Hunting with solid colors?

[mechengr]

Hi all,

In the middle of planning my first backpack elk trip to CO next fall for an OTC rifle hunt. I'm at the point of sorting out my clothing layers. My question is regarding clothing colors for late season hunting situations...

I already have several pieces of technical outerwear from North Face: a windblocking softshell with DWR that's solid black and a lightweight rainproof shell that's light grey. Last night I tried everything on to make sure it all layers well and they both work with the base layers and mid-weight insulation items I have.

I'd love to drop some serious $$$ for a full sitka/FL/Kuiu outerwear system but since this is my first big trip, the budget is stretched across other necessary gear.. Do/would any of you hunt with solid color outerwear like black or light grey? Mostly curious about the black softshell as I wouldn't expect it to rain the whole time.. I've got plenty of camo mid layers that served me well hunting mule deer in western SD where I grew up, but I want to make sure I'm prepared for the Rockies with a suitable outer layer

 

[ljalberta]

I rifle hunt with solids, and most of my clothing is from non-hunting companies. It's not going to be the pattern on your clothing that makes or breaks your hunt. If you have a good clothing system already, then I would without doubt take it and direct your funds elsewhere. No personal experience with Colorado weather though as I'm a little further north.

 

[Frito]

I do and have always been told to....avoid black. I don't go to the extreme of wearing all camo and specialized camo but a black dot moving around on the mountainside is something that will get the animals' attention. I imagine the same would go for all solid dark colors. I will typically wear light brown pants, camo tops with hunter orange which doesn't contrast like black and a Coyote Brown or Foliage pack. I've stumbled upon a few elk, standing them up within 50 feet of me and they had no idea where I was at. Other times I've had them see me at half a mile and split.

 

[FreeRange]

I bow and rifle hunt in solids, killed two deer inside of 40 yards the last two bow seasons and have been close to a lot of animals without camo, rifle season I think it's not even a question, solids are fine. Avoid black and blue even more so, I do avoid them but have taken buddies along on hunts who are just getting started and they've killed deer wearing black jackets, but they definitely stand out.

Much more important than camo is not skylining yourself, not just hiding behind things but also having brush, trees, rocks etc behind you to break up your profile. And noise and the wind of course!

You can save a boatload getting non-hunting clothing.

 

[Frito]

Breaking up your profile is important. You don't always have to be wearing the latest and greatest camo pattern to do that but I understand guys who do that, especially bow hunting. But a lot has more to do with how you move and how you smell.

 

[rewild]

It depends on which rifle season you will be hunting... there are 4 that stretch from early October through November... the later you go and the higher you hunt - the more likely you are to be hunting in snow. I think the gray would be fine, the black will stand out. That said, I think being spotted has more to do with movement and being scented, but the black will draw attention, and if you move... you'll be had.

 

[mechengr]

Definitely glad I joined this forum. Tons of great feedback in just the first few hours! Thanks everyone, I really appreciate you helping out this first time backpack hunter.

My hunch was right about the black softshell... Another drawback I forgot to mention, it doesn't have a hood. Looks like I'll be adding a better softshell/outershell to the must-have list of gear.

As for which season, we're planning OTC tags which as far as I understand covers rifle seasons 2-4. Haven't decided exactly which one yet

 

[5MilesBack]

I do and have always been told to....avoid black.

I have a black microfleece mock-T that I wear a lot for bowhunting. I've never had any issues wearing it, or killing elk with it on. It doesn't matter what you're wearing......if you're moving, they see you moving, camo or solids.

For rifle hunts I hardly ever wear anything camo. Why bother.......you're running around with a bright fluorescent orange top and hat on, so what good does camo do you?

 

[Paradactal]

I would be more concerned with just breaking up your outline. I think a majority of the higher end companies, Sitka, FL, Kuiu etc, prices come from material used and not just camo. I tend to use mostly solid greens and browns and throw on a fusion vest to break it up. I buy strictly on material and what will work for my layering system. Works for me.

 

[Yellowknife]

Hi all,

Do/would any of you hunt with solid color outerwear like black or light grey? Mostly curious about the black softshell as I wouldn't expect it to rain the whole time

I do all the time.

2016 @ 16 yds



2015 @ 315 yds. I was in the wide open, with zero cover.



2014, I was with my dad when he shot this one at 30 yds. Dark green solid shirt in a brown world.



2013, loaded down with a caribou my partner shot at ~20 yds, while wearing a black shirt.



2012 @ about 50 yds.



And many, many more..

If you have decent stuff and are rifle hunting... camo would be far far down my list of things to worry about. With a orange vest over everything, it will all be broken up nicely anyway. Plenty of black in nature.

 

[Frito]

I do all the time.

