Best Camo For Deer Hunting
We’ve all seen those films where a valiant scout tried to fool adversaries’ eyes by dressing like a bush or affixing branches onto the helmet. A walking bush would by no means draw more attention than a regular one, that we know for sure. But if one stays put, such a disguise might turn out to be quite helpful. Do you need to start digging a juniper bush up to prepare for the next hunting trip? If you’ll come up with a creative way to put it on, give it a try. Otherwise, consider more simple but not less reliable options.
People are very creative and strive to make every process as easy as possible. Those two features combined give us an infinite number of possibilities. Our ancestors understood that the ability to be less detectable would immensely increase their hunting results. They tried different methods, from covering themselves in the dirt to making the renowned shrub constructions. We can afford to be less innovative, as everything has already been invented.
Proper hunting clothes combine several features that can assist you on your hunt. Obscuring your outline and blending you in with the surroundings are two of them. Even the best camouflage won’t make you invisible to animals, but, to be honest, nothing will. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to be less detectable. At the end of the day, the closer you can get, the more precise shots you can make. And if you are a bowhunter, you will definitely need to get closer than you might want to. This is where camouflage comes into play.
Types of Hunting Camo
It’s not like there is a single camouflage pattern that can suit you in every situation. We are yet far from clothing that would change its shape and color according to our desire. That’s why it is crucial to understand how many types of camo there are and when they are beneficial.
First of all, forget about any military clothes. You can get them out of your closet in case you have nothing better to wear, but military uniform patterns were not designed to help you hide from animals. People and beasts see colors and shapes differently. It is, therefore, vital to choose the right pattern for the right occasion.
Mimicry Camo
Mimicry is the action of imitating someone or something. Mimicry camouflage imitates the color of your background with elements of the surrounding environment on it. Grass blades, tree bark, tree branches are common patterns. The color of the camo can match oranges of the desert environment, whites of the snow, and dark browns of the timber. This type of camo is seasonal and regional: you’d better not wear waterfowl camo in snowy mountain terrain, and white camo will attract the attention of every single summer forest dweller. It is essential to have several sets of camouflage hunting clothes fit for various terrains and seasons. Unless you prefer a particular one, then you’re good.
Breakup Camo
No hard feeling involved, this is not the apparel you put an end to your last relationships in. Breakup camouflage helps you blend in with the environment by breaking up your outline. Some animals have poor color vision but are extremely good at discerning silhouettes, our beloved deer included. Instead of using elements of the environment, breakup camo utilizes colors and shapes to help you stay hidden. This is the best pattern for deer hunting camo.
Will Blaze Orange apparel attract deer’s attention?
It’s not only about increasing your chances of a fruitful hunt, it’s also about safety. Most states require hunters to have something of safety orange color put on, from a small area of coverage to a whole item. Unfortunately, not all hunters make sure that the target they are shooting is actually an animal. For some, a mere movement in bushes is enough to take a shot. Such cases are not unheard of, and to prevent them, people came up with a bright fluorescent decision. It’s relieving to know that you have fewer chances of being shot, but what’s the point if your blaze orange jacket screams ‘I am here’ to every creature with eyes? Luckily for us, these screams are heard differently by different animals. Waterfowl and turkeys will immediately spot an out-of-place orange spot, but you are not here for our feathered friends, are you? Deer lack good color vision, so what is a fluorescent orange to us is some shade of grey among another grey to them. A spot of bright orange won’t spoil your deer hunting camouflage. Good for us, you might think. The thing is, if some grey spot makes a sudden movement, this grey spot is busted. With deer, it’s not the color that can give you away. It’s your movement.
That does not mean that camouflage no longer matters. Deer can see blue very well, so wearing jeans is like shouting through a megaphone. If you put on monotonous clothing of any bright color, you will still appear as a big single-shade-of-grey spot that stands out. Breaking your outline by camo patterns increases your chances of not being spotted by a deer. What increases them even further is controlling the way you move.
Why is it an issue? Deer’s eyes are built differently than ours or even predators’, and they are set further apart, which worsens their binocular vision. They also have lower visual acuity, which means their ability to focus on the object and see it more clearly is decreased. But if things were that easy, deer would have no chance to survive as a species. To make up for all those disadvantages, nature granted deer the ability to scan a wide field of view all at once. They also have exceptional low-light vision, so don’t think that the veil of the night can hide you from their sight. If you are standing some 80 yards away from a deer, and it looks directly at you, it will have a hard time noticing you if you are not moving. If it doesn’t look at you, you are probably already seen, even if not clearly. But any sudden movement will be immediately noticed and probably taken into consideration. Move ever so slightly if you want to remain a poorly seen blob of grey.
To sum it up, every prey needs its own camouflage. Breakup pattern is the best deer hunting camo out there. Even the best hunting clothing won’t cover up your movement, but it can give you more room to maneuver. The situation is almost the same as with T-rex, only that you are in no danger. And you are not the one who will run.
