So I hunt mostly on hte ground with my longbow. I do use camo mostly. Early season in the CRP, I have a leafy guilly I wear. If in a tree stand I wear dark grey camo. I mostly hunt the ground and have camo to blend in with the brush. Other times I wear a brown/tan flannel shirt or an olive drab wool pullover and brown or olive pants.
I think not moving, to moving very slowly is the most important, sometimes camo may be to attact the buyer? Anyway, what are the opinions of trad gang-ers.
Bob.
I wear camo. There is some camo clothing where an animal looks right through you. This is why I'm a fan of Predator camo. Other camo, seems like it turns one into a big dark blob instead of breaking up the human form.
I'm not sure on the matter, I wear camo and I also wear plaid.
Ok so you like to hunt from the ground. Lets say you are out there this year, next year or five years from now and this deer walks by you at 15 yards. It's what you hunt for right? Now he's almost to you and just happens to look in your direction and you are standing there just hoping he doesn't make you out. So much can go wrong. Do you want to take the chance that not wearing something camo would mess up your chance at him? Is it really worth it?
(http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/kyTJ/Trail%20Cam/Dawkins/IM000207.jpg)
I agree that some camo is just a fashion statement, but the days of plaid where just an attempt to adapt the best we could with what we had that best suit the elements and could possibly break up the human outline.
I agree with TJ. I love the past and the purest ways, but the Indians would paint or try to mud their bodies so that they could go undetected. I am all about hunting in camo. My 2cents
Most animals survive by their noses primarily and use their eyes to look for movement secondarily. Camo works, no doubt about it, but it's not really necessary, IMO. Medium color earth tone solid or plaid clothing works just as well. I've got camo and do wear it, but when it wears out, I won't be replacing it with more camo. The key to hunting success is hunting the wind, it doesn't matter a bit how camoed up you are if the critter smells you.
Camo works much better on humans than animals, that is why the military is so sold on the stuff. Animals eyes don't work the same as ours. I buy camo, or woodsy colors and think they both work the same.
Sometimes I wear camo, sometimes not (plaids or solids). My success or failure does not seem to be linked to either. I do note even if you wear plaid you should do something to blend your face in. Maybe that's just me. ;-) I wear a beard and sometimes paint or a mesh mask.
Ask yourself: am I wearing camo to impress the deer or my friends or other hunters; or am I not wearing camo to impress the deer or my friends or other hunters.
The deer don't care. :archer:
I will agree that deer like animals use their noses, but turkeys don't associate smell with danger. Camo is of the utmost important hunting this quarry. Don't get me wrong, I am not one to think camo is a must to be successful all the time, but I will use it because it is available. I pay more attention to my camo for turkeys than I do my killing equipment. I do think that it makes a difference for turkeys unless hunting in a blind. A blind doesn't move and movement is the best way for a turk to pick you out.
I killed four deer this past season -- 3 with a gun...doesn't count I know.. and one w/ my longbow. For all of them I was wearing a pair of old faded overalls that were somewhat "broken up" by stains from crude oil from the oil field which is where I work. On top, i wore a long sleeve camo shirt. The faded overalls blended in well with the tree trunks.
Yet, I do agree that the animal's nose is more important than its eyes.
I wear both, but there is just something about trad bowhunting in plaid ive always been drawn too, most of my plaid is browns and blackish greays but ive done well in red plaid as well.
I'll second what Bjorn and slivrslingr said. I've hunted for many years without camo, mainly in wool plaid.
There are probably more hunters that have hunted without camo than with the stuff, considering that camo was not used much prior to 1957. The first pictures, I remember of Fred Bear with camo where at the time of "Little Delta Hunt". Howard Hill, Art Young, Dr Saxton Pope, Will Compton and many others did not use what we refer to as camo. Ishi hunted his whole life without camo, and mainly without much clothing.
Animals are very good at picking up movement, camo or no camo. I have hunted animals that saw me, and because I avoided looking in their direction, or making eye contact, they did not spook and would continued to feed, or do what they were doing.
Sometimes, I wonder how the industry go so big. It sure made a hit with varmit hunters, turkey hunters and bowhunters. Obviously, it has its advantages when hunting turkey, varmits, or when calling elk.
