Just how important is camo to spot-n-stalk western rifle hunting?

[BackofBeyond]

You don’t need it but I like the way it makes my butt look. #lookgoodfeelgood

I mean it lifts and separates!

 

[longbow51]

Friend of mine had great video of African bow hunt, including a leopard charge stopped with shotgun at close range; took it to a TV bowhunting show; great hunt, great shots, and the leopard charge. Sorry, though, your camo doesn't match, so we can't use it.

 

[TX Trophy Hunter]

It’s important to have matching sitka or kuiu pattern so the people at the gas station know you’re legit when you stop to fill up. Not as important as your window stickers though.

 

[vagabond]

I agree with everyone else that it doesn’t matter during gun season. But, for what it’s worth, ungulates have dichromatic vision and see blaze orange as more of a grey. They do however see the color blue incredibly well, so steer clear of any old NWU-1 you find at the military surplus store.

They also are incredibly good at picking up movement of any kind , especially low light! I hunt in cheap surplus clothes, so for me, camo is comfy and I feel it gives me an edge, I know not really, but it works for me! No blue jeans please, is my one rule on color.

 

[WyoDoug]

It’s important to have matching sitka or kuiu pattern so the people at the gas station know you’re legit when you stop to fill up. Not as important as your window stickers though.

LOL half the time I still hunt in blue jeans or tan Carhart coveralls. I have been hunting over 50 years (yeah I am one of those old farts now) and believe it is mostly the odor, unnatural movement and noises that hunters do that spoils their stalk than color patterns.

 

[buffybr]

If you don't wear the latest and greatest camo that matches the vegetation where you are hunting you'll come home with only tag soup. And if you wear blue jeans, the animals will spot you a mile away and they will immediately go to another zip code.

 

[WIbiggame]

Preface: I don't think camo is "super" important or needed. I do wear camo/solid of high end products bc high-end gear is light, dries fast, and warmth to weight ratio is crazy.

With that said I always get a chuckle when "old timers" (no offense bc I am getting there too and will wear that badge with honor when I get there.) Say how many animals they killed in blue jeans and flannel and even post some amazing pictures. It's clear these pictures are from the 80-90s Era, back in the heyday of western hunting. I am sure you could've killed game in anything you wanted to wear at that time.

My dad tells stories of hunting MT elk in the mid 80s early 90s and seeing 40-60 6pt or bigger bulls in a week of public land hunting was the norm and they were a group of WI guys who knew nothing.

So comparing what you or your grandpa wore in the glory days is comparing apples to oranges. Much like the whitetail hunters here in WI who just rifle hunt. Of course flannel and blue jeans or carhart coveralls works great sitting in your heated blind. I mean absolutely no disrespt by my above post just my own opinion on the matter.

Stickers in truck windows is a whole different ball of wax but I agree with @TX Trophy Hunter that the stickers you put in your window are WAY more important to your overall success

 

[trackerbacker]

LOL half the time I still hunt in blue jeans or tan Carhart coveralls. I have been hunting over 50 years (yeah I am one of those old farts now) and believe it is mostly the odor, unnatural movement and noises that hunters do that spoils their stalk than color patterns.

Preface: I don't think camo is "super" important or needed. I do wear camo/solid of high end products bc high-end gear is light, dries fast, and warmth to weight ratio is crazy.

With that said I always get a chuckle when "old timers" (no offense bc I am getting there too and will wear that badge with honor when I get there.) Say how many animals they killed in blue jeans and flannel and even post some amazing pictures. It's clear these pictures are from the 80-90s Era, back in the heyday of western hunting. I am sure you could've killed game in anything you wanted to wear at that time.

My dad tells stories of hunting MT elk in the mid 80s early 90s and seeing 40-60 6pt or bigger bulls in a week of public land hunting was the norm and they were a group of WI guys who knew nothing.

So comparing what you or your grandpa wore in the glory days is comparing apples to oranges. Much like the whitetail hunters here in WI who just rifle hunt. Of course flannel and blue jeans or carhart coveralls works great sitting in your heated blind. I mean absolutely no disrespt by my above post just my own opinion on the matter.

Stickers in truck windows is a whole different ball of wax but I agree with @TX Trophy Hunter that the stickers you put in your window are WAY more important to your overall success

From about 2006/7 till maybe 2013/4, I was a 2 pack a day Marlboro red smoker. I either hunted in jeans, overalls, snowboarding gear or some combination of until maybe 2016 or 2017 ish.

Didn't have tagsoup then, and still haven't had it on WT now. I can count on one hand the amount of WT I've killed lipping a cigarette, all hands and feet the amount of yotes while choochooing away on a red.

This is not blind hunting or hunting from a stand or rifle hunting from 1, 2, 300 yards out. This is spot n stalk, drives, or sits, shotgun hunting eastern to northeastern iowa. Or den hunting.

Take for instance 1/1000s killed yearly:


No camo, no scent blocker, not quiet, not fast moving, disruptive movements.

Animals aren't smart, so stop drinking the urine, wash your damn clothes, and go hunt.

 

[WIbiggame]

@trackerbacker good for you congratulations glad you are able to fill your tags. Hope you continue to find success.

 

[WyoDoug]

If you don't wear the latest and greatest camo that matches the vegetation where you are hunting you'll come home with only tag soup. And if you wear blue jeans, the animals will spot you a mile away and they will immediately go to another zip code.

LOL there is science that shows they see the blue spectrum easier than other. My family has always hunted in blue jeans and I never found my investment in camo or even scent block to improve my hunt skills and I usually tag out on speedgoat and deer.

 

[Neumie]

Maybe Randy will take me on a hunt next year for elk, and I can use blue jeans for part of the trip and high-end, camo and solids for the other part of the trip. Put this issue to rest.