I completely agree with you. I also have stacks of camo clothing that is pretty much unnecessary except for spring turkey season. As long as you stay still and don't wear light colored clothes, the deer will generally not see you---with the exception of extreme close bow range. Even then, they are likely to smell you before they see you. At any distance, most camo clothing becomes a dark blob, so the best thing you can do is to break up your outline---watch how the deer do it.

The deer in the picture did not see you or was unsure of what you were. We wear camoflage for the purpose of concealment, thereby hiding our presence from deer. Now, if I can choose to alert the deer to my presence visually or to hide myself, I'll choose the latter, everytime. Is sticking out like a sore thumb umderrated? When I draw my bow back on a deer at thirty yards, I want my outline to blend with my surroundings instead of having clean lines sweeping through the canopy that scream, "look at me, I listened to ENO".

I've certainly been on a walk in normal clothes, with my face and arms exposed (they are a little dark and hairy, but not camoflagued) and had deer look at me with no idea what I was all while in bow range. However considering most of my hunting is bow hunting and done from the ground and not in a blind, I'll take all the help I can get. Our fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers did nearly ruin hunting for us all without camoflage, however unlike most of us, if they didn't kill something they didn't eat (as much), they didn't have the same restrictions or seasons, they certainly didn't pass up a spike to wait for a bigger buck. This could account for a lot of their success.

That small buck was young and naive. Should have let him grow a couple more years. Yes camou is sometimes not needed especially when you shoot young and dumb deer. Try doing without it while turkey or duck hunting and let me know how many birds you bag. Think I will hang on to my camou.

I am cheap. There I said it. I wear a few pieces of camo (jacket, pants, shirts, thong underwear) that is readily available at wal-mart. I don't seem to have issues regarding being seen it's mostly being heard or smelt. maybe camo just makes you feel sneakier. or maybe it's like chicks not having too many shoes. I don't know.

*wearing not reading - not sure where my mind was at

I am yet to find a totally suitable camo pattern for the wide open hunting spaces of the Rockies and surrounding deserts. Many efforts have been made by various manufacturers mostly with very limited success. The problem is from 200-600 yards the camo attired hunter stands out as a green, gray, or tan moving blob. Consequently I notice many local hunters as well as outfitters who simply slide their required orange vest over a tan Carhart coat or other neutral colored outter garment. The result is about the same as the fellow who spent hundreds of dollars for the latest camo scent free gear. In fact the working cowboys who also enjoy a good elk hunt usually can't afford more than their daily work clothes so they double as hunting attire. My dad used to do the same thing for the same reason. These guys often get their bull.

Hey del read the title "Camo is overrated for DEER" not turkeys

In other words, forget the scent-bloc, the mossy oak, the real tree and hope the wind doesn't change direction and don't move even to scratch an itch. Because Dude, after 5 days in the same pants, you will want to scratch something.

I think camo is important for bowhunters.

when i shot my first buck ever a small spike i was wearing blue sweatpants and a blue sweatshirt with my blaze orange hat and sneakers on but i still wear the camo

well i guess it cant hurt

I stand with you. I have a full scent blocker suit (underwear, base layers, the whole nine yards) that I bow hunt in. I gave that a shot the first two days of Illinois firearm season and between being frozen to the bone and seeing any deer anyway I opted for dirty jeans, a flannel shirt, and Carhartt bibs with plenty of blaze orange mind you. I got into the woods at about 11am and had four deer on the ground by the end of shooting hours. I stuffed several peoples' freezers and was comfortable doing it.

Oh, and for those folks who say that you should have let that deer live a couple more years are full of crap. This is the real world. Not a game ranch in Texas with big fences. NICE DEER!

