Capote - got a favorite color for hunting?

[Randal Zartman]

I am interested in buying or making a capote for late m/l season. What is your favorite color for a hunting capote and why? :results:

 

[musketman]

I always liked the scarlet capote...

(not me in the picture)
:imo: The green blanket would offer the most camouflage value for early season, white should do well in heavy snow...
(Stay away from browns and tans-unless you want to get shot, looks too much like a deer's color)

Here is a typical layout for a blanket coat...

Here is a link on how to go about making one...
How to Make a Hudson Bay Blanket Capote

 

I prefer the green with black stripes for hunting, and for years wore a doubled wool green/black coat for hunting. It's too small for me now,(shrunk, eh?) and Daughter #2 wears it for hunting now. Where we hunt, we are alone in the bush - a bonus not shared elsewhere in either country, therefore, in crowded areas, my preferences might go to red or blaze orange. I've always wondered about the bright colours as generally, that's the # 1 cause for being looked at through someone's riflescope. Most people doing that are to stupid not to have their fingers on the trigger when they do it.

 

[Randal Zartman]

MM thanks for the link. First instructions for the gun blanket and now the capote. I am learning so much at this website. I hope you are having a good vacation.
Daryl, I am glad to hear daughter #2 is hunting with you. Do you have any other children that hunt and do they use BP. I have two daughters 15 & 12. They both hunt so far but not into BP yet. :winking:
Zman

 

Just a tip or two Z-man. I have made a dozen or so capotes over the years and have developed a process after seeing some of them evaporate, decentegrate, and generally fall apart.

1. Use a good WOVEN blanket. Some of the heavy blankets from the bargin department are fibers pressed into a scrolled mesh. They will not hold up until you get out the door. Use a good blanket and you will get years of service.

2. Use embrodery floss instead of thread when sewing. It is tough stuff and comes in matching or contrasting colors. You can get it at the fabric shop, they will know what you are asking for.

3. Give yourself generous seam allowences and sew good solid seams. Top stitch over the origional seams for double protection. I add a blanket stitch around the entire garmet to keep down raveling and add to the usable life. I put my capotes trough the mill and find they hold together longer if I do them right the first time.

4. Make sure you make the arm holes big enough. There's nothing worse than putting on some extra layers and finding that your arms are being cut off and bound by too small arm openings. These coats are not taylor fit so make them to function well, not for looks.

After making a couple you will find that the basic garmet goes together in about 4 hours but the finish work will take another 4-8 hours depending on how fancy you want the finished product.

Both of my fasion conscious kids had capotes when they were teens and I always thought it was funny that when the temps dropped below zero and the snow piled up they always grabbed their capotes out the door to school. :thumbsup:

 

[Old Charlie]

I made a capote from a pattern from Northwest traders.That pattern gives you several options I used the trapper model. I made it from a cheep ($5.00) blanket from the poor store. It turned out prety good. So now I will cut up that high dollar Whittney blanket! Good luck with yours.
Charlie

 

[shmrck1]

:agree: with daryl,
don't let the game see you but make sure other hunters do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! light color camo, but don't forget some orange & or make sure you know where the other
hunters are!!!!!!!!! :imo: :m2c: :thumbsup:
snake-eyes

 

[Deadeye]

I've been using a green with black stripes Whitney canoe capote for some yrs. but have now found some dark olive blankets from the Netherlands that are about the same thickness and softness as the Whitney and very large, large enough for the largest capote and $14. I'm making one just for hunting from this. We don't wear orange during muzzleloader season but do for rifle season, some on your head and some on your back. Interesting thing, I hunted in Calif. for 35 yrs.(no orange required anytime)lots of hunters but
don't recall anyone ever getting shot there but here, almost every yr, someone wearing orange gets shot.

 

[musketman]

You could do both...

Have a capote made from a blaze orange blanket...

PC and safe... (maybe not...) :shake:

 

[Rebel]

Deadeye, could you post info on how to contact the people to order the blankets you are now getting from the Netherlands for $14? Thanks

 

Trouble is, I'm not too sure I agree with me - You see, blaze orange and other flourescent colours DRAWS someone's attention to you. Most hunters THEN look at you through their rifle scope - believe it- it happens just about every time you go out hunting - someone has probalby looked at you through their scope. This is why I hunt where no one else is hunting. In this country, it's still possible, whereas in other areas, it isn't.
: Zeeman - my younger daughter hunts with me, the other doesn't - yet.
: Feels GREAT, to be out hunting with one's offspring.

 

[Deadeye]

Rebel, sorry to take so long to answer. I got them from "Cheaper than Dirt" but I just received a catalog from them and I don't see them in there anymore. There was also a grey Swiss blanket and a brown Italian blanket, don't see any of them anymore but they do have some other blankets get their catalog and keep checking they may get more.

 

[Rebel]

Thanks for the reply Deadeye. I got 2 off white ones from Cheaper Than Dirt a while back. Had the wife dye one of them red. Just waiting for her to get a chance to make me a Capote out of it. Thanks again.