1st/2nd season camo

[171farm]

What is he best pattern for 1st or 2nd season camo in Colorado. I know guys go in jeans and flannels but if you want to blend in a little more what would you guys suggest ad the best pattern?

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I guess it doesn't make any difference.....at least as far as Colorado Dept of Wildlife! Big game animals can't see colors, that's why the rifle & M/L hunters have to wear orange, at least that's what they told me!

 

[NDHunter]

Camo patterns are incredibly overrated in my opinion. The quality of your clothing is far more important.

 

[JimP]

I have killed more animals with both archery and muzzle loader while wearing jeans and a flannel shirt than I have with any cammo out there. Camo is really over rated and the makers of the clothing just use it to get more money from you.

But since you mentioned 1st and 2nd seasons I will surmise that you are hunting with a rifle in which case it really doesn't matter since you have to wear 500 square inches of hunter orange on your body and hat or beanie of some kind on your head that is orange.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

My previous comment was meant with a little "tongue in cheek", but the sad truth is exactly what JimP said. I don't want to highjack the thread, but I could go on about hunter orange and why we really have to wear it.

 

[Mountain10mm]

I'm sure other hunters have more experience than me, but in the decade or so I've been hunting elk and the 3.5 decades of deer, I swear they can see orange. That being said I've also taken deer in jeans and a blue hoodie at 35 yards. I'm not sure the camo pattern matters, but my experience indicates orange absolutely does. I don't think the orange scares them per se, but it just seems their eyes lock onto my position much sooner than if I am wearing camo. For example, I can sit at the edge of a field on the ground with a tree and shrubs at my back during bow season in full camo and not be noticed by feeding deer if I don't move. The same position with an orange jacket on and they will lock onto my position guaranteed and likely spook - just from looking at me while I sit motionless.

 

[Mountain10mm]

double post.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I'm sure other hunters have more experience than me, but in the decade or so I've been hunting elk and the 3.5 decades of deer, I swear they can see orange. That being said I've also taken deer in jeans and a blue hoodie at 35 yards. I'm not sure the camo pattern matters, but my experience indicates orange absolutely does. I don't think the orange scares them per se, but it just seems their eyes lock onto my position much sooner than if I am wearing camo. For example, I can sit at the edge of a field on the ground with a tree and shrubs at my back during bow season in full camo and not be noticed by feeding deer if I don't move. The same position with an orange jacket on and they will lock onto my position guaranteed and likely spook - just from looking at me while I sit motionless.

I believe you are 100% correct! The biologists say that the orange appears as white. I do believe that in areas that have a lot of hunters, the animals get educated real quick. If a small group of deer or elk are looking at a hunter wearing orange and they get shot at, I'm sure their memory get imprinted.

 

[wy-tex]

Max-1 XT or cabelas western. Sage patterns work well as does mountain mimicry. Quiet clothing is more important.

 

[JimP]

I still need to ask why do you need to worry about camo during a rifle hunt where you are required to wear that 500 sq inches of orange?

As for what elk and deer see, I have been within 5' of elk while wearing orange but sitting as still as a rock. I have also had them see me at 100 yards while wearing camo but I was moving or doing something unnatural to them that drew their attention.

 

[Alabama]

Just buy a HECS suit and you can kill em with a knife.

 

[mnhoundman]

Just buy a HECS suit and you can kill em with a knife.

Hahaha, I was waiting for this!!!

 

[tim]

I killed an elk one time in: dress shoes, slacks, dress shirt and nice coat. The dress shoes where the quietest shoes I have ever stalked with. strictly an opportunity kill on a nice meat bull. made it back to my office in time for my meeting and than had a late night.

 

[Bowhunter_60]

I have killed more animals with both archery and muzzle loader while wearing jeans and a flannel shirt than I have with any cammo out there. Camo is really over rated and the makers of the clothing just use it to get more money from you.

But since you mentioned 1st and 2nd seasons I will surmise that you are hunting with a rifle in which case it really doesn't matter since you have to wear 500 square inches of hunter orange on your body and hat or beanie of some kind on your head that is orange.

YES! Well said!

 

[Mountain10mm]

I still need to ask why do you need to worry about camo during a rifle hunt where you are required to wear that 500 sq inches of orange?

As for what elk and deer see, I have been within 5' of elk while wearing orange but sitting as still as a rock. I have also had them see me at 100 yards while wearing camo but I was moving or doing something unnatural to them that drew their attention.

Jim,
Two reasons I wear camo during rifle season. First, my best hunting clothes are camo. These are hunting specific pants, jackets, and shirts made by KUIU, Sitka, and Cabelas for me. Second, I figure the less I have to make my self visible to an animal, the better. Plus the law says I have to wear 500 square inches of orange, the law does not limit me from hiding behind a bush or rock or other object to help hide that orange...and the less orange I have to hide the better.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

What doesn't make sense to me is that M/L hunters (here in Colorado) have to wear orange during their season which is also during archery season where the archery folks wear camo. Is this so the M/L hunter won't see them? LOL You have a mix of hunting types in this time frame and it just doesn't seem to be a good reason why one groups has to wear orange and the other doesn't. The reason for orange (at least in my view) is so the gun hunter can see each other (or maybe the Wardens can see them better!!) and hunt safer. If this is the major reason for orange, then sounds like the archery hunters should wear orange at that time to.

Really crazy rules that seem to have no real reason for their imposition.

 

[Slugz]

What doesn't make sense to me is that M/L hunters (here in Colorado) have to wear orange during their season which is also during archery season where the archery folks wear camo. Is this so the M/L hunter won't see them? LOL You have a mix of hunting types in this time frame and it just doesn't seem to be a good reason why one groups has to wear orange and the other doesn't. The reason for orange (at least in my view) is so the gun hunter can see each other (or maybe the Wardens can see them better!!) and hunt safer. If this is the major reason for orange, then sounds like the archery hunters should wear orange at that time to.

Really crazy rules that seem to have no real reason for their imposition.

Would agree.

 

[JimP]

What doesn't make sense to me is that M/L hunters (here in Colorado) have to wear orange during their season which is also during archery season where the archery folks wear camo. Is this so the M/L hunter won't see them? LOL You have a mix of hunting types in this time frame and it just doesn't seem to be a good reason why one groups has to wear orange and the other doesn't. The reason for orange (at least in my view) is so the gun hunter can see each other (or maybe the Wardens can see them better!!) and hunt safer. If this is the major reason for orange, then sounds like the archery hunters should wear orange at that time to.

Really crazy rules that seem to have no real reason for their imposition.

I have been saying that for years and whenever I ask someone from the Parks and Wildlife all they do is say that the muzzle loader is considered a rifle and all rifle hunters need to wear orange.

 

[Camelcluch]

Camo isn't all that necessary but if you like them, go for it. ASAT, both Kuiu patterns, Predator Fall Gray and Optifade all do well in Colorado. Maybe the new fusion too but I haven't see it out yet. I like to mix the patterns too.