Which Camo?
05-05-2009, 02:59 PM
#15
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 417
RE: Which Camo?
Here is an article I wrote several years ago on this subject.
Maybe my experience as a camouflage designer myself, will help.
Avoiding Detection by Sight
The upright, moving form of a human is unlike any other form, except that of a standing bear, which is also a predator. When an upright form appears as a solid dark blob it only helps to make it more visible. Even if game animals have not seen a human or a bear, an upright moving dark form alerts and often alarms them. Most animals have seen and been hunted by humans, and have learned to avoid and fear them. To avoid looking like a predator or a hunter you need to camouflage or conceal yourself, and keep your movement to a minimum.
Camouflage is used: 1. to make objects resemble the surroundings by using similar pattern or color. 2. to breakup the outline of the object so that it is unrecognizable. The wide variety of camouflage patterns on the market today makes it easy to match the surroundings of most habitats.
The best way to break up the outline of a large object is by using large areas of contrasting colors. The larger the object is, the larger the camouflage needs to be to effectively breakup its outline. A pattern that works well on hunting clothing is usually too small for a hunting blind. The farther you get from a camouflage pattern the more it begins to merge into a solid color. For camouflage patterns to work effectively on large objects, or at distances, they need to be big.
Contrasting colors help breakup camouflage patterns by giving the illusion of depth, a difference in distances. When used correctly light colors appear either as being in front of or behind darker colors. When used in large patterns light colors often appear as light or sky showing behind the darker portions of the camouflage, which makes the design appear as if there were objects at different distances. If you intend to hunt in a variety of different surroundings, or hunt wide open country, choose a camouflage with a large pattern of contrasting colors. If you hunt only one type of habitat choose a pattern and color to match the habitat at the time of year you hunt it.
Concealment is used to keep you from the vision of the animal. By staying in natural cover and shadows, or using a pit, blind, or tree stand you can conceal yourself and your movements from the animal. Simply being above big game, whether uphill or in a stand, places you out of the normal range of vision of the animal.
Camouflage can be a substitute for concealment, but concealment is no reason not to use camouflage. What if you decide to leave your place of concealment because the weather changes or you don't see any animals, and you are caught in the open when you see game? What if you see game on the way to your hunting area, before you are concealed? I always wear camouflage that either matches the color and surroundings where I hunt or break up my outline, whether I am firearm or bow hunting, taking pictures or scouting. I don't want the animals to know I am there if I can help it.
Camouflage
You can camouflage an object by using colors and shapes to make it resemble similar objects, or by using colors and shapes to breakup its outline and make it unrecognizable. That's what camouflage patterns should do, but it often isn't. Many hunters have fallen into the promotion of camouflage designers who claim one pattern will work anywhere. This may be possible with a generic pattern, but a bark pattern does not work in tan corn or cattails anymore than a tan corn or cattail pattern works in a green woods. The simple fact of the matter is, no one camouflage will work in all situations.
When you are hunting on the ground in woods wear a camouflage that looks like bark, leaves, branches and twigs. If you are hunting from a tree stand use a big, open pattern with a light gray background. Look into your tree stand sometime from a deer's point of view and you will see a lot of sky. If you want to disguise yourself you should not wear a solid bark pattern, it will make you look like a big gray or brown blob hanging in a tree. What you should wear is a branch, twig or leaf pattern on a gray sky background that resembles what the animal sees from its point of view. If you hunt in fencers, cornfields, cattails or alfalfa, wear a corn, grass or cattail pattern. When you hunt in an evergreen forest wear a large green pattern. If you hunt in rocks, sagebrush or desert, use an open pattern that blends in with the surroundings.
Scientists believe many hoofed animals see the colors blue and yellow. Because these colors are not natural in many environments, you should not wear them. But, blue and yellow combined make green, which is present in the gray and brown of nature. Browns and grays are the colors that should be worn. If you are hunting early in the archery season when the leaves are green, wear green camouflage. Woodland green works well in green hardwoods and evergreen forests. When the leaves turn brown, your camouflage should change. Universal brown with its tan background works well in many brown surroundings. Once the leaves have fallen you should switch to a more open pattern, with gray that resembles the sky, or tan that resembles dead leaves on the ground. If you hunt when there is snow on the ground your pattern should be even more open, with a white background, whether you hunt in a tree or on the ground.
Ultra Violet Light
There has been a lot of controversy on how and what deer see. If you have read the section on Understanding Whitetails you know that deer, elk, sheep, moose, mountain goats and antelope are red/green color blind, but they do see colors in the ultraviolet range. Many of the earliest camouflages used dyes with ultraviolet brighteners to print the fabric. These dyes were used primarily in the gray colors. With the research that Dr. Jay Neitz has done there is little question that deer and other hoofed animals have the ability to see the light reflected from those early dyes.
