CAMOS-Fashion statement or effective

[ncturkey]

I forgot to comment of camo. I think it is fashion statement to alot of folks. But hunters know it is important to break up outline and cover your shiney faces. But all that great camo is worthless if you can't sit still.

[Hambone79]

those are discontinued military patterns except #1 wich is still in use by 1 branch of military and is prolly the most versital of the 3 . I do own a rifle done up in the desert pattern. Believe it or not the desert pattern actually blends in the woods pretty well

[Usahuntingear]

What are you going to make with it.

i know my wife and i need a new back pac. got 12 yards at 5 ft wide

[ArkansasDon]

it's been a personal perference more than geographical.

[dirt road ninja]

I think it's effective at times. Other times it doesn't matter. I've killed a bird or two in dark blue work uniforms. For what it's worth I feel much better wearing camo than when I don't.

[Gobbler]

Marketing is a powerful thing. Sitting still is more powerful. LOL

[BrentM]

If you can't sit still it don't matter what you wear, but if I'm fooling with a turkey I'm sitting against the base of a tree 99% of the time. It just seems logical to me that I need to look as much like bark as possible. I wore bottomland when it came out and loved it, then they quit making it and I wore all of mine out and wore some other stuff.
When they started making bottomland again I started wearing it again. I don't underestimate anything about a turkey's eyesight and I feel like I'm really hid better if I'm wearing bottomland or something similar. Take a piece of bottomland and a piece of that light colored AP or that awful neon green obsession and put it against a tree in the yard and step back 20 steps and see which one stands out more. If it sticks out to me it sticks out to a turkey.
Course none of this matters as much when the foliage gets out good but we don't normally have any foliage in march here.
Another thing, sometimes the same pattern can look good or bad depending on what company actually prints the camo. That dark looking bottomland that Drake/Ol' Tom produces looks as good as anything I've ever seen, IMO

[Gobbler]

I love that bottom land.
Its funny how I was looking in the gallery and Savduck had some old pictures of Turkey kills with bottomland. And woodland. And now its all coming back. I guess its true fashion repeats itself every 20 years.

[GLS]

Camo is overrated, at least the need for the diversity in patterns that is available. Maybe not to the extent in "The Earth is Enough". Harry Middleton's book The Earth is Enough has a scene where one of his uncles who grew weary of the local blowhard turkey "expert" know-it-all who showed up at the cafe every morning head to toe in the latest camo, etc. The uncle shows up one morning dressed in a Santa suit and plops on the "expert's" table a huge gobbler that he shot wearing the Santa suit. It was a long time afterwards that the blowhard ate breakfast at that cafe according to the storyline.
My favorite camo was the old GI issue jungle fatigue pattern in rip-stop cotton. Quiet, tough, and comfortable. I wore out a couple of sets. The blouse had huge bellows type pockets that could carry everything I needed.

[Gobbler]

I have used this camo sitting in a tree stand here in Florida in December (Rifle Hunt) 75 yard shot.

[Usahuntingear]

I have used this camo sitting in a tree stand here in Florida in December (Rifle Hunt) 75 yard shot.

LOL, thats great!! My point exactly, thanks!!

[gophert]

The worst thing you can do is mis-match camo while in the woods hunting. Turkeys see it right away when you are wearing a mossy oak shirt with realtree pants. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! I kinda miss the old Tiger Stripe camo pattern. The objection of camo makers is to make what looks good to the one spending the money...not the game they are chasing.

[hawglips]

I'd go with the digital.

Camo is overrated though.

[pedro]

i feel that is is very important to blend into any environment you are hunting. guile suits are my choice, one is woodland, one is marsh, and the other is a MOBU that blends in with a base of a tree very well. turkey season has a wide range of variation on in terms of vegetation, so one color/pattern does not work for my confidence. the more i turkey hunt the more i believe that camo is not enough, you need to have some barrier in-between you and where you want to shoot a turkey. i always try to gather some brush to put in front of me to make some kind of hide. i know that this is not always possible especially when running and gunnin, but i try. not a huge fan pop-ups blinds etc., but... my father has a walking disability and the tent blinds are the best option for us when i take him. all i can say is they work and they do not really blend in. movement is the more than likely culprit for those alarm putts that everybody but me hears LOL.

