The Old Debate On Camo

[DirtTime]

My wife asked me for a picture of me out hunting, so I was looking through some pictures and video from over the past four years or so. I have some older woodland stuff, Mossy Oak, and Realtree. Looking at the pics from different times of the year I noticed that in the Spring when green up is nice and full even my old woodland stuff blends in well. I noticed something I never had before on the other two though. The Mossy Oak seems a lot more subdued and blends well in Spring and the early bow season, but seemed to silhouette me once the leaves are almost gone or gone. The Realtree Edge stuff blends in very well for everything but full green up, it blends OK but the lighter hues stand out a bit more. Mid to late fall and winter it blends in great. I would have never noticed this if not for looking at the pictures.

 

I guess having some variations is better then just one option.

[grampy]

I have bins full of assorted camo, going back as far as Treebark. I usually mix and match to blend in where I'm hunting, mostly from the ground. And depending on time of year. Love snow camo when snow is on the ground!

[Bionic]

I actually wear charcoal gray sometimes.  The Carhartt “gravel” color, because I have a ladder stand at one property, that is on a tree that’s bark is pure gray, and smooth.

[Nomad]

Most all camo “ blobs out “ at short distances. Hang your camo up in a woods and back up it doesn’t take going far till it’s all one colorless  dark blob of a human shape . 
 

I was always a fan of ASAT , it never really took off as it doesn’t have sticks and leaves ,lol . Most camo is all about fooling the buyer not the deer . 

[G-Man]

I have old skyline camo, works well at reasonable distance,  most camo is for the buyers vanity not the disappearing  you think it does

[DirtTime]

40 minutes ago, grampy said:

I have bins full of assorted camo, going back as far as Treebark. I usually mix and match to blend in where I'm hunting, mostly from the ground. And depending on time of year. Love snow camo when snow is on the ground!

Treebark! The first camo I bought that wasn't woodland. I switched to tiger stripe MIL SPEC stuff for a couple years back then.

 

I agree that it's more about the advertising, but we all still buy and use the stuff just the same. I don't pay much attention to ads or fads, I usually just buy what's on sale. I have no brand loyalty. It just struck me after looking at actual pictures that weren't worked up in some photo shop the differences in the three.

 

I picked up a red plaid sherpa lined jacket a couple years ago, not the top of the line stuff, but it's warm enough to wear during the gun season on some days. Brought back a lot of memories of those type of jackets/coats and guys wearing plain old blue jeans and killing deer wearing that stuff.

Edited August 1, 2021 by DirtTime

[grampy]

19 minutes ago, DirtTime said:

Treebark! The first camo I bought that wasn't woodland. I switched to tiger stripe MIL SPEC stuff for a couple years back then.

 

I agree that it's more about the advertising, but we all still buy and use the stuff just the same. I don't pay much attention to ads or fads, I usually just buy what's on sale. I have no brand loyalty. It just struck me after looking at actual pictures that weren't worked up in some photo shop the differences in the three.

 

I picked up a red plaid sherpa lined jacket a couple years ago, not the top of the line stuff, but it's warm enough to wear during the gun season on some days. Brought back a lot of memories of those type of jackets/coats and guys wearing plain old blue jeans and killing deer wearing that stuff.

Before Treebark camo, we killed deer in jeans and flannels. Before that, Native Americans killed them in loincloths and buckskin! I have too many shortcomings to try a loincloth.......

[The_Real_TCIII]

Most all camo “ blobs out “ at short distances. Hang your camo up in a woods and back up it doesn’t take going far till it’s all one colorless  dark blob of a human shape . 
 
I was always a fan of ASAT , it never really took off as it doesn’t have sticks and leaves ,lol . Most camo is all about fooling the buyer not the deer . 

I love ASAT and Skyline but my all time favorite is Vertigo. The patterns that work don't appeal to hunters lol


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[Jeremy K]

Modern day camo has become more then just the pattern, light weight layering systems have helped keep body temps regulated while sitting or walking in. The camo I've had the best close encounters with deer has been a cheap 20 dollar leafy suit that fits over the top of your clothes. 

[Daveboone]

I have never been choosy with camo, anything works to break up the outline. For that matter, my old faithful Woolwich red/black plaid does the same...the muted red really doesnt stand out, especially in the shadow of woods. My preference is for a Malone grey or dull green. I more shop the materials and construction than the design.

