🦫
Originally Posted by New_2_99s
Moot point up here, once rifle season starts, anybody in the woods, must wear a minimum of 400sq inches of hunter orange on their upper body + complete head covering in hunter orange, also.

Still kill stuff, it's about the wind, scent & movement !

Same where we hunt in our spots in Nebraska. More deer killed without camo than with.
Originally Posted by Beaver10
You’re all a bunch of rookies! You are not dressed for hunting success unless your heels are camo’d too


[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]


🦫


My high heels are ASAT. Luv them, for ‘work’ and play.

They ROCK for chasing cock around.
Originally Posted by T_Inman
I get a kick out of the Kuiu/Sitka warriors in the airports. AKA the 'onesies" or whatever you want to refer to them as. Those completely decked out in matching Kuiu or Sitka gear and look like designer models. I see them constantly this time of year in airports.

Some pretty serious backcountry hunters I know wear all that stuff and swear by it, but I also know a lot of road hunters that do too.

I never wear camo unless I'm hunting, for a number of reasons but mostly as I don't want my clothes to smell like an airport. I really don't understand what they are thinking unless they are severely limited in their checked luggage. I had a flight out of Anchorage at midnight, thought the airport would be empty, so happy at the prospect. Got there and there was an army of people, many with guns and camo!
I don't mind the camo, in a world where I'm planted behind a PC for hours, spending money on the few things I enjoy, like hunting and building DIY rifles, entertains me so who gives a F.

[Linked Image from imagizer.imageshack.com]
Originally Posted by JGRaider
Awesome pic Scott! I concur with you and Kid......not much of a camo guy here.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
I've been places where that brown shirt may have got you shot. Any orange on?
J.G.Raider, Is wearing the most effective Camo for West Texas. I'm a big fan of Carhart Bibs and Jackets, for hunting Warm and Comfortable, wear what works for you. Rio7
Originally Posted by SKane
Originally Posted by TheKid
Funny semi related side story.

Was on a brown bear hunt with a guy and he about had a stroke when he saw me dressed in a plaid wool shirt and Carhartt pants. “Where’s your camo!?”, he asked. “Don’t need any, I’m fine”, I replied. “But the bears will see you, their vision, blah blah”.

“How many bears have you killed?”, I asked. “Uh, none”.

“Okay cool. Would you like to see the picture of the one I shot while I had on the yellow shirt? How about the one when I was wearing the gray and black plaid shirt? Or the one I shot last spring while I was wearing a red and black plaid shirt? Or there was the couple I shot when I wore my gray jacket, how about those?”

Cricket sounds followed.


Too much money and too many hunting shows for that feller.

I was partial to chartreuse until I couldn't get the salmon stank out of it. laugh

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


Oink. Oink. That sucker is a pig 😁
Knee pads are always a good addition in my locale.

Sitka, KUIU, First Lite, have provided me with some excellent hunting gear. Expensive? Yeah, I guess.

But after 30 years of wearing military BDU pants, and coats that soaked up the rain, adding weight to an already difficult hunt.

I was grateful to find newer technology clothing that shed rain, wicked sweat away fast. And being much lighter with tougher fabrics wasn’t a difficult trade up for me.

As far as camo patterns. I mix and match my clothing to the hunt I’m doing. I prefer solids, but if the same clothing is in camo and on sale. I buy it over paying full price for solids.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

🦫
That's the only way I wind up with camo as well Beav, if the price is too good to resist.
Originally Posted by JGRaider
That's the only way I wind up with camo as well Beav, if the price is too good to resist.


Same. I'm a sucker for good equipment – clothing included.
I'm just funnin' the fellers that would potentially need psychotherapy if the gaiters didn't match the pants that matched the jacket that matched the hat that matched the gloves. laugh
Originally Posted by SKane
Originally Posted by JGRaider
That's the only way I wind up with camo as well Beav, if the price is too good to resist.


Same. I'm a sucker for good equipment – clothing included.
I'm just funnin' the fellers that would potentially need psychotherapy if the gaiters didn't match the pants that matched the jacket that matched the hat that matched the gloves. laugh

Laffin…

I rarely match. Oh, the horror.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

🦫
By the way, I’m deer hunting right now. I’ve been glassing since before sunrise.

I’ve glassed so much I’m certain I’m gonna be permanently crossed eyed. No Blacktail bucks seen, yet. I did glass up two very nice 5x5 bulls with a spike hanging with them. No cows around them.

