We hear all this talk about open patterns being the best, etc.... And I agree with that and wear predator exclusively......However, I was browsing through some old hunting pics last night and got a chuckle out of the below pic.....This was taken about 15 years ago and I ended up killing a doe that afternoon under that big oak.....Wow, memories.......
The old Mossy Oak Bottomland was some good stuff in the right setup!
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" If he smells you its over. If he gets in your wind stream its over, If he smells where you walked, he probably aint coming back... Your talking about an animal that can smell a fingerprint. Any amount over 0% is to much." Dan Infalt
I must be the odd man out here. I have used many different brands/patterns, and often mix and match patterns based on the weather and usually buy my gear based on the type of clothing I need rather than picking a specific pattern. In ten years of serious bowhunting,I don't think I've ever been spotted in the tree due to sight alone. Now I've been winded plenty of times, but I've never had a deer look up at me for no reason. I personally feel as long as you are as scent-free as possible, most patterns will get the job done just fineas long as you don't stick out like a turd in a punchbowl.
FWIW, I do try to pick stand sites in big old trees with mutiple branches to break up my outline, and have never used a climber in a straight trunk tree with no branches, so in those parts of the country, the pattern choice may be a bit more of an issue.
The camo in the pic looks great because you are standing directly in front of the tree trunk.
If the picture was taken from an angle, so that your sillouette was showing against the branches and sky, you would Blob out. That's where an open pattern excels, IMO.
The camo in the pic looks great because you are standing directly in front of the tree trunk.
If the picture was taken from an angle, so that your sillouette was showing against the branches and sky, you would Blob out. That's where an open pattern excels, IMO.
i agree...but you cant have the best of both worlds. Bark patterns excel if your positioned with the tree behind you, open patterns excel with the sky as a background.
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Trevor
www.lostrivergamecalls.com
You tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is 'never try'
The camo in the pic looks great because you are standing directly in front of the tree trunk.
If the picture was taken from an angle, so that your sillouette was showing against the branches and sky, you would Blob out. That's where an open pattern excels, IMO.
Yep.... That's a 10ft ladder stand and I killed a mature doe at 10yds that afternoon.... The camo worked and so did the game tracker I had attached to the arrow Followed the double line right to her
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" If he smells you its over. If he gets in your wind stream its over, If he smells where you walked, he probably aint coming back... Your talking about an animal that can smell a fingerprint. Any amount over 0% is to much." Dan Infalt
For the most part I wear realtree, mossy oak, etc and they do the job as long as I do my job and avoid movement until the time is right. I don't think that outfit GREGH wears comes in an open pattern "yet" and he does fairly wellBut I really like the pics of the open patterns you guys post on here.
Nice pic DC! I have some of that too! Heck I have so much camo, I might never buy any more. Double line right to her....LMAO! [8D]
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ORIGINAL: IAhuntr
In ten years of serious bowhunting,I don't think I've ever been spotted in the tree due to sight alone. Now I've been winded plenty of times, but I've never had a deer look up at me for no reason.
It must be the hunting pressure in different areas, and how it has bred into the deer. 20 yrs ago, I never saw deer look up. The experts wrote articles claiming they DON'T look up. LOL. Fast forward 20yrs....and the deer in many of the places I hunt, walk around looking up. I got pegged this year on opening day, 22ft up, in a stand I hadn't been in since last year. I didn't move a tad, had green leaves all around me and wasn't sillouetted, and had the wind in myfavor.Lead doelookedup and allaround, and stopped on me.I was totally amazed. I don't know if thecamo would have made any difference at all, I doubt it.I had a tree with leaves all over it between us and she still nailed me.5 minutes of stomping and circling me, but didn't really spook. It was classic...I couldn't believe she nailed me.
Here's a camo comparison for you!
Followed the double line right to her 
But I really like the pics of the open patterns you guys post on here.
