The Camo Craze

geospatial_junkie

I guess this applies to hunters as well as wildlife photographers, but why all the camo. Its amazing how much people will pay for getups that will do nothing more than broken browns and/or greens.

Nothing shouts... "I'm a tourist" more than the photographer in their Cabela's/Bass Pro outfits.

I work for a fish and wildlife biological firm and we always have a good laugh at this kind of stuff. This is the reason we don't see most wildlife biologists out in the field dressed to the "9"s in mossy oak (or whatever camo type you prefer). Certain colours out in the field are a no-no, but your success rate will be the same when wearing broken clothing (as long as they are natural). Knowing your target's biological habits, habitat and how to approach is more important than the "outfit."

This rant originated after being in a well-known photography store and getting "told" by the "pro" than camo is really needed for wildlife shooting and I should consider the camo stuff they had for photography. I politely explained to him that this is NOT the case (rare cases in exception), and that the proper clothing will break patterns up. I did not tell him what my job was, nor did I tell him that he was full of BS... but I wanted to.

Now, camo tape IS useful on long lenses as the constant black or white (canon users) will stick out like a sore thumb. Items such as blinds and stands are also a different story and have their place.

I can speak for Central Ontario experience. Birds respond to movement more than anything else. Turkeys can be much more skittish and do require natural colours. Moose don't seem to care as long as you minimize movements (slow) and noises. Deer will spook with any kind of wrong movement or scent.

Now, I'm sure there are peope here that don't want to hear that they paid $500.00 for a complete camo getup and didn't really get anything they couldn't have gotten for free. Sorry! If you have the money to burn and want to look the part, hats off to you then.

Phew... I'm glad I got that off my chest.

kdog

You mean I camo'd my Jeep for nothing? :cry

Tim Kamppinen

geospatial_junkie wrote:

Certain colours out in the field are a no-no, but your success rate will be the same when wearing broken clothing (as long as they are natural).

I'm not sure what you mean by "broken clothing," could you clarify? For now I'll assume you mean clothing with a broken pattern or design, not necessarily camouflage. If that's the case, I don't actually own a lot of clothing like that that I would want to wear out in the wilderness, so some cheap camo getup would be practical for me. What always amused me was the outrageously overpriced realtree/mossy oak/whatever gear that people shell out the bucks for, when as far as I can tell a $40 set of woodland camo BDU's would work just as well and probably be more durable and multi-purpose. I'm not a wildlife photographer, btw; this is mostly coming from the hunting side of the subject.

geospatial_junkie

Tim Kamppinen wrote:

I'm not sure what you mean by "broken clothing," could you clarify? For now I'll assume you mean clothing with a broken pattern or design, not necessarily camouflage. If that's the case, I don't actually own a lot of clothing like that that I would want to wear out in the wilderness, so some cheap camo getup would be practical for me. What always amused me was the outrageously overpriced realtree/mossy oak/whatever gear that people shell out the bucks for, when as far as I can tell a $40 set of woodland camo BDU's would work just as well and probably be more durable and multi-purpose. I'm not a wildlife photographer, btw; this is mostly coming from the hunting side of the subject.

Tim, I'm talking about those who go all out... I mean paint their faces, gloves, socks (yup socks), etc... Broken clothes basically means that you don't walk out into the field playing for the red team (i.e. red shirt, red shoes, red hat, red pants, etc...). Having a brown sweater on with blue work jeans or even dickies will usually suffice. I usually wear a checkered work shirt and a pair of work dickies. Different patterns=same as camo in most cases.

My main beef is with people that actually believe it helps. If you are purchasing it because it is more durable or cheaper than using clothes you already have then thats another issue and one that is absolutely reasonable.

Movement is the number one thing most of our wildlife notice (especially birds). Slow deliberate movements with long pauses and a lot of patience is the thing that really works.

geospatial_junkie

Cool jeep kdog!

jdryan3

geospatial_junkie wrote:

If you are purchasing it because it is more durable or cheaper than using clothes you already have then thats another issue and one that is absolutely reasonable.

Now that I am less of a fat a** than a couple years ago, I really like the cut of fatigues. Especially hips/waist when I am wearing Think Tank or other waist gear. My beef is it is all gray cubes (urban camo), brown/green camo (kdogs jeep), or ninja black.


:lol

Art Scott

from my own experience with the wildlife here in Ks,Mo, Ar and Ok.....clothing color seems to have very little to do with it...as I have hunted and been successful many times wearing blaze orange from head to waist.....however I do make sure to use a clothes wash that is as pure a soap as I can find and sometimes even treat my clothing with a UV inhibitor and used to test it under a blk light......but the main thing I have found is smell.....a whitetail deer and smell you long before you ever see them and I love to watch these guys/gals in the local Gander Mtn, Sportsmans Warehouse, Dicks Sports, Sports Authority and so on buying many hundreds of dollars of Scent Blocker and Scent Lock clothing......I even had one guy ask me how i have deer walk up to me and blow mucus and push me around in the woods....how I get that close bow hunting......simply I told him...start 2 months prior to the season and start taking alfalfa tablets or gels caps 3 times the recommended dosage for 2 wks and then cut back to the recommended dosage.....bathe with a non scented soap (a pure soap like castile)...wash clothes with non scented soaps and rinse with baking soda......morning of hunt brush teeth and rinse mouth with baking soda....baking soda is a natural deoderizer and with it on you skin and in your clothes the wildlife will only smell the alfalfa that sweats out.......
A lot of Europeans drink various strengths of soda water on a regular basis and that is why deoderents do not sell there like here....they internally deoderize themselves and some don't at all, just like here:D

But when I can buy a pair of wrangler camo or upland hunting pants for 80% less than a pair of denim wranglers....color me camoedD:D

and yes I own several pair of camo pants and shirts..even button down collared ones....did forget the camo tie tho..............

KD5NRH

Due to poaching issues on our land, most of my camo is to avoid being seen by humans. I've stalked to within rock-throwing distance of deer in regular street clothes, and spooked them from 100 yards in full camo.

As for the cameras and the rifles, I generally don't do much; an extra headnet over the camera while moving, and dull finishes on most of my rifles are about the extent of my preparation there. If I get around to doing a handgun hunt this year I may use the headnet trick to hide the gun, too. When I'm stationary or slow-stalking I use natural concealment as much as possible.