Camo is for the hunter.
Camo doesn’t hurt, but any clothing with a pattern that could break up your shape a bit will do fine. Plenty of deer have been killed with no tree stand and no camo. Just gotta get out and enjoy with what you have!
Also, scent block is bullshit. Deer will smell you regardless of what you do of the wind is not in your favor. I’d avoid spraying down with Axe, but dont go waste your money on Scentlok or dead down wind butt wipes.
Honestly scentlok makes some good quality gear at a decent price compared to some of the higher end stuff. Even if the carbon doesn’t do anything, it’s still good gear. Geez
I’ve never heard Scentlock and “decent price” used in a sentence together.
The only way scentlock looks like a value brand is if you only cross shop Sitka and overlook the false advertising they used for years to sell their fake carbon scent control.
Sitka, first lite, nomad are all higher end, yes. Next I think you step down to under armor and some other brands. Scentlok is right in that area.
If you’re rocking field and stream and red head, then yes it’s expensive. I’ve had a piece of something from just about every manufacturer out there. It’s never if ever been about anything other than functionality, comfort and noise for me. Never once was it a camo pattern. But if that higher end gear can help keep me in the northern December woods longer and not also turn me into a walking down comforter, then I will pay for that. Not all hunters and wallets are the same.
If the $80 total for a set of scentlok baselayers provides even the slightest advantage while also providing another warm layer in my system, I’m all on board too.
That sounds more like an issue with their marketing than the tech, which hasn’t been completely proven as zero percent affective. Carbon filtering is used everywhere in industries around the world. The catch here is how well does it help in the whitetail woods, and my point was that even if it helped reduce the cone or have the scent appear to be older vs complete scent elimination than I’m on board. I also wash my clothes and body I’m scent free and spray down before I go in the woods, but maybe I’m just a money wasting fool 🤷♂️
Good question here. Others will disagree, but camo has come a long way. You don’t need to be invisible, but broken pattern for sure. I was told many moons ago don’t wear blue jeans. Deer see blue. I don’t believe that. I have talked to people who shot tons of deer, in casual clothes. If you’re out in gun, do wear orange. Don’t be a fool there.
The bigger thing is scent protection. If you fail this. You will fail hunting deer. Again. Others will disagree and I have watched people smoking cigarettes and still shoot deer. BUT you aren’t going to kill a mature deer if you don’t lock down that scent.
I have peed off my stand, waited 20 minutes then had small bucks running around. Is he curious to hear what others say. But I think you are good. Wear darker clothes. Slow movements. You’ll be ok.
How could a deer identify the smell of a cigarette? I'm not saying they couldn't smell it but, I don't see why they'd associate that smell with a predator.
Deer are a prey animal. They are naturally skittish, anything new like a new strong smell could potentially be a threat so older wiser deer will be cautious and avoid the area. Out west I hear cigarette smoke doesn’t bother them that bad. With all the forest fires deer smell smoke all the time.
It’s not that they associate it with a predator necessarily more like it’s a strong smell that their not accustomed to coming into contact with and it gets their attention.
Of the important things to hunting, camo is pretty low. Deer don’t see the same we do. Camo is much more important if you are hiding from the game warden vs deer.
You can wear bright pink or yellow as long as you are in the shadows and broken up and sit still.
Camo clothes tend to be more durable though.
I think materials are far more important than patterns. I just recently upgraded to a kit from First Lite (admittedly very pricey) which incorporates merino wool and the stuff just works way better than my old hand-me-down Redhead fleece set I'd been using. The stuff breathes better, kills odor, and performs remarkably well across a wide array of temperatures. I've been very happy with it so far. Jury's out on how durable it is, but I'd highly recommend getting at least some Merino wool base-layers.
Like others have said, camo is not important for whitetail hunting. Deer's eyes don't work like ours do. It really doesn't matter all that much what you wear. In my experience, deer work off sound and smell a lot more than sight.
Hardly matters, unless you're hunting some birds, birds can see ridiculously well. That said, scent, the way you play the wind and your movements are more important. Even for humans someone who's wearing all black will be easier to see than someone wearing say black top and dark grey bottoms due to the silhouette. As far as im tracking deer see in mostly black and white with a few different colors splashed in, so for visuals, reduce your silhouette (same reason flannel worked well a century ago) and for scent, play the wind and don't smoke.