While I will admit that wearing camo will never hurt you while hunting, I do believe it is a very overrated item in the deer hunting community. I hunt with a solid blaze orange suit during gun season and camo or normal work cloths during bow season. As far as I can tell the deer don't seem to act any differently or see me sooner when I'm wearing all blaze orange. I think as long as you are still and play the wind right, it doesn't matter what you wear.
For example, one night I was walking back from my stand through an open field during a full moon when I saw a couple deer coming my way. It was after shooting hours but I figured I'd watch them and see where they went. I stood perfectly still amd the darn things walked right past me at about 5 yards. I couldn't believe it, I was standing there with nothing around and a bright orange suit on. They could tell I was something but they didn't know I was alive until they passed me and I tried to move my head slightly to watch them leave. The second my head moved they were off like a shot. And these were heavily pressured deer too, not some tame game farm deer. From that moment on I haven't worried much about the clothing I wear, I think if you're good enough at staying still and quiet and only moving when the deer is looking away, it makes no difference what color or pattern you are wearing.

First of all, great buck ENO and your picture is destined to become a family heirloom.

Second, Camo is overrated. I killed both of my deer last year with a long bow from the ground. Hunting from the ground and consistently being within a few feet of deer you learn quickly its movement and not camo that keeps you hidden.

My first bow kill was in 1981. I was wearing jeans and a plaid flannel shirt. When i shot my largest deer in 2006 I was wearing a solid green pullover and yellow fishing cap.

I no longer wear camo gloves or face mask. It's just a waste unless they are keeping you warm.

Just think about all the deer that busted you for not breaking up your outline (somehow) and you never saw them at all! LOL

Camo is over done and maybe a little overrated, but I don't leave home without it! Go ahead and freeze your axx off in those cotton Levi's and Wrangler's!

Dann, the deer knew where you were and what was up? So they walked right into the shooting gallery? Suicidal deer? I doubt that. Also, camo does not hide dirt or the fact that you never do laundry.

Ok I have heard it all caught fish out of a mud puddle shot deer in my bath robe while eating a biscuit. I want to know why we would subject ourselves to such a broad general statement. In Georgia we have 90 days of rifle season if you count the muzzle loader season. Up north some states have 7 days of hunting season. Why the habitat in Georgia is thick as well you can get. To harvest a deer of any size you must get into his living room and if you are hunting on public land it is very difficult. We arent hunting the farm belt or the feeders or the baited fields we are hunting the thick georgia briars and pines and you better be quiet not stink and have your human silhouette unless you like tag soup!

All of the high tech. hunting gear today is over rated and over priced. You really don't need any of it to kill a deer. Just a gun and the knowledge of deer.

I definitely agree, all the die hard hunters I know that are over the age of 30 still wear green wool pants and blaze orange and they still kill big deer every year. It seems like that generation just missed out on all the advertising on tv telling them they need camo to kill deer...

He's right, it is a waste.
As he notes look at old photos and it's obvious.
Actually camo didn't become popular until circa 1980 when Rambo came out and even then it was more a pop culture fad.
Soon the hunting industry picked up the banner and began aggressive marketing campaigns for hunters. It has exploded since then, with all the various patterns the guy mentions. All of which are about as useful as designer, logo emblazoned clothes.
The basis of camo is to break up an outline, which is easily done by wearing a pattern. It doesn't have to be an exact match, pattern or color wise, to whatever the background you are in, just break up the outline. Especially for deer, which have poor eyesight. Even turkeys, who have excellent eyes do not need special patterns.
Then there is the whole domestication angle. Most wildlife, except that in very rural areas, are conditioned to seeing humans. So why the camo, except your a fad following tool or mucho macho moron?

Yes, it is overrated, to a certain extent. Anybody see the movie "Shooter?" There's a deleted scene on the DVD where the main good guy, a former marine sniper, says, "Camoflage" is something you do, not something you wear." So, are the camo-colored clothes we think about useful for deer hunting?

They are if you think about it in terms of breaking up your man-shaped outline and blending in to the background so that you won't be perceived by the deer. But you can do that with almost any kind of clothing. I've seen black and white pictures of a guy wearing a Hawaiian shirt and he blended in quite well into a tree. So, with using camo to hunt deer, I believe it's the pattern, not the colors. Even a clown suit would work if you don't move. If you want "real" camo, you should wear a ghillie suit or tie grass, leaves, and twigs to your clothes. Otherwise, anything that blends in will work.

