Which Cammo When and Where?

NOTPARS

I have several sets of cammo in the following patterns:

Advantage Timber

Real Tree Hardwood Green

Mossy Oak Break Up

Mossy Oak Forest Floor

Woodland Cammo

Snow White


I kind of figured out when the best time to use the snow white pattern would be. I live in Missouri and was wondering if each of these patterns is just a pattern or designed for a specific climate, time of year, and section of the country. Some look great on the rack and then when I get out into the woods, they don't look so good (although one seemed to fool that copter that chased me in a state park for over two hours...twice...and I wasn't even armed...but that's another story). Most of my hunting and hiking is on the ground so I don't need anything with a tree stand in mind and I am out in the woods from October on (my favorite months are January and February because I like the outdoors and I like it cold). So I was wondering if anyone has any advice on what environments each of these patterns is best suited for (my favorite is Forest Floor).[?][?]

Sunray

Out of the idlest of curiosity, what do you call cold? Most of those patterns were designed for use anywhere (except when fishing. Why do those guys on TV wear cammies when fishing?). Plain white isn't the best if you're in the trees. The idea of camouflage is to break up the human shape. Plain white legs against tree bark and low hanging limbs will stand out like a sore thumb. In pine forest, the best is a CF combat uniform, the old green one, in summer and a white coat with green legs. It's good in any forest for that matter and in low light conditions. For the rest of 'em, just match the back ground colour as best you can. Movement and scent will give you away faster than the pattern of your underwear.

NOTPARS

For Sunray: Yes yes yes, I know, I am a teacher and I have a student
from Canada and he lets me know all the time that its not really that cold here. I spend a lot of time outdoors when the temp is between 0 and 16 degrees F. If below zero, that is fine with me. I get a bit warm above 50. The older I get, the less I can tolerate heat. The other day we didn't have school because it was 5 below zero with a wind chill of 15 to 20 below zero. I was out for hours in the woods. I usually end up carrying my hat and gloves because I get warm. Between 27 and 32, I end up carrying my jacket as well. I imagine where you are from that these are not challenging temperatures. I think you maybe misunderstood my question so I should have done a better job of explaining. What I was asking was, what environment are the patterns I listed designed for? Yeah, I know plain white may not be the best, unless a human is watching you. Again, I was simply trying to figure out if Mossy Oak, Real Tree, Advantage Timber, and the others were designed for specific parts of the country, types of trees, and times of the year.

As an aside, what got me thinking about this were deer and squirrels. Deer, kind of brownish tan in color, are real hard to see in these woods around here. Yet, they are one color, their color is not broken up, and their color is not the same as the trees they are standing in or necessarily the same as the ground...yet they blend in!

Also, grey squirrels. These grey critters runing on green, tan, and black ground and cover, seem to blend in as well. Yet, they are a solid color, their outline is not broken up, and their grey color seems to make them disappear. It got me to thinking maybe this cammo thing is something we have gone about the wrong way. Again, I am not arguing a point of view, I am trying to collect information and advice from you all. You folks are the authorities. Me? I have a keen grasp of ignorance on this issue.

He Dog

I use advantage/advantage timber most of the time, in Missouri and New Mexico. since color is not really an issue, it seems to work well enough in mid-west brush/hardwoods or in pinon/juniper/ponderosa. Unless you collect it I see little reason to have so many patterns, but maybe I will get told one won't do.

jar

mmmm, they got your money! where abouts in mo? thats the great state I hang my hat in also . I can use mossyoak breakup all summer and realtree hardwoods extra grey in the winter months.

IF YOUR GONNA PLAY YOU GOTTA PAY!!!

rock,roll,n,load

Seems to me that this whole camo deal is just for the $$$$$. All these different camo patterns and then have to wear blaze orange over top of it all!!! Take a shower, keep track of wind direction and don't move on stand. Works for me every time.

bambihunter

They're right... I still often wear the old military woodland green camo, or sometimes just a multi-colored flannel jacket.
Most game animals trust thier noses and ears much more than thier eyes, so as long as you are downwind, and relatively quiet, you should be in luck.
I had a spike-buck come under my stand during muzzleloader season this year. I was wearing white tennis-shoes and blue jeans. He literally walked right below me. I was only in a 10' stand too. He stopped at about 10 feet and looked at me, stared for maybe 20 seconds then went right on by. I could have easily taken him. I was actually just using binoculars scouting a field next to the stand, didn't even have a gun with me...
Just pick a pattern that matches your current terrain (I guess that is a given huh).


It doesn't matter what you shoot, just shoot it well...

NOTPARS

For He Dog:

Hey thanks. I don't think I'm a collector. I just got caught up in trying to find the "perfect pattern" and probably wasted a lot of money. I should have asked you folks before buying all this stuff. Like I said, you all are the authorities, I only have a keen grasp of ignorance...

NOTPARS

Jar,

Yeah, you're right. They got my money and I learned a lesson. What is real tree extra gray? I have never seen it. I was buying stuff through Cabela's (talk about expensive) when I noticed that Wal Mart had some similar stuff. Then my wife noticed a huge Cabela's 18 wheeler unloading this stuff late one night...at Wal Mart...

NOTPARS

For Rock,Roll, and Reload:

Yep, I am guilty as charged. I learned not only do I not need all that, I could find it cheaper if I shopped around. Guess I have some stuff to leave to my kids...but that chopper sure had fun trying to find me. That's another story...

NOTPARS

For BambiHunter:

I get the message. And your post reminded me of what I was thinking while I was hiking the other day. If all our Mossy Oaks are so good, why aren't the military using them instead of woodland cammo. Or, I thought, maybe woodland cammo is good enough and all this other stuff I have is a big waste of dough. Sounds like you all have set me straight.


P.S. I have ceased my foolish ways. Anybody want to buy a brand new never been worn Cabela's chamois jacket (2XL) in New Mossy Oak???

dakotashooter2

Try the mix and match approach. When in the woods try this. Look around from the normal standing position, kneeling, the lying down. You should notice a "pattern difference". My technique is to use a darker pattern on the lower body and lighter on the upper. Does it work? Who knows!! Personally I find the pattern of most of the camo you mentioned too "tight". In other words it all blends to one shade within a very short distance. "Open" patterns, such as predator seem to give you a little more distance. Though I admit buying and using small camo items such as gloves hats and facemasks, those items are so small they really don't warrant being camo.My brother and I did an experiment. We tried on various camo and plain solid color wool, and stood semi-concealed in some brush to "break' the human pattern and took pictures (black and white and color).In B&W there was no percievable difference. In color,there was some minor difference but
not enough to stand out. Keep this one thing in mind. When manufacturers take advertizing photos for their ads they utilize the correct lighting to get their products to "blend" and look so great. Some patterns do great in bright light other in low light. Change the lighting and they may not blend at all. What are the chances you will have the perfect light while in the field. The main reason I buy camo is because of the qualities not available in standard clothing eg. waterproof, quiet, storage, etc. For many years my hunting pants have been mil surplus wool. This year I started still hunting again(bow) and probably had a couple of dozen deer, including bucks, wander within 10-15 yards befor they got suspicious and gradually wandered off. So much for camo clothes.