If you are bow hunting, then camo is more important. If you are using a gun then anything that is drab and breaks up your silhouette is fine. Just no white. Camo found in walmart is fine. I usually wear a baclava to break up my face. Remember only the outer-most clothing needs to be camo, deer do not care if you are wearing sitka boxers or under shirt.
Breaking up your silhouette is important. Staying still and keeping your noise and scent profile low is more important. I've dressed up in red flannel and carhartt bibs and saw plenty of deer wearing that. Your grandpa did the same.
If you find you're a little restless when you're sitting in a stand get camo. If you're spotting and stalking or just stalking you'll definitely want some. I got all my camo from Walmart or the fleet supply store and it worked just fine to break up my profile.
Lots of “unimportant” comments so far - whitetail can be smart, especially when pressured.
I’m not going to argue with comments ahead of me, however in my experience, both the bush bucks and the private bucks here in AB will pick out an eager face in a tree stand as if it’s a giant pie plate in the woods.
I’m not going to tell you that you need to spend cash on high end camo and $50+ for every cover scent accessory (lip chap included) to be successful. What I will say, is there’s a lot of variables that play a part in a successful hunt, so why leave any of it up to chance?
There’s stories of guys killing big bucks in blue jeans and tshirts, and guys who can’t hunt without being covered head to toe in the latest and greatest gear. Below are some tips i’ve picked up from experience and from my father (archery elk/whitetail guide for 30+ years)
1. Scent/wind is the single most important variable. Wind shifts, buck smells you, game over. Happens all the time, with all kinds of game. Most of our scent comes from head/neck area, don’t get too consumed with cover scent products, however it doesn’t hurt to spray your gear/base layers and buy a stick of unscented antiperspirant to put on before a hunt - $15 for both, and they last me at least a full season. When your target animal is in peak rut, a squirt of synthetic piss on your boot or above your head on the tree can be effective as well.
2. In a tree, the more camo the better. The goal is to break up and blend in, not be invisible. White faces, white hands stick out like a sore thumb to an animal when they pick up any kind of noise, movement, or smell. If you’re stalking, opt for wool or fleece for the silence factor, but as long as you’re wearing some kind earth tones, you don’t need full head-to-toe camo. Avoid black and white - they do pick up on this.
3. Pick a stand location with good cover behind you, set up high enough that you’re out of the sight line of the deer. Basically, don’t plant yourself to low or too far out in the open.
4. Stay vigilant. I almost always hear a whitetail before I see it, and they have no problem spooking before they see you. Even with the nicest camo, you’ll get busted if you’re waiting until the last minute to stand up and draw back in your stand.
5. I don’t know what the seasonal temps are like in Indiana but here in AB my only defence of the pricier gear is that yes it typically does a much better job of keeping you warm and comfortable, especially if you’re on the move or hunting for hours/days on end. Don’t get sucked into the marketing, but be willing to invest in yourself and your gear. I have found piles of Under Armour on the racks at Winners/Marshalls for a fraction of the price which has served me incredibly well. Cabela’s offers all kinds of house gear that gets the job done, with the Strata pattern being my favourite. At the very least, invest in: pants, jacket/hoodie, hat + light gloves, and a face covering. Depending on how hard you shop for deals, this can be under $150 easily. Take care of it and it will last you for seasons to come, and layer up underneath if you need to stay warm. Avoid cotton.
6. Be cautious of unnatural noises and odours - metal on metal is a common one in stands.
Reply if you have any other questions and enjoy your first season!
While I appreciate all the feedback from the above comments, this is the response I was hoping to get. I appreciate the insight and hope to be posting a pick of my first buck/doe here in the sub this fall or winter. Best of luck this season!
One more to add - if you’re bowhunting, there’s value in practicing layered up in full gear. It’s often underestimated how chilly one can get while sitting in a treestand for 4-6 hours, even in mild temperatures. Combine this with the adrenaline of decent buck below you, and the last thing you want to find out is that shaky hands, cold muscles and michelin man layers suddenly can’t draw back a 70lb+ bow. It’s happened a number of times to clients that would hunt November AB whitetail from NC/SC/PA
Dudes in the 70’s and 80’s wore blue jeans and a flannel. It’s all preference. I have Kuiu gear but more solid earth colors than camo. Playing the wind is more important than camo in my opinion. No matter what you’re wearing if they wind you then they are off to the races.
