Wearing black while sheep hunting

[rickyw]

For all you veteran sheep hunters (dall sheep in particular), is wearing black on a sheep hunt a problem? It seems to me that if whites are helpful, black may be the opposite of helpful, and will stand out against the terrain. I have never been much of a camo guy, and just wear whatever is warm and comfortable, but I certainly don’t want to draw extra attention to myself even when I’m not moving. What has been your experience?

Thanks

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Black is a terrible choice. You look like a black bear and stand out like you are wearing blaze orange to a human.

 

[MDR]

I wear black pants and dark blue or dark brown t-shirts. Haven't needed camo yet. Just stay out of sight.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

That’s the thing, you can’t stay out of sight. Plus, you don’t know when you are or aren’t. I can’t count the number of times I’ve spotted someone off in the distance because they’re wearing black and they have no idea that they are visible. Why wear something that puts you at a disadvantage?

 

[Ophert]

I run black rain gear, doesn't seem to make much of a difference to me. I threw a white game bag over my pack and walked up to my sheep at 200 and shot it, it was bedded and half falling asleep. Maybe I shot a dumb one lol.

 

[rickyw]

Black is a terrible choice. You look like a black bear and stand out like you are wearing blaze orange to a human.

That is exactly my concern. Looking like a bear. And even if color blind, black would stand out. So far I’ve pretty much hunted in gray or browns. There’s a Nice down coat for sale but it’s straight black. Would be a great coat for sheep due to its weight and warmth, and the price is right. But the color is terrible! My current down coat for sheep is a nice stone gray.

 

[MDR]

...Why wear something that puts you at a disadvantage?

Combination of stubborn and too cheap to buy camo?

It is on the wish list though.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

That’s the thing, you can’t stay out of sight. Plus, you don’t know when you are or aren’t. I can’t count the number of times I’ve spotted someone off in the distance because they’re wearing black and they have no idea that they are visible. Why wear something that puts you at a disadvantage?

I’m not doubting your expertise in sheep hunting, but how do sheep react to bears? Do they immediately leave the zip code? Or just get alert?

Do sheep spot the black outfit as well as we do?

Is this a matter of sheep reacting to any potential threat?

I ask because I have read about First Nations disguising themselves as wolves to approach a buffalo herd to within bow range. Or African hunters carrying their rifle like a Masai warrior with his spear to get within rifle range. Might there be any advantages in looking more like a short range predator?

I also think about the number of times I have been out squirrel hunting and had a big buck watch me without running. He knows somehow that it’s not deer season and that I don’t intend any harm. Even though I am carrying a rifle and dressed the same. I think certain prey animals are very good at determining hostile intent. And that applies no matter what you are wearing.

I still believe in wearing camo or muted colors while hunting, because I think it can help make small movements less obvious. But that could be superstition as much as anything else.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I also think about the number of times I have been out squirrel hunting and had a big buck watch me without running. He knows somehow that it’s not deer season and that I don’t intend any harm. Even though I am carrying a rifle and dressed the same. I think certain prey animals are very good at determining hostile intent. And that applies no matter what you are wearing.

I think body language plays into that quite a bit.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

I’m not doubting your expertise in sheep hunting, but how do sheep react to bears? Do they immediately leave the zip code? Or just get alert?

Do sheep spot the black outfit as well as we do?

Is this a matter of sheep reacting to any potential threat?

I ask because I have read about First Nations disguising themselves as wolves to approach a buffalo herd to within bow range. Or African hunters carrying their rifle like a Masai warrior with his spear to get within rifle range. Might there be any advantages in looking more like a short range predator?

I also think about the number of times I have been out squirrel hunting and had a big buck watch me without running. He knows somehow that it’s not deer season and that I don’t intend any harm. Even though I am carrying a rifle and dressed the same. I think certain prey animals are very good at determining hostile intent. And that applies no matter what you are wearing.

I still believe in wearing camo or muted colors while hunting, because I think it can help make small movements less obvious. But that could be superstition as much as anything else.

It’s as simple as this.
Black bears chase and kill sheep.
Don’t look like a black bear.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

It’s as simple as this.
Black bears chase and kill sheep.
Don’t look like a black bear.

Again, I am not arguing with your experience as a sheep hunter. Anyone who gets a sheep 9/10 years must be doing something right. I don’t ever intend to hunt sheep. But have you personally observed bear-sheep interactions during your time hunting or scouting? Or is there a good resource on this matter that you trust? How does a black bear go about chasing and killing a sheep? I am not doubting that they do, just curious if you have observed it first or secondhand.

Sorry for being the Elephant’s Child, but I don’t like “just so” explanations.

I am curious because this is not something I ever get to observe where I live. In almost forty years of hunting and living on the farm, I have never seen predator-prey interactions involving big game animals. We have tons of black bears, coyotes, a few mountain lions, and tons of deer. We know that these predators account for some fawns, probably a few mature deer, and at least one steer on our farm (the man who runs cattle on our land found a freshly killed healthy steer with a large black bear eating it), but I have never observed these interactions.

