Okay seeing as how we have a crap-ton of snow on the ground with no shot of it melting anytime before season close...I went and bought some snow camo...I had a poor experience the other night when I wore it out, I had three does walk up on me and I was in a tree stand about 20' up the doe when it got about 15-20 yds from me, froze and looked right at me, so I froze and we had a little bit of a staring contest which I one because she didn't spook...she just got nervous...my question is snow camo effective from a treestand or should I stick to ground hunting when wearing it...
Oh and the outcome of that hunt is sort of a downer...when the doe started moving again, I drew when her head was behind a tree, whether it was the noise or movement all three deer scattered and left me with a 35 yd shot through a narrow opening in tree's I made sure there were no twigs to block the arrow judged the distance and released...I misjudged and came up with a bunch of fur and little bit of blood..I tried tracking for two days with no signs and the deer looked unharmed after the shot...so...
I made a couple of mistakes...I should have drawn sooner as they were walking in that way I would have been ready to release when the doe stopped...second?? Did the snow camo screw me??? wasn't wind or smell...she tried and couldn't get me, that makes me happy at least...what do you all think?
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"One does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted...What he is after is having to win it; to conquer the surely brute through his own effort and skill with all the extras that this carries with it
I got to test out my snow camo for a week in ND and found that the key there was pre-drawing my bow and holding at full draw. The deer were very skittish and on guardwhen in close but if I could draw when they were 50 yards or more out it wasnt a problem. The deer I hunted were moving from point A to B at a good clip so pre-drawing and holding was NOT a problem.
On the ground I can not count the number of deer that walked by me some as close as 4 yards.. Never once busting me and looking right through me. In a tree, the one tree I hunted while out there, because I pre drawed they detected no movement and all walked by with no suspicion.
I think if they see any movement in late season, they are on pins and needles.. especially if you hunt pressured lands. I hunted here in IDAHO all of December and again could not get away with any drawing late.. I had to draw (ALWAYS in a stand even with unreal background cover) I had to draw early the bitter cold and quiet days especially when any little noize is magnified. On the windy days I could get away with noise but still not ANY movement. I drew on several deer early just to practice. No matter how good your camo is, movement is a killer imo on pressured skittish deer. Obviously if your wind is bad, your likely to get busted when they get in close. Jm2c from doing a ton of late season hunting in snow camo both in Idaho and ND.
Your Snow Camo should work from a Treestand. I prefer Fall Gray Predator, light but not white, white. We have very little snow here during season.
Most of the time in Late season it will be noise, or movement that gets you busted. They both are amplified in late season.
If you can at all try to get in an Oak tree or a tree that's holding it's leaves. Camo helps but letting Mother Nature help you in breaking your outline can be the difference between success and failure.
Thanks...the first two deer walked by without a second glance and I knew I waited too long to draw..you can bet I'll be drawing sooner if I get another shot.
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"One does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted...What he is after is having to win it; to conquer the surely brute through his own effort and skill with all the extras that this carries with it
I'll say that it depends on your background but I find that there isn't anything more effective at breaking up your outline as the extreme contrast of snow camo, as long as you're in the snow or have a white background. If your background is all dark you're screwed.
See Avatar, it has contrast, and I think it does a great job of blending in to my surroundings especially from the ground...but from a deer looking up, do I look like a huge snowball?
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"One does not hunt in order to kill; on the contrary, one kills in order to have hunted...What he is after is having to win it; to conquer the surely brute through his own effort and skill with all the extras that this carries with it
See Avatar, it has contrast, and I think it does a great job of blending in to my surroundings especially from the ground...but from a deer looking up, do I look like a huge snowball?
your camo is perfect because it looks like your on the edge of a woods. Where as if you are in the middle of a wooded area, i think you are better off sticking to non-snow camo. Maybe take a picture next time your're on your way to ur stand and then it will give u a better idea one what to wear.
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AR-34 ( Archery Research )
Carbon Express
Snow Camo????
