Enigma success!
 

To start, this story is from ML season so if the moderators don't feel it belongs in this forum then please move it. Most of the talk about Enigma is on this board so I thought I'd put it here anyway. The story is meant to be a testimonial about the camo, not the weapon used.

The story,
Last Sunday was the last day of the ML season in Iowa.
Larry, his son Chris(who was hunting with his bow) and I went to our favorite hunting ground in NE Iowa.
Larry and Chris took stands we have in a woods behind the farmstead while I went to a stand on the far end of the farm overlooking a cut hayfield on one side and a creek bottomon the other. Igot to my my stand at about 6:30,legal shooting time was about 7:00.
Here is the view to the hayfield that I took the week before.

Here is the view to the creek bottom,also from the week before


I saw nothing until about 9am when I noticed 2 deer on the picked bean field on the other side of the hayfield. I ranged them and the closer one was 138 yards. Yes, a little far for a bow shot but remember, I have my CVA Optima Pro and it is sighted in an inch high at 100 yards. I put the crosshairs on the deer,holding a little high and pull the trigger, BOOM, the deer just kind of looks around. I missed[:o]. The deer continue to feed. While I am reloading I am thinking, well this isn't working. I decide that thanks to the hill in the middle of the field I can get closer without the deer being able to see me. I climb down and walk into the hayfield. As I near the top of the little hill in the field I begin to walk all hunched over, closer to the top I end up belly crawling. I get the to crest of the hill and take a peek. Where'd they go? Darn, they must have seen me get down or heard me coming? I get up on my knees for a better look.Nope, there's one of them. I pull the gun up and drop that one.

Now we are getting to the Camo part of the story.
The other deer, at the sound of the shot, hops into the opening that is a tractor driveway between the hay and bean fields. The deer is about 40 yards away from me, looking at me and I am in the middle of a cut hayfield,holding an empty gunwith about as much cover as I would have in the middle of my yard at home. I think, well, at least I got one of them. In spite of the fact that I think there is no way in hell I'm going to be able to pull this off I slowly begin to reload. Now for those of you familar with ML guns, it takes time and a lot of movement to reload. The deer is looking right at me, or should I say "through" me. Bobbing his head from side to side, moving back and forth a few steps, trying to get a different angle on what this thing in the field is. I get a powder vile out of my pocket and pour it down the barrel and get a Powerbelt in the end of the barrel. The deer is still there, looking. Now I have to get the ramrod out of the gun and ram the load home. I am sure to get busted now! Nope, I pull the ramrod out of the gun, lots of movement,turn it around,unscrew the extension in the rod and push the load home. The deer is still trying to figure out what I am.

I lower the gun down towards the ground and get a primer in place. The deer is still there. No snorting,stomping or any other telltale sign that they see you.
I slowly raise the gun to my shoulder, put the crosshairs on the deer and BOOM. Dead deer, 2 dead deer.
I could not believe I pulled it off!
Now keep in mind, these were not adult, Pope and Young deer. They were both young tasty ones and maybe I couldn't have gotten away with what I did with wise old deer?
Maybe the 2nd deer was just one of those "dumb" deer that wouldn't have run off if I was wearing a pink bunny suit for camo? At this point that would all be speculation.
The fact is, I was able to get within 40 yards(bow range)of a deer, in a cut hayfield with 0 cover for 50 yards in any direction, the deer on alert(remember his sister laying there dead not 30 feet away from him)reload a ML rifle,that takes several minutesand shoot him while I wasdressed head to toe in Enigma camo. I am a believer!
Here they are, I know, they are not big deer but they sure will be tasty and it made my season and put venison in my freezer to enjoy.


Here's me from the weekend before in my Enigma camo


I talked to Chuck on Monday and told him I need some insulated Enigma for later in the season. I have been wearing my other camo andScentLok camoas layers under the Enigma but when it gets cold as it does for later in the season I need some more insulation. He is also working on 3D Enigma that should be even better. I want more! A man can never have too much camo!

RE: Enigma success!
 

