Color/Camo Coding Clothes

[dcamacho13]

Is it a big no-no to mix and match different camo patterns? For example, will it hurt to use a hardwoods bib with a mossy oak jacket? I was wondering if breaking up my silhouette is more important than the actual pattern and color. What of face masks? Does anyone find themselves spooking deer more with their face exposed? Thanks for the help.

[DouglasSpear]

I mismatch my camo all the time. The main goal is to break up the human outline and blend in with your background. In regards to face masks, I wear a hunter camo pattern skull cap and a military style camo bandana around my nose and mouth (like an old western bank robber). I think deer are more likely to smell you before they see you. Anytime you see a deer start stomping their foot and flicking their tail from side to side while looking around with their nose in the air and tongue out, then you are about to be busted. So taking care of your scent will likely prevent them from seeing you as well (if you stay still of course).

[dcamacho13]

Thanks for the info. I am no longer sweating over how to match Mossy Oak/Hardwoods/Real Tree clothing! As for the statement about not letting deer smell me: how often does one wash camo clothes? Could I get away with wearing the same garments for a weekend or would I just be setting myself up for failure? I imagine all the cover scent and scent killer in the world won't stop a raging case of B.O.!

[DouglasSpear]

I imagine all the cover scent and scent killer in the world won't stop a raging case of B.O.!

It really depends on the 3 main factors: 1. how often you hunt 2. how much you sweat 3. what the clothes come in contact with. I typically hunt about 3 days a week total (6 times if you seperate a day of hunting into a morning hunt and an evening hunt). During the early fall when it's still fairly warm, I find myself sweating just walking to and climbing up in the stand (I will tell you what I do to resolve this problem later). So I start off the season washing my clothes and for the first month I usually wash my clothes once a week or every other week. No matter what time of the year it is, I use scent elimination spray on my clothes, boots, and hat on top of washing my clothes. The key to getting rid of human odor from sweating in early fall is to spray your clothes both before and after you walk to your stand. Once it gets later in season, I only wash my hunting clothes once a month (unless they need it from being muddy) and I only apply my scent elimination spray before walking to my stand.

[Bang4bucks]

heres some other good tips i learned over the years. When you wash your clothes, dont use soap or dryer sheets. if you can, get the scent elimation soap to wash them with. Get yourself two thick black garbage bags. Get your self 2-3 hand fulls of dry leaves, grass, sticks, DRY pine needles. put one of the bags inside the other (double layer) and put your clothes along with your leaves, sticks, etc and then tie the bag shut. store your hunting clothes in that same bag (tied shut) after every hunt. Your still going to want to use the scent elimination spray right before you leave and even once you get to the stand but your clothes will actually soak up the "woods" smell from leaves and sticks and will help keep your human scent hidden. I also recomment you wear either rubber boots or boots with rubber soles and boot tips. Keep these boots away from open scent of you house. Ie: but them in a bag of their own. MAKE SURE THEY ARE DRY FIRST!! rubber doesnt soak up scent as bad as leather does so you wont put as much scent on the ground with your feet. another small tip. but your hunting clothes and your boots on outside. Not sure if your married but my wife burns all these smelly good candles in my house and the last thing you want is your gear to smell like bath and body works!!

[DouglasSpear]

Yes, I assumed the odor elimination laundry detergent was what we were talking about...

[Bang4bucks]

i had to mention it! my wife "did me a favor" and washed my hunting clothes for me and used all kinds of soap and fabric softener and was like "LOOK HUNNY!! THEIR SO SOFT AND SMELL GOOD!!" i was like AHHHHHH!!!!!! hahaha

[skipper34]

Camo, especially the new "designer" camo, is made to sell, not to hide you. Most of todays camo, with the exception of very few, are ineffective beyond about 20 yards because they become one solid "blob" beyond that. The only camo that does not do this is Predator, ASAT, and the new Vertigo. Mixing camo colors will have no more or less effect that matching them.

[DouglasSpear]

Camo, especially the new "designer" camo, is made to sell, not to hide you. Most of todays camo, with the exception of very few, are ineffective beyond about 20 yards because they become one solid "blob" beyond that. The only camo that does not do this is Predator, ASAT, and the new Vertigo. Mixing camo colors will have no more or less effect that matching them.

Although you are correct on the fact that deer can't pick out details much past 20 yards, science and research would say you are wrong on a few things, and I'd have to agree. There is nothing different from the "good" camo that you listed compared to "designer" camo that makes them any better besides when or how they are used. Camo, both natural (animals) and manufactured (hunting clothes) are broken down to micropattern and macropattern. Micropattern is the pattern matching the colors and shapes with the background while macropattern breaks up the solid shape of the overall body. The first key is to make sure you are using both micropattern and micropattern and secondly to use light and dark contrasting colors that make sense for the environment around you. For example, if you are hunting from a single tree in the middle of an open area with the sky as your background, then yes, use Vertigo and when hunting in the southwest, wear bushy tan colored grass patterns, etc. Realtree, Mossy Oak, RedHead, etc, all do just as good for their each intended use. Using non-matching macropatterns IS effective and WILL break up the human outline, just like a leopard has a smaller patterned design that is closer to each other at the top front part of their body and bigger and farther apart at the lower back half of their body - it simply helps break up their outline to confuse the prey. But, I think we can all agree that eliminating scent and movement are both the top priority when hunting and washing camo in scent elimination and UV killer really helps acomplish that.

[mxromeo216]

I always mix match my camo. because it breaks up your pattern better, especially when the leaves start to fall, you want a mix of color. Most of the time i wear realtree ap bottoms an realtree hard woods tops then back with the ap hat and mask. It seems to work great i've only been busted by a deer 2 times an it was because i had them from comming all over an no matter which way i moved one was bound to see me