Well this of course has been covered a thousand times here but my two cents has always been it doesn't matter what camo patten as long as you match your background. And I don't mean the pattern to match, I mean if you have a light background wear something light and if your background is dark wear something dark. The reason for that is I have experienced it is more difficult for a deer to make out my movement of drawing a bow when I am wearing a dark coat or shirt on a dark background. In turn that movement is seen way better if a light shirt (or arm) is against a dark background or vice versa.

Another thing is I always lean to a dark garment over the lighter ones in my area as when the light is new or fading all backgrounds are dark and that is usually when the encounter with the mature deer happen.

When buying any new garment I take this all into account.

 

Now here are the color pics of these jackets from the examples above for our comparison.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makes sense. Is ASAT considered light or dark? I think it does not necessarily "blend" well, but it is effective at breaking up your outline.

Matching the background is important, but equally so is breaking up the human form/outline with contrasting colors...this form of camo is called "disruptive coloration" and is what abounds in nature from stripped tigers and zebras, to spotted frogs and salamanders. This is also the process of effective face painting, where you darken high points (nose/lips) and lighten low points (around eyes).

Combining disruption by contrast with a color that matches the background, you get pretty good concealment.

One of my favorite patterns - and I don't know why you don't see more like it - is the large Winona pattern.  Rather than looking like a big dark person it breaks up the outline with lights and darks.

 

   


Saw someone (almost) in a white ghillie suit that had a few dark fibers and hanks.  Wow!  That absolutely disappears in snowy woods.  

Of course, it does have it's drawbacks.

 

Good stuff.  Definitely more important to match the general background.  

"Another thing is I always lean to a dark garment over the lighter ones in my area as when the light is new or fading all backgrounds are dark and that is usually when the encounter with the mature deer happen."

I dunno. I generally find too many camo garments to be too dark, even in fading/low light.  I definitely want a lighter garment if I'm in a tree.  Even in fading/low light, it's a lot brighter if you look up.

Interesting photos from KentuckyTJ. I use a variety of camo patterns to match the coloration for the woods around me when I bowhunt. But when I am out during firearms season, I wear a blaze orange camo vest for safety. I "thought" it blended in pretty well while still giving other hunters a warning that there was a human in that bush. I guess from the black & white photo, I am wrong about the game perspective although it looks to be better if there would be snow on the ground.

You have to remember that B&W photos is not really an accurate representation of how deer actually see. The can see color somewhat, and our blaze orange looks more like what a faded yellow looks like to us. This is because they don't have many cones that are sensitive to the red/orange wavelengths, so the yellow portion of the orange dye gets through, but nothing else.

They are very sensitive to blue/violet wavelengths (so your blue jeans stick out to them). They also do not have a  UV filter like our eyes, so they can see things that we can't even really explain or visualize.

Bottom line natural fibers (no UV reflection) in the brown, tan, red, orange, and green range are hard for deer to see from the background in any detail...so where those, and don't move.

I just wear ASAT all the time. Works the best in any situation. If you pair that with their 3D leafy suit       almost invisible!

Thanks TJ,  try moving those around, stick that orange thing up top in place of the digital camo piece.  Up in the "treestand" area where thigs like that disappear.
ChuckC

Man I don't know, use to think the same. But took my neighbors daughter out gun hunting this year. First time in years I've been out in gun season but it taught me one thing, or reminded me of one thing actually. Deer can not see plain blaze orange at ALL! We had tons of deer walk by in bow range with required blaze orange all over us! Go figure?
I've said this before on here. I raise and use white homers for a dove release business. Sometimes especially with young birds I have some land in trees by my loft. I could make a ton of money from folks betting them money they couldn't pick out a totally snow white bird sitting in a tree around my loft! Summer or winter.  Movement is the key!
I've actually done this with experienced bow hunters. Told them I have a white dove out sitting in a tree within 30 yard circumference of where they are sitting. Give them five minutes to find said one white dove. They usually eventually find it  in less than five minutes. Then I tell them there are five more in the same tree! This is usually in spring to summer months when I'm training young birds and the dominant color is green. I get a huge kick out of it! They usually will never see the first white dove  TILL IT MOVES! Keep in mind these are folks that are told to LOOK for a WHITE dove! lol Camo is way overrated.

I'm with Iowabowhunter, I had a coyote less than 3 feet from me and he never saw me oh, I was sitting on a tree legged stool on the ground in ASAT 3D leafy !

If we only knew what deer really see.

Most camo is sold because it looks good to US.

That being said, I always read that deer see blaze orange as grey.

And I am no different than a lot of us in that I "fall"for the latest pattern...or used to.

My favs now are ASAT and Predator.

We could probably just wear the old fashioned plaid if we didn't move.

Fred Bear did.

TJ,

Here are a few backgrounds at varying distances.

Just like with bows, arrow shaft materials and broadheads.  We all have our favorites. I find that ASAT, followed closely by Predator grey or brown are extremely effective for me in all hunting environments.  Animals seem to look thru me even at close distances whether hunting on or off the ground.  These patterns looks horrible when I look down at myself when wearing such "open" patterns with a lighter color as the background, or with a lighter color liberally prevalent within the pattern.  However, such patterns have been extremely helpful to me over the darker patterns I wore in years past.  Whether hunting in low light, last light, in the shadows, or mid day, I love these patterns.   I have been told by other hunters and hunting buddies how effective these patterns are in breaking up my outline and concealing me, and how they have been unable to pinpoint me on stand.  ASAT is my preferred pattern if I had to be restricted to just one pattern for all my hunting needs.  Most hunters would not consider using the  ASAT pattern because of the light color within the pattern.  ASAT is more muted in it's coloration in wool as compared to fleece, cotton, or any of the modern water/burr resistant materials (like Day One Camo's Buck Suede, Cowboy Suede, etc.).

Apart from Turkey, I don't think it matters what camo you use. Movement, is what gives us away.

I'm a fan of Sitka gear, forest. I really like the new stuff but too expensive (and not necessary) to replace. This gear lasts, like new, for years.

I also like KUIU.

I agree with the idea that blending with he sky through the trees for us tree stand guys is important and a different perspective than seen on shopping pages or clothes racks.

Notice not even the face or the interior (white) of the pack are a problem with light sky in the background.

Added the ASAT camo to the test pic.

I'm starting to lean towards gray wool. Gray seems to be a very prevalent color in the woods. I like to make gear during the off season so I have project already.  I am going to make a gray wool pullover and sew some brown and rust colored "leaves" to it and give it a run next season. OD wool (army issue variety) really looks like the moss on a tree I have noticed.

Agreed NN, the texture from the wool really gives another dimension of consealment.