[Usahuntingear]

i feel that is is very important to blend into any environment you are hunting. guile suits are my choice, one is woodland, one is marsh, and the other is a MOBU that blends in with a base of a tree very well. turkey season has a wide range of variation on in terms of vegetation, so one color/pattern does not work for my confidence. the more i turkey hunt the more i believe that camo is not enough, you need to have some barrier in-between you and where you want to shoot a turkey. i always try to gather some brush to put in front of me to make some kind of hide. i know that this is not always possible especially when running and gunnin, but i try. not a huge fan pop-ups blinds etc., but... my father has a walking disability and the tent blinds are the best option for us when i take him. all i can say is they work and they do not really blend in. movement is the more than likely culprit for those alarm putts that everybody but me hears LOL.

I can sympathize, I too am now disabled.It doesnt matter and I have proven it. I set my old raggedy blind up in the Middle of a field, I stick out like a sore thumb, has different camo patches on it due to repairs, rips. Every year I shoot my turkey and my buck from this blind thats in the middle of this field, they pay absolutly no attention to it, in my opinion, that pretty much proves it.

[HuntnMa]

The worst thing you can do is mis-match camo while in the woods hunting. Turkeys see it right away when you are wearing a mossy oak shirt with realtree pants. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! I kinda miss the old Tiger Stripe camo pattern. The objection of camo makers is to make what looks good to the one spending the money...not the game they are chasing.

I don't know if you're serious or not, lol...so I commenting on the ideal that you are, lol...I make it a point to mis-match my camo while turkey hunting...I hunt the swamps, so I like to wear darker pants and something with a lil more green for my top...the darker floor matches my britches and the my top matches the vegetation...but I'll always say that movement is the key...I had 8 longbeards come with 3 feet of me whille scouting in a camo shirt and jeans, I heard gobbling, got as close as I could to see what they were and i sat by a tree, covered my legs with some dead leaves , blue still showing thorugh and just sat there covering my face with my hands....they never knew I was there...

As far as making a fashion statement , I don't care what I'm wearing while in the woods as long as I'm concealed...but when I'm not in the woods I will buy what catches my eye... I just ordered a realtree camo purse with gator print pink accents...it is too cute...now that's a fashion statement, lol. It screams ME

[Usahuntingear]

The worst thing you can do is mis-match camo while in the woods hunting. Turkeys see it right away when you are wearing a mossy oak shirt with realtree pants. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! I kinda miss the old Tiger Stripe camo pattern. The objection of camo makers is to make what looks good to the one spending the money...not the game they are chasing.

I don't know if you're serious or not, lol...so I commenting on the ideal that you are, lol...I make it a point to mis-match my camo while turkey hunting...I hunt the swamps, so I like to wear darker pants and something with a lil more green for my top...the darker floor matches my britches and the my top matches the vegetation...but I'll always say that movement is the key...I had 8 longbeards come with 3 feet of me whille scouting in a camo shirt and jeans, I heard gobbling, got as close as I could to see what they were and i sat by a tree, covered my legs with some dead leaves , blue still showing thorugh and just sat there covering my face with my hands....they never knew I was there...

As far as making a fashion statement , I don't care what I'm wearing while in the woods as long as I'm concealed...but when I'm not in the woods I will buy what catches my eye... I just ordered a realtree camo purse with gator print pink accents...it is too cute...now that's a fashion statement, lol. It screams ME

Thats too funny, thanks for posting. Alot of the girls have us trim out thier gear in pink camo, actually, it looks pretty nice, at least I think they are girls ordering the pink camo.LOL.

[HuntnMa]

Let's hope they are girls, lol........

