Camo my 2022 thoughts

[Desk Jockey]

I have been hunting mostly subalpine for a while now. East, West and in between. Have done more northeast stand hunting since COVID began and got busted a couple of times sitting in trees in my subalpine. On a whim I bought a northeast gear leafy ghillie this year and I have worn it in the stand a few times. I have hand a dozen (non shooter) deer look right at me without a second thought.

As I pack my subalpine gear for my upcoming rifle elk hunt, I am tempted to bring that ghillie. Obviously distances are going to be 10x my northeast now hunts but…

Thoughts?

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Elk and mule deer aren’t near as spooky, just keep the wind and stay in the shadows. I’ve had elk/mule deer under 5 yards with solids.
Whitetail, especially in east, check up trees as much as ground level surroundings. Also, could have been a hundred different reasons other than camo. I think it’d be a waste.

 

[sodaksooner]

While I still wear camo, I don't buy it any more. I mostly elk hunt and had bulls screaming at me from 10 to 20 yards away the last several seasons without camo and they had no idea what I was. That said, I don't hunt a lot of whitetails out of stands any more. I spend too much money on performance gear to wear it two weeks a year.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

I do think Whitetail are a little more hyper focused looking up at trees in my experience in Michigan. With that said, I am buying sitka, stone glacier, KUIU in solids if the piece I want is offered. Just as @sodaksooner said spend too much money on high end gear to only use 2 weeks.

This year I had a stare off with a big muley buck during early season archery about 50 yds away and got caught in open and just froze. After 5 minutes he went back to being a deer and back to feeding. Really wish I would have had a shot. I did have my face painted. I think having your face painted or covered up is more important than camo in close encounters. If your face is sweaty and shiny that can draw attention for sure.

 

[UpTop]

Honestly camo is just a sales thing. Holding still, playing the shadows, and scent control are all that matters.

 

[hunting1]

I only buy camo if it is cheaper than the solids.

 

[Old-Cat]

Camo tops here. I went w solid pants for the first time and did fine during bear season. Shoot, I often wear shorts but it was too cold this year.

Turkey? That’s a different ball game altogether.

As has been said, play the wind and be careful when moving.

 

[ZAK13]

Camo is a sales gimmick. Natural, muted colors work great. Scent and playing the wind is much more important.

 

[Brian Fahs]

If you are referring to north mountain gear leafy wear, it is quality stuff. I wear it for turkey hunting and it works well. Very well built, I run the mossy oak camo for turkey and it is great for concealment.

A lot of non leafy camo has a sheen or shine to it when in the sunlight, leafy wear virtually eliminates this.
Most ungualtes are color blind so camo color means very little. JMO.

 

[Gwchem]

It's not the subalpine. I had a 10 minute stare down with a skittish doe, last week, after some coyotes chased her in front of me. She stomped around staring at my subalpine jacket the entire time, then went back to grazing.

 

[smokinbobf4]

Agreed with not the subalpine. Had subalpine too and solid bottom on the ground with about 15 deer from 10-40yards around me a week ago. Just stay still and keep the wind and you are good


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[540-Virginian]

With the tree stand, the ghille broke up your outline more than without it. I can pick out hunters in trees from far away because they are a giant knot in the tree if they didn't have a good backdrop or surrounding cover. I wore leafy jackets (cheap nothing fancy) and had better success not being spotted in the tree overall. However, when I would sit in a pine or a tree with a lot of thick branches behind me, they'd look at me and move on plenty. It is all about outline and movement.

I think just having the camo top and not moving will help break you up on the ground.