Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Is black a bad color for a backcountry backpack?

I have a coyote brown pack that is a little small. I have the opportunity to get a good deal on a larger 80 liter pack that I know will be big enough for 3-4 day backcountry hunts and capable of hauling out elk quarters. One potential downside of the larger pack is that it is black.

Do you think color matters for a pack? If so, is black a poor choice?

This will be used for rifle hunting, not archery.

It doesn't matter...

Just your chocolate might melt faster.. grin ..

It's ok....assuming you don't walk like a black bear.

I think black is more than acceptable. The woods are full of shadows. My spare pack is black and never felt visually compromised (is that a thing?) wearing it.

Black works for me though it Defintely seems to have a stigma in the outdoor world.

You could always break it up with some camo spray paints.

As GregW mentioned about melted chocolate, it could put my gorp at risk.

Are you talking about from a safety standpoint, ie. people thinking you're a black bear? From a standpoint of being noticable to critters?
I wouldn't be worried about either in the least bit. Throw a blaze orange pocket or some other accessory on there if you're worried about your safety or if your state requires orange that can be seen from 360*.

Chocolate is a no go in AZ before November...Grin .

As far as safety I'd take a black pack over a brown one any day. I had a black Kifaru pack, never seemed to be an issue. As far as an animal spotting you, if you're facing it, the pack isn't really visible.

Put some blaze orange tape on it to increase visibility, especially since you are going to use it during rifle season.

Way back in the 70's, my Dad belonged to a hunting club, and several members were in Wyoming on a big game hunt. One guy kills a deer, and goes back to camp for help hauling it out. In the meantime, the guide finds the kill and starts to work on it. When the guys are a couple hundred yards away, they spot a 'black bear' leaning over the kill, and one of them shoots it.

It turned out to be the guide, who was wearing black pants and black jacket.

About 30 years ago, during Colorado elk season, a 'hunter' shot a horse, and, if I recall, the guide was sitting on top of the horse.

I wasn't so much concern about safety, as much as I was standing out like a sore thumb on the side of the mountain and being visible to animals.

That's crazy! I guess its always a good idea to throw on some blaze orange.

Personally, I don't think black is a good choice. While I do not know how black appears to animals - whether it looks out of place or not - I can tell you that black is incredibly obvious when you're out in the field. I was in the field once and I was a fair ways away from a river, but I spotted a patch of black and I wondered if it was a Turkey Vulture b/c I couldn't think of anything else that was big and black in that particular area. As I got closer I became more confused as to what it was. Finally, I determined it was an exceptionally black man with a large 'fro sitting on a bucket fishing.

The point is that the color black is an unnatural color in many areas and definitely stands out.

As for as the morons out there that will shoot something that turns out to be a person, I have never understood how someone can pull the trigger without first determining what it is that they're about to destroy. You never know what some jackass is going to do out in the woods and IMO it's better to avoid putting yourself in such a position.

Pics?

No, but I can show you something else. Hang on, I need my wide-angle lens.

My dad told me a story just about like the black bear story. 40-50 years ago he was hunting elk in wy. A couple hunters in the group were brothers and a herd of elk crossed the road in front of them in the timber. One brother jumped out and said he was going to run down the herd. He took off after the tracks in the snow and shot a bull. Not legal but guess he continued after the herd to get another. Never caught up a second time. When he went back to go take care of his first bull that went down that he never walked all the way up to it started to stand up so he shot it again. Turns out it was his brother in khaki pants bent over to starting gutting his brothers bull. Khaki pans looked like a bulls rump... So goes to show no color is safe if shooter is not safe...

Was his name, Jake? from State Farm?

Black absorbs a lot of heat. If that doesn't matter, I don't see a problem. I always have on visible orange, even when bird hunting in the early fall. I prefer packs that I can see from a distance if I drop it and run, such as a during a shot that quickly turns into a rodeo, so red is good. My favorite pack is a frame pack in red, but it is big and heavy, and I don't wear it as much as I used to.

I don't think trying to steer your gear around stupid is going to help much. Stupid just finds a way.

I bring a light weight black fleece hooded jacket bow hunting for bears. When I see a bear, I throw on the black fleece and crouch to approach bear. Of course wind has to be correct. I won't do this in heavily hunted areas obviously.

Just make sure a big boar doesn't sneak up from behind.....

that's the whole point to the outfit. lol

I'm out then for early hunts...

I've always thought the same thing, that black really stands out, even from a far distance, then again so does blaze orange.

Like you said, we don't know how these colors appear to animals. I often wonder if in the future, scientists will discover a way to see the world exactly as an elk, deer, or turkey sees it and we'll all be shocked and feel like idiots for the amount of money we've spent on camo over the years.

Loper: that's a good point. I've often been in the field with just Khakis, a solid color olive drab shirt and a ball cap. Once I was sitting out in the open, so attired, with my 1911 during turkey season. I had my knees up to support my arms and a big Tom with a 7" beard walked right up to me - within 20 yards or so. I took aim and blasted his haid clean-off. Not sure camo would have made any difference at all - As I'm sure you're aware, turkey's have excellent eyesight.

For turkey's that's surprising. although I'm guessing you made sure not to make any quick movements.

