View Full Version : New camouflage pattern
This is a link to an MSNBC report on Optifade. (http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/12/10/1709883.aspx) There is a good YouTube video once you scroll down the page a bit.
Peregrino
12-13-2008, 21:54
Pretty cool technology. Not terribly relevant to my needs though. Personally, I've never had to hide from a deer. To borrow from one of the comments attached to the article: it's pretty easy to get within rifle range of a deer wearing jeans and a T-shirt. (Gods, there were a lot of offended lunatics complaining about that article! :rolleyes:) The "prey" I'm most concerned about sees the world the same way I do and is likely to turn the tables and become the predator if I make the first mistake. I want my camo to fool him.
ASAT and Predetor camo are other old school examples of bold pattern camo.
Camo patters like MOBU were accompanied by a huge marketing push.... now they are more a fashion statement than anything else. IMO, they are designed to look great at the most important distance... the distance between you and the clothing on the rack at the store.
I personally use ASAT as my general, all-purpose hunting camo.
anythingrandom
12-14-2008, 21:50
You mean to say that deer hunting in the Mossy Oak Tundra trucks isn't a certain kill? I don't believe it. Those things are expensive.
I got creative this year and used an old cargo net and some foliage to fashion a ghillie suit to go over my black snow pants and jackets. It works great, even had a cardinal land on one of my twigs, but the only deer I've seen are out of range for the Mossberg. I'm taking the .54 out this week though, it's got some better range.
Most of the hunting camo patterns I see around my area (Cabellas, Bass Pro) have alot of deep green, dark brown, and tan leafy looking stuff that doesn't mimic the locality. In my area the terrain varies in color, yellowish rock, greyish rock, lots of greyish bark, some greenery, some red, lots brown leaves and lots of light brown/amber colored foliage and it can vary greatly within a short distance.
Most areas here a MARPAT Green or Desert would do well, but the grey rocky areas with lighter folaige I think a ACU ( I find it a greyish green with a hint if straw mixed in:D) color or a Digital Urban would be better, but we have to wear orange hats and vests here for big game, so I am not sure how effective camo is when your covering half of it.
I am sure camo assists in getting game, but shot placement, knowing the terrain, prey tendencies, (SA) knowing what is going on around you, patience and your positioning 'probably' play a bigger role in getting a kill.
My .02
Most of the hunting camo patterns I see around my area (Cabellas, Bass Pro) have alot of deep green, dark brown, and tan leafy looking stuff that doesn't mimic the locality. In my area the terrain varies in color, yellowish rock, greyish rock, lots of greyish bark, some greenery, some red, lots brown leaves and lots of light brown/amber colored foliage and it can vary greatly within a short distance.
Most areas here a MARPAT Green or Desert would do well, but the grey rocky areas with lighter folaige I think a ACU ( I find it a greyish green with a hint if straw mixed in:D) color or a Digital Urban would be better, but we have to wear orange hats and vests here for big game, so I am not sure how effective camo is when your covering half of it.
I am sure camo assists in getting game, but shot placement, knowing the terrain, prey tendencies, (SA) knowing what is going on around you, patience and your positioning 'probably' play a bigger role in getting a kill.
My .02
IMO, Camo is pretty important when you're trying to stick critters with arrows, but probably not the most.
I'm sticking with the Crye. I've used it hunting since I received them a couple weeks ago, and they haven't disappointed. I had a friend take some background shots while I was standing in plain view (like the Multicam website has) to see how it reacted to light. When i first opened the bag they came in, they looked way too green. But these pictures proved to me that they do change in varying light conditions.
IMO, Camo is pretty important when you're trying to stick critters with arrows, but probably not the most.
I think an important part of hunting critters and selection of camo is the critter's view, their brains, and their eyes..
I have hunted in up-state NY and the lower counties, also in Florida game management areas. I am not the BIG hunter. Most of my deer hunting was shotgun or black-powder,, close range,, under 50 yds.. I have a few observations.
