Busted while wearing KUIU solid ash clothing

[TAArrowood]

Hello guys. I just experienced something that shocked me and wondered if anyone else has had a similar experience. I was recently deer hunting from a treestand and was wearing my KUIU Peleton 240 hooded jacket in Valo camo. It started to rain so I pulled out my Kutana rain gear in solid ash color. Even though it was raining I was seeing deer. To my shock every deer that came into the field I was watching took one look in my direction, raised their ears, turned and walked or trotted back into the trees. After about an hour it stopped raining and I took off the raingear. Again, my outer garment was the Peleton 240 in valo. After removing the raingear every deer that stepped into the field walked in totally unaware that I was there and fed the rest of the afternoon. Three deer actually kept coming toward me from 200 yards away, looked up at me and ignored me and sniffed the ladder to my stand. I was just wondering if anyone else had experienced and like this while wearing KUIU solid ash. This raingear has never been washed. I took the KUIU tags off the day I hunted. Also, the breeze was perfect for my stand location. Wierd. Thanks in advance for any comments.

 

[Geewhiz]

Deer hate Ash, If I were you I'd sell those crappy ash layers to me for a low low price and get the same ones in Bourbon, they much prefer that.

 

[Firestone]

Damn, pretty interesting

 

[TAArrowood]

Thanks. I had a few things in ash that still had tags that I’ve already returned and replaced with Valo. I had a new with tags Yukon TR set ( jacket and pants) that I returned and replaced with Valo. Glad I did. Deer seem to be fine with it.

 

[The Guide]

If they were brand new, I'd say the DWR coating or a FR layer has some phosphates in it and you were glowing in the trees to them. Like a bright orb floating in the tree tops. Wash them with a phosphate free detergent and line dry them. Tumble them in the washer with no heat to soften them.

The other possibility is that color looks out of place in your background.

Jay

 

[Billy Goat]

You must not be hunting around home.

Done forgotten what rain is.

 

[TAArrowood]

Interesting. I’ve seen several studies on deer vision. Supposedly they are very sensitive to UV light. I actually bought a black light to test for UV issues. All my KUIU have zero apparent UV that can be seen with it. Much of my street clothes were very obviously glowing under it.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

I think the first question would be why are you wearing Kuiu for whitetail hunting out of stand?

 

[TAArrowood]

Because that’s what I bought it for.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Just spit balling but was the rain hitting your clothing and making a different noise while wearing the rain gear that caused them to look at you? I have no experience stand hunting so no clue.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

Because that’s what I bought it for.

Lots of better options. I was all in when they were a new company it failed miserably on stand in WI. You could have every layer they made on and you’d freeze. And man was it LOUD in a stand in winter. I’d imagine their rain gear is as well and that’d be your problem.

All that aside. I’d be afraid of getting shot by someone if i were wearing Ash. That color looks like a deer at distance. Maybe they thought you were one themselves

 

[TAArrowood]

As for the noise, most of the deer came out across a fairly large field at 125-150 yards so I don’t think they heard anything unusual. To the second question I was wearing a light orange vest all day with both sets of outer gear.

 

[justin davis]

That ash Color is pretty dark. Probably looked like a black blob and stuck out

 

[Szwampdonkey]

As for the noise, most of the deer came out across a fairly large field at 125-150 yards so I don’t think they heard anything unusual. To the second question I was wearing a light orange vest all day with both sets of outer gear.

Noise or movement is all it could have been?

Well, unless you were horribly skylined with no cover and an ineffective break up camo up there. Like a lollipop swaying on a stick they’ll pick a dark blob out a mile away as well. Especially if ya move at all or have hunted that tree numerous times.

My old man used to hunt a particular tree over and over many decades ago on a field edge. No joke, some of the old nanny does would step out 200 yards away check up where his stand was and if he was there start blowing and stomping at him. Even with the wind in his favor.

I’d move my stand and get some break up camo. I think Vias would be better up a tree but there isn’t much quiet Kuiu makes unless that proximity stuff is?

 

[TAArrowood]

Yea. That’s what I’m thinking too. I was sitting with my back against a tree that was about 3 ft in diameter that I thought would provide a good background. It just amazed me that they picked me up immediately after they came into the field from 125-150 yards. They picked me up and focused on me like a laser. I’ve been busted by many deer over the years for various reasons, but never from that distance with a favorable wind, no noise, no movement, no scent. Just vision. Never happened to me before quite like this. Plus every deer. Not just some overly sensitive doe. Strange too that after taking the ash off and exposing the Valo they didn’t have a care in the world and walked on in to 20-30 yards and three even sniffed my ladder, but ignored me. I’m pretty sure some of the deer were the same deer that reacted earlier to the ash.

 

[hereinaz]

Besides color. I think reflectivity of the fabric might add to it.

 

[TAArrowood]

I guess that’s possible, but even at that it was pretty low light since it was very overcast and raining. Pretty hard at times.

 

[Macintosh]

I think everyone knows deer dont see color the same way we do, and I have heard that they can see fabric brighteners and some dyed fabrics very well. For instance, I've been told they can see fabric that started out as white and was then dyed, differently than they see fabrics that the fiber started out as grey or a more natural color...although I dont know that to be true. Lots of fabrics have chemical brighteners applied as well, even ones that appear earth-toned. I've heard enough people on podcasts, etc talk about it, but never been able to ask questions to understand it all better--so while I'm no expert, it would not shock me if the particular color which appears earth-toned to us simply stands out more to a deer the way they perceive that color, or that specific fabric. I've had enough deer walk right up to within inches or a few feet while I've been standing there in street clothes that regardless of what I or anyone says (I'm guilty for sure) I feel like 99% of the time it's either wind, noise or movement they picked up on, not color.

 

[Mountain_Life]

Lots of variables but I highly doubt it was the Ash color. I wear a wide variety of camos and solids (many of them happen to be Kuiu ash) and haven't ever noticed deer spotting me with solids. I'd say rain noise, sheen of jacket or the wind/thermals changed while raining.

 

[TAArrowood]

I agree with everything you’ve said, but I feel pretty sure that wasn’t the case. The breeze ( almost totally calm) was coming directly from them to me at 150 yards. I am very conscious of noise and movement are regularly sit for pretty long periods with no motion other than my eyes. Noise shouldn’t have been an issue at that distance and it was dead quiet. After taking the ash off nothing really changed other than the rain stopped.