This season, as I've sat in my stand especially, I've done a lot of thinking about my current equipment, camo, etc and what I'd like to improve on for next season. One of things that struck me was my camo. I currently am using Predator camo, which, IMO is one of the best and most versatile camo's going. However, the one thing that bugs me is the lack of clothing available in it. It's almost impossible to go to any store and buy it. The clothing I have now is from Gray Wolf Woolens, which is top end, high quality stuff. It has to be custom made. With that said, I've been noticing that it seems like the big companies, Realtree, Mossy Oak, etc., are starting to get with the program and offering up patterns that are much more open than in years past. For example, I really like the MO Treestand pattern and even the Realtree AP is a huge gain IMO from previous offerings. I really think I may make the switch during the off season to one of the mentioned patterns. I miss having the freedom of going to Cabelas and finding clothing that design wise, I really like, and in the pattern I like. Thousands of deer are taken each year wearing everything from Carhartts, to the most technically advanced camo. Movement is the number one factor that gets us busted, right along with not taking the time to find ample cover when we setup a stand. Many of the old timers took deer in red plaid Woolrich clothes. Why? Because they were smart about where they setup and hid themselves. I think too many hunters, myself included, rely too much on only the camo to hide us when we should be concentrating on finding good cover to surround ourselves with. I'm not sure yet. What do you all think?
Well I think from reading your post that you really don't know what you want. You mention that you have Predator but want to switch to one of the other brands/patterns yet you also say that camo makes no differenceit is all about cover. If you believe that you can kill deer in carhartt's with good cover then what is the purpose of going out and spending more money on another brand of camo since you already have some. I think that camo certainly makes a difference but it all depends on where you hunt. If you are in a heavy covered area then I think you are correct. Camo makes much less difference then if you were in the open. I spend most of my time hunting areas with very little cover so camo is essential. I do agree with you that it is nice to be able to hit a retailer and pick out camo. And most manufactuers have done a nice job in the last year or two of coming out with new paterns to give the hunter better choices. I just received my Predator camo yesterday and am anxious to get out and give it a try. But I also have Mossy Oak and Realtree AP. Between those two I don't believe that I can say one is better then the other. I think it is more the mental edge it gives you when you put it on. So because of that fact I usually wear my Realtree AP instead of hte Mossy Oak.
Well put Fergus. I believe camo does make a difference. I also believe the type of camo is a huge factor. A few months ago I had this conversation with Ben/PA. He was all about the new spring predator camo he purchased. I was not. For most of the season we're sitting in a brown tree with little to no leaves. I feel the pattern is much different and predator is not nearly effective as my Realtree AP. Now if you're turkey hunting or in the thick brush we were at the time, sure, spring predator is great. I think too many people buy and wear camo to just have camo, instead of thinking about the appropriate camo for the situation.
If you were to look at you and Ben through the dichromatic eyes of a deer, and at realistic bow season distances (20-40 yards), while in that tree.......you would see a BIG difference and know why the Predator camo patterns work so well. A deer can't see the difference between Predator Green, Brown, or Gray. What they see is significant contrast between light and dark colors, that breaks up the outline of the person wearing it. The same type of contrast you see looking up into a tree because of the sky and tree branches. The colors of most designer camo don't have this type of contrast. They are slowly moving that way, but these patterns still don't provide the contrast of a Predator or ASAT. These designer camo companies are more concerned with making sure they look pretty on the shelf than functionality in the woods. With that said, if you don't move and have the perfect tree with great cover to sit in, anything will work. The better open patterns really pay off though when you are forced to sit in a spot without ideal cover, and/or when you have to move a bit to get that shot. That's when it really makes a difference and becomes worth it IMHO. And one more thing............ I'd be willing to bet through a deers eyes that traditional black/red check buffalo plaid is better at breaking up the outline than a lot of the designer camo on the shelf today. I'd also bet traditional woodland army camo is pretty darn good as well.
DPS, your opinion is your own, BUT I disagree with what you are saying in regards to most of the season that we sit in a brown tree with no leaves. I would say that 4 out of 6 weeks in PA's bowhunting season there are still alot of leaves on the trees. I am a fan of Predator, mainly for the fact that it does break my 250 pound ass up. Me in something mainly dark equates to a blob in a tree.
IMO I would wait on a camo purchase. Mossy Oak is coming out with a new pattern that is going to blow everything out of the water. Most patterns have 3-4 layers of shadow/pattern. The new pattern will have 16. It looks awsome!
You a smart man GMMAT. I was thinking the same thing. It may be more about selling hunters. I guess I will have to wait and see.
I agree with some of the post here, but I believe you may have missed my point or question. For me, the questions is...Should I sacrifice selection of clothing to be chained to one, out of the ordinary pattern? I guess I shouldn't worded some of my statement a little differently regarding the effectiveness of patterns. Sure, Predator camo has probably saved my butt quite a few times. There is not doubt that it works better than most. But, I've been picked off while wearing it as well as more "standard" patterns in the past.
If you feel the need, at least you will have more than one pattern to choose from. Having said that I believe higher quality clothing that helps keep you comfortable and warm is more important than the exact pattern. By the way.............probably my favorite of the Predator patterns is the Spring Green.
I guess it's not that big of a deal to me. I've got a couple of outer layers of Predator in Green, Gray, and Brown including a few from GWW in Wolfskin. I don't really need more. I don't worry about the pattern of my mid/base layers, as long as the outer layer is Predator. If it's selection in lower cost clothes that poses a problem, the new fleece from Predator is fantastic. I ordered their Predator Gray heavyweight fleece before my trip last week and the stuff is great and lots cheaper than my GWW stuff in Wolfskin. I'd still like to have a suite from GWW next year in Gray (have it in Green and Brown), but the fleece I have is great too.
Coug, my favorite is Fall Brown. When I got my stuff from GWW, I took the jacket and an old MO BU jacket out to the woods, just to compare the two and have a bit of fun. I hung the stuff all over the woods in different situations, walked back 20 or 30 yards and took pics. The Fall Brown blew the other out of the water every time. For deer, as said, color really isn't a big deal, gray, brown, green, etc. The break up ability was amazing.
I was sold on my predator when I got caught by a flock of turkeys walking my way... I had been holed up for a long time waiting to ambush them with my long bow. I got sick of waiting thinking they were not coming my way .. I got up walked about 50 yards nad there they were walking right at me. They all caught me moving towards them. I was about 50 yards from them if I remember right. I immediately knelt down in the wide open. What happened to me next I couldnt hardly believe. I held still and everyone of those turkeys including a nice big gobbler settled down and went right back to feeding in about 30 seconds. Not only that, they moved my way and walked by me at about 30 yards. I couldnt believe how well the "new" predator that I had on worked. Coincidence I dont think so, maybe but it won me over.
Ha, and just to clarify for you guys who may not know much about my...."habits". I am a perennial tinkerer. For me, half the fun of hunting is the off-season stuff I do to keep me busy while I wait for next year. Sure, once in a while I find something that really works well for me and I won't change it. But I'm always tinkering with new stuff when I can afford it. This year, it just happens to be my clothing choices.
At this time I do really like the Microtex suit in Realtree AP from Cabelas. Not all that expensive, soft, long wearing and very comfy. I wish Cabelas would come out with it in Predator.
I have a habit of picking up MO or RT stuff that's on sale that I don't need, just because its on sale. However I do really like predator & natural gear patterns for thier effectiveness. I think for my elk hunting, it will be nothing but predator or nat gear, for my treestand whitetails, anything I have handy.
IMO, hunt high, don't move, keep the wind in your face, and wear natural colors. That said, the openess, is very effective.
