sit still and hunt the wind, the rest is a joke...and a seriose 1. you guys need to realize that wearing flourescent orange hat and vest is a law in the most places, just as much game is taken there. if you're moving in camo or bright pink they will see you, the only difference is weather or not they see a dark blob or a bright blob moving.
I was thinking about that yesterday, Josh. I had a doe and a BB coming in, and when they were facing me, I couldn't pick them out at 40yds. (limbs were covering them, partially). I had to glass them and STILL wait for movement. They're camo'd up pretty well.....ya think?
Josh that is an AWESOME picture my friend, just awesome. I am going to buy some plaid next year and wear it. I will report back to it's effectiveness.
I can only speak from my experience and your very good point backed with pictures you have posted. Unfortunately, I only have the opportunity to hunt pressured deer. Out west and in deep grizzly country I feel these animals are not pressured by hunters and perhaps have never seen or have very limted exposure to humans. Where I hunt if a deer see's a human form or scents a human they go ballistic. In my experience when I wear leafy camo head to toe they have a much harder time figuring me out, and I can get away with much more movement. I guess I look like some sort of swamp creature, or funny animal, but when I wear just camo pants and jacket and they make out my form, I'm royally busted before I can twitch a finger..
I'm sure educated deer are wise to many things we probably don't realize. As I said earlier, I think in most circumstances, provided you sit still and aren't pinned to begin with, most camo will do fine. The point of getting away with more movement with certain camo is IMO, valid. I can't recount the number of times I've been caught moving and the deer couldn't make me out and eventually settled down since I've started using Predator camo. I think this pattern really does "confuse" them enough. Sure, they're leary and do keep a good eye on me, most often to a point where I couldn't make another move again without erupting the entire herd. But its been effective in "settling them down". That being said, I'd say that if you put a guy in a MO BU outfit beside me in my predator and neither of us budged, I don't think a deer would bat an eye. I chose Predator because I wanted the best of both worlds. Excellent break up ability and the ability to "fool" deer in the event that I do get caught, especially in less than desirable conditions where I don't have good cover.
And one other thing... :-) For the guys here that wear Predator. I have noticed over the last few years that I get busted quite a bit by turkeys while in a stand. I don't know if its just pure coincidence or not, but I have had plenty of turkeys flip out once they've gotten to within 20 yards of me, even though I remained completely motionless, just watching them. Weird....
I stalked within 20 yards of two doe this morning just to see if I could do so while wearing plaid. I have permission to be on my neighbor's property I just haven't asked him to hunt yet so no chance to try a shot. They eventually winded me when the wind was swirling. Long live plaid and down with ozonic particle disrupter atom smashing machines and camo with purple leaves!
Agreed. If it weren't true, why else would companies like Under Armor get in the market and start charging $60 for a pair of gloves and $200 for a lightweight jacket? It is highly over rated, in my opinion. Much in the way that driving a corvette only makes you LOOK cool v.s. driving a Taurus. It doesn't MAKE you cool...it just makes you LOOK cool :D Same thing goes for Camo...if you want to spend the money, go for it, it'll make you look more the part...but it's not going to make you a better hunter.
The way I figure it is this. I don't care about clothing outside of hunting, nor do I buy much clothing outside of hunting. Darn it, if I want to look good hunting, then so be it As to the original question, yes I do think it's overrated to an extent. Does it help? Sure does. I'll take any help I can get.
MGH, confidence is crucial. I know it is for me and sometimes just putting on a certain type of camo might give me a mental edge. But I realize that camoflauge for ME is overrated.
LOL! I like this!! Check this out, I got permission to hunt this new property this year. I was told one guy hunted it. Then I found out that he hunts it with 3 boys. They killed one yearling 8 point during opening week of shotgun and I stayed off the property during this week as I knew he would be there. I went after opening week and killed a doe the first morning at first light. One of these kids, after I dragged it out and went home, followed the drag line (snow present) all the way to my spot, the hit sight and where I gutted it out! I saw of this in the snow later that day when I went out for the evening hunt. I AM SOOOOO SICK OF PEOPLE STEALING MY SPOTS!!! I found out these guys have been hunting this land for 6 years and never really kill anything. We found a nice wide 8 point 2 weeks after the bow opener that I am thinking was wounded and not recovered. Coyotes and crows had picked it clean, but the head smelled like the folds on a fat woman's thighs after running a marathon. This land is amazing and I see deer every time I hunt it. I have never seen more deer per time sat in my hunting career than I have here, but I have to deal with these humps. Thank you for listening to my rants. Sal
In 2 words....MOST DEFINITELY! I've never been able to keep a post to 2 words so I will expound a little. Camo clothing is a cash cow for companies. Therefore there is always the newest, greatest, best, most advanced, insert whatever other marketing phrase you want here. Is it nice? Sure. Is it necessary? Not really. Don't get me wrong I do like camo, I'm just cheap. The camo I have on in my profile pic (the shirt matches I had just taken it off) is the same camo I have in my buck pic from my first ever Hunting.Net deer contest years ago. Why? Because it still fits, it's not ripped up, and the whole set(pants, shirt) cost me like $30 at Wal mart. It's not the latest and greatest that's for sure but practically speaking it does it's job. Sometimes in early season I just wear green shirts and light brown khakis because everything is green and the khakis are comfortable. The deer don't seem to mind.
In your defense though Germ if you were to stick that deer in a barren tree and yourself in a barren tree the results might vary.
Overated? No WAY Overated? Yes I would feel like a sore thumb just sitting out there without camo on. I've worn the same Realtree fleece suit for the past 5 years. It's still in great shape, and although I really like the looks of Predator, I can't justify spending the money to switch it all over.
I had 4 young does within 15' of me today while I was decked out in blaze orange. I did not move when they looked my direction and they passed by without a care in the world.
