What's type of camo will you use this hunting season?

[Robhood23]

Asat, predator fall brown, mossy oak treestand and Max1.

[illianabowhntr67]

A mix of sticks & limbs,old tree bark camo and natural gear.

[Guru]

Sitka Gear, Optifade and Mountain Mimicry from base layers all the way out...awesome stuff!

[swp]

I will wear 4 different types this season:
ASAT cotton
ASAT bucksuede
ASAT Sitka
ASAT wool

[ALDO]

ASAT, ASAT and more ASAT.

[d. ward]

dang I ai'nt got no camo sorry.bd

[joe skipp]

ASAT Camouflage from Day One Camouflage has been serving me well for many years...quality stuff and awesome pattern...Y Change?
     :cool:

[Rooselk]

For the early warm weather season I'll be using my cotton ASAT gear. As the weather turns cooler I'll switch to wool earthtone plaids.

[Arraflinger]

I Luv this name dropping camo!! I'm with George Stout on this one,save the thousand bucks spent one set of Sitka Gear Etc. and load up at Goodwill, Army Navy stores etc. You'd be surpised how little you would spend for some decent clothes. Dead deer can't tell the difference!!!      

[Ragnarok Forge]

Predator in the early season as green wool in late season.

[amar911]

ASAT, Predator, Max 1, Cabela's Outfitter, Mossy Oak Treestand, Skyline Horizon, Treebark -- depending on when and where I am hunting. Also, when in my groundblinds that are black on the inside, I prefer all black clothing.

For deer the camo pattern is not as important as quiet material, lack of movement and staying downwind. For turkeys everything is about eyesight, so movement, pattern and color are paramount, with quiet material still an issue if the wind is not blowing hard. My biggest complaint with most camo is not which of the good camo patterns I use, but which material makes noise. Still, with turkeys, even the best camo patterns will get you spotted if you don't blend in with the surrounding conditions. For instance, I had turkeys spot me this spring when sitting still in my ASAT leafy suit because I was surrounded by green vegetation and the ASAT was shades of brown and tan. Not a problem for deer, but the turkeys, who can see colors, spotted me from 70 yards away and knew something was wrong. They took off but later came back and spotted me again. I then set up a ground blind that blended into the green vegetation and had no problem with spooking them.

For deer hunting from a treestand, most patterns that work well on the ground will also work well in a tree in the early season when the leaves are on the trees. After the leaves start changing to reds, yellows and browns on deciduous trees, ASAT, Predator, Cabela's Outfitter, Mossy Oak Treestand, good old Treebark, and probably a number of other patterns I haven't used (including the Mountain Mimicry and Optifade used in the Sitka Gear) are good patterns. In the late season when the leaves have all fallen and you mainly see sky with a few branches when you look up, there is nothing that works as well in a treestand as Skyline Horizon camo or some similar pattern. Skyline has a reversible coverall with Horizon on one side for late season treestand hunting and Apparition 2.0 on the other side for late season ground hunting. The coverall is about as versatile as you can get for late season in a fairly light and inexpensive ($80) garment.

I have stood out in the open wearing a white t-shirt and jeans and had does and fawns walk directly towards me with no concern, even though they came within 20 yards and I am sure they saw me. I have successfully hunted in non-camo clothing like others here say they use, and think it can be fine in many conditions. In my five trips to Africa I have never worn camo and have gotten close to many animals, but the animals there do not see a lot of hunters in the areas I was hunting. Hunting deer does not require the ultimate in concealment if you do not care about getting a big, old, cagey buck. But the old ones did not get that way by walking up on hunters that were easily seen. Those bucks (and many old does who are leading groups of deer) are constantly on the watch for danger and know what to look for. They can spot a form that looks out of place, and that is where good camo comes into play in a big way. Overall, I like ASAT and Predator the best for general use because they are so versatile. I am convinced that the open patterns with lots of contrast and fairly distinct lines work the best in the majority of environments, although specialty patterns absolutely have their place and I use them where appropriate.

I wash my clothes exclusively in Sportwash to prevent UV brighteners from getting into my camo. I don't know if deer really do see that stuff, but there is evidence they do. Besides, Sportwash is good for cleaning and getting scents out without adding new ones. I use it for all my laundry, including my daily clothing, bedding, etc.

Sorry about the lengthy post.

Allan

[Red Armed Panther]

Never found a use for camo. Just jeans and a fannel shirt.

[George D. Stout]

amar911,  I must say you are probably supporting the economy much better than I am 8^).  I know I'm not much in fashion, but I stay warm, quiet and comfy.
Hope you all do well this season in whatever garb you wear.

[short slugger]

Rancho Safari ghillie suit. Can not be beaten!

[amar911]

George,

I am definitely spending a lot more and probably not getting a lot better results. But if I can't be a great bowhunter, I have to at least try to look the part!    

Allan

[Overspined]

I know I have not hunted as long as many others on this site, but I have primarily hunted deer for most of my 20 years of bowhunting. I have hunted many seasons almost every day from Oct 1-Dec 31, and have had more encounters in one area where there are 60-80 deer per sq mile than I can even remember. I can say for sure that camo can help, and it can make 0.0 difference in the field. Color, background, something out of place, the deers' familiararity with an area, etc etc seem to all be factors. I have used everything from treebark to flannel and of course blaze orange. From countless experiences I cannot really pinpoint where one pattern works all of the time vs another vs when each one works and which is best. I have decided one thing over any camo pattern: I do my very best to absolutely not be in a place where they can see me. I started literally pruning holes in fence rows and bushes/shrubs vine tangles or blowdowns so that they cannot pick me out. This is foolproof, just don't let them see you. Of course I have problems where there is just no place good to sit, and then I do my best with what I have, but brushing myself in is my best answer to date. If the wind is right, I can count the nose hair on the deer that walk by and I am happy and feel stealthy! It takes a little more work as I almost never sit in the same spot more than a couple times in a season. I also use treestands where it makes sense but the ground is nice when you don't need to carry anything. I started taking cell phone videos of the deer I pass on they are sooo close at times. Kind of fun as I just hate getting spotted by those old long nose does that seem to know every blade of grass in their core areas.

[Overspined]

.....but for elk this year I cannot pass the chance to help the economy and try ASAT and predator.....

[Three Arrows]

ASAT works.  It worked for years.  It hasn't had to change and "evolve" its pattern since the beginning.  It works on all game all over.  I see more and more people wearing ASAT these days.  I have had it on my back for 20 years!  I have worn through the original cotton ones and am working on the Ultimate 3D these days.  I am sure other camo patterns work.  I have used them all too.  I just prefer the ASAT year after year.  Now... if Jeff would just offer ASAT Wool in his line I'd be tickled silly.

[Three Arrows]

Okay, I just went on the ASAT website.  I saw some disturbing things on there:  camouflage drawers and pink ASAT.  We don't care what the animals see when we squat in the bushes, and we don't care to see a hunter in pink ASAT do we?

[amar911]

Originally posted by Three Arrows:
We don't care to see a hunter in pink ASAT do we?

Depends on what SHE looks like.

Allan