2016 @ 16 yds



2015 @ 315 yds. I was in the wide open, with zero cover.



2014, I was with my dad when he shot this one at 30 yds. Dark green solid shirt in a brown world.



2013, loaded down with a caribou my partner shot at ~20 yds, while wearing a black shirt.



2012 @ about 50 yds.



And many, many more..

If you have decent stuff and are rifle hunting... camo would be far far down my list of things to worry about. With a orange vest over everything, it will all be broken up nicely anyway. Plenty of black in nature.

Hard to argue with success.

 

[Jason Snyder]

I wear a lot of solids, I wouldn't sweat it.

 

[halg]

A lot of places have discounted the sitka 90%, looks like it's being "improved ". I have the current version, which I love. Maybe look to pick it up at a discount, one size up to allow layering.

 

[kodiakfly]

You could wear red and purple and probably be ok.

Twice this year I was sitting on a hill when other hunters caught my eye from a good distance away and was bored enough and had nowhere to be so I sat and watched them. Understanding human eyes are different than animal eyes, but first thing was there was a guy wearing black and he stuck out a mile away...both moving and stationary. He was like a black hole moving across the alpine. He had on a black top and camo pants and it looked like his was a floating torso...just a black dot in a sea of nature. If he'd be up in a shadow or laid up against a black alpine rock, he'd have blended in better. But in the brown grass and alpine of Kodiak, he was pretty visible.

Then there were two guys both wearing solids (tan/grey/olive). Stationary, I could barely see them with my naked eye, but could easily see them while moving, supporting the "movement will bust you" idea. Only one of the four guys I saw was in full camo, and I gotta say, when he was moving, I could still see movement but the parts of his body were broken up and he'd fade in and out of sight and I understood the "eye confusion" you read about in camo ads. The guys in solids, I could make out their legs and arms when they were moving, but once they stopped, they blended in really well.

So bottom line from my unscientific experiment is, movement will get you and camo will maybe help you not appear as a human right away. But again, that's human eyesight vs sheep/goat/deer eyesight, which is probably like us looking through a scope at which point you could be in a ghilly suit and still be seen.

 

[Jordan Budd]

I have a black microfleece mock-T that I wear a lot for bowhunting. I've never had any issues wearing it, or killing elk with it on. It doesn't matter what you're wearing......if you're moving, they see you moving, camo or solids.

For rifle hunts I hardly ever wear anything camo. Why bother.......you're running around with a bright fluorescent orange top and hat on, so what good does camo do you?

I agree. And just observing others with solid colors in the field I think the black would be a better option than a light color of grey. Any lighter color is going to stand out more while moving IMO. But some people kill things consistently in blue jeans, so as long as you keep larger movements to a minimum you should be just fine!


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[mechengr]

Well I'd like to thank everyone again for the great feedback. Prompted a quick outcome as I snagged a killer deal off of Sierra Trading Post for 51% off a Sitka Jetstream jacket in the solid Dirt color. Should fit nicely into my layering scheme as a cold/windy outer layer. Guess you could say I've definitely been bit by the gear bug! Got a birthday coming up in a few months so maybe I will retroactively apply whatever gift money I get towards this purchase... Hmmmm....

Just a heads up, STP had some other Sitka stuff on some pretty deep discounts as well for anyone looking

 

[mechengr]

I do all the time.

2016 @ 16 yds



2015 @ 315 yds. I was in the wide open, with zero cover.



2014, I was with my dad when he shot this one at 30 yds. Dark green solid shirt in a brown world.



2013, loaded down with a caribou my partner shot at ~20 yds, while wearing a black shirt.



2012 @ about 50 yds.



And many, many more..

If you have decent stuff and are rifle hunting... camo would be far far down my list of things to worry about. With a orange vest over everything, it will all be broken up nicely anyway. Plenty of black in nature.

Would LOVE to be able to hunt as much as you do. Thanks for sharing your pictures

 

[skaldugwas]

Camo is to fool hunters. As long as you aren't wearing one solid color imo you will be fine. As mentioned you need something to break up your shape, most camos can't even do that, which is why I'm a big fan of wearing different brand camo tops and bottoms at the same time so i don't look like one big brown blob.


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[Yooper]

Another option is to buy the solid color gear at a great price and if you feel the need to go to camo just add something like a 3D leafy suit top and/or bottom. Problem solved!

 

[Matt W.]

I like camo, but don't feel I need it to be successful. A lot of folks use non hunting gear with great success. Why I prefer the hunting branded gear is that is designed by hunters for hunting. To some that does not matter, but I find it valuable the more time spent in the field. Two of my favorite gear companies are First Lite and Sitka and they make decent offerings in both solids and several camo patterns. To me the design of the gear is every bit as important as the color / pattern (given the colors aren't neon or something).