[Johndoe]

I mostly wear the clothes made for hunting cause they are made for it. I wear MO Trecklite pants cause they are thin and its hot in Florida. I wear the UA Heatgear shirts for the same reason. The camo is only a couple bucks more so I buy them in camo and not solid colors. For deer I run dogs and wear these items cause they are my hunting clothes, not much need for camo cause my truck is camo.

John

[Usahuntingear]

I mostly wear the clothes made for hunting cause they are made for it. I wear MO Trecklite pants cause they are thin and its hot in Florida. I wear the UA Heatgear shirts for the same reason. The camo is only a couple bucks more so I buy them in camo and not solid colors. For deer I run dogs and wear these items cause they are my hunting clothes, not much need for camo cause my truck is camo.

John

Now theres a thought, if I did my truck in camo, I could just sit in there, good idea. Your allowed to use dogs,,never seen that done before on deer, in PA. they would shoot you and your dog.LOL.

[gophert]

The worst thing you can do is mis-match camo while in the woods hunting. Turkeys see it right away when you are wearing a mossy oak shirt with realtree pants. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! I kinda miss the old Tiger Stripe camo pattern. The objection of camo makers is to make what looks good to the one spending the money...not the game they are chasing.

I don't know if you're serious or not, lol...so I commenting on the ideal that you are, lol...I make it a point to mis-match my camo while turkey hunting...I hunt the swamps, so I like to wear darker pants and something with a lil more green for my top...the darker floor matches my britches and the my top matches the vegetation...but I'll always say that movement is the key...I had 8 longbeards come with 3 feet of me whille scouting in a camo shirt and jeans, I heard gobbling, got as close as I could to see what they were and i sat by a tree, covered my legs with some dead leaves , blue still showing thorugh and just sat there covering my face with my hands....they never knew I was there...

As far as making a fashion statement , I don't care what I'm wearing while in the woods as long as I'm concealed...but when I'm not in the woods I will buy what catches my eye... I just ordered a realtree camo purse with gator print pink accents...it is too cute...now that's a fashion statement, lol. It screams ME

Definitely joking!! I wear the camo that looks the cleanest at the time.

[ArkansasDon]

Heres my 2 cent on camo and I'm in the business of camo, those of you who are familiar with special-ops teams know that they wore a wide range of "uniforms" in the field. ERDL leaf with Levis, OD tee shirts with Levis, Blue and Gold reversible tee shirts with Levis, Tiger Stripes, OD tropical uniforms some of which we dyed black, berets , hats, bandanas, not head gear at all and other combinations. Early on they wore the same OD Green Pickle suit that the Army and Marine Corps wore. The VC did not wear much in the way of camouflage although some did wear camouflage ponchos. The NVA wore khaki or green uniforms and again not much in the way of camouflage. A lot of changes in camouflage uniforms over the years that I wonder if it really is of any benefit to the guys in the fight. In the first Gulf war they had "chocolate chip", then we went to tri color or khaki. Now each service has their own versions of either digital or tiger stripe camouflage. Now Multicam is in the line up of Military camo. The US Navy's new work uniform is is digital. In WW2 the Marines wore a "duck hunter" type of uniform pattern. The army stuck with OD and Khaki. Of course every nation on earth has their version of camo uniform. As far as I can tell the only really effective camouflage is to wear is "Ghillie Suit". Is a camouflage really effective and needed?" Or do we wear them just because they make us look the part of the warrior serving our country or sportsman like the ones on TV Shows? Or do we think it really works for us? Does camouflage really work or not? IMO & years of dealing with major camo companies Mossy Oak Mathews Lost Camo & numerous others 1st hand, the only one I see would be totally effective is ATACS & ATACS FG, do I wear their camo, NO, why I'm partial to Nat Gear & Mossy Oak Break-Up for deer & prerdator. Turkey hunting on my farm I hunt briar thicket & I use Mossy Brush pattern. Camo has its place for applications, I hunt the west and hunting California Blacktails during August on modern gun the only camo works is Mossy Oak Brush or M2D short sleeved Tee Shirts & tan shorts with hiking boots were the weather temp is pushing 105 to 110. But my shots are 250 to 500 yards from a rock outcropping over looking a large valley floor. So a tee shirt is the only thing you need IMO. Thats why I said earlier its a personal preference.

