Hunting

Does Your Camo Pattern Really Matter?

It is very common to see guys and girls out in town wearing a camo jacket or hat.  It has become the in thing to do.  However, camo is a relatively new concept and was brought to the forefront by Toxey Haas that founded Mossy Oak in 1986.

Until the mid 80’s most hunters simply wore drab colors they had in a work style jacket and called it good as they headed to the woods or the marsh.

In 2018 there are literally hundreds of different patterns to choose from.  It can be very dizzying to be honest with you.  Do you buy a certain pattern because it looks cool or because it helps you blend in to your surroundings?  That is what we are ultimately after right?  To blend in and stay hidden from our quarry.

I am a big believer in shadows and hiding the human silhouette more than becoming a bunch of sticks or leaves.  However, not all camo patterns are created equal and not one will work for every hunting situation.

You can see from the picture my friend has on the Drake Old School Camo pattern that absolutely looks horrible while we were hunting in some smart weed and flooded willows.  Also notice that the vest the dog has on, blends in much better than he does.

The best way to stay hidden from game is to be in the shadows and have something behind you so that you are not silhouetted and appear as something natural rather than a person.

However, sometimes these are not viable options and we will rely heavily on our camo patterns to keep us hidden.

Here are a few of my favorite patterns that will cover you for just about any hunting application.

  • Mossy Oak Original Bottomland. This is by far my favorite all around camo pattern.  It has colors of dirt and bark that will blend in to most situations.  I wear original bottomland anytime I am duck hunting where there are trees, bushes, stumps or something vertical to hide by.  It is also a great pattern for deer hunters as they are usually in trees as well.
  • Mossy Oak Obsession. This is my go to pattern for Turkey hunting.  It has a background in bottomland and is overlaid with green leafs and other shrubbery to make you disappear when you are in the turkey woods.  Birds will be looking at you from ground level and this pattern will provide you with plenty of contrast to hide you from the very keen eyes of a boss gobbler.
  • Mossy Oak Blades. This camo pattern looks the best in corn, rice, milo, millett, cattails or anywhere that has beige to yellow grass or foliage around.  It is a very light colored pattern and is intended for grassy situations.  You can virtually disappear in any type of flooded agriculture field or cattail marsh.

These three patterns are all very different in color and layout.  But each may help to conceal you in some situations while make you stand out in others.  I have carried guys hunting that wear a light colored blades style pattern in the flooded timber and you can literally see them in the dark.

They don’t just make different patterns to sell to people, they make them to effectively hide us from the game we are trying to kill.

Try and pick a camo pattern that suits your specific needs and you will reap the benefits of it.  I understand it can get expensive trying to buy camo for every situation.  But, camo clothes ain’t eggs and won’t go bad.  If you take care of them they will last you for decades.

Step back 50 yards and see how your buddies look when you are hunting.  Do they look like black globs?  Bright Spots?  Like a transformer on a power pole?  Or well hidden?

Take some time and figure out what works best for you.  Because it doesn’t matter how many ducks, deer or turkey you have you won’t kill them if you ain’t hid.

Period.

Shane Smith

TFG Editorial

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