Its obvious to me thatthe whole key to survailance regaurding to camoflage is to break up one solid object.I am a big fan of predator camo and was really impressed with how well Winona camo worked when it first came out.Big blocky patterns work.Now then,how great is it to have success with traditional equipement and only using good old plaids and wool pants,etc.An added degree of difficulty.Does my heart good to see an occasional picture of someone in non camo with an animal.
Predator Camo.......ROCKS !!!!!!!!
Winterhawk1960
I wear camo these days,they may not match though
Don't stink, be still, don't shine, and opportunity will come knocking. I wear camo that breaks up my outline, at least at bowhunting distances. I think some camo patterns help confuse slight movements the hunter may make.
We don't know as much as we'd like about how animals see. We know about their ability to see in low-light and to detect color (rods, cones, and behaviorial studies).
Our field observations are pretty important but we have to realize individual deer (for example) reactions to movement, shapes, patterns, etc. are ifluneced by that deer's "attitude" and experiences. I have no doubt that most deer see the same thing, but their reaction to visual cues (and other cues) varies between deer and even with the same deer. Most of us have hunted deer that scan the trees about 15-20' high looking for ...us! They learned that behavior because aerial predation, especially for adult deer and any deer in the east, aren't the norm.
You fellows in Ghillie suits need to be stealthy! Our deer herds could stop browsing if they come to suspect every bush before they begin to nibble. lol.
I still use plaid with USA camo pants. But watch and work with the wind and move very, very slow.
I love predator camo. I have had elk look right thru me from 20 feet. I also love to hunt in plaid and have had the same result with deer. The real key is no or slow movement and not letting them see your eyes. Lots of camo patterns don't work and it is often because the fabric is shiny or noisy.
Try hunting Turkeys or Coyotes without camo.
I think camo is a good idea...but I think a lot of the stuff that's out there is made for our eyes, and not for deer.
If you read through some hunting magazines these days, they want you to spend $1000 on some carbon-lined ultra-high-res pattern jacket. Not necessary, I think. I've hunted with guys using 20 year old tree bark pattern camo, and they blended in better than I did in somewhat more modern camo.
Camo - yes. Within reason and budget.
Leafy suits and ghillies are great to have on hand. I have many stories of deer being so close....well, once what scared them off was my heavy breathing. They were less than 10 yards away and the wind was right. I was too excited and my breathing was too much for them.They never made me out but knew something was there that shouldn't be. I fooled their eyes but not their ears.
"Camo" is in the eye of the beholder. The key to not being noticed by game is to break up hard outlines, however you do it. That's why ghillie suits work so well. The tassles all over break up the hunter's outline so that it's hard for game to recognize that the hunter is a solid object. Plaid and commercial camo do the same thing, just not quite as well. I'll wear almost anything except solid colors when I hunt.
One of my fondest memories is Dan Quillian wearing a fake fur coat in multiple colors that he picked up at a yard sale. The coat was hideous, but he recognized that it was good camo, and hunted in it. It was quite a sight!
I do stay away from the "Scent-Crock" stuff though.
Its camo for me!!
AN "Old timer" TOM COLE ( one of the Founders of ETAR) and that was the name of his company when he was making bows "OLD TIMER LONG BOWS" once on a bet went out with a red plaid shirt on , red bandana "dew rag " on his head and blue jeans . Hunted on the ground and then shot TWO deer on the ground in that outfit!
Its movement and placement on the ground and makng sure you have a good back grond .
I use camo too but also use Plaids when the colors and patterns are creating "Camo "
Thanks for all the replies trad gang. These are the comments I was looking for. I appreciate the posts.
Bob.
To me plaid is "camo". I like camo since it is made in all the materials I like and has the needed functions like extra pockets etc. When I am not hunting I am not going to be wearing a plaid shirt or camo shirt. Also it really depends on where you hunt. When I went on a hunt is kansas those deer were so unpressured I could huntthem in a white t shirt and blue jeans but on long island the seer are so pressured you better be in camo or you will be spotted.
any clothing you wear to try to blend in is camo..whether it be plaids or earth tones, or commercial camo..to camoflauge is to try to hide or blend.....i sometimes wear commercial camo...sometimes homemade like plaid shirts and brown cargo pants..it's all camo....use what works!
