While rifle hunting this year with my father I could not help but notice that his new HD camo that looked very realistic up close looked like a solid brown jacket once I got more than 10 yards away.

It seems to me that detail is not as important as break up. As deer can not see the color red due to missing this cone in their eye as shown here, is there a camo pattern you recommend?

Finally what fit of jacket, shirt and gloves should I wear for early season bow hunting? Should they be tight as to not interfere with the string?

predator and asat do well at breaking up the human outline...but any "open" pattern will work just fine...Realtree APG is one i use for my area, but basically you want a pattern that in the background is very light colored and then larger less dark images scattered to blend you in.

I use an am a huge fan of open pattern camo such as Predator, Enigma, and ASAT. IMO you cannot match the effectiveness of these style patterns for hunting deer. Currently I use mostly Predator, but that is mostly because I have an easier time finding it in quality garments that are readily available than the others. Another good camoflage is the new Vertigo pattern by Mossy Oak and Scent Lok. This uses the same concept of the others of contrast to break up your pattern rather than a realistic image. Optifade is another new good pattern that has come out.

For fit of clothes I recommend something that is loose enough to be comfortable, but a form fitting cut that does not have excess material in the shoulders and arms. I always use an arm guard or compression sleeve while bowhunting to prevent my clothing from hitting my string. A lot of the bowhunter jackets that are available have the right cut for bowhunting and can be layered for late season use.

Hope this helps.

i am liking the look of the mossy oak treestand, as it is very open, my current scent lok outfit is realtree hardwoods, i also have an older advantage timber set

i dig on the predator in late season

early season though, you can find me wearing an under armour top on most days, with my buglite scentblocker top and bottom

I really like Mossy Oak's new Treestand as well, so much so, I am in the process of buying almost all new stuff for next in Treestand.

Another vote for preadator camo. Awesome stuff!

Early Season you can't beat Ultimate Camo. Late Season you'll find me wearing predator or ASAT.

i love realtree AP HD!!!!!! its the only camo i wear!!!

My camo is the Realtree AP HD reversible and I find I am wearing the winter camo side of the clothes to break me up more. The AP HD side is very realistic, but again from a distance it has the black-blob, solid object effect. The winter camo side, although a lot of white really breaks up at least.

I like the open patterns as well. I had a similar experience to yours.

Several years ago was hunting with my brother and my cousin. Cousin was younger, in high school and had no money. My bro and I were sporting our new MO break up outfits and cousin in his BDU's in woodland that he got from an army surplus store.

I had put the stands up and we were walking in. Sent my brother off to his stand and watching him walk away noticed the same thing you did. After about 25 yards he looked like a black bear walking through the woods. The camo was doing no good could see his outline perfectly. My cousin heads in next, I watch him in the el cheapo suit and he virtually disappears the farther he gets from me. I looked away for a few seconds and then, if not for his movement I woudn't have been able to find him, and I knew where he was.

That sealed it for me. I was amazed, though I shouldn't have been. I buy BDU style clothes now in the woodland pattern and in desert for when out on the prarie. I also have some Nat Gear and that seems to work well also. I don't think it is as effective as the military patterns. When you think abou it, one group is doing everything they can to save human lives, the other is pushing a million dollar marketing campaign to sell as many clothes as possible. There is a reason the military sticks with those basic, open, outdated patterns.