Is the Camo really not for the deer.

[MattMan81]

Did anyone else watch Shane Simpsons video were he was out doing a observation sit? He made a comment about wearing camo to keep the squirrels and blue jays from getting all worked up. I get deer really can have a hard time seeing you if your still, evening wearing a blue snuggy.
I thought about the debate of how much "camo" we need to have on. What has your experience been with squirrels or blue jays tipping off deer? Does it raise there alertness? I know it can work in our favor. But does it work the other way. I haven't paid enough attention honestly. I hate when squirrels bark at me. But I can't place a time when I had one do it, while a deer was near.

 

[Weldabeast]

 

[Robert loper]

im gonna jump in on both sides here but i’ll say this.
Most of the year I wear green walmart wranglers, Timberland work boots, and maybe a cammo tee. Green or brown hoodie.
I have killed or have opportunities all season.
i think its the shading of the clothes that hides you.
cammo is a complete gimmik.
I love cammo though lol.
i have recently inherited some sitka and predator stuff.
i have to admit i love it but its has nothing yo do with the cammo it has all to do with how well it fits and stretches also its super comfortable.
I wear that when it gets chilly.
Lol.

 

[Mschmeiske]

I think camo is overrated, sit still and be quiet. Although I’ve always been a little curious about something Andrae (LWCG) once said, put a solid color on a barrel that spins out in a field and put a camo pattern on one, which can you see moving more? I bet it would be easier to see that camo pattern spinning around. To contradict that tho, isn’t camo supposed to break us up? Maybe if you’re doing a spot and stalk/ground hunting it would change things? I’ve definitely shot turkey with a solid olive long sleeve on though and they have great eye sight, but I wasn’t sitting in the open either.

 

[kbetts]

I'm wearing tye dyed bandanas this year just to screw with my buddies. My daughter enjoys dying things. Thinking of maybe marketing stuff under Tye Die....lol

 

[SNIPERBBB]

Movement and noise are our primary enemies in hunting. Scent a bit more in either heavy pressured or semi-wilderness where people are rarely there except hunting seasons.

Usually more worried about hiding from people than the animals. It's amazing how little it takes to hide from people.

 

[MattMan81]

I don't want this to get off the rails on deer vision. That's been discussed enough on here.
The question I have is about other animals alerting other animals your there. The squirrels barking at you. Or the blue jays screaming at you. Do deer take note of that and become more alert because of it.

 

[SNIPERBBB]

Movement is what gets me busted by squirrels. I doubt it bothers deer much as squirrels are generally yelling at windmills the rest of the time...

 

[Nutterbuster]

I hunted all last year in a pair of khaki pants. Still wore my camo jacket up top but made no effort to camo my pasty polak hands or face and hunted either on the ground or less than 15ft in a tree.

Killed 11 deer including one really nice mature 8. Probably half with a bow.

The thing is though, to get warm, quiet, and waterproof clothing, you about need it to be camo. Most hiking jackets are gaudy colors so they can find you if you get lost I guess. And/Or made from material that sounds like a toddler trapped in a potato chip bag.

 

[useyourbow]

The answer to question has already been answered by the clothing manufactures. The trend lately is to have some camo and then nifty non-camo patches here and there like the plain material adds an advantage or something. Who knows maybe the manufactures are paying by the square inch and this is a way to cut cost?

 

[raisins]

I think good camo works awesome but most camo isn't that good.

Leafy suits and ghillie suits work really well to break up your outline. They are almost like wearing a blind. So, at that extreme, it is hard to deny. Now is non-camo often good enough. Yes, but that doesn't mean that ghillies aren't better than blue jeans and flannel. Does Dan Infalt kill monster bucks in blue jeans and flannel? Yes, but maybe he is so good that he overcomes the need or maybe he'd be even better in a ghillie.

So, someone accepts as a premise that ghillies and leafys do work and help, then the argument around camo might change to: 1. good camo works but most store bought, 2D camo just isn't that much better than blue jeans and flannel to matter or 2. blue jeans and flannel aren't ideal but they often work (if everything else is in your favor, you set up well, and you have skills).