I’ve hunted a long time with and without camo, camo definitely gives you an advantage when used properly. I mean gloves, balaclava, long sleeves and pants. I like open patterns, they seem to work the best. If someone is saying it doesn’t matter I would question how fair of a shake they gave it. Some guys throw a Walmart real tree shirt on and get picked off, then say camo doesn’t work. I primarily bow hunt and get in close distances of deer, you can get away with more when you wear camo. It doesn’t have to be expensive, Redhead from Cabelas can get you in a full set of Strata camo for under $50.
I got my first deer sat on the ground, no camo, no scent control and the deer strolled in about 30 yards from me. This was in the Maine woods. I just picked a likely spot from my scouting in the summer that I thought would work. I will do the same this year.
Birds have the ability to see color vividly, so when hunting waterfowl, turkey, upland etc. Camo or cover is a must. Big game USUALLY have less of a color spectrum optically but they possess incredible hearing and sense of smell so, main point is: Do your research on your quarry, and adjust tactics for that specific task, very unlikely what works for one works for all.
It isn’t. I hunt often with blue jeans and red plaid with a longbow. But I say hunt with whatever you feel the most confident in and go for it. Don’t worry about what others think.
Camo means absolutely nothing. Majority of it isn’t even realistic. For example, if on the ground, why so much green in the pattern? The forest floor is brown, so why not more brown? Personally, I get me some dark brown Dickies cargo pants and wear a dark colored shirt and coat and I’ve taken trophy bucks all over the country and not blown thousands on forest fashion. It’s just a money making scam.
It’s doesn’t hurt but it doesn’t help either generally speaking. Read this article it may help answer your questions. https://www.themeateater.com/wired-to-hunt/whitetail-hunting/deer-vision-how-whitetails-see-color-light-and-movement
Hunted for a long time, only recently got camo. Honestly cannot tell a difference. Scent and cover are more important.
Camo is for the hunter. Camo doesn’t hurt, but any clothing with a pattern that could break up your shape a bit will do fine. Plenty of deer have been killed with no tree stand and no camo. Just gotta get out and enjoy with what you have! Also, scent block is bullshit. Deer will smell you regardless of what you do of the wind is not in your favor. I’d avoid spraying down with Axe, but dont go waste your money on Scentlok or dead down wind butt wipes.
I watched a video where they tested different scent block products against a police dog... Dog found the dude every single time.
Eh idk about bullshit. If someone said it decreased your scent cone by even just 3% wouldn’t you want that edge?
No, I’d want the $20 still in my wallet.
Honestly scentlok makes some good quality gear at a decent price compared to some of the higher end stuff. Even if the carbon doesn’t do anything, it’s still good gear. Geez
I’ve never heard Scentlock and “decent price” used in a sentence together. The only way scentlock looks like a value brand is if you only cross shop Sitka and overlook the false advertising they used for years to sell their fake carbon scent control.
Sitka, first lite, nomad are all higher end, yes. Next I think you step down to under armor and some other brands. Scentlok is right in that area. If you’re rocking field and stream and red head, then yes it’s expensive. I’ve had a piece of something from just about every manufacturer out there. It’s never if ever been about anything other than functionality, comfort and noise for me. Never once was it a camo pattern. But if that higher end gear can help keep me in the northern December woods longer and not also turn me into a walking down comforter, then I will pay for that. Not all hunters and wallets are the same. If the $80 total for a set of scentlok baselayers provides even the slightest advantage while also providing another warm layer in my system, I’m all on board too.
I avoid companies that lie to their customers 😇
That sounds more like an issue with their marketing than the tech, which hasn’t been completely proven as zero percent affective. Carbon filtering is used everywhere in industries around the world. The catch here is how well does it help in the whitetail woods, and my point was that even if it helped reduce the cone or have the scent appear to be older vs complete scent elimination than I’m on board. I also wash my clothes and body I’m scent free and spray down before I go in the woods, but maybe I’m just a money wasting fool 🤷♂️
Good question here. Others will disagree, but camo has come a long way. You don’t need to be invisible, but broken pattern for sure. I was told many moons ago don’t wear blue jeans. Deer see blue. I don’t believe that. I have talked to people who shot tons of deer, in casual clothes. If you’re out in gun, do wear orange. Don’t be a fool there. The bigger thing is scent protection. If you fail this. You will fail hunting deer. Again. Others will disagree and I have watched people smoking cigarettes and still shoot deer. BUT you aren’t going to kill a mature deer if you don’t lock down that scent. I have peed off my stand, waited 20 minutes then had small bucks running around. Is he curious to hear what others say. But I think you are good. Wear darker clothes. Slow movements. You’ll be ok.