Congratulations Buel! Welcome to the Enigma Family. I'm sure you will continue to have many more experiences like this one. Great minds must think alike, in my treestand last night I was just thinking that Chuck needs to make some insulated gear as I sat in 30 degree temps.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Congrats!!

But I am just curious...do you guys see that big of a difference when out hunting between the enigma and asat?

RE: Enigma success!
 

First off, congratulations.

I would also like to see a more in depth comparison with this pattern. I personally do not care for Enigma. The pic above proves that to me more than anything thus far. I don't see any break up ability in that image above. At least not as much as Predator or ASAT. I don't feel there is enough contrast.

I have had strange things like mentioned above happen to me as well. Missing a deer with a bow on the first shot, only to have them stand there while I reached around the tree to grab another arrow, knock it and make the second shot. All while wearing a variety of patterns.

I am not by any means knocking Enigma, I know PAHardwoods very well and know he and the gentleman running the show are class acts. However, at this point, I personally feel Predator and ASAT are superior patterns to it.

RE: Enigma success!
 

I don't have any of the open pattern camo......but I talked to Chuck at Enigma on Monday (when I returned from Mexico)....and I'v egot some on the way. We'll see......but I think ANY of these open patterns will work fine. Until now (leaves are falling off the trees)....I think the traditional patterns have worked well, too.

I'm really looking forward to getting this stuff, though.

jeff

RE: Enigma success!
 

This hunt had nothing to do with your camo. Not dissing enigma but it was two yearlings and this has happened to hundred of hunters withthese first year deer that are very curious.

Back to enigma though. Im not very impressed with this stuff either. I think it's good in sertain terrain or situations, but as your photo has proved above just doesn't blend in very well at all on certain situations. Like PA Hardwood's avatar, look at the color and the tone of his grey enigma camo with the tone and the deeper dark tree behind him it just doens't blend in with hardwoods that well. This camo is good in cerain situations like corn camo blends in with corn, max 4 blends in with grass land and ground situations. Enigma just is not an all around camo for every situation.

For example last night I was on the ground hunting in my gillie camo and had a doe walk down the fence line right to me and stoped at 10 feet and noticed something was wrong and looked at me for a while but couldn't make me out. Should I start a Gillie family now and make this camo sound like the best camo in hunting.....no! It just worked in the right terrain and in the right situation. You need a veriety of different camo to adjust to different terrain and different situations. No camo is better that any other camo.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Congrats!!! HCH

RE: Enigma success!
 

This guy hit the nail on the head IMO!!! I drew on this turkey while in a tree with this on. Predator camo blows away Enigma IMO.Fred Bear drew on numerous animals with no camo on. Jim Shockey walks around with that big black cowboy hat on and shoots animals all the time.

RE: Enigma success!
 

What he said...:eek:

RE: Enigma success!
 

Jim Shockey, hell if I hunted those tamed deer he did, I would wear a pink bunny suit and shoot just as many, LOL

Fred did, but back then there were not 350,000 bowhunters in MI. I can get away with more on my farm then I can in Northen MI.

I agree any open patternwill get the job done.
Camo that fits your enviorment you are hunting.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Congrats on the double, i need to get me some of that camo.

RE: Enigma success!
 

I'm going to have to get me an invisible man costume!
Oh yeah, and some health tonic... Oh and one more... Don't forget the snake oil!
You guys are reading too much into this whole camo thing. Any pattern that breaks up the pattern of a person will work. By the way, not moving will help work wonders.
I wonder if Indians had enigma?

I haven't killed a deer yet this season and I've been bow hunting for about three weeks now, but if I wanted to, I could have killed about twenty of these yearlings while in my advantagetimber or mossy oak or real treeHD.

Not impressed with the missed shot, the hunt or the camo.

Sorry

RE: Enigma success!
 

Sorry, I did not intend on turning this into a camo thread.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Buell, that's awesome dude!! Congrats!

RE: Enigma success!
 

I did the same with my ML last year wearing a large hunter orange hat, vest and gloves while hunting from the ground. Shot the first one and then the second one.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Nice deer.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Wow Great Job!!

RE: Enigma success!
 