Deer:
- they are color blind
- they have very good low light vision
- they have something like 300 deg peripheral views
- they are nocturnal
additionally
- they are stupid
- they spook easily
- they don't like a lot of noise
- they have a good sence of smell
- they are very curious
- they get very horny during rut and lose all sence of fear
When I was a kid, in NY , we didn't have camo.. You wore wool, either red or red & black tartan/plaid. Deer didn't notice, they were harvested easily.
Then we had to ware Flaming RED vests,, I think the current FL rule is 500 sq in. Everybody complained,, probably keeps someone from being shot every day of the season,, but the deer,, they don't know red,, it's black/gray to them...
The 1st time I was allowed to sit a stand by myself (long ago) I wore my G-fathers wool plaid hand-me-downs and a pare of LLBEAN maine boots,, froze my a$$ off. Anyway, the blind was on one of our better trails, by 8AM, 6 doe wondered up and laid down 10 ft from me,, bout 10AM I broke out a PB&J sandwich, with steaming hot-chocolate,, one came over and wanted to share,, A long cold day...
While contemplating my navel,, I got to thinking these dummies see me, smell me,, yet they don't spook (I did have a doe tag),, it's something else,, and not my Aqua Velva...
Sence then I have had deer walk within 20 ft so many times I sometimes think they are domesticated.
Now I know it's not the same for all. The sheep family are very skittish, so are elk,, but is it the color & pattern of camo they react to,,
Or the movement or the scent or because they are so stupid??
I firmly believe hunting camo is 95% marketing,, and 5% critter driven..
The same goes for the military. 95% for the grunts in parades,, 5% for snipers & spooks..
If you look at one of the most active conflicts in the world,, Israel region.. The whole dam country wares a a weird green/brown/okra single color uniform,, seems to work,, for the last 60 years anyway.. Yes, their 5% (snipers) do ware camo..
I truly think you need to understand your target audience,, Am I rambling??
My $00.0002..
A couple of examples..
anythingrandom
12-15-2008, 11:11
I would be perfectly fine wearing jeans and a tee shirt up in a tree, but I prefer to stalk. It's always fun to see how close you can get. I'm sure many of the measures we take aren't absolutely necessary, but to me they have become rituals and are important parts of the October - January months.
I started hunting about 14 years ago, and back then the deer really would wander up to me and snort, then trot away. Nowadays, they are definitely more on edge, especially later in the season. I used to wear greasy coveralls out to hunt without a problem. Now, I hang my clothes outside for a few days before hitting the woods. These shifting Indiana winds make "upwind" and "downwind" pretty transient terms.
Hope everyone is enjoying this season as much as I am! I am a nail biter with tons of "nervous energy" yet I can sit in the woods motionless for hours at a time just taking it all in. I think my ancestors were druids.
IMO, Camo is pretty important when you're trying to stick critters with arrows, but probably not the most.
Camo can't hurt. Like most anything, especially sports related and professions as yours, you can have all the fancy, high tech, HSLD stuff you want, but in the end it comes down to the abilities of the user that make it happen.
FTR, I was wearing surplus ACU pattern AEP/AEJ fleece this year with Orange vest and cap when I got my deer this year, but in my instance finding success probably had more to do with knowing the deer scampered on the other side of the ridge before day break, relocating to a downwind vantage point at the junction of two hollers on the other side and waiting. I shot it with a rifle, but it was within bow distance.
I don't now if the pattern assisted me, but it didn't hurt me either. If nothing else the outfit was much quieter and less bulky than my Carharts which was a probably a big plus.
anythingrandom
12-20-2008, 20:17
Try this site out.
http://www.thejump.net/hunting/deer-finder/finders-keepers.htm
Number 6 is my favorite.
Dozer523
12-20-2008, 20:51
I truly think you need to understand your target audience,, Am I rambling??
My $00.0002..
A couple of examples.. Yeah, but that is a great post . . . and the pictures are awesome.:)
I guess that I have killed as many deer as anyone else on this site.
I hunt in blue jeans and an o.d. green shirt or coat if it is cold, i have never had any problems with being seen by deer, movement is what causes animals to flee and no amount of camo can disguise moving at the wrong time.
The only animals that I know camo is a must are turkeys and ducks. and then camo will not help you if you can not sit still.
clapdoc sends.