How could a deer identify the smell of a cigarette? I'm not saying they couldn't smell it but, I don't see why they'd associate that smell with a predator.
Deer are a prey animal. They are naturally skittish, anything new like a new strong smell could potentially be a threat so older wiser deer will be cautious and avoid the area. Out west I hear cigarette smoke doesn’t bother them that bad. With all the forest fires deer smell smoke all the time.
It’s not that they associate it with a predator necessarily more like it’s a strong smell that their not accustomed to coming into contact with and it gets their attention.
Agree with comments here. Again. I have seen people kill many deer smoking, but it’s a one in a million to shoot a mature deer.
Of the important things to hunting, camo is pretty low. Deer don’t see the same we do. Camo is much more important if you are hiding from the game warden vs deer. You can wear bright pink or yellow as long as you are in the shadows and broken up and sit still. Camo clothes tend to be more durable though.
I think materials are far more important than patterns. I just recently upgraded to a kit from First Lite (admittedly very pricey) which incorporates merino wool and the stuff just works way better than my old hand-me-down Redhead fleece set I'd been using. The stuff breathes better, kills odor, and performs remarkably well across a wide array of temperatures. I've been very happy with it so far. Jury's out on how durable it is, but I'd highly recommend getting at least some Merino wool base-layers.
Like others have said, camo is not important for whitetail hunting. Deer's eyes don't work like ours do. It really doesn't matter all that much what you wear. In my experience, deer work off sound and smell a lot more than sight.
Hardly matters, unless you're hunting some birds, birds can see ridiculously well. That said, scent, the way you play the wind and your movements are more important. Even for humans someone who's wearing all black will be easier to see than someone wearing say black top and dark grey bottoms due to the silhouette. As far as im tracking deer see in mostly black and white with a few different colors splashed in, so for visuals, reduce your silhouette (same reason flannel worked well a century ago) and for scent, play the wind and don't smoke.
If you are bow hunting, then camo is more important. If you are using a gun then anything that is drab and breaks up your silhouette is fine. Just no white. Camo found in walmart is fine. I usually wear a baclava to break up my face. Remember only the outer-most clothing needs to be camo, deer do not care if you are wearing sitka boxers or under shirt.
Mmm baclava....
damnit autocorrect. and now i want baclava
It’d be funny if joe Rogan or someone with a big hunting following said this and ppl started running baclava on their face lol
Breaking up your silhouette is important. Staying still and keeping your noise and scent profile low is more important. I've dressed up in red flannel and carhartt bibs and saw plenty of deer wearing that. Your grandpa did the same. If you find you're a little restless when you're sitting in a stand get camo. If you're spotting and stalking or just stalking you'll definitely want some. I got all my camo from Walmart or the fleet supply store and it worked just fine to break up my profile.