Are you kidding me? This is about a guy successfully taking two deer after stalking up on them in an open field. You say your not impressed with the miss. Have you never missed before? I mean geez people give the guy a congrats like he deserves. This is a hunting site to share your stories not to diss people and debate their choice of camo.

oh and my Enigma is on the way!

RE: Enigma success!
 

I am impressed with the double as well. I would have thought that after hearing a loud BOOM those deer would have ran. Then after watching you climb down out of your stand they would have ran. Then after watching one deer get shot, and hearing the loud BOOM again, I would have thought the other deer would have ran. But I guess it is a good thing you were wearing Enigma. I know you didn't want this to be about camo, but you did title it "Enigma success!"

RE: Enigma success!
 

And ASAT blows away Predator. Until you've worn a camo your credibility isn't there. Everyone has opinions but where's the experience necessary to make such claims? I've worn all three, Predator, ASAT and now I'm tying Enigma and thus far, Enigma is blowing Predator AWAY. I've been busted in Predator, I've never been busted in Enigma. The camo you have on in your picture I would never wear in the green woods of spring, Engima I would, that makes your particular camo a specialty camo and Enigma more of an all purpose.

I'll never take the opinion of anyone who hasn't the experience to back it up. Come talk to me once you've worn or tried what you degrade. The camo in your picture has WAY too much white in it, whitetail wave their white flags when danger is around...hmmm See anyone can twist their opinion to set their agenda. I think Predator is an outstanding camo, so is Engima and you'll never see me degrading someone for wearing it, that's pathetic.

I'm getting pretty tired of our fellow hunters bashing other hunters for their purchases, equipment of clothing and

tshemale, it seems your total agenda is to degrade Engima, checking your profile , you top ten replies is mostly degrading/bashing Enigma, if you don't like it, stay the hell out of their threads, these guys made purchases they are proud of, you degrading their purchase is pathetic. Get used to it, your gonna see Enigma for a very long time. There are some great guys who decided to give Enigma a try, if that makes them family, that's awesome, who are you to bash them for that. NO RESPECT.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Buellhunter, awesome job, congratulations to you, ignore these guys who bash you for your hunt, your purchase and your success. They are a minority, there are good guys and girls on here that wish you luck and success regardless of equipment etc...great job.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Like I said Buellhunter and in the pm I sent you earlier today Congrats!!! Rob, I am glad you and others love your Enigma and I am sure it works great for you and others but so does predator, asat, ghillies, and many others. It seems like the guys that are more pumped for this stuff are the guys who are also dealers for enigma. Just an observation. I just don't think that there is a"magic camo out there. I do know that to draw on a turkey in a treestand is very hard to do and predator allowed me to do it. I guess we will have to see if Double Bulll blinds are going to do away with predator and go with enigma; that will convince me more.HCH

RE: Enigma success!
 

We need to remember, Enigma is brand new, what the future holds for it is not yet to be determined. It is in it's concept form and Predator evolved as well, look at Deception, It replaced Fall Brown, it evolved into a better product, yes and no cause I liked Fall Brown better than I do Deception but that's not my decision to make.

Guys are excited about their Enigma and many want to see a great guy like Chuck succeed and guess what, thus far there is nothing but positive reports coming from Enigma users. I've been there, When Chuck first showed me the first clothings I cringed....to my eyes it didn't look like I wanted it to but my eyes don't count, it's the wildlife that matters and this stuff is proving that it works in front of game animals, from Elk to Whitetails, Turkeys, Bear and African Game, small critters and birds are ignoring it. Pictures do nothing for it, Buells picture doesn't impress me either, the camera doesn't catch what the camo does.

I think you all are going to be shocked with where Enigma is going. Don't be so quick to dismiss it.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Buell, great job on your double. Congrats!!!

RE: Enigma success!
 

I am a camo junkie and I will own some enigma as soon as it becomes available at the IA deer classic or hits stores so that I can actually see it, feel how quiet it is, try it on, andlook at the quality. I refuse to buy anything online without the above. I think all camo has it's strongpoints and it's weaknesses. I also love natgear. There is a lot of passion in you enigma guys; good for you. HCH

RE: Enigma success!
 

