Have any of you used HECS camo and has it worked?

[Kevinq6]

I see mixed opinions on the web but it seems most people who review it who appear to have tested say it gets them much closer to animals. The reviews seem to come from a fairly diverse group of hunters and industry professionals so it seems unlikely the company could be paying them off. However, since I know there are experienced hunters here I wanted to see what you guys thought before I bought some.

Have you used HECS and if yes did it seem you could get closer to animals?

I hunt deer/turkeys/rabbits/coyotes but my main animal I'd want to hide for would be wild pigs when I'm stalking them with a 10mm or longbow.

 

[Rembrandt]

For those who may not be familiar "HECS" clothing is based on the theory your body emits electrical energy that game can sense. The clothing acts as a Faraday Cage for the body. Marketed for the hunter who hasn't had much success getting the big one.....it might give him the edge he needs.

 

[LNK]

I see mixed opinions on the web but it seems most people who review it who appear to have tested say it gets them much closer to animals. The reviews seem to come from a fairly diverse group of hunters and industry professionals so it seems unlikely the company could be paying them off. However, since I know there are experienced hunters here I wanted to see what you guys thought before I bought some.

Have you used HECS and if yes did it seem you could get closer to animals?

I hunt deer/turkeys/rabbits/coyotes but my main animal I'd want to hide for would be wild pigs when I'm stalking them with a 10mm or longbow.

Just a guess, but unless you can move silently, and be down wind, not giving off electrical energy matters very little. Break up your shape and be silent and not smelly is all you need.

Methinks gimmick!

 

[JDeere]

Marketing at it's finest...smell and noise is all that matters. Get winded or crack a limb and your busted...

 

[Speedo66]

For those who may not be familiar "HECS" clothing is based on the theory your body emits electrical energy that game can sense. The clothing acts as a Faraday Cage for the body. Marketed for the hunter who hasn't had much success getting the big one.....it might give him the edge he needs.

If it keeps electrical energy in, can it also keep it out? Seems like it might go well with my tin hat.

 

[Kevinq6]

I absolutely understand noise and especially smell (playing the wind) would be the most important.

As I'm on a budget and hogs are a priority (often at night) perhaps I will wait on the HECS and play the wind. I also have ground blinds so this would only be valid stalking. Thanks for all the responses.

 

[kscharlie]

I won't say that I am a believer, but I can say I am not a skeptic. The reason I say this is because my best friend and hunting buddy over the last 25 years purchased a HECS suit a coupe of years ago. He absolutely swears by it. I have never had an issue with "getting close" enough hunting either deer or turkeys. My buddy has never had an issue with hunting deer. But for whatever reason, hunting turkeys has always been harder for him than for me. Since he obtained his HECS suit, turkeys consistently come in closer than before. We are both well seasoned hunters and have not changed much in our preferred calls or techniques over the years.

I would add that there are many things about the animals we pursue that we do not know, and most likely will never know. We do know that a deer does not see colors the way humans do. We do know that turkeys do see colors, but just how close is their vision to us humans? The sense of smell does not really play into the pursuit of turkeys, but it most certainly does to hunting deer. Hearing is another very keen sense that both deer and turkeys have. What other senses do various prey animals have that we know nothing about?

I have literally had turkeys step over my foot as they walked by, never knowing I was there. I have literally had deer, both does and bucks, walk up to me and sniff the toes of my boots. I have had the wind blowing in my face at 20mph and got busted by deer 150 yards upwind of me. I can't explain that and I don't think anyone can. I do think that movement, noise and stink are the three worst enemies of hunters. But there just may be more in play.

I can remember when "scent" suits first came out and thought that was a gimmick. I remember when spray scent "eliminators" first came out and thought they were a gimmick. With all the advantages we have today, I truly wonder how the heck did ole' Daniel Boone ever get close enough to a critter to put it in the pot. Same clothes he had probably been wearing for the past 3 months. Hadn't bathed in 2 months. Some of us sweat more than others. Some of us stink more than others. Our bodies carry a lot of electrical stimulus from one end to the other. Perhaps it is possible that this electrical activity can be seen or sensed by some prey animals. I don't know. I am satisfied with all the advantages I currently have, and feel no need for a HECS suit. My buddy thinks otherwise.

 

[DocRock]

At further than archery distances, no credible case can be made that animals can sense one's electromagnetic impulses. I can't say that under 25 yards, such electromagnetic waves can be sensed, but let's assume it's possible. I can say that I have frequently been sub fifty yards with different wildlife in non-HECS camo and in no camo, but not moving, and have remained undetected. I have on several occasions had small birds land on me,at least twice had squirrels crawl on me, and have several times had a jake walk right up to me within arm's length. If immobile, no apparent detection. Once movement is detected, game over.