[Spuriosity]

Sorry I didn't see this post before you settled on a pattern, but I agree with pattern #1.

I also agree that camo is overrated. Movement and shadows make more difference in the turkey woods. I always try to set up with the sun at my back if possible, or at least in the shadow of a bush or tree. It's amazing how far away a human can see another human in camo if the subject is sitting in direct sun. I also carry a small set of shears in my vest to clip and put up a few pieces of vegetation in front of and/or behind me for back cover when I set up if possible.

The one pattern that I find highly effective for tree stand hunting for deer is Vertigo. I don't know if it looks as good to a deer looking up as it does to me, but it is hard for me to pick a guy out of a tree that is wearing that stuff. All the really light areas look pretty bad to me on the ground, but is really effective when the hunter is sky lighted. The same principle has been used for decades by the military to camouflage the underside of submarines and airplanes when viewed from below.

[Usahuntingear]

Heres my 2 cent on camo and I'm in the business of camo, those of you who are familiar with special-ops teams know that they wore a wide range of "uniforms" in the field. ERDL leaf with Levis, OD tee shirts with Levis, Blue and Gold reversible tee shirts with Levis, Tiger Stripes, OD tropical uniforms some of which we dyed black, berets , hats, bandanas, not head gear at all and other combinations. Early on they wore the same OD Green Pickle suit that the Army and Marine Corps wore. The VC did not wear much in the way of camouflage although some did wear camouflage ponchos. The NVA wore khaki or green uniforms and again not much in the way of camouflage. A lot of changes in camouflage uniforms over the years that I wonder if it really is of any benefit to the guys in the fight. In the first Gulf war they had "chocolate chip", then we went to tri color or khaki. Now each service has their own versions of either digital or tiger stripe camouflage. Now Multicam is in the line up of Military camo. The US Navy's new work uniform is is digital. In WW2 the Marines wore a "duck hunter" type of uniform pattern. The army stuck with OD and Khaki. Of course every nation on earth has their version of camo uniform. As far as I can tell the only really effective camouflage is to wear is "Ghillie Suit". Is a camouflage really effective and needed?" Or do we wear them just because they make us look the part of the warrior serving our country or sportsman like the ones on TV Shows? Or do we think it really works for us? Does camouflage really work or not? IMO & years of dealing with major camo companies Mossy Oak Mathews Lost Camo & numerous others 1st hand, the only one I see would be totally effective is ATACS & ATACS FG, do I wear their camo, NO, why I'm partial to Nat Gear & Mossy Oak Break-Up for deer & prerdator. Turkey hunting on my farm I hunt briar thicket & I use Mossy Brush pattern. Camo has its place for applications, I hunt the west and hunting California Blacktails during August on modern gun the only camo works is Mossy Oak Brush or M2D short sleeved Tee Shirts & tan shorts with hiking boots were the weather temp is pushing 105 to 110. But my shots are 250 to 500 yards from a rock outcropping over looking a large valley floor. So a tee shirt is the only thing you need IMO. Thats why I said earlier its a personal preference.

Thanks for the post, I very much enjoyed reading it!! Im surprised to see you mention M2D..I met the guy that developed that and he sent me some, I looked at that and said it would never work, to my surprise, it works pretty well in any situation, that my camo of choice, but try and sell it, it doesnt have pretty leaves and trees and hunters for the most part wont even try it. Thanks again..

[HuntnMa]

Definitely joking!! I wear the camo that looks the cleanest at the time.

Thank God, lol.......I've known some to say stuff like that and mean it, lol.