Camo, important or not

[VikingsGuy]

Some say a camo pattern closely aligned with the Wyoming landscape is important if hunting in Wyoming, some say the pattern doesn't matter due to deer/pronghorns lack of seeing colors in a human sense and that while having great distant "motion sight" they really can't see fine details past 30 yds so you just need a pattern to "break up" your silhouette, while even others say camo is worth very little and it is all about minimizing detected motion.

So, as a new pronghorn hunter, should I get new western patterned camo gear, use the Minnesota "woodsy" camo gear I already have, or skip camo altogether and just focus on being sneaky?

 

[Gerald Martin]

You would be better off wearing tan and khaki colored clothing over dark "woodsy" style camo for hunting antelope. Dark patterns will really stand out at a distance. However, in my limited experience of hunting antelope, using the terrain to stay out of sight completely when you make your stalk is the only sure way of success. IMO what kind of camo or lack of that you wear is way down on the list of importance for a successful hunt. With that, the next five posts will probably be from guys whose experience is that without "xyz" brand of camo they wouldn't have been able to kill their buck.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

Wear whatever. They can't see your Nosler comin from 300 out.

 

[golfer]

Camo is nothing but a fashion statement it seems, more animals have been taken with the hunter wearing a jeans and a t-shirt or plaid than anything else. I'd say pay more attention to the wind.

 

[LopeHunter]

More important than the camo pattern or shades or lack of camo at all is to NEVER use clothing detergent with UV brighteners. Clothing washed in UV brighteners will glow blue to 4-legged prey. Also, the old sage said: The prey will bolt if it sees you move once or smells you twice or hears you three times. Stealth and being aware of wind movement is more important than wardrobe.

 

[antlerradar]

What Gerald said. Stay out of sight if you can and if the antelope can see you move real slow.

 

[Dan O]

I used to impersonate a ranch hand by wearing blue jeans and a shirt. So the Antelope would see me not as a threat but just a good old boy. Just remember to wear a John Deere ball cap or you could blow the hole deal.
Hope this helps
Good Luck!!!

 

[u1299]

Camo is fine but not really important, I wish more of my camo was a solid tan or gray color, I'm tired of camo to be honest. I've snuck in on antelope wearing red and black plaid, jet black top and bottoms, blue top black bottoms etc etc. Not to mention the required blaze orange vest! Crawl right at them if possible, go slow when you're getting closer and you'll be fine.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

The real trick is to paint your truck white then get an orange triangular flag that sticks up about 2-3 feet above the truck. The antelope will think you're just another oil and gas man and pay you no attention. Other hunters will ignore you too.

 

[1_pointer]

Carhartts that are 1/2 washed out make dandy pronghorn "camo"! I for sure wouldn't spend money for pronghorn camo as I can't see it mattering one bit.

 

[el unit]

The real trick is to paint your truck white then get an orange triangular flag that sticks up about 2-3 feet above the truck. The antelope will think you're just another oil and gas man and pay you no attention. Other hunters will ignore you too.

I like Shoots idea.

 

[Art Vandeley]

Not

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I've yet to have any animal bust me because of my camo pattern or lack thereof, definitely been busted due to wind, moving too much, and making too much noise.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Thanks for the quick and helpful responses, guess Cabelas just lost a few clothing sales

 

[Nate Mode]

You may want to look into "be the decoy."

https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?243682-Be-The-Decoy

 

[Rancho Loco]

Sometimes waving a white t shirt is all you need..

 

[uncle sage]

Aside from getting winded, the animal busting me because of my smell, i think being seen in motion is the next best stalk buster so maybe "matching the hatch" camo might help when making real slow moves to get closer. No matter what though, if a critter gets a look at your head and face, it's over as far as the surprise goes so i like a camo net covering for the face area. My experience with lope hunting could be concluded with either statement; that they are uncanny smart, or, that they are incredibly dumb animals. Ya just never know how they will react or what they will do, a sometimes frustrating part of the game.

 

[u1299]

Aside from getting winded, the animal busting me because of my smell, i think being seen in motion is the next best stalk buster so maybe "matching the hatch" camo might help when making real slow moves to get closer. No matter what though, if a critter gets a look at your head and face, it's over as far as the surprise goes so i like a camo net covering for the face area. My experience with lope hunting could be concluded with either statement; that they are uncanny smart, or, that they are incredibly dumb animals. Ya just never know how they will react or what they will do, a sometimes frustrating part of the game.

On my earlier post I thought about making the point antelope can be incredibly stupid but passed as I thought I'd get comments I didn't have a clue what I was talking about. I've belly crawled up to and past them at times where theres no way they couldn't have seen me but they never spooked I believe because I was moving at a snails pace and layed motionless for long periods. It takes time and patience but when I'm hunting for the most part I have nothing but time. I've been spotted at times and simply waited them out until they decided I assume they were either seeing things or, I wasn't a present danger? At any pace patience is the key and sometimes sneaking to a reasonable close distance in the dark is called for then you can cover the last few hundred yards or quarter mile on your belly if necessary.

 

[tjones]

Off topic but when I got out of the Corps I used to run a lot. Sometimes I'd go out on the Pawnee National Grasslands and run. The pronghorn would come down and "run" next to me, about 15 meters off to the side. I could almost hear them laughing. They'd "run" with me for a couple hundred meters, then get bored, floor it and go out in a big loop, then come back in for another side by side and a chuckle. Showing me how it's done.

You don't need camo, just some running shorts.

 

[beginnerhunter]

I'm getting away from camo so my hunting clothing can double as casual wear. I like Merino solids for this purpose.