I agree. As far as deer are concerned, camouflage IS overrated. I might add, I won't wear denim jeans either.
I don't wear camouflage; I usually wear dark wool (green or gray) trousers, red plaid wool shirts (Pendleton, Woolrich, etc.), an UnderArmour undershirt, maybe a vest, with a goose down or synthetic fiber overgarment, depending on ambient temperature. If regulations require wearing blaze orange, I'll wear it as a vest.
I don't disagree with those who choose to wear camouflage or criticize their choice; I simply don't think it's a decisive issue for deer because I haven't worn it when I've taken deer in the past. I don't think deer are swayed by the same advertisements and marketing efforts that influence us.
Having written that, I see camouflage as a sensible choice for ducks, geese and turkeys. But this opinion focuses on deer, and I agree with ENO.

Agreed....with a caveat.

It's not completely useless. The give away is CONTRAST, not color/pattern. You can wear some bright colors if your background is bright (see sky) or dark colors on the ground, but if you are wearing a a standard RealTree for example in a barren tree with bright, cloudy skies, a deer below you will see you everytime. Same pattern on the ground, you are probably ok.

I don't care what color you wear, so long as you don't require me to wear blaze orange.
I mostly hunt deer in red/black wool, but i won't be happy if my state makes an orange requirement other than public land.

well i am with Del from kansas, your buck was a very young imature deer that wasn't very wise to hunting pressure but you give him 2-3 more years in the woods and you'll never get to within 100yds of the same deer. Yes there arre times when camo isn't a must but if your trophy hunting the big boys then better wash your clothes and weear the camo.

Good topic i would prefer to wear black in some of my tree stand sets it would just break my outline up better. My opinion you can slack on camo if your in good spot or can really brush in your stands. I think i could hunt with dark clothing which i guess you could say is a form of camo. Deer un-pushed by hunter pressure basically bow hunting the deer do notice subtle changes in there habitat camo just helps have them not notice its a person.

I believe all this hype about camo, scent control, and such is just another marketing gimmick. I hunt in comfortable "civilian" clothing and boots, wash my clothes normally and bath in my regular soap. I kill an average of 7 deer and at least 1 turkey, hogs, squirrels, and yotes every year.
Camo is a yuppie thing. a fashion statement.

Wearing camoflage for hunting deer is like wearing a marching band uniform for working in a mine. The deer don't care. It's movement that they care about and only particular kinds of movement. People who wear camo to hunt deer only demonstrate a kind of foolishness for which the reward of not being seen by other hunters is a higher risk of being shot, all for the sole purpose of making a fashion statement.

But hey. Someone has to keep Cabelas in business, so carry on all you Camofashionistas.

Like stated earlier, its all about breaking up your silhouette. Sure if you have some braches or a bush near you doing that for you, you don't necessarily need camo. Camo can do that in more situations than solid or straight line patterns. So, in the long run you would be wise to use camo.

I stand by my statement: Camo isn't overated. It is a very effective tool to have with you and in your arsenal.

It does help. Can you hunt and be successful without it - sure, for thousands of years they did. They also didn't use leupold optics, cartridges that can reach out there hundreds of yards, code blue estrous, grunt tubes, hand warmers, gore-tex, thinsulate, polypro, in-lines, (real men use match or wheel locks :o), or hornady light-magnums to eek out a little bit more performance from that favorite hunting round. All these things give you an edge.

I remember hunting in PA as a youngster, before I had the money for camo. I was sitting under a tree, jeans and a flannel shirt (like you ENO). I was half asleep and heard a twig snap, opened my eyes to see a little doe about 15 ft from me. Surprised the cr-p out of both of us... If I was wearing camo, maybe she'd a run me over!

fun "shoot me down" though!

I was able to walk up to 30 yards in the open on a 4x4 Mule Deer during Javelina Season in Arizona with Blaze Orange coat, pants and hat.

