Camo clothing; just a little insight.

T

Troponin

New member
Something to think about.

Through the process of marketing, we are lead ot believe that one camo is better than another, that this design is superior to another, or that a name brand is better than a generic.

I believe that there is too much focus on what to wear than there is on the actual hunting. What is this, a beauty contest? Sometimes what appeals to out eyes does not work well in the woods. What we see and what the animal sees are two COMPLETELY different things. This is why I always thought it was funny that companies advertise by having a man sit in the woods to show how he "blends in" to his or her surroundings. There are much more important things that looking at that pic does tell you and that's how badly does that hunter smell, how much was he moving and where the wind is blowing.

That said, here is a great example. We hunt with one guy who has given up on most camo. He is setting quite an example. He wears under armor and brown sweat suit and that's all he ever hunts in. He is a great hunter and is very successful too. First time I saw him, I thought he was crazy. Surely he has his gear at the top of the mountain, where he was planning on getting dressed. He does very little for scent control too. Comes back and tells us what he saw that day or with a nice deer.

If camo was so important, why does he get so "lucky"? I am sitting here in full, top of the line camo that I washed in scent killer detergent, took a shower with scent killer soap, have all of my earth scent colognes splashed on and I haven't seen a deer all week.

I stopped buying all of that high dollar stuff and snapped back into reality, or atleast, the animal's reality. I soon realized that camo sells because of how great humans think it looks. I now most of my camo at Wal-Mart in the discount section. I don't normall support Wal-Mart, when when I can buy a T shirt for $3-5 at Wal Mart instead of $15 a pop at Gander Mountain, I just refuse to pay the difference.

I actually think that Wal-Mart's cheap camo is better suited for most of Pa's area to begin with. Why do we need all that green in camo when all of the leaves are dead or we are sitting in the middle of a corn field?

So, point I am trying to make is what type of camo to get shouldn't take priority over buying a nicer scope or gun, or slacking on buying the better bag that will keep your stuff dry or boots that are more comfortable and water proof. Spend that money on more necssary things.

Best advice I can give is stay away from blue and learn how to hunt better. That will pay for itself and is priceless.
 
I have to agree on the no movement. However I agree to blending in with the environment as well. Some folks are just lucky and this is it. Set them down in 500 acres of woods with 1 deer in it and it will walk by their stand.
 
Imo, most camo clothing out there is too dark. Look at your buddy in low light or a hundred yards away. They look like a dark blob. That is why the digital patterns the military is using works so well. Besides that, I don't wear camo to hide from four legged critters. Just the two legged ones. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
I agree, as I have gotten older I realize the pattern does not matter. I even have come to the conclusion that the ASAT pattern is probably the best. Of course I do not own any. Mostly I use camo to break me up into more parts than one big blob. I try to sit in shade, sun at my back and use the environment for concealment. Still better than a single color jacket.
 
As long as it dont leak I wear it. I have been using the same camo for over 10 years. Not big on scent killers. I TRY to keep the wind in my favor. I am usually hunting in rain so I demand water repelling gear. I have had good years and some slow years hunting. I know the bad years were not from my camo. I have more problems with boots than my camo.
 
I too, tend to agree on "over thinking" of camo. Like was already said, most of todays camo is indeed a bit too dark. The purpose of camo is to break up the human outline. With proper technique, you can hide your silouette, and be invisible to game. It's generally the movement that gets ya busted...especially QUICK movements. If you move very slow, they hardly ever detect you, unless they are looking right at you...which means of course, you either smell, or you got silouetted already.

As for color: Most animals are color blind anyway. They generally see in gray scale, with Waterfowl & turkey being one exception to that rule. Even here in the east, I find that during winter, the desert tan/brown patterns are a better match for our woods and fields. Exception being, if you hunt in pines or other stuff that remains green in winter.
Now snow, I think thats another story. I think snow camo is of great help, due to how easily you can become a big BLOB of an outline against a white backround. It's not always feasable to be backed up to a tree, either.

If you hunt the wind right, don't stink of smoke and BO, and keep movement and sound to a minimum, your success will increase, period....doesnt matter if ya hunt naked! (I better not see any "hooded merganser's" while i'm yote hunting in Feb, either...ROFL)
 
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Gillie Suite /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif



I do think that Ghillie suits are probably the best form of any clothing to break up your outline, but, as stated already, a good hunter doesn't need a ghillie to know how to break up his outline well. Simply position yourself at an object that is not unusual for the animals in that area. For isntance, it's common to see hay bails in a field, rocks etc.

Heck, Once I sat in the middle of an area where a bunch of trees had been cut down. I just looked like another stump to alot of animals. Had a deer come within 5 yards of me, stand there for about 10-15 seconds, before walking off without being alarmed (tail staying still and walking normally as if he was looking for food).
 
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Something to think about.

I don't normall support Wal-Mart, when when I can buy a T shirt for $3-5 at Wal Mart instead of $15 a pop at Gander Mountain, I just refuse to pay the difference.





LOL, so wal-mart is only "the devil" when other people buy there? Just checking.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

In any event, I do agree that the "camo thing" is way over-done, but I don't agree that no camo is needed. There are plenty of situations where a brown sweat suit would work fine, but there are also plenty of times that you would never get a predator close to you without camo.

One example would be in the winter(snow). I wouldn't even go out without white/snow camo in the winter. Even "regular" camo is worthless in snow-covered terrain. I personally have probably $2000 worth of camo. Not that it's needed, but I like to be warm and dry and quiet. I find that I can't get good performance out of non-camo, non-hunting specific clothing.