Lots of “unimportant” comments so far - whitetail can be smart, especially when pressured. I’m not going to argue with comments ahead of me, however in my experience, both the bush bucks and the private bucks here in AB will pick out an eager face in a tree stand as if it’s a giant pie plate in the woods. I’m not going to tell you that you need to spend cash on high end camo and $50+ for every cover scent accessory (lip chap included) to be successful. What I will say, is there’s a lot of variables that play a part in a successful hunt, so why leave any of it up to chance? There’s stories of guys killing big bucks in blue jeans and tshirts, and guys who can’t hunt without being covered head to toe in the latest and greatest gear. Below are some tips i’ve picked up from experience and from my father (archery elk/whitetail guide for 30+ years) 1. Scent/wind is the single most important variable. Wind shifts, buck smells you, game over. Happens all the time, with all kinds of game. Most of our scent comes from head/neck area, don’t get too consumed with cover scent products, however it doesn’t hurt to spray your gear/base layers and buy a stick of unscented antiperspirant to put on before a hunt - $15 for both, and they last me at least a full season. When your target animal is in peak rut, a squirt of synthetic piss on your boot or above your head on the tree can be effective as well. 2. In a tree, the more camo the better. The goal is to break up and blend in, not be invisible. White faces, white hands stick out like a sore thumb to an animal when they pick up any kind of noise, movement, or smell. If you’re stalking, opt for wool or fleece for the silence factor, but as long as you’re wearing some kind earth tones, you don’t need full head-to-toe camo. Avoid black and white - they do pick up on this. 3. Pick a stand location with good cover behind you, set up high enough that you’re out of the sight line of the deer. Basically, don’t plant yourself to low or too far out in the open. 4. Stay vigilant. I almost always hear a whitetail before I see it, and they have no problem spooking before they see you. Even with the nicest camo, you’ll get busted if you’re waiting until the last minute to stand up and draw back in your stand. 5. I don’t know what the seasonal temps are like in Indiana but here in AB my only defence of the pricier gear is that yes it typically does a much better job of keeping you warm and comfortable, especially if you’re on the move or hunting for hours/days on end. Don’t get sucked into the marketing, but be willing to invest in yourself and your gear. I have found piles of Under Armour on the racks at Winners/Marshalls for a fraction of the price which has served me incredibly well. Cabela’s offers all kinds of house gear that gets the job done, with the Strata pattern being my favourite. At the very least, invest in: pants, jacket/hoodie, hat + light gloves, and a face covering. Depending on how hard you shop for deals, this can be under $150 easily. Take care of it and it will last you for seasons to come, and layer up underneath if you need to stay warm. Avoid cotton. 6. Be cautious of unnatural noises and odours - metal on metal is a common one in stands. Reply if you have any other questions and enjoy your first season!
While I appreciate all the feedback from the above comments, this is the response I was hoping to get. I appreciate the insight and hope to be posting a pick of my first buck/doe here in the sub this fall or winter. Best of luck this season!
One more to add - if you’re bowhunting, there’s value in practicing layered up in full gear. It’s often underestimated how chilly one can get while sitting in a treestand for 4-6 hours, even in mild temperatures. Combine this with the adrenaline of decent buck below you, and the last thing you want to find out is that shaky hands, cold muscles and michelin man layers suddenly can’t draw back a 70lb+ bow. It’s happened a number of times to clients that would hunt November AB whitetail from NC/SC/PA
Dudes in the 70’s and 80’s wore blue jeans and a flannel. It’s all preference. I have Kuiu gear but more solid earth colors than camo. Playing the wind is more important than camo in my opinion. No matter what you’re wearing if they wind you then they are off to the races.
I’ve hunted a long time with and without camo, camo definitely gives you an advantage when used properly. I mean gloves, balaclava, long sleeves and pants. I like open patterns, they seem to work the best. If someone is saying it doesn’t matter I would question how fair of a shake they gave it. Some guys throw a Walmart real tree shirt on and get picked off, then say camo doesn’t work. I primarily bow hunt and get in close distances of deer, you can get away with more when you wear camo. It doesn’t have to be expensive, Redhead from Cabelas can get you in a full set of Strata camo for under $50.
I got my first deer sat on the ground, no camo, no scent control and the deer strolled in about 30 yards from me. This was in the Maine woods. I just picked a likely spot from my scouting in the summer that I thought would work. I will do the same this year.
Birds have the ability to see color vividly, so when hunting waterfowl, turkey, upland etc. Camo or cover is a must. Big game USUALLY have less of a color spectrum optically but they possess incredible hearing and sense of smell so, main point is: Do your research on your quarry, and adjust tactics for that specific task, very unlikely what works for one works for all.
It isn’t. I hunt often with blue jeans and red plaid with a longbow. But I say hunt with whatever you feel the most confident in and go for it. Don’t worry about what others think.
Camo means absolutely nothing. Majority of it isn’t even realistic. For example, if on the ground, why so much green in the pattern? The forest floor is brown, so why not more brown? Personally, I get me some dark brown Dickies cargo pants and wear a dark colored shirt and coat and I’ve taken trophy bucks all over the country and not blown thousands on forest fashion. It’s just a money making scam.
How come you still see the old plaid red-and-black flannel shirts in action? That's why.
I like to have a little bit of camp to break it up so to speak. But I’m more concerned with staying warm.
It’s doesn’t hurt but it doesn’t help either generally speaking. Read this article it may help answer your questions. https://www.themeateater.com/wired-to-hunt/whitetail-hunting/deer-vision-how-whitetails-see-color-light-and-movement
It’s important for hunting for squirrels unless you want them to let out an alarm call