Does HECS block human electromagnetic energy? Seems very plausible. Does it matter in most hunting situations? Not in my experience.

 

[md7]

I won’t say the the suit won’t block human based energy. I’m just saying that a few days ago 5 does walked past about 20 yards away while I was wearing Levi’s and a carhart hoody.

My Christmas Eve buck was killed wearing insulated coveralls.

Wind, scent, and noise make a bigger difference in my opinion.

 

[Meeks36]

Uh I hunt in carhart overalls and a flannel shirt. When It gets colder then ill wear a thick jacket and thermals. Sounds like some cow dung to me. Oh and for scent control. I roll around in leaves and put some in my pockets. Worked for my grandpa and his daddy.

 

[buck460XVR]

Marketing at it's finest...smell and noise is all that matters. Get winded or crack a limb and your busted...

Well.......there's a little thing called "movement" that usually gets you busted with turkeys and deer. According to the "Hecs" guy, somehow, blocking your electrical impulses makes you invisible too.

Kinda where I lost interest.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Having been in bludgeoning distance from deer, elk, antelope, hogs and other game on occasion. And with no cammo on or magical electro magnetic shielding. I’d have to say wind and stillness trump electromagnetic shielding every time.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I absolutely understand noise and especially smell (playing the wind) would be the most important.

As I'm on a budget and hogs are a priority (often at night) perhaps I will wait on the HECS and play the wind. I also have ground blinds so this would only be valid stalking. .

So I'd recommend that you do spend some money..., but buy a book titled "The Still-Hunter" by Theodore S. Van Dyke. It was published in 1904..., no cammo clothing for hunters, no cover scents, using only open, iron sights, and he was using a rifle cartridge [.44-40 Winchester] which meant he had to get in "close" to the deer. The only special item he had was he was in Southern California, so he could wear moccasins to help him avoid making noise as he could feel twigs and avoid them beneath his feet. He was such a good hunter, Teddy Roosevelt hired him to guide Teddy on some of his hunts....and Teddy Roosevelt was no slouch when it came to hunting himself, so.....

I had a devil of a time when going for deer, but I read the book, and learned about the wind, and now I can get quite close. As I'm using a flintlock I too MUST get close.

SURE he was hunting deer, and you're talkin' about feral hogs..., and I think in some ways, hogs are smarter than deer, BUT..., it's the same movement skills for the woods, and it can't hurt your woods abilities if you read it and learn from it, eh?

LD

 

[Kevinq6]

So I'd recommend that you do spend some money..., but buy a book titled "The Still-Hunter" by Theodore S. Van Dyke. It was published in 1904..., no cammo clothing for hunters, no cover scents, using only open, iron sights, and he was using a rifle cartridge [.44-40 Winchester] which meant he had to get in "close" to the deer. The only special item he had was he was in Southern California, so he could wear moccasins to help him avoid making noise as he could feel twigs and avoid them beneath his feet. He was such a good hunter, Teddy Roosevelt hired him to guide Teddy on some of his hunts....and Teddy Roosevelt was no slouch when it came to hunting himself, so.....

I had a devil of a time when going for deer, but I read the book, and learned about the wind, and now I can get quite close. As I'm using a flintlock I too MUST get close.

SURE he was hunting deer, and you're talkin' about feral hogs..., and I think in some ways, hogs are smarter than deer, BUT..., it's the same movement skills for the woods, and it can't hurt your woods abilities if you read it and learn from it, eh?

LD

Awesome, I just ordered it on Amazon! Thanks.

 

[gspn]

I see mixed opinions on the web but it seems most people who review it who appear to have tested say it gets them much closer to animals. The reviews seem to come from a fairly diverse group of hunters and industry professionals so it seems unlikely the company could be paying them off. However, since I know there are experienced hunters here I wanted to see what you guys thought before I bought some.

Have you used HECS and if yes did it seem you could get closer to animals?

I hunt deer/turkeys/rabbits/coyotes but my main animal I'd want to hide for would be wild pigs when I'm stalking them with a 10mm or longbow.

I've been close enough to grab hair off deer many times. I was not using anything special. By being quiet, moving slowly, being still, and using the wind (things you'll have to do no matter what type of clothing you wear) you'll be surprised how close you can get. You can literally have them walk by two feet away. There are no shortcuts. They will teach you the fieldcraft you need. The best thing you can spend is "time in the woods", not money. Your prey will educate you, all you have to do is keep going to school.