I also believe that the Predator ASAT patterns are the most effective out there.
 
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Something to think about.

I don't normall support Wal-Mart, when when I can buy a T shirt for $3-5 at Wal Mart instead of $15 a pop at Gander Mountain, I just refuse to pay the difference.





LOL, so wal-mart is only "the devil" when other people buy there? Just checking.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

In any event, I do agree that the "camo thing" is way over-done, but I don't agree that no camo is needed. There are plenty of situations where a brown sweat suit would work fine, but there are also plenty of times that you would never get a predator close to you without camo.

One example would be in the winter(snow). I wouldn't even go out without white/snow camo in the winter. Even "regular" camo is worthless in snow-covered terrain. I personally have probably $2000 worth of camo. Not that it's needed, but I like to be warm and dry and quiet. I find that I can't get good performance out of non-camo, non-hunting specific clothing.

I also believe that the Predator ASAT patterns are the most effective out there.



Going along with the rest of my original post, this would be no different. They make white covers that you can wear over your normal camo for snow. A suit may cost you about $50 for the covers.

Also, unless you are sitting in the middle of a white field with nothing at all, not even a frence, same things apply with using the surrounding objects to help break up your outline. If there is nothing around, then you should blend in best with no camo at all, just a white sheet would give you enough, right?

As for the Predator ASAT camo, why do you feel it's the best out there? I am unfamiliar with it at the moment, but would like you to explain why it's best. Keep in mind, dogs see most colors as browns and yellows with blue as the exception. Predator's eyes, along with deer, are designed to see best at night (where color matters much less) and see movement before they see color. Are you going to argue that it breaks up your outline or that it prevents them from seeing you move? If not, then I say it's not the best out there. I definitely think that a ghillie is even better than any camo.
 
Predator is hard to beat IMO. but I've had great luck with solid light-medium brown (on private land, by myself, in the woods so as not to get shot).

It's much more about movement and working the wind and being quiet.

Kyle
 
Ok, so I looked at the ASAT camo clothing. Yes, it looks like a well designed camo and looks very versatile. I agree that it's probably one that I would recommend based on it's pattern and colors.

I still say that camo is not as important as many other things.
 
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Also, unless you are sitting in the middle of a white field with nothing at all, not even a frence, same things apply with using the surrounding objects to help break up your outline. If there is nothing around, then you should blend in best with no camo at all, just a white sheet would give you enough, right?

As for the Predator ASAT camo, why do you feel it's the best out there? I am unfamiliar with it at the moment, but would like you to explain why it's best. Keep in mind, dogs see most colors as browns and yellows with blue as the exception. Predator's eyes, along with deer, are designed to see best at night (where color matters much less) and see movement before they see color. Are you going to argue that it breaks up your outline or that it prevents them from seeing you move? If not, then I say it's not the best out there. I definitely think that a ghillie is even better than any camo.



Yes, a plain white cover is very effective. I personally prefer a "limb" pattern over white, but I own plain white as well. I've always been of the belief that you need to camouflage your entry into the hunting area. With a snow cover, a predator can see you clearly probably in excess of a mile. I suppose it would be a bit less important in heavier cover but nonetheless, a predator will see you coming waaaay before you see him. I just figure anything you can do to help is a plus. Plus, you don't want to blow other animals out of the area. Even tipping off the crows makes it harder to call a predator IMO. It's not only about the predator seeing you. When you've got deer blowing, crows alarming, blue jays screaming, squirrels barking at you, etc, your chances go waaay down IMO. It's very hard to sneak into an area without being seen by something while wearing camo. It's about impossible wearing a solid color.

As for the ASAT, it's superbly effective at destroying the human shape. It's not designed to look "pretty" for the hunters wanting to make a fashion statement. It's pricey and limited in selection, but it is worth the trouble.
 
Troponin - I hunted for years with a mickey mouse and a surfing shirt, all I had. It was broken up colours and worked perfectly. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I use Natgear a lot, digital camo marpat and far to many camo things are black blobs at a distance - not good! I also love German Flectarn at night. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif Its warm and has nice broken up colours. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
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Ok, so I looked at the ASAT camo clothing. Yes, it looks like a well designed camo and looks very versatile. I agree that it's probably one that I would recommend based on it's pattern and colors.

I still say that camo is not as important as many other things.



I use ASAT. I have the 3D leafy system. I got tired of not having camo for a particular situation, ie., weather/temperature. The 3D leafy system goes over whatever. I wear it over a t-shirt and tan Dickies pants in turkey season and over insulated Carharrt bibs and coat in cold weather. I dress according the the weather in my normal work clothes and throw the leafy over top. It's kind of expensive, but it is all I need and the ASAT isn't just a dark blob in the woods, it actually breaks up your outline. I like it.

Mike
 
A wise man, speaking of fishing lures once said. "Remember that 90% of the lures out there are designed to catch you, not fish". Same applies to guns, ammo, camo, etc. It is how a business keeps going by offering new / fresh product and convincing you that you need it..


ELJ
 
I like and use ASAT too. I have some pictures taken by a hunting bud out on a bear hunt this past spring and in some of the pictures you really have to look to see me.

A couple of times I went out on a stalk the guys in the boat lost sight of me when I stopped.

ASAT does what its makers says it does. I think Predator would come in a close second.
 
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