Henry Rifle Forums

It’s been a number of years since I’ve hunted.

I am looking at suggestions for camo clothing. Mostly what brands should I be looking at? A lot had changed in the last 20 years in camo world.

I’ll be heading to Maine in September for bear and debating camo or my green buffalo plaid wool jacket and some wool pants.

Thanks
—Matt

I have a lot of Real Tree camo. I like it best, even though I don't really hunt anymore. Used to bear hunt.
Depends on your method of hunting.
If you use dogs, like we did, then the camo really doesn't matter. Just my $.02.

Go full sniper and put together a gillie rig. Just don't put anything on it that bears like to eat.

in thinking back, I took more black bear, boar and deer before hunting camo became popular .... back then we wore brown Duxbak pants and coats with red/black checkered flannel shirts .... eventually I did buy some early generation Realtree tree bark pattern .... today's patterns are drastically more realistic .... eventually, I decided to let the type of hunting I was doing determine what I wore .... when hunting from Texas type tower stands I didn't see much need for camo .... the walking I did try to wear something that would fit in but thinking about it, in places that required wearing a bright orange vest, I can't help but wonder

That Where's Waldo guy is always hard to see...red & white stripe shirt and hat.

My experience is similar to JEBar's since I also started hunting in the days before camo. Even with my bowhunting, I did just as well with or without camo. I later used camo, simply because most hunting clothing on the market went (and still is) camo. Never could prove one pattern was better than another, but that's me. Other folks get pretty obsessive about it and that's okay. For my bowhunting, I was much more concerned about controlling scent.

As far as wool, can't ever go wrong with wool when hunting in the north woods as far as I'm concerned. Green plaid is excellent camo in this country.

JEBar wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 01, 2020 10:45 am

.... the walking I did try to wear something that would fit in but thinking about it, in places that required wearing a bright orange vest, I can't help but wonder

I am new to hunting, first time last year. But, that is my thought about it. It seems controlling smell and noise are more important than color matching, especially while wearing an orange vest and hat.

I've always been told, deer are color blind. If true, then noise, smell and a broken up silhouette are really all that matter.
As I said earlier; we used to bear hunt with dogs, so some guys just wore jeans and whatever, and we had a very high success rate.

Sounds like I might save some cash and wear my green buffalo plaid and a pair a wool pants and be done. I have done well with this setup through the years. I know bears over bait they tell me smell and movements are paramount to success. My experience with wool is it is good for scent control. The movement, well, that’s up to me

If you're hunting from a tree over bait, scent and movement are paramount. If at all possible; stay down wind. Anymore, bears are likely to go for the food, even in urban environments.

markiver54 wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 01, 2020 9:59 pm

If you're hunting from a tree over bait, scent and movement are paramount. If at all possible; stay down wind. Anymore, bears are likely to go for the food, even in urban environments.

It’s a mix of stands and blinds mostly stands for rifle, set by the outfitter. I’m guessing they will set stands downwind if possible. They don’t advertise numbers but the outfitter says they have a really high success rate.

This trip is more about spending time with my dad and brother. A Maine black bear trip is a trip my dad had wanted to do for as long as I remember. At the pace time seems to go by, I am beginning to realize it’s time to cherish family and set more memories. A bear for any of us would just be a cherry on top. Remote camp should create some different memories than the actual hunt will.

I’ve never hunted bear before even when I hunted regularly. So I am a ball of clay. Been reading and watching videos. Looks and sounds like some adrenaline gets pumping when the bears show up.

I have come to like Natural Gear for camo.
https://naturalgear.com/shop-by-activity/big-game/

I did order some clothes. I ordered a camo jacket, a lightweight merino base layer, and a medium weight merino wool pants.

I figured the pants and base layer will see use outside of hunting fishing, hiking, yard work in cool weather. The base layers might even see some summer hiking as well.

The jacket probably will see some use too. I think my wife might allow a camo jacket around town. Camo pants.... not so much.

I am primarily a bowhunter, and my hunting garb is wool in subdued colors. Move slowly, stop more than you walk, and hunt the wind. Modern camo works, but is not really necessary. Jillons of animals have been taken without the latest in camo fashions.

I wore tan Duck Back pants, cap, vest and coat with a red shirt for decades .... in my mind the necessity for head to toe camo became even more foggy once blaze orange came in

Scent and movement are the main ingredients for success. I used to use ASAT camo and Nat Gear to good effect. I have gone back to wearing blue jeans and flannel shirts. I keep upwind as best I can when hunting any where I go. I have bowhunted for last 30 years with a 65lb longbow. You just gotta get close. Slow your gait down to their level and use your eyes and ears to bag your game. I like looking at eyelashes on my prey.

Muddy Waters 67

I buy camo for turkey and waterfowl. It ends up getting worn for big game too, although it’s not necessary. There were so many people in the woods this year, I wore blaze orange for the first time ever. First Lite merino stuff is phenomenal gear.

I, am with the other guys. Started hunting before cammo. Did well. You already have choths. If you want cammo, buy some thing cheap to fit over your cloths. If it get riped, no big deal, you will not be out much money. Watch out, do not d get caught up in the marketing game.