Western camo patterns

[charliebravo77]

I can't even imagine how many deer and elk have fallen to someone wearing jeans and a t-shirt. I always chuckle when I see those guys on tv wearing camo under a blaze orange vest and hat, what's the point besides hawking the sponsor's camo brand.

In the case of Sitka/Kuiu/First Lite/other high end brands, the fabrics and clothing themselves are highly technical and would be well suited to hunting in regardless of what color or pattern they are. DWR breathable finishes, merino wool, Primaloft and other insulation, and engineered synthetic fabrics that dry lightening fast are exactly what you want to be wearing in the field for extended periods. I don't know about you, but I'm not particularly interested in being caught in a rainstorm that soaks through jeans and a t-shirt which can take hours to dry out versus a pair of First Lite or Sitka pants and shirt that are dry in a time frame measured in minutes.

As for the patterns being useful or not, why not take every advantage you can get? At least for me, living in IL if I want to hunt pronghorn, mule deer, elk, or any other western game it's a minimum time commitment of 4 days for just a single day of actual 'hunting', half of which is driving, so every extra minute I am able to be in the field whether it's because I am dry and warm, or because I am well concealed is worth spending the extra money and 'giving in' to the industry's marketing whether the latest patterns are better at fooling game or fooling humans.

 

[b0nes]

I'm suprised no-one mentioned kryptek camo. Their desert patterns are hands down the best western pattern IMO. Even in timber it blends with the the ground cover and in the sagebrush you disappear. Ill second the not using color brighteners, deer have a very strong purple lenses in their eye and no yellow lense. That's why people say they see uv, but really I think it probably just looks like it to the deer. You can check it out with a blacklight and see what your camo looks like to deer.

 

[hank4elk]

Personally cotton & jeans are fine for work and everyday wear. It's I what I wear daily. In the truck or back at camp when I take the camo off.

But as stated above ,nothing worse than being wet in cotton,if your away from home,camp,or the truck.

My micro-tex is quick drying, loose fitting,comfortable,flexable, and have lasted me years of hunting.I only wear it when I'm HUNTING.
I wear what ever tone shade blends in with my surroundings,and what ever works
I've had the same old wool mid layer sweater for 30 yrs, same Patagonia fleece pullover mid layer for 25 yrs. Not camo. Same with my wool stuff,pants and plaid shirts,coat.

The sweater my sister sent me at Xmas is nice medium green 1/4 sip.Merino wool with a stupid polo guy on front in red...golf club house toggs....lol.
Jeez sisters,I've never worn golf/sports stuff...but it will be in my hunting bag as option.

As for Boddington hunt deal ,he was probably with a packer/outfitter and crew and had dry clothes in a nearby camp.

 

[JohnCushman]

When I'm archery hunting I'm wither wearing Max 1 or Sitka Open Country. I fount Max 1 from First Light and like the material as well as the Sitka. I also have a First Light mid weight shirt in Max 1 as well for chilly mornings during archery season. I hunt in a lot of sage country and the patterns fit in well. If I hunt during rifle season I usually wear jeans, but I have a set of camo bibs that are too big that are comfy as hell and I like to wear for the extra chest pockets

 

[phutch30]

I like the open patterns like predator or asat. Many of the new camo patterns seem to be designed to attract hunters more so than decieve game. The busy patterns make you look like a dak blob IMO

 

[Rooselk]

Open earth tone plaids work just as well, or often better, than most camo patterns. That said, ASAT or the some of the Predator designs are very effective camo patterns.