HCH, if your serious, this is the kind of guy Chuck is, he'll send it to you to feel, put on and test, if you don't like it, send it back....in a more serious note, I'd rather see Sarah in it..;) [8D]

RE: Enigma success!
 

PM at ya.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Well ok then.

Thanks to all of you that enjoyed hearing about my hunt.
Are there other good camo patterns out there for sale? Sure there are. I've been hunting for about 25 years and have killed deer wearing Woodland,Tiger Stripe,Original Treebark,Mossy Oak and Realtree( I know, I have too much camo, if that is possible) I'm not quite old enough to have hunted in plaid shirts.:D
I am starting to think that open patterns are better?

RE: Enigma success!
 

I have to say I have used a variety of camo and they all serve a purpose. Enigma for me has proven itself for a variety of reasons. Its comfortable, it keeps you dry, a built in arm guard,just a few reasons why I'm hooked,to understand this camo you have to try it. The whole camo discussion is no different than changing to a new bow or trying a new broad head, if you try something new you never know, you may find that the change is good. Old habits are hard to break but if you have an open mind the change couldgive you one more advantagewhen drawing back on that trophy of a life time. Just my opinion Q2

RE: Enigma success!
 

Geez, I musta missed some hostility here......

The bottom line is, wear what you want and have fun doing it. Heck, my grandfather used to shoot deer all the time with a bow in old red and plaid Woolrich clothes. Kinda makes this whole camo debate silly.

As for me, I like these open pattern camo's. I'm a Predator guy because I feel its the best out there bar none. If you don't, great, more for me to buy.;)

RE: Enigma success!
 

Just to be clear here, Fall Brown was not replaced by Deception. It was phased out because it was deemed too close a pattern to Fall Gray, which it really was. The only difference in Fall Brown and Fall Gray was the base color (background, if you will...) was more of a creamy tan than the "whitish" base of FG.

Carry on. :D

RE: Enigma success!
 

No, not silly, that Woolrich plaid was the original open pattern. Deer don't see the red, as red, it broke up the human outline, actually a really good pattern, just "hidden" hunters like archers could get the concept of wearing red into the woods, they can't get the concept that deer wouldn't see the color the same way we see it.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Nor do they see camo the same way we do. The big name brands are made to appeal to our eyes, not deer. Open patterns have little shelf appeal, buthigh effectiveness.

Carry on. :D

RE: Enigma success!
 

And that's the shame, I don't think I'd ever own the Deception but I was a fan of the Fall Brown, I'd sooner wear the Fall Brown before all other Predator choices, the closest to an all season pattern they had. That was my choice when ASAT was no longer available....as close as I could get. Then ASAT came back, now Enigma...it's a good time to be a bowhunter and like I said, the future will be surprising.

RE: Enigma success!
 

But for 99.9% of the bowhunters who hunt out of a treestand, the Fall Gray IS a better choice than the Fall Brown -- and exactly why it won out over its stablemate. Skies tend to be more grayish-white than creamy brown.

I couldn't agree more. God, I love this sport of ours. :)Best of luck to everyone out there, regardless of what you're wearing!

RE: Enigma success!
 

Buell, very well done sir. I've never killed two deer in the same sitting (not because I haven't tried). I don't care what anyone says, that is impressive.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Hear, hear... Congratulations, sir! :)

RE: Enigma success!
 

Yup, You know I own Fall Grey (good camo for the right circumstance) you've seen the video of me taking a buck with it on, that may have been the last time I wore it. It's one of many camo patterns that I own that took a back seat.;)

Speaking of video, I'm still making copies, I'll resend it, I promise. Hell just think Greg, in 09 we'll probably both be wearing pitch black in the blinds for Pronghorns, what do we do then...lol [8D] Perhaps I'll just have to stalk one open country with a bow....maybe.

RE: Enigma success!
 

Hey come on now Rob, Greg, there's no need to hold out. I've got the places and the people to put together a GREAT goat hunt in the sage brush of Wyoming... how about '07?

RE: Enigma success!
 

OK... Forget it, buell -- this thing is completey hijacked now! [8D]

Sounds good to me dwd... except for one thing: it's taking me until 2009 to save my money for that hunt! ;)