PABowhntr

I had a little free time after work today and thought I might make some use of it by continuing our friendly camo debate. The issue of traditional camo pattterns (Realtree, Mossy Oak, Trebark, etc...) versus the open camo patterns (ASAT, Predator, Montana) is always a good one to toss around and we have had some excellent discussions and pics in the past. I would like to continue that further with this thread.

I have both an Advantage Timber leafy outfit and a Montana River Ghost leafy outfit that I recently purchased. I decided to partially put them to the test today to see how they stack up to one another. Before viewing the pictures though I would like for you to consider this. For one, it was a cloudy, drizzly day and the area that the pictures are taken in is actually under a relatively dark canopy of trees. Most of the trees in this area still have bright, healthy green leaves on them despite the fact that most others in the area have already changed to brilliant fall colors or lost their leaves all together. Two, since I am doing this on my own I only was able to take some pics of the jackets so, obviously, judging how they camoflauge the human form is not something we can directly observe with these particular pictures. If I have time and the inclination I will see if I can take it a step further this weekend when I have some of my hunting buddies around. Lastly, I consider Montana River Ghost a fairly open pattern but I will leave that, and the pictures in general, for you folks to judge.

Base pattern for Advantage Timber....



Base pattern for Montana River Ghost....




Color and Black and White photos with a light background





Color and Black and White photos with a darker background (green leaves)





Color and Black and White photos in front of a very dark background (tree)









Comments?

MO_Bowhnter

The one on the left seems to blend in a little more in each picture but neither of them blend in extremely well in my opinion. Its probably because these pics were not taken in human form at treestand heights. I think that would be a better comparison.

Deerslayer_37

Remember, not everyone hunts from a treestand. I prefer Advantage Timber..ASAT is pretty good...I've only seen that Montana Ghost stuff a couple times, looks sharp though.

slayer

mjqood0

For mainly ground hunting, I use Mossy Oak Extra Brown in my area with good success. I think it's really important to consider where one will be hunting the most when choosing a pattern. Too often, it turns into a popularity contest with uninformed buyers. They see everyone talking about one camo (ASAT for example) and due to lack of understanding, choose that as the "best" camo.

I would have to agree that ASAT looks very nice up in a tree stand in a hardwood tree, or in a light, open woods. I hunt bottom land swamps. Let me tell you something, ASAT stinks in there! It's usually overcast and dark under the tree cover, with lots of pines and thick brown underbrush. My friend has an ASAT suit and when he was standing behind a thicket, he looked pretty good, but in front if it was a whole other story. Even up in one of my tree stands, he stood out. It's just too light a pattern where I hunt.

However, I am thinking of putting up a tree stand in a relatively open area and now am faced with the problem that my Mossy Oak Extra Brown is going to stand out like a sore thumb. I guess there is really no good answer to all this. In my opinion, pick something that blends in with the colors you are going to hunt most often and improvise.

I wish I had the money to own 3 or 4 different suits. That would be ideal!

PABowhntr

Thank you for the replies. With the first picture I was somewhat trying to imitate a treestand scenario as the jackets are up on the top of a hill and in front of a relatively bright and open background. Granted, it is not entirely the same but the best I could do at the time. As I said, I will attempt to take them with me this weekend to actually have someone dress up in while they are in their treestand.

Thank you again.

kevin1

I found both very easy to pick out regardless of the background ,
the MRG was particularly easy to spot . The AT "blobbed" too much in all photos , much too "busy" . That MRG might be fine in an aspen grove , but I don't think it would work anywhere east of Colorado . I also have a basic dislike for any pattern with added shadows , it never looks right in open terrain . MO and the other shadowed patterns might work well in a Mississippi swamp but they're nearly useless in an Indiana hardwoods except at dawn and dusk . Of course , during those 30 minutes of the day you could be wearing a tuxedo for all the deer know ...

PABowhntr

Thanks for the comments Kevin. That is exactly what I was looking to hear from you folks.

Bees

Got a big news flash for all of ya. If you sit realitively still they all will work.

If you move around a lot they won't work as good.

I've used an advantage timber Leafey suit for a few years now. I've had good results.

but then I' sit realitively still, which helps the pattern be sucessfull.

When it comes to camo it's more about the motion than it is the pattern..

end of news flash...

PABowhntr

Thanks for the comments Bees. I used the Advantage Timber outfit last May when I was hunting spring gobblers and actually had a ruffed grouse almost step on my head.......if that says anything for how effective it was in that situation.

However, I think the Montana River Ghost might work quite well once most of the leaves are off the trees in my area...and I am up in a treestand. I hope to find that out this weekend.

MO_Bowhnter

On windy days bees, I like to pattern my body after a blowing limb. I stand up and and do the wave over and over again. The deer think I'm another piece of the tree. Extremely effective.

Joking aside, being still in the woods is very important and makes your camo much more effective. I'm just not good at it.[:@]