 

[Patocazador]

Another gimmick designed to catch deer hunters rather than deer IMO.

 

[natman]

I once had a squirrel jump off a tree trunk onto my hat. I once had a deer sniff my jacket. I once had a turkey hen stand so close I could have kicked her, but I decided she was doing a better job of sounding like a lonely hen than I ever could, so I let her be.

All this was with conventional camo with a few plastic leaves on my vest and hat for a 3D effect, no Faraday cage. I was thinking of getting a 3D effect leafy suit, but after the hen incident I decided that I was sufficiently camouflaged.

 

[derek45]

skeptic

I like to handgun hunt midwestern deer.

I tend to wear insulated bibs from Rural King, fleece, poly thermals, and sometimes my old woodland cammo field jacket.

Many times, I have killed deer at "across the living room" distances

coyotes are smarter and harder to fool, but I use a rifle for those.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I generally use some variation of this for my camo. Specifically in this photo I am wearing Olive 5.11 pants and a Henley collar sweater in a tannish brown shade and a brown Stormy Kromer hat. This is beneficial since this is the type of clothing I wear daily when I’m not at work.

Warmer weather would be a similarly drab colored long sleeve fishing shirt and a headband made out of that Under Armour style fabric.

Sometimes I wear surplus BDU pants but mostly for their lack of expense and other features. The fact they are camo is a happy bonus.

This wear is what I use for all hunting activities including turkey and traditional bow hunting. I am satisfied with my results.

 

[buck460XVR]

If the claims of game animals using "electrical impulses" to identify danger are true, how would ordinary camo or even sitting very still work? How would they even get close to or jump over an electric fence? How is it it that over the years I've had way too many encounters to remember, where a deer or a turkey stared me down after noticing me, a mere single digit number of yards away, only to have them relax and go back to what they were doing? How could they not notice all that electromagnetic radiation escaping when my heart was beating 200 beats a minute and I was shaking like a leaf?

Speaking of electric fences.....what happens if you brush up against a electric fence while wearing a HECs suit? Do you light up like a Christmas Tree?

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Speaking of electric fences.....what happens if you brush up against a electric fence while wearing a HECs suit? Do you light up like a Christmas Tree?

https://tenor.com/view/beaker-electricuted-gif-9589484

LD

 

[9x56MS]

So I'd recommend that you do spend some money..., but buy a book titled "The Still-Hunter" by Theodore S. Van Dyke. It was published in 1904..., no cammo clothing for hunters, no cover scents, using only open, iron sights, and he was using a rifle cartridge [.44-40 Winchester] which meant he had to get in "close" to the deer. The only special item he had was he was in Southern California, so he could wear moccasins to help him avoid making noise as he could feel twigs and avoid them beneath his feet. He was such a good hunter, Teddy Roosevelt hired him to guide Teddy on some of his hunts....and Teddy Roosevelt was no slouch when it came to hunting himself, so.....

I had a devil of a time when going for deer, but I read the book, and learned about the wind, and now I can get quite close. As I'm using a flintlock I too MUST get close.

SURE he was hunting deer, and you're talkin' about feral hogs..., and I think in some ways, hogs are smarter than deer, BUT..., it's the same movement skills for the woods, and it can't hurt your woods abilities if you read it and learn from it, eh?

LD

There are few things that have made me a better hunter than Van Dykes book. I was a still hunter before I bought it, but it made me a better still hunter. The one single thing I have done that allows me to get closer and remain undetected was when I used sewing thread to tie a breast feather from a partridge to my rifle which helps me keep track of the wind. Seems to me that is a lot cheaper than a hecs suit.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

There are few things that have made me a better hunter than Van Dykes book. I was a still hunter before I bought it, but it made me a better still hunter. The one single thing I have done that allows me to get closer and remain undetected was when I used sewing thread to tie a breast feather from a partridge to my rifle which helps me keep track of the wind. Seems to me that is a lot cheaper than a hecs suit.

SAME HERE my brother.
I put a piece of red sewing thread around the base of the front sight post on my flintlock, as I must get pretty close. After a time I've found I can identify which direction the wind blows when very little is moving, and before I had no clue.

That, AND how to walk and when to step I also learned from the book, the difference in what I was able to do was like throwing on a light in a dark room. At first I thought it was dumb, beginner's luck, but nope, the guy knew his stuff!

LD

 

[Barbaroja]

Got curious about the book and found it free online.
https://books.google.com/books/abou..._read_button&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&gboemv=1

 

[9x56MS]

You wouldn’t think a book written 120 years ago would still be relevant but the deer haven’t changed any in 100 years. We have changed their environment but they still behave in the same manners.