Being discrete in nature - colour Vs cammo?

[Paul_B]

I've probably discussed this before but with kit and clothes there's been discussions in on cammo before. What I'm curious about is whether subdued, single b block colours is as good as cammo for being discrete in nature? Will wildlife see subdued, natural block colours before cammo? Will I see green guy before it's it 95 pattern cammo guy?

From experience I've wildcamped under a green flying v tarp with blue bivvy, yellow and blue rucksack with a mate who had black bivvy. We went for a walk then couldn't see our pitch until 50m away diagonally down to the pitch. We couldn't see the black, blue and yellow colours despite looking into the open side of the flying v? Funny because we worried we might miss it or have to roam around awhile for it. That's on the flat area next to a Lakeland Tarn. Open land.

Obviously we weren't wild animals or enemy forces, but considering the way block colours are discrete why do people wear cammo rather than block colours? I hope this doesn't degrade into them in and us over this I'm really trying to understand civilian use of cammo as I see no real benefit. All hunters in the UK I've met wear greens not cammo you see.

 

[TLM]

My own use of camo started Io long time ago when the only outdoor clothing I could afford was military surplus. Nowadays I have a mix of everything. I you don't want to be seen do not move and do not wear hiviz colours.

 

[Herman30]

I wear camo in the woods because surplus clothing is cheaper than some name brand 400 euro garment and I want to be as invisible as possible to another human, not to animals. I have some camo clothing that is not surplus but still quit affordable.

 

[Paul_B]

From experience in the hills it's movement of people not colour that I see first. Same with animals, I see the movement then I see what it is. The human species has good motion and depth perception which allows for spotting things. I can see people walking on the other side of the valley in the cells but I can't spot a green, flapping tarp when I'm practically on top of it. I really wonder how much extra camo gives to concealment over natural greens?

As for price well I've seen cheap camo surplus but also sombre greens. Not all surplus is camo. I've also got good, outdoor branded kit at low prices too. You don't need the latest fabrics. Hunting clothes I've seen as cheap in greens as camo versions.

 

[RonW]

Subdued colours all the way.
I dislike loud people as much as I dislike loud colours.

 

[Broch]

Actually, many animals can see our standard cammo because they tend towards the blue/green spectrum. Dear and rabbits, for example, can't see well in the red spectrum at all so a solid dark red will work fine. It's why in countries that do a lot of deer stalking they get away with broken pattern reds that other hunters can see but the prey can't.

Animals like wood pigeons see extremely well in the blue and ultra-violet spectrum so anything washed in modern 'brightener' detergents, whether or not it's white, stands out like a sore thumb!

I still use realtree camo when hunting or photographing wildlife; I still feel the broken pattern helps and, even if it is not exactly the colours of the vegetation around me, it must help break up my contour. However, I think you are right, still is best

 

[Toddy]

If you want to disappear in nature, wear tartan
Seriously, you can't see tartan on the hillside or the woods.

Personally I just wear sort of OD colours when out and not being 'obvious'. Soft greens, tans, browns, those kind of shades.

 

[Robson Valley]

I've used paint. Shades of grays and tans. Brush it on for branches and shadows.
Not much green at all as our understory isn't very green. The canopy is green but I'm not hunting up there.
It's "break-up" camo. Just enough to disturb the expected lines of my human shape.

NatGear snow camo is magnificent. Just stand still and hide your gun barrel. POOF! You're gone!

I've made up camo clothing by adding cut-leaf material attached with a glue gun.
All you have to do is sit still.
Guess which one of us is the real turkey.

https://kettleriverguides.com/

 

[MrEd]

I wear a blue bergahus coat when out ‘normal’ walking around the downs near me

And camo jacket (danish m84) when specifically out looking for and watching wildlife.

I have found that with the wildlife it doesn’t make much difference either way as long as I am upwind, still and quiet, but the berghaus coat is more rustley so it’s hard to stay quiet while moving.

