Busted while wearing KUIU solid ash clothing

[Szwampdonkey]

99% of the time it's either wind, noise or movement they picked up on, not color.

100% agree.

 

[TAArrowood]

Really weird. After the season is over I intend to go back out and try to replicate the conditions. I have other ash clothing I may try and purposefully take the ash raingear back out to see if they pay any attention to it. Just wondered if anyone else had had a similar issue. I talked with KUIU about it when I called the to return some of my unused ash and they said they had not had a rash of similar calls, but would monitor the situation. One guy that I talked with said that it was possible that the supplier had slipped in some thread or other material that was not to Kuiu’s specs and the jacket was more visible than it should be. I checked it with a black light. But didn’t see anything obvious.

 

[The Guide]

The way the water was covering your rain gear could have made you unnaturally reflective in comparison to your surroundings. If the fabric is not broken in, it shines even with minimal sunlight. I've seen that often in construction. The old hand with well worn rain gear blends into the site while the new apprentice with brand new rain gear look like a beacon walking around the site.

Jay

 

[IdahoBeav]

I killed my best whitetail last season, from the ground while wearing ash pants.

 

[TAArrowood]

The best explanation I’ve heard and could probably agree with would be the theory of reflectivity. It is possible that since the jacket was brand new with the tags just taken off it was more reflective than it might have been if it were broken a little. I’ll probably go with that theory until I can prove otherwise. I may wash it a couple times and try again. I have a pretty good supply of the Grangers that is recommended by KUIU so I’ll give that a go. All the other cloths ( all KUIU) had been was a couple times in that same detergent with good results. Thanks to everyone who weighed in. It’s been an interesting discussion.

I really hope this resolves the issue. I really like the ash color and have had zero issues while wearing it elk hunting.

 

[MuleyFever]

My guess would be that the new jacket with water on it caused some kind of slight sheen.

 

[grfox92]

I had 2 muley does feed within 6 feet of me this year wearing black puffy pants on the ground.

 

[idahodave]

Can’t say for sure what it’s…but it’s NOT the color.

 

[Trial153]

definitely the color

 

[flathead#2]

Sheen and contrast.
Even Kuiu camo is kinda "loud".

 

[Weldor]

Scarecrow test, put the rain gear on a big peice of cardboard and rope it up to treestand level at different part of the field and observe.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

Sheen and contrast.
Even Kuiu camo is kinda "loud".

I've found they have some of the easiest camo patterns to pick out with glass.

 

[csp20108]

Just like fish don't always bite the same lure, sometimes in hunting it's not anything within your control. Some deer just busted you. It happens.

 

[7mm-08]

I highly doubt it was the color. I hunt wolves in Kuiu ash and their visual acuity is phenomenal. I have never had any issues with that color.

 

[ODB]

"There's man all over for you; blaming on his boots the faults of his feet."

Samuel Beckett

 

[JCMCUBIC]

I'm doubtful it's the "color", but wouldn't dismiss the consideration of any large unbroken color standing out against a mixed background. I'm not pro or con on camo, but it's undeniable that a large unbroken color is easier to see than any broken pattern...for us or for deer. In a jumbled background, a large/solid thing stands out.

Flame away if you wish, but it's easier to see a uniform colored thing than it is a broken pattern, especially against a broken background.

 

[JoshOR]

I second the above. The simplest explanation. Not many solid blobs in nature.

 

[whaack]

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

Kuiu has a whole lineup dedicated to whitetail. I’lll assume you’re not aware?

 

[Szwampdonkey]

Kuiu has a whole lineup dedicated to whitetail. I’lll assume you’re not aware?

Yep i’m aware just still not impressed with Kuiu. Their Kenai jacket, vest, and pants are the only pieces i kept being they’re the quietest packable insulation on the market. But the Proximity looks to not be warm enough or wind resistant enough to be a great Treestand Whitetail system. Their camo (outside of Vias) isn’t great either as it blobs out at a distance. In a tree i want a break up pattern with more contrast.

That’s my opinion of it.

 

[Davyalabama]

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

Use a blacklight on it, especially with a little water on it, you might be surprised. I've used it on several articles of clothing, those have been relegated to the work bin. Yeah, I know, many don't believe in the UV thing, I do. You will be surprised at the amount of UV in hunting materials today.

I will say this, it won't do any good for you to look at it by your eyes, the deer's eyes we all know are totally different. I know articles have discussed not using one color, it can stand out against a tree, it's a big blob, it's unnatural to them. You chose a pretty nice color in my opinion, just check the UV in it and with water on it.

There are all kinds of reasons those deer were looking at you, you know that too, it's strange only with that one garment. The wind thermals could have changed with the rain, the blob in the tree, they could have been a little more skittish because their hearing was deteriorated from the rain, etc.