I think I'm going to reduce my camo buying habits and just buy solid earth tones moving forward, clothes that can be worn around town and be socially acceptable. I called a high end performance camo clothing company recently and asked the guy on the phone if the camo pattern was really necessary. I expected to get a sales pitch on why it is needed in the field but his response was no, as long as your stealthy and know which direction the wind is moving, you should be fine.

The biggest questions is, why did you take a 1911 turkey hunting?

Oh, I had a shotgun, but I thought my sidearm would be much more of a challenge. Turkey hunting here in TX has always been quite easy for me. At one point there was so many on my Pard's ranch that when flushed, they almost turned the sky black. That was a sight to behold. And yes, I was extremely still as I called in that Tom and he did finally spot me just as I pulled the trigger.

I'm still trying to get my first turkey. Almost sounds too easy where you are.

It wouldnt be my choice but you could make it work.

For a few years the barney's pack bags were all made with a black bag that had a gray grid pattern. Mine is of that era and does not seem to have suffered for victims due to color.

I grew up in a place where there were few other kids so most of my friends were 75+. One guy, Larry, shared a story from his youth. He used to run a trap line of big traps for bears. One day he was coming down towards the creek and saw "bear" drinking so he got his rifle out of the scabbard, jacked a shell into the chamber, line up the sights, but ... something wasn't right. He talked himself almost into, then back out of, shooting a number of shooting. Finally the "bear" stood up ... it was an old miner panning for gold.

Yeah, make damned sure of your target.

So far as black packs, neither here nor there I guess. I prefer dark green, not camo, but not too "loud" either.

Tom

I doubt the colors make much difference from a stalking stand point, though black likely does stand out easier in open country, there are lots of shadows and dark spots in the bush and burnt stumps/logs in the cuts. On the other hand, I am very reluctant to use any packs or clothes that may look close to target animal colors as I don't want to be a target myself. Up here in Canada many First Nations and poachers are known to shoot first and look later, some even shooting at sounds. So anything that could be moose or deer colored I avoid. That being said, a few years ago there was a guy riding a red quad that was "accidentally" shot by a native/FN guy who claimed he thought it was a moose or something, not sure how you make that mistake, unless there were drugs/alcohol involved...

Yes black is a bad color for high country back packing. I find it easy to spot people wearing solid black. This is not much out there that is all one solid color other than green and even then foliage is a mottled green.

When entering timber coming down from the moraines and canyons on Mount Hood, saw a big black bear...

...turned out to be a very large woman wearing a black "cape" squatting.

On Mount Shuksan or Mount Baker in Washington, bear hunters would most likely have shot at that "trophy"!

If the game sees the pack color or reflection easily, it would be no different than clothing. I don't hunt elk, so others will have to respond to that. Maybe test it with the deer in your area first and see how they respond to it. If that's your go to pack, maybe you could modify it with cover pockets. The extra fabric can be anything.
I would buy a linear yard of mil spec camo in a good camo for your hunting location.

Make sure that its rated NIR Infrared reduced if you want to cut out part of the spectrum that might catch their attention. I haven't read articles on this for years, so start with YouTube University for info.
I don't know what they see, but my poor vision sure sees typical polyester dyes stand out while the NIR nylons are muted and less reflective. Pockets would serve to be useful of gear while doubling as camo.
Keep in mind that you should assume that if it doesn't state, NIR, it probably is not. Also, most laundry detergent has brighteners that will ruin that quality.

Black or brown (Coyote) and I'm hanging neon green or pink or orange survey tape in several places. Unless you like getting scoped a bunch. A neighbor had a horse shot out from underneath him. Couple years ago a hiker in Washington wearing a blue coat in a rain storm was shot and killed. Guess people in blue coats look like bear. And horses look like like elk. Top of the line pack makers shipping Coyote packs out. Way to many douchebags out there.

I'm not so sure color really has much to do with shootings like this.

I've come across more than a few hunters that are so hopped up on "getting that buck/bull", or "protecting their turf", they practice nearly zero target identification, nor do they practice safe rifle awareness (aka, knowing which way the barrel is pointing), trigger discipline, or even what is behind their target/where their bullet will land.

I'm glad the one you quoted got close enough to make a firm ID.

As far as finding out how animals really perceive their surroundings and being shocked at the money spent...No, we won't express shock.

We'll be trading friendly barbs across the campfire about who got suckered the most, and who is STILL wearing the same gear, thinking it's "good luck"....

Just sayin'....

I've had several labradors over the years, both black and yellow. When walking them at night, the black was much easier to see. It's blacker than the night. Yellow can be darn hard to see. It blends with everything. It's the same in daylight. That yellow can just disappear in the brush or grass while solid black really catches the eye.

At altitude, the sun's energy is exponentially greater. Yes, black will cook you and the pack's contents a lot quicker, even at lowish temps.

And as other's have noted, I don't wear elk brown deer gray anything when hunting. Olive, grayish silver or camo (if I have to) is what I look for in clothing or packs.

Over the decades, ore than one horse has been mistaken for an elk. And black angus/black baldys are always at risk for looking like a bear.

In the mid 60's the nephew of my 6th grade teacher was mistaken for a bear and shot while wearing a fuzzy coat--a style that was popular at the time.