It just kinda bugs me when someone shows a picture of Fred Bear not wearing camo but sitting on a big deer and then saying "see, camo doesn't do anything". I don't think it follows.

Anyone interested can buy a leafy suit for under 100 bucks, paint your face, and then go sit down by a tree. First time I did it, I had squirrels walking within a few feet of me and a bird almost landed on me. Later, I had deer look right through me and not have to wait until I didn't move. They didn't even react, just thought I was a bush.

 

[SNIPERBBB]

The answer to question has already been answered by the clothing manufactures. The trend lately is to have some camo and then nifty non-camo patches here and there like the plain material adds an advantage or something. Who knows maybe the manufactures are paying by the square inch and this is a way to cut cost?
View attachment 51154

Those things are usually either for noise concerns or ventilation.

 

[Recurveaholic]

I think good camo works awesome but most camo isn't that good.

Leafy suits and ghillie suits work really well to break up your outline. They are almost like wearing a blind. So, at that extreme, it is hard to deny. Now is non-camo often good enough. Yes, but that doesn't mean that ghillies aren't better than blue jeans and flannel. Does Dan Infalt kill monster bucks in blue jeans and flannel? Yes, but maybe he is so good that he overcomes the need or maybe he'd be even better in a ghillie.

So, someone accepts as a premise that ghillies and leafys do work and help, then the argument around camo might change to: 1. good camo works but most store bought, 2D camo just isn't that much better than blue jeans and flannel to matter or 2. blue jeans and flannel aren't ideal but they often work (if everything else is in your favor, you set up well, and you have skills).

It just kinda bugs me when someone shows a picture of Fred Bear not wearing camo but sitting on a big deer and then saying "see, camo doesn't do anything". I don't think it follows.

Anyone interested can buy a leafy suit for under 100 bucks, paint your face, and then go sit down by a tree. First time I did it, I had squirrels walking within a few feet of me and a bird almost landed on me. Later, I had deer look right through me and not have to wait until I didn't move. They didn't even react, just thought I was a bush.

This is exactly the way I think it works also because I have had deer almost nose to nose with me in my ghillie suit! But as you say normal camo isn't any better than jeans and flannel. And on a side note the barrel concept is a interesting way to look at it.

 

[smcchevy]

I'm wearing tye dyed bandanas this year just to screw with my buddies. My daughter enjoys dying things. Thinking of maybe marketing stuff under Tye Die....lol

I tye dyed some shirts with my kids (mostly green, blue, brown since I like those colors), I suppose I will have to wear them now that you mentioned that.

I honestly wear camo to hide from people since I hunt public and for the materials they are made from (quiet, waterproof, etc.)

 

[raisins]

I tye dyed some shirts with my kids (mostly green, blue, brown since I like those colors), I suppose I will have to wear them now that you mentioned that.

I honestly wear camo to hide from people since I hunt public and for the materials they are made from (quiet, waterproof, etc.)

I moved away from blaze orange arrow wraps and vanes in part so that other hunters won't see my out of the way spots (some are near roads but where no one goes....but road hunters cruise it).

I almost tye dyed a bunch of long sleeve shirts in earth tones to make some cool early season garb.

 

[MNFarmHunter]

Is camo necessary? No
Does it help cover up your mistakes? Maybe

Think about a box blind, climbing stands or ladder stands. They stick out like a sore thumb so a deer is going to be cautious either way.

About 10 years ago, I got to my tree and heard leaves crunching before I could climb so I sat at the base of the tree. Sure enough, about 5 minutes later a 9-point walked out about 10 yards away. He'd take a few steps, stare at me, take a few more, stare again and this kept going until I got my shot off.

He saw me the whole time but because I was still, he didn't spook. I realized after I shot him that I forgot to put my hood on. Yes, I was wearing camo but he saw a bleach white face with shiny glasses and equally shiny head the whole time.

