Question on camo color/patterns

[jackelope]

I wish one of the camo makers would come out with a snowy brush pattern, that was reasonably priced, for those of us that spend more time in the woods in the winter than other seasons.

@Jingles

Here you go.
https://www.kingscamo.com/collections/snow-shadow

[Switchback]

I think that darker colors are not great. That gray jacket posted earlier is a bit too dark for my taste.

Also, something to maybe think about that's related to your question. Grays can have two different color bases - blue and brown. One's called 'cold' and one's called 'warm' I think. Anyway, deer see blue really really well, like anything blue sticks out like a sore thumb, even at distance. So if you buy a gray jacket and that particular shade of gray is blue based, that might actually be a negative thing.
If I were picking solid colors, I'd do a light green (think olive, not forest). If green looks like gray to deer, just match the shade of green to the shade of gray you'd typically buy and then you don't have to worry about having a blue-based color that sticks out to deer. I'd also be wary of some synthetics, as they can be really reflective compared to natural fabrics. All just depends on the fabric tho. But for sure, I think the shade of the color, and the material, are the biggest things to consider at rifle distance.

[Okanagan]

I wish one of the camo makers would come out with a snowy brush pattern, that was reasonably priced, for those of us that spend more time in the woods in the winter than other seasons.

Gamehide snow camo.  About $30 each for jacket and pants, and I got mine on a sale for about $20.  I bought two of each.


https://gamehide.com/product/ambush-snow-camo-jacket/?attribute_pa_color=0wc&attribute_pa_size=large

My favorite.  It is low cost, thin synthetic material that wads up into a small ball to go in pack or pocket.   I put it on over layers of warm clothes as needed.  Sometimes don't put it on till I select a calling stand.  I mostly wear it for calling cats but where legal wore it for hunting deer, moose, as well as calling predators.  With thin compact camo, I carry both dry ground and snow pattern and use what best fits the calling spot, sometimes white on top, dry ground camo below, etc.  It does make me look fat, however.






The coyote above stopped 200 yds out, 100 yds out and then about 30 yds away to stare at me hunkered in full camo; hands, face and body.  He would look away at an experimental decoy I was trying and had set 15 yds to one side,  Then he would look back at me, squinting as if to figure out just what I was.  I lifted my rifle and shot when he looked away the second time.

[Miles]

I’ve shot two elk while wearing a blue and gray flannel.  One was taken with archery gear at 15 yards while in open timber.  I really don’t think it matters much.  They will catch movement or smell long before anything else.

[Jingles]

A thank you to those that suggested a location / manufacturer of a snowny brush pattern
 I am not trying to offend anyone and if I do I apologize in advance
Yes everyone can at one time or other get lucky and kill something wearing everyday street clothes adapted for hunting and there are those that insist on using blinds instead of learning to blend in or make a blind out of material already in the woods, however consider me not only old but old school where a hunter uses every advantage he/she can to put the odds in their favor so if it means wearing camo that is close to what is in the area he/she is hunting that is what I'll do BUT I'm not going to spend $250.00 for the top and another $200.00 for bottoms

[storyteller]

Find someone who has a black light and in a dark room, hold your camo while the light is on.  If the uv is active , it will glow.  They do have uv wash to darken it

[Bango skank]

A thank you to those that suggested a location / manufacturer of a snowny brush pattern
 I am not trying to offend anyone and if I do I apologize in advance
Yes everyone can at one time or other get lucky and kill something wearing everyday street clothes adapted for hunting and there are those that insist on using blinds instead of learning to blend in or make a blind out of material already in the woods, however consider me not only old but old school where a hunter uses every advantage he/she can to put the odds in their favor so if it means wearing camo that is close to what is in the area he/she is hunting that is what I'll do BUT I'm not going to spend $250.00 for the top and another $200.00 for bottoms

So how often does a guy have to do that before it is regular occurence, and not dumb luck?  I dont wear camo.  My big game kills last season were at 15, 40, 17 and 5 yards.  No "scent control" either.  Luck every time?  Or maybe, just maybe, camo isnt all that important?  It might just be a way to get guys to spend more money on stuff.  But if it makes you feel more confident, i guess that counts for something too.


Here is a picture of a mountain lion.  One of natures most capable close range ambush predators.  Notice, they wear solids.   

[blackveltbowhunter]

Of the 2 FL jackets 7mm posted I would likely go with gray just cuz it looks trendy and would double as a sweet sportsmans show jacke. Instant hardcore wearing that baby. But for game eyes probably doesn't make any difference IMO.  Especially at rifle range.

Whether or not camo, or certain clothes of any sort helps in concealment is a discussion that often illicits a lot of one dimensional opinions.  Just reading some of the comments it would appear that unless your running thru the forest animals never see you, and if your still and have good wind you are invisible.   My experience is different species and adaptations within species often put eyesight right up there with scent, different hunting tactics may dictate a different level of concealment as well.

