Camo or Traditional for hunting

[SmeagolClaus]

Maybe it's just me, but something I've noticed here in northern New Mexico is that if come across hikers and are wearing some sort of hunting attire (camo) they wish you good luck. If wearing regular clothes and carrying a weapon they act like you're up to no good and will often start asking questions.

Truth be told, most of the experienced hunters here, if you ask them, they're not wearing camo to hide from game but to reduce their signature to other hunters/people.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Easy. I wear what I want but with plenty of blaze orange over it. No buckskins. I don't want to look like a deer and get shot.

 

[sheriff john]

Last year, I draped two old hunter orange vests on a couple of tree stands visible from the road hundreds of yards away. Just for fun, mostly. Road hunters might think there's someone in them, pass on trespassing or shooting in that direction. Truly don't know if it worked, but neither had bullet holes. Road signs seldom get shot - kids steal them too fast.

Now that "primitive weapons season" is now "Alternative Methods Season", even what used to be "Holy Week" is messed up. Everything from spears to AR pistols with braces are legal. Gone are the days when you heard one shot from fellow muzzleloaders. Sad.

 

[rkg1]

Pa no longer requires orange for turkey season. However take a load of shot from your feet to your shoulders from some idiot just because you moved and you will become very gun shy. I know from experience and will continue to wear at the least an orange hat while moving and a band when sitting.

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

Blaze Orange is required in various forms in the three different States that I hunt. I never wear camo when hunting with black powder firearms, preferring wool in either solids or plaids. I like green or gray wool trousers with an earth tone colored plaid jacket-shirt.

I see a lot more hunters during the Virginia muzzleloading season than the other two States. I hate what they have allowed the season to become. It's really nothing now but a head-start on regular firearms season. Some say it keeps our season viable. I say it keeps the supervisors supervising the supervisors' positions at the DWR viable. They sure aren't maintaining or improving the Wildlife Management Areas.

Blaze Orange may not be traditional, but it keeps you somewhat safe. I think I read on the news some idiot shot a hunter in Vermont already this year thinking he was a bear.

 

[hanshi]

Back when I was still hunting game of all kinds, I wore camo sometimes but mostly not. I always wore hunter orange and would have anyway even if it hadn't been required. I recall a deer season where I sat with loads of orange on me when....well a line of turkeys walked across my front maybe 30 feet away and paid no attention to me whatsoever.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Orange required in the states I hunt, a orange cap and vest the rest is wool clothing, some camo some solid colors in O.D. green, have been known to dress traditional while hunting but very particular where. Even then I have a period correct vest big enough to go over my outer garments and a orange knitted wool touque, Your best defense is scent and motion, noise control

 

[user 48702]

No matter if its hunting season or not, this ghillie suit could get you intentionally shot dead as Bubba's first Bigfoot. "Hey Flo, come look what I've got in the back of the truck!"

 

[D.Summers]

I guess I'm pretty lucky. We have over 30 acres of prime woodlands and fields, with two fines creeks, and hundreds of acres of pasture and corn and alfalfa bordering us. Rarely have uninvited hunters ventured into our land. I generally hunt in buckskins and jeans, redwing boots, and an old, beat up hat. Cold weather sees me pull on a warm wool capote over some great flannel shirts. Love it!

 

[Coolhand]

I gave up camo years ago, I found it to be unnecessary. I wear muted colors in warm weather and drab or plaid wool when it is cold. I do have a pair of Filson camo wool pants I bought 30 years ago, that I wear occasionally. Once you buy Filson it is best to hang on to it. I paid $185 for the pants; they go for $445 now.

Here is my typical warm weather outfit, the camo Cat quiver is one I have had for many years, they don't make a non camo one so I am keeping using this one.

View attachment 163032

The hat is my lucky hat, I think it has a lot of Mo-Jo.

View attachment 163033

My Filson pants, I seldom wear them and prefer gray east German wool military pants that I bought from Sportsman's Guide, the cost was $27 for 3 pair, they are better made then Filson. I sold one pair and kept one to wear and a back up, 15 years down the road the first pair is going strong.View attachment 163035

That is a good lookin bow! Love Osage!

 

[longcruise]

I have a few pieces of camo. Mostly because it was on sale and has good features for hunting. We have archery and ml season running concurrently during September. I participate in both most years. Ml hunters have an orange requirement while bowhunters do not. I have never felt unsafe bowhunting without orange during the ml season. If the orange was not required to hunt ml I wouldn't bother with it.

I feel that the biggest risk in my hunting is driving to and from and an accident such as a fall in the woods.

 

[SDSmlf]

My Filson pants, I seldom wear them and prefer gray east German wool military pants that I bought from Sportsman's Guide, the cost was $27 for 3 pair, they are better made then Filson. I sold one pair and kept one to wear and a back up, 15 years down the road the first pair is going strong.

Believe I bought my wool military pants from Sportsman’s Guide over 30 years ago and they are more khaki than grey, but agree they are great pants. Forget the price and only bought two pair, but honestly haven’t worn out the first pair. Maybe they are not as wind proof as the modern Gore-Tex stuff, but definitely a step up from Filson or vintage Woolrich examples. They breathe, are pretty much waterproof and most importantly for hunting are quiet. And wear like iron.

I find khaki wool great for hunting, not exactly traditional or what we call camo, but an other option that works in my experience.

 

[Bigpete]

I used to live and breathe camo.....nowadays I try my best not to wear any,even if I'm bow hunting. I tend to wear drab coloured clothing normally anyway,and flannelette shirts. I will never say camo doesn't work......but I no longer find it necessary for hunting

 

[45man]

Blaze orange is the best camo ever.. I have tested all camo and the worst is dark shades. First is blue of course but the dark greens are not good either.
Archery hunting in the fall has seen me in snow camo in tree stands among leaves. What you want to look like is the sky background.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Wasn’t one of Fred Bear’s commandments that “the best camo is being still”?

Yes, in fact he didn't even want to sell or wear camo with the Bear logo on it, but he had to as a business decision!

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

Match the colors to your environment. When I am sitting at the base of a tree, I wear wool plaids and solids that blend with a tree and the ground. I top it off with a required Blaze Orange hat. I have had deer nearly step on me while wearing Blaze Orange. Its whole point is for other hunters to see you.

In the end, it is movement, noise, and scent control. No matter what you are wearing, if you can't limit those three things you won't be very successful.

 

[Nobody85]

I wear camo in the stand, but then again I wear camo while I’m grocery shopping too. I remember hunting one day when I was a kid when I saw something moving through the brush. All I could see was a tail swaying back and forth at first. It happened to be my cousin wearing camo, with a **** skinned hat on. After he ruined my hunt, we walked back together, but I asked him to please remove the lifelike target from his head while he was standing next to me.

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

Here are two examples of effective wool plaids.

 

[Bigpete]

All the camo you need

 

[Sidney Smith]

I wear the required 250 square inches of orange when hunting during our regular seasons. During the after Christmas flintlock only season, I wear full camo. I do believe it helps. You can get away with some movement while wearing camo than when not wearing any. I'm convinced of that. Plus, I prefer to hide from other hunters. Too many times while wearing orange, other hunters have seen me, and proceeded to sit down 50 yards away. Their thinking I guess was that if another hunter was there, then it must be a good spot. Conversely, I've had hunters walk nearby while I was in full camo, and not seeing anyone around, they kept right on going.

When there is snow on the ground, I'm in heaven, and am dressed head to toe in snow camo.