 

[Weldabeast]

Is camo necessary? No
Does it help cover up your mistakes? Maybe

Think about a box blind, climbing stands or ladder stands. They stick out like a sore thumb so a deer is going to be cautious either way.

About 10 years ago, I got to my tree and heard leaves crunching before I could climb so I sat at the base of the tree. Sure enough, about 5 minutes later a 9-point walked out about 10 yards away. He'd take a few steps, stare at me, take a few more, stare again and this kept going until I got my shot off.

He saw me the whole time but because I was still, he didn't spook. I realized after I shot him that I forgot to put my hood on. Yes, I was wearing camo but he saw a bleach white face with shiny glasses and equally shiny head the whole time.

I had similar....during the off-season. Whites and reds for clothing. I spotted a doe before she saw me and I guestimated her intended path...I hurried ahead if her when she got behind a clump of thick bushes. I squatted down leaning with my walking stick right out in the open and didn't move....I could have bashed her head in with my stick she was so close before she knew there was danger. Hogs are pretty blind also...don't move and they walk right up to u if they don't smell ya

 

[Exhumis]

I haven’t honestly noticed if birds/squirrels tip off deer, maybe they do so far out I haven’t seen the deer but as you said I’ve usually noticed it the other way a round, crows and squirrels go nuts when something is approaching which usually wakes me from my nap or reading saddlehunter.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

I wear camo to help keep other people from seeing me. I know that’s a terrible answer and I don’t want to get shot on my walk out. But I can’t stand people knowing where I hunt. Or seeing my set ups. It’s why I prefer places I can access by boat. And honestly my choice in camo has more to do with avoiding being seen by hunters or wardens who seem to really want to “talk to you” during the peak deer activity times. If no one sees me, I am less likely to be bothered and less likely to have unwanted company in my favorite spots. It’s a terrible feeling 10 minutes before sunrise when you’ve made it out, climbed the tree, set up and then some jackal with a flash light comes trampling along sees you and wants to talk or even worse, set up 50 yards away.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

I think good camo works awesome but most camo isn't that good.

Leafy suits and ghillie suits work really well to break up your outline. They are almost like wearing a blind. So, at that extreme, it is hard to deny. Now is non-camo often good enough. Yes, but that doesn't mean that ghillies aren't better than blue jeans and flannel. Does Dan Infalt kill monster bucks in blue jeans and flannel? Yes, but maybe he is so good that he overcomes the need or maybe he'd be even better in a ghillie.

So, someone accepts as a premise that ghillies and leafys do work and help, then the argument around camo might change to: 1. good camo works but most store bought, 2D camo just isn't that much better than blue jeans and flannel to matter or 2. blue jeans and flannel aren't ideal but they often work (if everything else is in your favor, you set up well, and you have skills).

It just kinda bugs me when someone shows a picture of Fred Bear not wearing camo but sitting on a big deer and then saying "see, camo doesn't do anything". I don't think it follows.

Anyone interested can buy a leafy suit for under 100 bucks, paint your face, and then go sit down by a tree. First time I did it, I had squirrels walking within a few feet of me and a bird almost landed on me. Later, I had deer look right through me and not have to wait until I didn't move. They didn't even react, just thought I was a bush.

I was in a tree last year. I had a leaf suit on in spring green true timber patterned camo. I love that suit again I wear camo so people don’t see me, bother me or beat me to my tree next weekend lol but I was wearing that 3D leaf suit and using a grunter. Out of nowhere a big hawk came swooping in talons forward about to grab my fingers like he thought he found a squirrel or something. Last second I noticed him swooping in at me so I turned, he pulled up slightly and landed in the tree right next to me and was just staring at me like he was confused about what I was. Lol I truly think I almost lost my hand to a hawk that day… To your point, yes camo can be very effective breaking up our outlines and adding concealment, but I do not believe that has as much correlation to elevated hunting as it would if we were stalk hunting instead