Camo deffo hides you a bit more from their people though. Also I don’t care if i catch the camo jacket on brambles etc

 

[Tiley]

I tend to wear subdued colours but never camouflage. The latter is for the military, which I'm not; that said, the surplus market does offer extremely good value gear, which is invariably camo., so maybe I should save some pennies and look at that stuff instead.

When watching animals, I have found that if the colour is drab, you remain still and are downwind of whatever it is that you're trying to observe, you shouldn't scare it off - too quickly!

I tend to go for subdued olives and greens for my tarps and camp set-up generally, though it can make them harder to find as the light begins to fade; I'd imagine that a camo. version would make that well nigh impossible!

 

[SaraR]

The thing with camo is that once people have spotted you, they really notice you.

I prefer subdued colours myself, but appropriate materials are more important really.

 

[MrEd]

the biggest tip i think for wildlife watching is to disguise your face and hands. I am noticebaly mroe successful with wildlife photogrpahy if i wear dar gloves and either a hat or veil to cover my face

 

[santaman2000]

I wear a blue bergahus coat when out ‘normal’ walking around the downs near me

And camo jacket (danish m84) when specifically out looking for and watching wildlife.

I have found that with the wildlife it doesn’t make much difference either way as long as I am upwind, still and quiet, but the berghaus coat is more rustley so it’s hard to stay quiet while moving.

Camo deffo hides you a bit more from their people though. Also I don’t care if i catch the camo jacket on brambles etc

I think you meant to say as long as you’re “downwind.”

 

[santaman2000]

As Broch said it depends on just what you’re trying to hide from. Humans? Mammals? Or birds? Different species have different color vision. I usually wear camo when hunting but that said, I try to avoid military camo because it’s designed to hide you from other humans and isn’t really all that good at fooling animals.

 

[Paul_B]

One of my favourite animal encounters was on a Lakeland fellside to the east of Ullswater in an area marked on OS maps as deer park. My mates were climbing to the very boggy top of the fell. Being more practical I figured partway down the slope and traverse on drier terrain even if it meant dropping into re-entrant streams to do so. One such stream I crossed near the bottom where a deer trail went by. I was about 15-20m from the trail when a modest herd of about 30 deer went by, slowly and without fear or knowledge of my presence. I was wearing blues and other colours totally different to the slightly yellowish earth of the stream or browns and greens of the vegetation. I even slowly crept closer.

How our why I got away with it I don't know but they were not bothered by me if they knew I was there.

 

[Broch]

Reminds me of my brother-in-law at a deer park. He wanted a closer photo so crept, crawled, and tip-toed closer and closer like some kind of Ninja. When he was about 30 metres away from the stag on the edge of the small herd a bloke and his dog just walked right past between him and the deer without the stag even raising it's head from chomping at the grass.

 

[Paul_B]

I've had a few encounters with Scottish deer before but the funniest was driving back from paddling the Etive. A mate spotted a fine stag in his glory. We saw it leap straight over a high deer proof fence after only two or three steps to get to speed. It then stopped as we stopped. Mate got out and ran around the car after we had spent a few minutes trying to n out state the v stag. He tried to scare it away. The stag scraped the ground with one of its front legs then ran towards the car. Mate Starsky and Hutch style slid over the bonnet and into the car. Big, brave Scotsman!! I'd have done the same, it was a big stag. Sometimes they're simply not scared of us.

 

[Robson Valley]

Our local village deer (Mule) are so accustomed to people that they will check out your groceries as you carry bags to the house.
Camo seems so academic and funny under these circumstances!

Hunting Canada geese will teach you lessons.
1. Cover your head and your hands. Above all, sit still. Don't move until you take the shots.
2. Never leave a shell hull with it's bright brass in the field. Nothing the least bit shiny/reflective.
3. You can sit on a 5 gal white plastic pickle barrel in the middle of your decoy set. DON'T MOVE.
4. You have 8-10kg pieces of meat & bone coming in at 70 kph or more. Plan your moves.

 

[Paul_B]

Ever tried punt guns? Are they legal anywhere these days? One well timed shot and you have a boat full!

 

[sunndog]

Subdued colours all the way.
I dislike loud people as much as I dislike loud colours.

Ha! Nice one