What deer see

[rancid crabtree]

I don't think we should lump "something new" all into one category. If you are a new dark blob sitting up in a tree they are going to give you more attention. If your outline is broken up and you blend in more they might pay your not attention at all. I've just had far too many negative responses with old camo and had plenty of deer look right through me at close range with open patter camo to say that all camo is the same. I will totally agree that a Hawaiian shirt or any other crazy pattern could work just as well, however I will also say any good pattern that breaks up your outline is worth wearing hunting.

Sure, for turkey and yotes, I would agree. For deer, meh.

Green and black plaid or a Hawaiian shirt is fine. After nearly 40 years of doing this and all manner of wearable concealment from 3d leafy/guillie and all manner of camo brands to homemade camo, I stopped viewing it from a humans point of view. When we do that, we are unencumbered by the name brand camo scam. Dont get me wrong, I dont think you do any harm by wearing a open pattern you think breaks up your outline.

[oneflag]

Great post rancid!!!!!

[headgear]

breaks up your outline.

That is the key. I guess it could be considered a scam if you see it that way but I find some value in certain camo patters (not all). No doubt some of the original camo patterns were made for the human eye in a store vs tested in the woods. Name brand or not you don't need to spend on a ton camo if you won't want to, one thin pair of pants and 4X t-shirt that can be worn early season or over warmer layers and you are good for many years. I certainly don't feel scammed with the camo I wear now but to each their own.

[rancid crabtree]

Yes every brand's marketing dept has photos in which they find the perfect condition to position their product in front of to sell their brand. I suggest that if you only hunt winter scenes with bare trees on clear days that rocks. IF you hunt in a Hemlock in a early season, shadowy swamp or a corn field.............. not so much unless you buy another brand for each hunting setting.

[Jackson Marsh]

Kenn and BHC are talking about the "something new" aspect even if its not moving. We hunt in their living room. They know every feature. They live there. If somebody came to your house and replaced an item of furniture with a new item you would notice it even if it weren't moving because you know our surroundings and that new thing was not there before. They head bob and stomp BECAUSE they are trying to see if they can trick that new thing into moving. When it doesnt, they calm down.

We buy camo for the human eye (nothing wrong with that if you want to hide from other people and as hunters we do that to some degree) but from a deer's standpoint, all the below patterns would be equally effective.

top row Corrected for deer's vision.

RC,

To prove your point you should kill a deer from a stand while wearing a clown suit. It would be hilarious.

It might be a little freaky to see a guy in a clown suit tromping around the marsh .

[ Post made via Android ]

[rancid crabtree]

Yes, one would need the proper face mask. This would be better for crowded public land.



I did once see a video of a bowhunter wearing a santa suit complete with red hat with white ball on the end and white beard. He killed a deer with his bow. I wish I could find that again. It would rock the world of the name brand camo fan boys.

[Zap]

From my experience deer will pick out movement and UV bright clothing very easily.

Older deer will not tolerate movement as much as younger deer.

If you are wanting to blend your silhouette in I suggest a good ghille hat that hides the head/shoulder profile.

Unusual noises are also a dead giveaway.....metal to metal is the worst.

[headgear]

A clown suit could work, you should go for it rancid.

[ Post made via Android ]

[stash59]

I said this elsewhere. I wear camo as much to hide from other hunters as deer or other animals I'm hunting.

I don't believe there is actually a 1 size fits all when it comes to camo. Certain colors work better in their corresponding terrains/habitats.

I've worn snow camo in aspen/cottonwoods before any snowfall. But prefer darker colors with alot of greens in pines. Especially thick stands of pines.

[BHC]

I do not claim to know how deer see, but I've red they see colors pertaining to red also. Rancid I've been seen with out moving, they stomp/ head bob like you say trying to trick me into moving, I don't move they won't let it go, they start blowing stomping and head bobing, they lift there nose to the air, nothing still..., it ends with a spooked deer bounding off blowing every other jumped until I can't hear them any longer.. Or sometimes they go 100 yrds and stop and blow for another min or so..
This isn't every time, but they were scared of the "blob" that won't move. Ya gotta break up your pattern. I dunno if camo does it or not. It definitely works on the human eye. I tend to think a breaking up the pattern in our clothes is better than a sold short. I'd never wear solid black pants shirt and hat. I think that would obviously stand out big time! I also don't like camo that has mostly dark colors. In the fall the hardwoods are mostly light grey and brown, with some green mixed in. There may or may not be somethin to these more 3d looking camo patterns. But I agree ya don't gotta spend $ to hide from a deer.. The biggest thing is having cover around you!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[BHC]

Rancid i just got a visual of a guy walking into the woods with that clown suit! I imagine you'd see guys getting the heck out of there. Probably meet the cops on the way out lol.. Good way to make ppl quit hunting near you.. Hillarious!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[WEEGEE]

great thread for sure.
you guys have seen blue jays. they can really pick you off,so does the crows. 20 yrs ago i was wearing a military guile suit and got attacked by blue jays. in the stands they tell every thing you're there but are afraid of you. that day i wasn't a human to them.

[BigCedarJack]

I say we work together to put out a bow hunting video, everyone in clown suits!

[ Post made via iPhone ]