Canuck Needs Desert Camo Pattern Advice

Smesh

Smesh

New member
Hey guys.

I moved here from Canada where most of my coyote hunting was in snow. I'm now in SoCal and am going to be hunting coyotes in the desert for the most part. I'm planning to hunt the San Carlos Reservation in the next month or so out in Globe, AZ and will probably hit south Texas soon as well.

I stopped into the BassPro shop in Rancho Cucamonga yesterday to buy camo, but everything was tree patterns and very dark, and oddly, most was insulated. I began to think that most hunters around here travel out of state to hunt.
blink.gif


Anyway...I could not find ANYTHING light enough that looked like it would work well for the terrain here, or in Globe, unless we hunt in the higher elevations where there are lots of trees, but most of the hunting will likely done in the desert and plains, and I'd like something that will also work well in the scrub of SoCal as well.

I'm guessing I'll have to order online. Any suggestions for a pattern and/or a vendor?

This is a shot of what I use back home, probably from the mid 90's. Notice the headset.
rolleyes.gif


sheldon-coyote-large.jpg


The rifle is a Remington 600 Mohawk in .222.

Here is another from around 2006 with my Remington Model 7 in 6BR. It's wearing a 27"Lilja barrel, vais break and has a modified follower from a .223 to feed the 6BR case. That rifle is a tack driver.

Sheldon-Coyote-Winter-6BR.jpg
 
Last edited:
I like NatGear just about anytime or anywhere. I even use it in a treestand here in the eastern hardwoods as well. I've fooled many sets of eyes with it. Of course the key is lack of motion with any camo.
PICT0021.JPG
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOREYI like NatGear just about anytime or anywhere. I even use it in a treestand here in the eastern hardwoods as well. I've fooled many sets of eyes with it. Of course the key is lack of motion with any camo.
PICT0021.JPG


Are those both Nat Gear? They look so different. I would think for desert, the one on the left would be better but I'm guessing.
 
Originally Posted By: reb8600Natural Gear, Mossy Oak Brush or the Realtree Max 1

Yep.

Unless I'm mistaken, the guy on the left in the photo above is wearing King's Desert Shadow Camo.
 
Oops. I meant the one on the right. The one on the left looks a bit busy and red to me for the dull looking desert full of sage, prickly pear and scrub. Things look so barren here to me.

What about this? Digital desert

I like this one way better but it doesn't come in the sapper suit (no pants, longer jacket) and I think it's probably way hotter.

Desert Sage

But then I may be best just to get some regular camo clothing instead of a ghillie to start with.
 
The advice you've already received is great.
(I personally use MO Brush here in Kansas)

You might also check out another pattern I like..."Seclusion Open Country", from Cabela's.
 
I use Realtree Max 1 here in Southern California and it seems to work well for me. I have also used it in Arizona, Utah, and Nevada with success. You may also want to take a look at the new pattern from Cabela's called Zonz Western.
 
Last edited:
MO Brush is good but the King's Desert Shadow actually is very effective also. My son recently started using Kryptek Highlander. I dipped my shotgun in it also. Check it out. http://www.kryptekstore.com/JacketsVestsTops-C7.aspx It combines some larger color swatches with detail. Good stuff.



As you know, the camo is secondary to a good set-up and minnizing your movement but everything helps.
thumbup.gif
Good luck down there.
 
Darker patterns are not really a problem in AZ. Contrary to poular beleif there are a lot of dark green bushes that are great to sit in front of. RealTree AP HD green or just AP HD works great.

I also use a Rancho Safari shaggie suit during the cooler weather. This should work fine especially if you are going to be working up around Globe.


IMG_2642 by SnowmanMo56, on Flickr


IMG_2644 by SnowmanMo56, on Flickr
 
I have used Natgear for the last 10 years for goose, elk, and coyote hunting. I use it in Montana, Utah, Wyoming, and Nevada. It is great camo. If I had to use something else I would use King's desert camo or Mossy Oak brush. We need lighter colors out west. Most camo patterns are made to "sell" hunters not a coyote's eyes. Even out west many stores carry camo patterns that are too dark. The three patterns mentioned above will work well for you.
 
I have taken many different camo pattern clothing and photo d them against many different natural settings. I then convert the pics to black & white to match coyote vision closest. It is amazing how some stick out like a neon sign. By my examples in diverse open country here MO Brush came out a clear winner across the board. A couple newer ones look good too.
Camo has come a long way since it used to be way too dark for most areas.
Camo helps reduce being seen but movement can give you away.
 
A lot of camo patterns look like dark blobs when worn in the SW areas, so light seems to be more appropriate...Natural Gear used to have some great patterns....

One article that used to be on this site several years ago was a study of the believed to be actual color spectrum that Canine vision can see...

One of the experiments that stood out in my reading of the article was that some fabrics exhibit a brighter sheen that shows up like a neon light to their optical senses, even though the actual color was muted...Something you might want to consider in your selection...
 


Write your reply...
Back
Top