Camo Necessary?

Runnin_Chupacabra

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I'm going on my first deer hunt this fall in CO at ~10k ft, (fingers crossed as last year with my points I'd have 100% draw odds) and had a question that seems silly but going to ask it anyways.

We all know the barrier to entry financially can be tough in hunting and the combination of that and having a very slow year at work due to COVID can be tough. Living in a state where it is 100 deg plus during our deer season I'd say my clothing isn't ready for CO. I'd like to buy a new pair of pants and jacket from KUIU, specifically the hybrid series, but it would run me over $600. I've found a great jacket and pant on amazon that has great reviews for hunting, oddly enough in CO, and would run me less than $125, catch is they don't have camo, only brown/khaki. I'd like to save as much money as I can for the tag fee so the question is...could I get away without the camo?

On a side note, I'm a younger guy (less than 30), and take pride in getting things done without the shiny bells and whistles and like grinding things out. I know guys back in the day used to get critters in red flannels so my thoughts in lack of camo stem from the idea that those guys got it done with way less than we have today.

Thanks!
 
I’d think you would be fine without camo You could also look on eBay or army surplus stores for camo and gear I like to save money myself but I’ve bought some of the cheaper stuff in the past and had it fail and was scrambling to replace it
 
not necessary however I'd say if you were to buy some that I'd stay away from Realtree styles as they tend to be too dark.

For pants, I've been wearing Prana Zion Stretch and Wrangler Stretch Outdoor (I bought them on a buy one get one sale for less than $20 a pair). They work well when it warm but the may be a touch too thin for cold so maybe a pair of merino light to midweight as a baselayer.
 
I used to be a "Realtree AP everything" kind of guy. I'd buy nice big camo outfits to throw on an orange vest and sit in a box blind for hours. As my hunting style changed I moved to higher quality gear but stuck to camo. I eventually realized that camo everything isn't a game changer for big game and now prioritize quality over looks. As long as it does what I want it to do and is quiet, I'll wear it.

People literally wear head to toe orange during rifle in Saskatchewan and they still shoot big bucks.
 
Is camo necessary? No. Does it/can it help? Sure can. I think that becomes more important the closer you get to the animal as well.

Did the wear read flannel back in the day? Sure did, but they there are many thing different today than back then.

You'll find good gear will last and keep you in the field longer. There are also other ways of getting good gear less than retail (discount programs, Ebay, used marketplaces).

As to doing things without the whistles, I think about the saying "Old age and treachery will always beat youth and exuberance."
 
@Runnin_Chupacabra I started hunting in '12 I had a bunch of backpacking experience but no hunting experience. The mag adds and shows all had guys wearing camo so my first hunting clothing purchase were camo.

In '15 I found this hunting forum with all these total nut jobs and degenerates.

Every year these folks would all go on these amazing adventures, kill huge animals, and post stories. I noticed most of them wore camo haphazardly.

A common theme on this forum is that the gear that gets you outside and helps you stay there is the most important factor.

This can mean just going in what you have, and it can also mean buying from the best manufacturers.

Get some clothes that are light and warm.

I haven't purchased much camo since '15.


This degenerate (post #5) seems to do all right ;) ... wearing blue nevertheless

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My goal is just to not match. So, I like to combine some plain grey pants with a camo shirt, plain blue parka, orange hat, plaid socks, etc. Outside of turkey/waterfowl hunting, I don't worry about it much. Have fun!
 

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