Back in the day hunting southern tier, we would be head to toe hunter orange, and although it might help in some situations for visibility...not always. I was directly shot at from close range. Luckily the idiot was a lousy shot.  And fleet of foot. 

[UpStateRedNeck]

Treebark and leafy suits are great for turkey, depending on your setup.  For deer and most ungulates, it's more about breaking up your silhouette.  Successful predators of ungulates have larger patterns that keep them from seeing the whole body, and break it into pieces.  KUIU fanboy here.

[Lomax]

My first camo was from an army buddy of mine he gave me some of his  Army camo pants and shirts longsleeve button up they had his name sewed on them but I didn’t care I was invisible or so I thought.  Maybe sometime in the mid 80s A local army navy surplus store opened near me and I bought some more stuff there but by the late 80s early 90s you could go to Kmart and they had tree bark camo which I still have but very rarely wear anymore. 

[UpStateRedNeck]

Treebark and leafy suits are great for turkey, depending on your setup.  For deer and most ungulates, it's more about breaking up your silhouette.  Successful predators of ungulates have larger patterns that keep them from seeing the whole body, and break it into pieces.  KUIU fanboy here.

[rob-c]

8 hours ago, grampy said:

Before Treebark camo, we killed deer in jeans and flannels. Before that, Native Americans killed them in loincloths and buckskin! I have too many shortcomings to try a loincloth.......

Yeah but it would be so much easier to take  a wiz out of the stand in just a loin cloth. 

[eaglemountainman]

I do own some Kryptek Highlander pieces and wear it occasionally. Mostly though, I wear a plaid shirt/jac or my Woolrich Buffalo plaid wool coat with old Carhartt canvas or Filson Tincloth pants. I manage to hang meat now and then.

I am a believer in snow camo.

 

Edited August 1, 2021 by eaglemountainman

[rob-c]

34 minutes ago, blackbeltbill said:

Whatever Camo you use- Don't  wash with Tide or the like. This adds UV Brighteners to your camo. You will appear to Turkeys and Dẻer as the" Bright- light Blue Predator "

 They can see you.

Buy and use SPORTWASH. This takes the UV Brighteners  out of your Camo.

  Google " Sportwash" for yourself and view the " the Bright Light Blue" Camo after washing with Tide or the like and - after a washing using Sportwash.

Good old baking soda also works to remove scent and not add any brighteners.  

[Jeremy K]

39 minutes ago, blackbeltbill said:

Whatever Camo you use- Don't  wash with Tide or the like. This adds UV Brighteners to your camo. You will appear to Turkeys and Dẻer as the" Bright- light Blue Predator "

 They can see you.

Buy and use SPORTWASH. This takes the UV Brighteners  out of your Camo.

  Google " Sportwash" for yourself and view the " the Bright Light Blue" Camo after washing with Tide or the like and - after a washing using Sportwash.

I always use unscented castile soap and hang outside until it gets a few rain storms, 

[Foggy Mountain]

camo is mostly marketing

[Jeremy K]

9 minutes ago, Foggy Mountain said:

camo is mostly marketing

He would have worn first lite if it was around 

[airedale]

I agree with old Fred and have proven many times to myself that "being quiet and sitting still" works, whether I am wearing some sort of camo or my many varieties of red plaid hunting clothes.

Al

[Robhuntandfish]

what else you gonna wear while hunting......

 

 

Edited August 2, 2021 by Robhuntandfish

[Jeremy K]

15 minutes ago, airedale said:

I agree with old Fred and have proven many times to myself that "being quiet and sitting still" works, whether I am wearing some sort of camo or my many varieties of red plaid hunting clothes.

Al

Sitting still is key ,staying dry and warm helps .

[Jeremy K]

I guess he was a SKRE guy after all.

[DirtTime]

On 8/1/2021 at 12:14 AM, grampy said:

Before Treebark camo, we killed deer in jeans and flannels. Before that, Native Americans killed them in loincloths and buckskin! I have too many shortcomings to try a loincloth.......

Before that it was leaves, so I guess that was the original camo? The new improved camo system, a fig leaf and some natural cordage.

[Foggy Mountain]

On 8/2/2021 at 12:23 PM, Jeremy K said:

He would have worn first lite if it was around 

He might have sold it to some folks but he’d know it wasn’t necessary. It wasn’t all that long ago man was still around.