It’s rare that I have cell service, since I do in this spot, reading and posting gives my eyes rest from the bins.

Here’s a stock picture of a pair of KUIU Attack Pants my wife bought me as a Christmas gift 2 years ago. I love KUIU Attack pants, in solid colors only.

These pants are beyond fuggly! I refused to wear them until this summer when I started wearing them as work pants on the property. I did make a few trips to the feed store where another customer said, those are interesting looking pants…Interesting isn’t a word I’d use to describe them.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

Back to the glass.

🦫
It seems to me like wearing medium-shade earth-tone garments of a mix and match approach works about as well as anything. That and staying still. A brown deer or a fawn/brindle dog can step out in the woods and freeze and I have a hell of a time picking them out until they move again. Same goes for a bobcat. They just disappear. I actually prefer the earth-tone hunting clothes, but most of the stuff that's made how I need it generally comes in camo, so that's what I buy. I do agree that too much of today's camo is rather dark. I'd probably just as soon have outerwear in the old 1940's military olive drab.
Originally Posted by JGRaider
Awesome pic Scott! I concur with you and Kid......not much of a camo guy here.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

JG, that's way better camo, for your area, than this is for mine !!!!!!!

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

smile
Originally Posted by New_2_99s
Originally Posted by JGRaider
Awesome pic Scott! I concur with you and Kid......not much of a camo guy here.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

JG, that's way better camo, for your area, than this is for mine !!!!!!!

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

smile
You're wrong. Deer walk right past me in full flo orange when there's snow. It looks white to them. Or at least light gray
Originally Posted by Beaver10
By the way, I’m deer hunting right now. I’ve been glassing since before sunrise.

I’ve glassed so much I’m certain I’m gonna be permanently crossed eyed. No Blacktail bucks seen, yet. I did glass up two very nice 5x5 bulls with a spike hanging with them. No cows around them.

It’s rare that I have cell service, since I do in this spot, reading and posting gives my eyes rest from the bins.

Here’s a stock picture of a pair of KUIU Attack Pants my wife bought me as a Christmas gift 2 years ago. I love KUIU Attack pants, in solid colors only.

These pants are beyond fuggly! I refused to wear them until this summer when I started wearing them as work pants on the property. I did make a few trips to the feed store where another customer said, those are interesting looking pants…Interesting isn’t a word I’d use to describe them.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

Back to the glass.

🦫


They're great around aspen trees or rocky terrain. I buy KUIU for the material more than the pattern though.

[Linked Image from imagizer.imageshack.com]
Camo is of no consideration. You were moving, then you stopped, that's what spooked 'em.
Originally Posted by Beaver10
By the way, I’m deer hunting right now. I’ve been glassing since before sunrise.

I’ve glassed so much I’m certain I’m gonna be permanently crossed eyed. No Blacktail bucks seen, yet. I did glass up two very nice 5x5 bulls with a spike hanging with them. No cows around them.

It’s rare that I have cell service, since I do in this spot, reading and posting gives my eyes rest from the bins.

Here’s a stock picture of a pair of KUIU Attack Pants my wife bought me as a Christmas gift 2 years ago. I love KUIU Attack pants, in solid colors only.

These pants are beyond fuggly! I refused to wear them until this summer when I started wearing them as work pants on the property. I did make a few trips to the feed store where another customer said, those are interesting looking pants…Interesting isn’t a word I’d use to describe them.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

Back to the glass.

🦫

Fuggly is a matter of opinion I suppose, I have those pants in that pattern and I think they are about the best camo available for a sheep mountain or snow bound territory.
One of our hunting group used to make fun of a buddy for wearing the old olive gray European army surplus wool pants instead of camo. WTH does it matter when you are sitting in a blind or stand not moving? The main reason I buy camo is that most of it comes in water resistant, quiet, and warm fabrics. OD green is hard to spot if it’s not moving.
You can sit in the middle of a new cut hay field in a Santa Suit if you have the wind and don't move and kill Deer. wind and movement will give you away way before what ever your wearing. Rio7
Originally Posted by JGRaider
Awesome pic Scott! I concur with you and Kid......not much of a camo guy here.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Are you being serious? You only have a single “color” in the background of your picture and your wearing that color from head to toe…you couldn’t get better camo than what you’re wearing. 😉
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