UV brighteners and dyes have the same effect (even in low light conditions when most of us hunt) as a white shirt washed in commercial detergent with brighteners. When it is seen under an ultraviolet light in a nightclub it shines. If you are wearing a camouflage that uses dyes with ultraviolet brighteners it will shine. When you are stationary in a tree stand a deer may not see you, or it may dismiss any shine it sees because it is accustomed to bright objects in the sky. But, if you move you may be spotted. This is especially true in low light conditions at dawn and dusk. If you doubt that big game animals see better in the dark than humans, and that they see ultraviolet light, ask yourself if you could run through the forest at the speeds the animals do at night, without running into a tree or tripping. Deer species see better in low light conditions than humans!
If you own camouflage containing UV brighteners you don't have to stop wearing it and buy new clothing. UV Killer, available from Sno-Seal, can be sprayed on your clothing to effectively stop ultraviolet reflection and prohibit game from spotting it. A bottle of spray is inexpensive, will treat your entire wardrobe, and your clothes can be washed up to five times before they need to be retreated. The minimal cost is well worth it if it helps you go undetected. If you are in doubt about your clothing check it under a UV light or wear it to the local nightclub to see if it shines. When you buy clothing look for the UV Free hang tag, or ask if the clothing contains UV dyes before purchasing it. Most camouflage manufacturers now insist that UV free dyes are used to print their patterns, but it doesn't hurt to check.
Florescent Orange
In many states the use of fluorescent orange is mandatory for firearms hunters. Most of these states require a minimum of 400 square inches, worn above the waist that can be seen from all sides. Some states also require that a hat or a hatband of orange be worn. Some states allow orange camouflage as long as 50 percent of each square foot is orange. The orange color required by hunters cannot be made without UV dyes. This leaves the hunter very visible to the game. With this in mind, and because I often hunt private property, where safety is not as much of a factor as on public land, I wear as little orange as I can while still being safe. Instead of wearing solid orange I wear orange camouflage where allowed, and treat any orange clothing with UV Killer. Studies have proven that UV Killer stops ultraviolet reflection, but actually makes the orange more visible to the human eye; it makes the orange less visible to animals, but more effective as a safety precaution for humans. When I hunt where orange is not required, I do not wear orange clothing. However, I do not hunt public land without using it, there are too many hunters in the woods.
God bless,
T.R.
Maybe my experience as a camouflage designer myself, will help.
Avoiding Detection by Sight
The upright, moving form of a human is unlike any other form, except that of a standing bear, which is also a predator. When an upright form appears as a solid dark blob it only helps to make it more visible. Even if game animals have not seen a human or a bear, an upright moving dark form alerts and often alarms them. Most animals have seen and been hunted by humans, and have learned to avoid and fear them. To avoid looking like a predator or a hunter you need to camouflage or conceal yourself, and keep your movement to a minimum.
Camouflage is used: 1. to make objects resemble the surroundings by using similar pattern or color. 2. to breakup the outline of the object so that it is unrecognizable. The wide variety of camouflage patterns on the market today makes it easy to match the surroundings of most habitats.
The best way to break up the outline of a large object is by using large areas of contrasting colors. The larger the object is, the larger the camouflage needs to be to effectively breakup its outline. A pattern that works well on hunting clothing is usually too small for a hunting blind. The farther you get from a camouflage pattern the more it begins to merge into a solid color. For camouflage patterns to work effectively on large objects, or at distances, they need to be big.
Contrasting colors help breakup camouflage patterns by giving the illusion of depth, a difference in distances. When used correctly light colors appear either as being in front of or behind darker colors. When used in large patterns light colors often appear as light or sky showing behind the darker portions of the camouflage, which makes the design appear as if there were objects at different distances. If you intend to hunt in a variety of different surroundings, or hunt wide open country, choose a camouflage with a large pattern of contrasting colors. If you hunt only one type of habitat choose a pattern and color to match the habitat at the time of year you hunt it.
Concealment is used to keep you from the vision of the animal. By staying in natural cover and shadows, or using a pit, blind, or tree stand you can conceal yourself and your movements from the animal. Simply being above big game, whether uphill or in a stand, places you out of the normal range of vision of the animal.
Camouflage can be a substitute for concealment, but concealment is no reason not to use camouflage. What if you decide to leave your place of concealment because the weather changes or you don't see any animals, and you are caught in the open when you see game? What if you see game on the way to your hunting area, before you are concealed? I always wear camouflage that either matches the color and surroundings where I hunt or break up my outline, whether I am firearm or bow hunting, taking pictures or scouting. I don't want the animals to know I am there if I can help it.
Camouflage
You can camouflage an object by using colors and shapes to make it resemble similar objects, or by using colors and shapes to breakup its outline and make it unrecognizable. That's what camouflage patterns should do, but it often isn't. Many hunters have fallen into the promotion of camouflage designers who claim one pattern will work anywhere. This may be possible with a generic pattern, but a bark pattern does not work in tan corn or cattails anymore than a tan corn or cattail pattern works in a green woods. The simple fact of the matter is, no one camouflage will work in all situations.