 

[Rowndy]

In my opinion black is probably the worst color option for sheep hunting, if you have other options. Ultimately if it’s all you have then do your best, but considering all the options black stands out significantly in the alpine.

 

[kpk]

Black is a bad choice in any environment if you're trying to blend in, even in the dark.

 

[Taco John]

Carhartt brown....works everywhere.

 

[NealMustard]

Both of my sheep have been taken while wearing full gray rain gear. Both times at least a few of the sheep knew I was there but weren’t sure what to make of me when I was at 150 yards.

I’ve managed to spot people wearing every type of camo while they’re on the move. While people are still I’ll agree with Ben that black still stands out like a sore thumb.

Most of my sheep scouting is done wearing a light gray sun hoodie that sheep and goats don’t seem to mind.

Lastly, why would you wear black? It makes you hotter and colder at the worst times. Black absorbs more solar radiation when it’s sunny, and radiates more heat when it’s not.

 

[rickyw]

Lastly, why would you wear black? It makes you hotter and colder at the worst times. Black absorbs more solar radiation when it’s sunny, and radiates more heat when it’s not.

Just a nice deal on an awesome down coat. But I’m not buying

 

[adventure907]

For all you veteran sheep hunters (dall sheep in particular), is wearing black on a sheep hunt a problem? It seems to me that if whites are helpful, black may be the opposite of helpful, and will stand out against the terrain. I have never been much of a camo guy, and just wear whatever is warm and comfortable, but I certainly don’t want to draw extra attention to myself even when I’m not moving. What has been your experience?

Thanks

To answer a few of your questions, in the humble of an opinion of a guy that just loves to hunt dall sheep.

I used whites once, never saw a need for them again. While I wouldn't go out of my way to wear black, what you choose to wear is of low priority opposed to the other skills and tactics involved with sheep hunting. Personally, I think modern camo (sitka, kuiu, etc) looks ridiculous. I prefer solid colors and haven't worn camo in about 20 years, I seem to do okay. Your own mileage may vary.

I've killed them wearing black, I've killed them wearing brown. I've killed them wearing green, I've killed them wearing baby blue. What's more important is how you hunt them. See them, before they see you. Frankly, don't let them see you at all. That's always my goal.

And if they do, let them think you're a caribou, not a bear, not a wolf.

Wear whats warm and comfortable. That's what I do.

 

[Ophert]

I’m not doubting your expertise in sheep hunting, but how do sheep react to bears? Do they immediately leave the zip code? Or just get alert?

Do sheep spot the black outfit as well as we do?

Is this a matter of sheep reacting to any potential threat?

I ask because I have read about First Nations disguising themselves as wolves to approach a buffalo herd to within bow range. Or African hunters carrying their rifle like a Masai warrior with his spear to get within rifle range. Might there be any advantages in looking more like a short range predator?

I also think about the number of times I have been out squirrel hunting and had a big buck watch me without running. He knows somehow that it’s not deer season and that I don’t intend any harm. Even though I am carrying a rifle and dressed the same. I think certain prey animals are very good at determining hostile intent. And that applies no matter what you are wearing.

I still believe in wearing camo or muted colors while hunting, because I think it can help make small movements less obvious. But that could be superstition as much as anything else.

I saw a grizz take down a sheep once, sheep let it basically walk up to it. But the sheep was pretty much domesticated at a mine site. They would let humans walk up to them. You could hear them go "baaa" while you walked around the site too lol

 

[Chris Bull Whacker]

Again, I am not arguing with your experience as a sheep hunter. Anyone who gets a sheep 9/10 years must be doing something right. I don’t ever intend to hunt sheep. But have you personally observed bear-sheep interactions during your time hunting or scouting? Or is there a good resource on this matter that you trust? How does a black bear go about chasing and killing a sheep? I am not doubting that they do, just curious if you have observed it first or secondhand.

Sorry for being the Elephant’s Child, but I don’t like “just so” explanations.

I am curious because this is not something I ever get to observe where I live. In almost forty years of hunting and living on the farm, I have never seen predator-prey interactions involving big game animals. We have tons of black bears, coyotes, a few mountain lions, and tons of deer. We know that these predators account for some fawns, probably a few mature deer, and at least one steer on our farm (the man who runs cattle on our land found a freshly killed healthy steer with a large black bear eating it), but I have never observed these interactions.

It’s more so that sheep know that a black bear is danger through evolution. Black bears are opportunistic predators. They capitalize on vulnerability of sheep, whether that be they’re injured, weak, stuck in bad terrain, lower elevation in the timber, and ewes in lambing. A black bear doesn’t rely on its abilities to catch sheep but rather the opportunity it’s given.