Ground Hunting: Camo vs Black

BlondeBear63 said:

No ground blind, maximum 100 yard field of view, mountainous.

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I hunt in West Virginia... mountains. Over 50 years..

BlondeBear63 said:

+1 for Mr. Cash

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A sense of humor...........I like that.

Dull earth toned clothing works quite well. Always has. Biggest giveaway is a bright shiny clean face--and movement.

The reason black bears are successful at camouflage is not so much the color; it's the fluid grace with which they move while stalking. I've watched bears coming into bait stations many times. You have to be really observing the immediate area where they are. You might hear them, if you know what to listen for and it is perfectly still out. You want to become a better stillhunter? Watch a bear. They will show you how it's done, if you have the patience for the lesson.

I hunt the same areas in North GA as well as hiking and backpacking all over the appalachians. Solid black jumps out as different. Black bear are easy to see in good light, much easier than deer, turkey and other animals with varying shades of gray and brown. Bear are almost nocturnal, rarely seen in full light. Their black coats are harder to see at night.

As a former sniper and sniper instructor, black is worthless as camouflage most of the time. Depending on species, camo may not be necessary. The only time I might wear black would be while turkey hunting in a blind.

Almost ALL of the current camo patterns appear grey or brown at 75 yards and beyond. They only look cool up close and perhaps that is the intention - for archers who always hunt at short distances. I've had good luck wearing wool plaid for majority of my hunting. But I always wear my orange vest and cap for safety and to meet hunting law requirements. Good hunting to you.

TR

Patocazador said:

Exactly, deer don't use their eyes near as much as they use their noses. If you are downwind or crosswind from the game, it doesn't matter what you wear.

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YEP...,

About ten years ago, I used a hooded, maroon, blanket coat, or capote. I leant it to my buddy the weekend before, and he was hunting with me the following Saturday, so he brought it back. I specifically told him when I lent it to him the previous week, "Just bring it back; Don't clean it or anything." I prefer to clean my own hunting clothes.

Saturday, when we were "creeping" to our spots, he slipped on a tiny patch of ice that was once a tiny puddle, and his leg slipped away from under him at an odd angle = hamstring pull. Pretty bad too. He already had a bad back, so back to the cars we went. After I sent him on his way, I headed back out, and donned the blanket coat as the temp was dropping by then. I got to my spot, and then it started to drizzle.

As the drizzle softly fell, I was greeted by a lovely, strong, spring fresh scent that one gets when using Tide brand detergent. My buddy's wife had decided that the coat needed to be cleaned (I'm lucky she didn't shrink it), so had laundered it. GREAT!

I was standing between two very large oaks, and the wind was to me, as I faced an open spot in the woods, Behind me, the ground sloped downwards, rather steep, and the underbrush was thick too. Well, that was good I thought, since I probably wouldn't see the deer unless they came up on top of me, and besides the scent of the coat would prevent that.

At about 10 a.m., behind me and pretty close, I heard a very loud "Wheeesh..., Wheeesh.., ", the sound from a group of doe when they get a whiff of something they really really don't like, followed by the thunder of deer running away.

So they don't have to see you is RIGHT!



LD

CraigC said:

I don't see how black could be any worse than blaze orange.

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Hunting private land....my ground blinds are natural cover, mainly blow down trees and yes I wear black....best camo I've found in the woodlands...let's you disappear in the shadows and can't tell ya how many times game and others walk right by me never knowing I'm there....would not wear black on public hunting land though.

Here is a good article on how a deer sees .
http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/big-buck-zone/2014/07/video-new-study-sheds-light-what-deer-see

Wonder if camo is the way to go for hunting.

Humans are better equipped to be predators and can see stationary animals. Is it better to wear clothes people can see, for safety-sake if animals react to movement and smells more than outlines?

When fighting with or hiding from other humans, camo is valuable. However, these woman hunters with their bright, colorful garments seem to do OK. And they are clearly distinguishable from animal game by humans.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-are-redefining-what-it-means-to-be-ladylike/

And I grew up hunting with guys who chain-smoked, drank cheap beer, wore blaze orange that hadn't been washed in years, and didn't shower for a week and they still got deer.