Camo or Traditional

[ronrryan]

Back in the day (50's-60's) the traditional garb was wool, the checkered shirt being normal, sometimes one over the other in different checks, pants ranged from cheap surplus-store recovered wool to fancy "double and twist" stuff. It was comforting. My crowd (mostly now gone to happy hunting grounds) wore that stuff till it fell apart. When mine wore out (after 50 years), I got a fancy blaze camo parka. Very warm, functional, but it never FELT right. I missed the old stuff. No matter now. BTW there is a HELL of a difference between the visibility of B>O> and red wool, particularly in early and late hours. Good smoke, Ron in FL

 

[huntertrapper]

i do like wool its warm and repels the rain well

 

[Nifeman]

I hunt private land (just me and the son)...Traditional all seasons/non PC my skivves, Bud

 

[rdoggsilva]

For archery and blackpowder I wear a earth tone plaid shirt and black jeans. Have used this combo for many years and have had good luck with it. :thumbsup:

 

[huntertrapper]

about the black jeans. i shot a buck this year and hit a doe with the bow in a pair of black wool pants and a plaid flannel. the doe let me get to about ten yards. i stalked the doe from about little less than 100 yards away. the buck, though, who had never seen humans, let me get less then five yards one time, no lie, i have it all on film its pretty neat. medicine deer

 

[Robert Egler]

When hunting with traditional weapons, muzzleloader or long bow, I dress in traditional cloths. Except boots, I always wear good (and modern) boots. Oh, and a blaze orange boonie hat with a squirrel tail sewn on the side, 'cause we have to wear blaze orange.

When hunting with modern weapons I wear camo. Again, except the hat. Same blaze orange hat.

Blaze orange isn't a gaurentee someone won't shoot you. Years ago one of my high school teachers was shot as a bear, and he was wearing blaze orange everything, from hat to boots. He was actually shot TWICE. The first shot put him down, and the kid who shot him STILL thought he was a bear and shot him again on the ground. It was the kid's very first time hunting. :shake:

 

[shortbow]

A couple of years ago, our Wildlife Branch was considering the implementation of a hi vis requirement. I wrote them a letter to the effect that if somebody is stupid enough to shoot at a target that has not been properly and unequivocally identified as a legal game animal, there is no point in making yourself a better target by wearing BO. Certainly that one letter was not the reason, but the idea was abandoned. That poor teacher shot by the kid may be a case in point.

The more telling thing though, is that nobody should be allowed to hunt unless brought up by experienced and responsible hunters, or who has taken a really good hunter safety course. In B.C., nobody who has not passed such a course or demonstrated competence as a result of long experience can get a license, and hunting accidents are rare as hen's teeth.

 

[huntertrapper]

i agree that they should be taught. how could you mistake a man in orange for a bear, that just makes me angry. Because then you got antis thinking that hunters are just stupid. and we arent some maybe, like that kid, but not all are.

 

[flintlock75]

As has been well said here, clothing is a very personel issue.Since blaze orange is not a requirment I hunt with traditional weapons and I wear the Traditional clothes. Since I do French and Indian war time period, I use a Brown Bess musket and wear typical eastern frontier clothing.
I choose to hunt this way as it feels right to do so. The places I hunt are generally remote and in areas that have little to no other hunters,Alaska is a very big place. I have seen no difference in the animals I have shot because of my attire.
I have startled many people when I walk into a store dressed like this. The few times I have run into other hunters in the woods they are always a little nervous when they first see me, but after talking to them they relax some, but they always ask the question " Can that gun really kill a moose". I asure them it can and has 3 times. They just smile and go on there way. I have been hunting like this for 25 years, old habits. My hunting partner also dresses in simalar clothes and hunts with a tulle musket.

 

[huntertrapper]

hoorah my friend sounds good. i wear only traditional clothes and have been into town before and people like to look, though in the woods people dont seem as weird, theres a good few traditionalist around these parts i think. i carry a flinter the only gun i use.

 

[huntertrapper]

what do you dress like the indian or the frenchmen

 

[theDuck]

In Ontario it is law to wear orange on your body and head when firearm hunting for deer. With a bow you don't need it. Bow and firearm seasons don't overlap. It's one or the other.

 

[XXX]

....I have startled many people when I walk into a store dressed like this. The few times I have run into other hunters in the woods they are always a little nervous when they first see me, but after talking to them they relax some, but they always ask the question " Can that gun really kill a moose".

I have had this reaction from other hunters too. I don't wear period clothing, but carry trad accoutrements and usually wear plaid wool in colder weather. Some of these guys have astonished looks and act like they just bumped into the last American hillbilly. After the initial shock they become more interested in the reasons behind my equipment choices. I also had a very nice reaction this year from a group of non-hunters who where up from the city to thier weekend camp. I encountered them passing by on my way out. They found my appearance non threatening and expressed that my longrifle was very nice looking and much more sporting than the modern firepower most people tote into the woods. Considering they were older, mostly female, and seemed to be politically liberal, I found this to be a remarkable reaction.

 

[Protrucker]

Of course, Murphy being my constant companion, I have been shot at BECAUSE I was wearing blaze orange, but that is another story!

That's one of the reasons that I don't wear orange, if it's not required. I'd rather not be seen than be a big bright target! There's too many wacko's out there any more!

 

[tg]

I wear traditional clothing when hunting and often get very close to deer I was twenty five yards or less from a buck last week but he kept a stump and tree between us untill hetired of the game, my outfit is often as shown in my avitar in dry weather, when wet I wear a long wrap coat with a cape.

 

[huntertrapper]

in wet weather ill wear a wool coat

 

[paulvallandigham]

You stand a better chance of being shot NOT wearing the blaze orange, than by wearing it. I have the statistics to prove it. Make yourself know, long before other hunters near you stand. Hollar at them, wave at them, wave a blaze orange hat at them to get their attention, even when they are 100 yards away. I like to put strips of blaze orange surveyor's tape around the tree I am staning next to, or sittin up in. If I am in a tree stand, I out a strip around the trunk below the stand, and above my head, so that it can be seen from a long way away. I have had plenty of deer come up, look up into the tree,( but not all do) and then continue to move about feeding right under my stand. They are not spooked by stationary colors, but my movement.

We have too many irresponsible hunters in the field who think nothing about shooting at sounds, or something they " think " is a deer, etc. when they can't fully see the entire animal for purposes of identify it. That is how you are more likely to be shot by these knuckheads.

 

[rabjr]

That is truly a sad fact. Wear orange if you value your own life. :v

 

[huntertrapper]

yeah orange was a good idea by game commission

 

[BigMikeM]

If any of you guys are lucky enough to live near an outlet mall like the one in Grove City, PA with a Woolrich Outlet, do yourself a favor and stop in. Last year, for my B-DAY, my girlfriend bought me a red/black plaid Woolrich coat and the gray Malone bibs to match and the whole package cost her around $150. By the way, this is the same girl that bought me a nice O/U shotgun and a really nice fly rod....think she's a keeper? :haha: