In early season around here, it doesnt make much difference. There is usually plenty of cover. There is very little cover in the late season. Any open pattern camo should serve you well in this situation. I will be finding out how well sitkagear open forest pattern works this year. Should work well being it is both a somewhat open pattern and digital. sent from my samsung note 2
I noticed a pretty big difference when I switched to the semi ghillie type of outer shell. I don't pay attention to brands much but its got the leaves that are loose and flap in the breeze, like I am wearing on the profile picture. Once I started using it all sorts of animals came closer and stopped noticing me. Birds have landed on my arrows, red squirrels left me alone more often and the deer seem to look right through me more often. I feel more confident.
While gun hunting, just before first light, I had a deer walk past me I could've poked with my gun barrel. I was wearing a full solid blaze orange suit with a donut hanging out of my mouth and sitting on the ground. It walked past, winded the jerk that sat 50 yards from me, and walked back past again. I believe scent control matters most.
My theory goes as follows: You need to do what you need to do in order to feel confident. Confidence is everything. If wearing expensive camo clothing helps...so be it.
Its about the mojo too you know, you gotta look good if you want to do the job right. I know ill be going in full camo!
I've been using my digital MARPAT woodland cammies I got in the Marine Corps for turkey. I just make a natural blind out of whats available with a dark backdrop. I haven't been able to pull a gobbler in less than 20 yards yet (sighting in my 30 and 40 yard pins today) so no good shot yet...
I think camo is very necessary andb also depends on what the environment your in is composed of and how it looks camo definately throws animals off as well as any thing else that looking at it
I think the matter of camo is subjective. Best Bang for your buck? Some people might say the expensive Sitka, after all if you nab alot of Deer with it, then, it's alot better than buying a $30 sweatshirt where you don't catch anything in. It also has to do with your environment, if Lost looks like your area, then im sure its not half bad investment. But like some people have said, they don't think it really matters, others think it really matters. Personally I like the optifade and may buy sitka when I get back, or I might also do the Kryptek patterns. Im not saying it'll help me any, but it'll sure make me look good.
I've recently switched from mostly real tree AP to Vertigo tan. The AP is a good all around camo pattern, and I have some video of me wearing this while stalking hogs in Oklahoma and I am pretty much invisible until I start moving, but I have been reading and researching and feel that deer do not see the same way that we do, and therefor what looks perfect to me, may look completely different to deer. I chose to try the Vertigo camo because it has a much larger pattern with a lot of open area. That seems to better represent what the tree canopy would look like to a deer, at least in my opinion. I cannot give any evidence as to whether it will work better, worse of the same as my AP since I just purchased it and will be wearing it next season. With all that said, movement is the key, and if you get caught moving, I don't believe there's a camo pattern out there that will keep you hidden.