[Okanagan]

   My experience is different species and adaptations within species often put eyesight right up there with scent, different hunting tactics may dictate a different level of concealment as well.

If I understand you,  I agree!

 Some species are more visually oriented than others.  Camo works better on them because they depend on their eyes a lot.  Camo works well on humans!  The only kind of animals I hunt that get me serious about wearing camo is any of the cat family.  They are intently focused on seeing their prey and they see extremely well. 

I've called critters in T-shirt and jeans, especially coyotes, deer and elk.  Called a cougar close to my 4x4 one afternoon and don't recall what I was wearing while sitting in it.

 Having said that however, even with coyotes I prefer my hands concealed and/or camoed when using a hand call, and usually add a face net to camo gloves when rattling deer. I've had coyotes stare at me and do a double take at me in full camo, so it does help sometimes, especially at bow ranges, but...

 coyotes, deer, elk etc. never seem to look as hard nor see as well as cats IME.


We/I have wandered from the original grey-camo-for-cervid-hunting topic.  Most of my comments are for calling stuff up close, especially cats.  For deer and elk hunting with a rifle, it is hard to beat bold plaid shirts and medium toned pants.  They blend in to most backgrounds at any distance, especially in any kind of forest, even red and black in many sunlight conditions. For hunting pants I prefer thin wool dress pants in greens and greys.

[jackelope]

I bought lots of camo stuff mostly because of the quality of the gear at the time. I did most of my bigger hiking and backpacking trips in camo mostly because I wasn’t interested in spending the money twice. Now the quality hunting clothing manufacturers are making lots of solid colors too. My go-to pants are solid gray now and I’ve got a few solid color top layers too. Folks can talk all they want about some blue jeans and a flannel shirt but you won’t catch me in that stuff 5 miles from the truck in a white out. Mostly you won’t catch me because I would have to head back to said truck so I don’t die of hypothermia.

[Smossy]

I lack long term experience in this department, But what I've noticed is literally any camo with a vertical stripped pattern (to some degree) works better than the typical "splotch" camo patterns I see (unless were talking desert camos) . I hate the way the stripped stuff looks I mean it is what it is. Most things in nature, well..Grow vertical. Makes sense to me I guess. When moving it really helps breakup the outline, the "stripes" act kind of like a false outline and breaks up the total overall shape/silhouette. 50 skinny branches looks a lot less threatening than one big color blob.

I posted a photo as an example of what I mean by stripes.
 

[idaho guy]

I bought lots of camo stuff mostly because of the quality of the gear at the time. I did most of my bigger hiking and backpacking trips in camo mostly because I wasn’t interested in spending the money twice. Now the quality hunting clothing manufacturers are making lots of solid colors too. My go-to pants are solid gray now and I’ve got a few solid color top layers too. Folks can talk all they want about some blue jeans and a flannel shirt but you won’t catch me in that stuff 5 miles from the truck in a white out. Mostly you won’t catch me because I would have to head back to said truck so I don’t die of hypothermia.

 


Who said anything about hunting in blue Jean s All I have seen is pro and cons of is camo really that important? I think wool is better than any synthetic they have ever made and will continue with my green woolies and plaid red and black jacket till I die or they actually come up with something better. It’s quiet warm and mostly a lot less expensive 👍 lion from last week it was freezing outside I was warm

[follow maggie]

I bought some of this stuff in North Dakota in October because one of my bags got left behind. I really like it. It’s comfortable, warm and seems to be durable. I’ll be getting some more probably when I’m in Billings for spring turkey.

https://www.scheels.com/p/mens-scheels-outfitters-musselshell-pant/17708-18MUSBWR.html#q=musselshel&lang=en_US&start=1

[jackelope]

I bought lots of camo stuff mostly because of the quality of the gear at the time. I did most of my bigger hiking and backpacking trips in camo mostly because I wasn’t interested in spending the money twice. Now the quality hunting clothing manufacturers are making lots of solid colors too. My go-to pants are solid gray now and I’ve got a few solid color top layers too. Folks can talk all they want about some blue jeans and a flannel shirt but you won’t catch me in that stuff 5 miles from the truck in a white out. Mostly you won’t catch me because I would have to head back to said truck so I don’t die of hypothermia.

 


Who said anything about hunting in blue Jean s All I have seen is pro and cons of is camo really that important? I think wool is better than any synthetic they have ever made and will continue with my green woolies and plaid red and black jacket till I die or they actually come up with something better. It’s quiet warm and mostly a lot less expensive 👍 lion from last week it was freezing outside I was warm

I'm totally with you on the wool. I use several different wool pieces.

As far as the blue jeans comment, it seems like every time this topic comes up, someone chimes in how all you need is a good pair of blue jeans and a flannel shirt to kill all the animals you want. It was more meant to be a joke than anything else but anyway...

[Skyvalhunter]

It was? Guess I better switch to the expensive fancy stuff