Old Timers and Camo

[ChiefStingingArrow]

I have heard talk on here and from reading from the old timers like Howard Hill, Fred Bear, John Schulz talk about how they could stalk right up on animals just wearing plaids. My question is this: Do we need camo to effectively stalk game?
How did Guys like the ones mentioned up above get so close to their game without camo?
Are animals more wary today than back then?

[LongStick64]

It's all about marketing. I've been in the woods with jeans and a tshirt and was able to creep up to a group of deer. Had a Doe 2 years ago look through me while I was wearing plaid. It all comes down to movement and the animals nose, everything else is sheer marketing.
Consider it this way, primitive man depended on hunting for survival, he didn't wear Realtree or Mossy Oak.

[Mojostick]

No, what we think of as "camo" isn't needed. Then again, plaid is camo to the eye.

But as one who has been bowhunting since 1978 and had club members bowhunting my property since the 1940's, the bowhunting pressure back in those days was so light that the deer acted nothing like today.
For example, Michigan has the most bowhunters in the country with over 320,000 bowhunters. Back when I started, there were 1/10th as many licensed bowhunters.
I recall in those days that we could stalk right up on deer during bow season, especially young deer. Now, if a deer sees a hunter some 500 yards across a huge field, it bolts in a panic.

[dingas]

Take a look at some black and white or sepia pics of guys in plaid in the woods and guys in camo in the woods.  Both work quite well, although a lot of the newer camo patterns turn into a dark blob at longer distances. Thats why patterns like ASAT work so well. Larger pattern to break up outline at any range. Most of the big brands like Realtree and Mossy Oak are intended to catch hunters, not deer. Large patterns with lots of contrast are the ticket like plaid or ASAT I think. That said I have mostly RT and MO gear cuz thats what was cheap...

Edit - should say the most important is how much you move... movement make every pattern stand out

[ChuckC]

I like my camo, but I also like my plaids.  I have had way too many close encounters wearing plaids or some sort of "busy" floral or other pattern to discount wearing it, including with coyotes.

ChuckC

[bigiron]

camo works really good when hiding from humans.

[tradarcher816]

Biggest deer I've ever shot was while standing under a tree wearing a green plaid shirt/jacket had deer all around me they never busted me. So I think any pattern that breaks up your outline will work.

[nineworlds9]

I always wear a hodgepodge of camo patterns and Asbell plaid an it works great.  Matchy stuff is for marketing and humans to 'look good'.  All that matters is breaking up your outline and playing the shadows in the woods.

[longrifle346]

Get a good pair of binos, wear Earth-tone colors, keep your nose in the wind, and spend more time dead stock still than moving....you'll see deer if there are any.

[wooddamon1]

I've used both for years, movement is what gets us busted if they can't smell us. I've had deer look through me on public land in Michigan wearing solid grey wool pants and shirt on the ground. I was wearing my camo TG hat, though, so maybe that was the trick that day...

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

It's all about the movement, or lack thereof...

[Mr. fingers]

I agree with everyone as far as movement a scent I concerned.
But let's not forget they did not have camo back in the day. And today there a lot of great patterns to suit your surroundings. I think whichever you prefer.

[Mr. fingers]

[reddogge]

Camo looks great walking around WalMart.

[Deeter]

I love my camo but I have come up on critters just wearin jeans and a t shirt.  My granddaddy quit wearin camo a few years back he just wears insulated jeans and a heavy plaid coat.  He gave me a box of all his old camo and I was like a kid in a candy shop.    It was all realtree camo from when that company first started.  The old hunting equipment and clothing has always caught my eye.  It just seemed simpler back in the day.

[Bladepeek]

I was sitting against a tree a couple of years ago during gun season, so I had to wear hunter orange. An older doe, a yearling and two fawns walked into the woods from a plowed corn field. She saw me - looked right straight at me - but the tree was wide enough to break up my outline. She stamped her foot a couple of times and then walked right up to within 20 feet of me.

She veered off to the side and the rest of the parade came up to me and did the same thing. It wasn't until she cut my trail to the rear of me that she bolted and took the rest of them with her.

No camo; just motionless.

[TraditionalGuy]

Originally posted by reddogge:
Camo looks great walking around WalMart.

Nothing looks good walking through Wal-Mart

[Jeff Strubberg]

Camo catches hunters, not game.

IMHO, texture is worth ten times more than pattern.

[Terry Lightle]

Shot a doe at 5 yards a few years ago.Sitting on the ground in brown pants and plaid shirt.Do not own any camo

[Chumster]

Do you have a point or questions?