Your thoughts on hunting solids

LBuchser

WKR
Joined
Nov 12, 2018
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601
Im looking for people's thoughts on gray solids like Sitka Lead or even something like pyrite. I've heard grays are made with a blue base and that's easier for animals, specifically ungulates to see. Any opinions or experience?
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2019
Messages
2,956
Preface: Do not walk around looking like you should be out delivering packages.

While I have camo pants, I rarely use them any more. I just use solid pants: tan/khaki, grey (light/dark) and green (loden). Just keep it somewhat natural looking and you'll be fine. Hell, lots of folks have killed lots of animals sporting blue jeans in various hues.

Despite any potential fashion faux pas, the animals so far have not cared about what I'm wearing.

We tend to overthink things. If hikers, in their brightly hued garments, regularly see animals there is no reason hunters should be concerned about wearing subdued colors.
 
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
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1,836
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Casper, Wyoming
I agree with AZ_hunter. I wear solids. My pants are grey and my top is usually tan/coyote. I do have some tops/jackets that are camo but I rarely reach for them anymore. I killed my elk this year at 35 yards in my grey pants and usual hoody. He was looking at me but I broke up my silhouette with trees and blended in. I believe we overthink things way, way too much.
 

Nick992

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 28, 2022
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Location
NC
As long as they can't see your outline against something light colored, you'll be fine. Even camo can't protect you if you choose to walk a ridge line.
I'm a fan of red flannel, but that's just preference.
 

Axlrod

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Jan 8, 2017
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SW Montana
If you are moving or you stink they will know you are there way before any lack of camo blows your cover.
 

Windrunner17

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 18, 2022
Messages
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I typically wear solids/plaids. I have various combinations of browns, greys, and subdued greens. As long as you mix and match it'll break up your silhouette anyway. Especially in late season I wear a lot of grey and I haven't had an issue with it, but I will say that I wear wool and that sometimes has different optical properties than synthetics.

Even in archery the only camo I wear is when it's real warm I wear a lightweight bamboo hoodie I got in camo. Doesn't seem to be a problem if I play the wind, stay still, don't silhouette myself, and use shadow smartly.
 
OP
LBuchser

LBuchser

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Joined
Nov 12, 2018
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601
Awesome, thank you guys. It just confirms what I was thinking.
 

Bdeboer29

FNG
Joined
Jul 2, 2022
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10
I would echo most of what’s been said so far. I wear mostly solids and love my stuff from Sitka to include a pair of lead timberlines. Frankly I buy solids so I can were it in my daily life and get more use out of expensive technical clothing.
 
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
4,807
Location
Colorado
I am also a solid color guy during hunting, especially during rifle season. I can‘t see the point of wearing a camo pattern with a blaze orange vest over it.
 

ZAK13

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 23, 2022
Messages
147
If you can kill an animal at close range while wearing blaze orange, I think colors aren't as important as those in the industry would lead you to believe. Saying this, I wear muted tone colors, tan/khaki, brown, gray, loden, even black and have killed animals.
 

Drenalin

WKR
Joined
Nov 15, 2018
Messages
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I pretty much hunted this entire season in black and blaze orange, and killed 6 deer at ranges of 10 feet to 140 yards. I think other things matter a lot more than this thing.
 

S.Clancy

WKR
Joined
Jan 28, 2015
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2,310
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Montana
I've called bulls in wearing a bright red rain jacket...it doesn't matter.

I wear all solids, I just think camo looks stupid. And, I have way more options of companies wearing solids.
 
Joined
Feb 11, 2018
Messages
331
Location
Central Utah
Used to just buy camo but now finding myself wanting solids just cause I like the look and can wear them more often out and about. I guess you could make an argument that camo only matters with bow hunting but even then I’ve seen that not matter so much anymore.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Messages
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Location
N. CO
I typically wear camo tops and solid pants (muted earth tones like brown, olive, and gray). Except for turkey hunting I don't think color makes a huge difference to deer and elk. They are color blind. It's the wind, movement, and un-natural noises that they key on.
 

JStol5

WKR
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
Messages
518
I like solids because I wear the clothes a lot more around town/day-to-day and I feel like I get more for my money. If I drop a lot on technical apparel I like that I wear it all the time.
 

Fetty Wapiti

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 7, 2023
Messages
102
Location
Wyoming
Have never seen much benefit from wearing camo. That and scent control/wind direction seem to matter very little with elk/mule deer. But that is just my observation. As others have said Ridgelines are your enemy.
 
Joined
Aug 23, 2014
Messages
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Location
oregon coast
I typically wear camo tops and solid pants (muted earth tones like brown, olive, and gray). Except for turkey hunting I don't think color makes a huge difference to deer and elk. They are color blind. It's the wind, movement, and un-natural noises that they key on.
Exactly the same for me.. hunting turkey or calling lions or coyotes, I think camo is good practice, besides that, I don’t care. Primarily buy solid pants, and camo tops.

As far as seeing blue, from my understanding they see into the blue spectrum well like we see in the red spectrum well, but blue doesn’t glow to deer like some make it sound… I’m not going out of my way to wear blue in the woods, but if you do, you won’t look like a blood thirsty neon light.

I remember checking a spot for elk real quick one afternoon before season wearing a blue shirt with yellow stripes… there ended up being elk in there, haha… I had a couple cows within feet that didn’t see me, and I got stuck in the open… long time ago but I remember being so surprised because it went so far against with what I had always heard.

Mountain lions do pretty well around here wearing solids
 
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