I believe that all camo works to some extent and I do wear it most of the time. IMO the biggest part of concealment is to camo your face and hands. Just like we key into certain things when looking for animals ie. an ear, eye, nose or general body shape, I believe animals have learned to key into what is distinctive about humans and that is our skin color and shine. I do a lot of waterfowl hunting and it is amazing how far away I can spot another hunter if his face is uncovered. If all you can do is camo your face you will be way ahead of the game.
My only other comment about camo is this. We can hunt turkeys where I live during the Fall bow season. Coyote sightings are not uncommon and shots sometimes present themselves. I have fooled the eyes of both with good camo. I figure if I can fool them why take a chance on using anything else? I don't know anyone who would think of hunting turkeys or coyotes with a bow that wouldn't use camo unless they were in a Double Bull blind or something similar.
Good point Bill
When I would hunt in my early 20's Woolrich red plaid was my choice, I still own it and wear it and as of yesterday I turned 59.
I've experimented with plaid, camo and solids for archery season. All are good and some have major drawbacks. IMOW I feel that the store bought camo's are to dark. I've been out and out busted in a tree stand wearing these.
Plaids of the newer less wool content variety are a good camo substitute but I've gotten cold way to quickly with some of the blends. I hate to travel with a pile of clothes when I go hunting.
My latest find has proved to be my personal best, Winona! I have both old and the new made in California. They keep me warm and are whisper quiet. They seem to disguise my movements. But as mentioned before wind and smell are our enemies. Control those and animal skins and loin cloths would be the new camo.
Whitetail deer have poor eyes, and a small brain. They can look right at you and not be able to intrepret what they see.
But, I wear camo. And, I mix - match my camo. Plus, I try to stay away from any thing shinny. Lastly, I try to get some trees in front and behind me to assist in breaking up my outline.
My buddy talked me into ASAT. I bought a 3XL ASAT short sleeve Tee Shirt (cotton) and use it overtop whatever other camo I happen to be wearing. It seems to work okay.
The ASAT is similiar to the Preditor in that it breaks up a person's outline. The best example of how to use camo is to look at WWII pictures of how they applied camo to war ships. That type of camo was very effective, even in the wide open ocean.
Killed every critter without camo.
Fit, material weight for the weather and usable non-velcro pockets are what I look for in hunting clothes. I don't care if the color is an earth tone or camo but most usable clothing for hunting happens to come in camo.
If im on the ground im wearing orange no matter what.If I was to talk to half the hunters in the woods with me I probably wouldn't agree with what they consider safe.I can't find them to ask them because they're wearing camo.
My camo wearing is pretty much weather based. I wear a green plaid shirt until I need to wear something warmer or waterproof which is where camo comes into play. I had deer and turkey both look right at me wearing the plaid while on the ground hunting and just keep on walking the direction they were headed in.
I wear camo (but only when I'm hunting). I first saw Predator in the LL Bean catalog back in the 80s and have worn nothing else since. The new Evolution stuff is just awesome, but I don't think deer can focus tightly enough that it matters that much. It is more important to not look like a human (or a bear or a lion) than it is to look like a tree or a bush. I mean, you could probably get by just fine looking like a rusty old farm implement.
Ungulates have more rods than cones. That means they can see well in the dark and are especially sensitive to movement, which they can catch something like 300° (don't quote me). But it also means they can't focus very well on detail. (Birds? Just the opposite. For them you need blending not disruption. Many of the things they eat rely on camo.) Deer supposedly can see blue and a bit into the UV range ... according to people who sell products designed to block UV enhancers in laundry detergent. I'm not sure they know what it means, tho.
I have a friend who wears a t-shirt (whatever's laying around) and blue jeans. He does very well. And he hunts from the ground, hunting almost totally by ambush.
He thinks camo is all in my head. He might be right but it's in there and isn't going anywhere. I think camo gives you a bit of breathing room when you screw up and make a noise or something.
I agree totally with the "don't stink" advice. I camo there, too. I am a firm believer in HS Specialties Scent Wafers and in scent free soap and ... water and not smoking or making fires or chewing and keeping my camo in bags with scent wafers. Still, there's the wind wheeling around and yup, there's that barking doe... pretty sure that bush over there ain't what it doesn't appear to be...
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