When you are hunting on the ground in woods wear a camouflage that looks like bark, leaves, branches and twigs. If you are hunting from a tree stand use a big, open pattern with a light gray background. Look into your tree stand sometime from a deer's point of view and you will see a lot of sky. If you want to disguise yourself you should not wear a solid bark pattern, it will make you look like a big gray or brown blob hanging in a tree. What you should wear is a branch, twig or leaf pattern on a gray sky background that resembles what the animal sees from its point of view. If you hunt in fencers, cornfields, cattails or alfalfa, wear a corn, grass or cattail pattern. When you hunt in an evergreen forest wear a large green pattern. If you hunt in rocks, sagebrush or desert, use an open pattern that blends in with the surroundings.
Scientists believe many hoofed animals see the colors blue and yellow. Because these colors are not natural in many environments, you should not wear them. But, blue and yellow combined make green, which is present in the gray and brown of nature. Browns and grays are the colors that should be worn. If you are hunting early in the archery season when the leaves are green, wear green camouflage. Woodland green works well in green hardwoods and evergreen forests. When the leaves turn brown, your camouflage should change. Universal brown with its tan background works well in many brown surroundings. Once the leaves have fallen you should switch to a more open pattern, with gray that resembles the sky, or tan that resembles dead leaves on the ground. If you hunt when there is snow on the ground your pattern should be even more open, with a white background, whether you hunt in a tree or on the ground.
Ultra Violet Light
There has been a lot of controversy on how and what deer see. If you have read the section on Understanding Whitetails you know that deer, elk, sheep, moose, mountain goats and antelope are red/green color blind, but they do see colors in the ultraviolet range. Many of the earliest camouflages used dyes with ultraviolet brighteners to print the fabric. These dyes were used primarily in the gray colors. With the research that Dr. Jay Neitz has done there is little question that deer and other hoofed animals have the ability to see the light reflected from those early dyes.
UV brighteners and dyes have the same effect (even in low light conditions when most of us hunt) as a white shirt washed in commercial detergent with brighteners. When it is seen under an ultraviolet light in a nightclub it shines. If you are wearing a camouflage that uses dyes with ultraviolet brighteners it will shine. When you are stationary in a tree stand a deer may not see you, or it may dismiss any shine it sees because it is accustomed to bright objects in the sky. But, if you move you may be spotted. This is especially true in low light conditions at dawn and dusk. If you doubt that big game animals see better in the dark than humans, and that they see ultraviolet light, ask yourself if you could run through the forest at the speeds the animals do at night, without running into a tree or tripping. Deer species see better in low light conditions than humans!
If you own camouflage containing UV brighteners you don't have to stop wearing it and buy new clothing. UV Killer, available from Sno-Seal, can be sprayed on your clothing to effectively stop ultraviolet reflection and prohibit game from spotting it. A bottle of spray is inexpensive, will treat your entire wardrobe, and your clothes can be washed up to five times before they need to be retreated. The minimal cost is well worth it if it helps you go undetected. If you are in doubt about your clothing check it under a UV light or wear it to the local nightclub to see if it shines. When you buy clothing look for the UV Free hang tag, or ask if the clothing contains UV dyes before purchasing it. Most camouflage manufacturers now insist that UV free dyes are used to print their patterns, but it doesn't hurt to check.
Florescent Orange
In many states the use of fluorescent orange is mandatory for firearms hunters. Most of these states require a minimum of 400 square inches, worn above the waist that can be seen from all sides. Some states also require that a hat or a hatband of orange be worn. Some states allow orange camouflage as long as 50 percent of each square foot is orange. The orange color required by hunters cannot be made without UV dyes. This leaves the hunter very visible to the game. With this in mind, and because I often hunt private property, where safety is not as much of a factor as on public land, I wear as little orange as I can while still being safe. Instead of wearing solid orange I wear orange camouflage where allowed, and treat any orange clothing with UV Killer. Studies have proven that UV Killer stops ultraviolet reflection, but actually makes the orange more visible to the human eye; it makes the orange less visible to animals, but more effective as a safety precaution for humans. When I hunt where orange is not required, I do not wear orange clothing. However, I do not hunt public land without using it, there are too many hunters in the woods.
God bless,
T.R.
05-06-2009, 06:35 AM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Adirondacks
Posts: 1,305
RE: Which Camo?
Lord knows I've got my share from several makers and from what I've seen all work about the same and frankly I don't really think it's needed.Some of my closest encounters with deer were when I was wearing red plaid wool.A friend takes his turkeys every year and the only camo clothing item he wears is a hat.I do like the comfy fit and all the pockets camo clothing comes with so I keep using it but I don't think it's really all that necessary.