I guess you can look like the Great Pumpkin and still sneak up on a deer! LOL

Hey guys...I've been out turkey hunting and didn't even realize this was posted. Thanks for all the feed back. Haven't heard much to convince me otherwise yet.

And thanks Del for letting me know hold old and wise that deer is. I was going around telling people it was five and half years old with a Master's Degree in Norwegian MN Hunter Identification from Phoenix Online University. Boy do I feel like an idiot.

I disagree... here's why,
to start out with the least important reason for my disagreement on camo being overrated i'd say this, when i got on this post there were 70+ comments... about 10% disagreed with you... doesn't seem like that follows with what you were saying...
but the more important reason i disagree is this, most hunters who hunt now would agree that the sport is sadly dwindling in it's participants... Maybe not hugely yet, but it is! To start a change in that downward spiral we need to introduce more people to hunting, the majority will be youngsters (like myself lol) and most of you will agree that they won't be able to hold still well enough that regular clothes would hide them from the deer. Thus CAMO... although i believe that the pattern of the camo is not a huge thing, the fact that it breaks up the form is what's important! we need all the help we can get keeping kids in this sport since they are the future of it! So why not help them out as much as we can? Sure, someone who has the patience and self-control to keep still can fool lots of deer... but by the time you get the age and wisdom necessary to figure that out it's time to pass on the skills, and camo is gonna help! :)
So is camo overrated? It sounds like it is for ENO, i mean it would take a lot to have a yard sale with :P but i think it's not overrated if you look at the future of the sport and the part camo play's in it.

OK,OK I realize that in your state that might be a trophy buck. Just keep in mind QDM works great. In Missouri and Kansas we pass on bucks that size many times every year. Last season my take was 4 antlerless deer for meat and herd culling. I Let at least a dozen bucks walk, some bigger than that one. Also watched a kid shoot his first deer which was more fun than shooting my own trophy. It was a 1.5 year old 7 pt and the kid was very proud. Next year he will be looking for an older deer.
Lot's of Kansas farmers wear Carharts. Just might give that a try next fall. BTW most of the time when hunting ducks, turkeys and bowhunting I wear the same old 3d suit over whatever. It works very well if I don't nove at the wrong time.

The two biggies that give one away in any type of hunting (fur or fowl) is either scent or movement.
Camo will reduce visibility of small movements however smart critters have learned to detect even the slightest motion. I have hunted ducks and geese since I was a teenager and have had many successful waterfowl hunts wearing plaid jackets and jeans.
I have also shot as many deer in jeans as I have in camo. I do use a scent reduction detergent that is devoid of color and UV enhancers when I wash my clothes. Scent reduction however can always be mitigated by trying to remain downwind of one's quarry.
I still wear camo occasionally, but I will heartily agree that I don't have to.

The old plaid jackets seem to have the ability to break up your outline and since deer are relatively colorblind, the color doesn't seem to be so important as contrast. Movement and taking advantage of cover, and being acutely aware of your background and light/shadows is more important than camo patterns. Ask any good recon man you run across.

I guess I'll shoot you down. Cammo is great for breaking up your silhouette and hiding movement. but what is camouflage? If you are siting in the corner of a field taking 75 plus yard shots then you are camouflaged by distance. If your in a blind or up against a tree or a rock then you are camoflaged by your surroundings. that deer you shot was young and maby distracted by the rut.
Deer who see farm workers in work clothes all year long get use to seeing them. So during hunting season they don't see them as a threat until it's too late.

I think Scent Concealment is more important than camo, even though I think Scent-Lok doesn't work as advertised either. Keep your clothes in a air-tight box or bag and off you when not in the stand and you've got no scent. Motion control is probably the biggest downfall of any hunter. You've got to be still or all you'll see are whitetails pouncing off.

www.outdoorwriter.net

Oh, so deer can't see your profile? Really are you a deer? have you ever asked a deer? I didn't think so to either of the questions. Deer can most assuredly see a profile, have you ever had a mature buck just stare and stare and stare at you lowering his head and raising it back up trying to get you to move? He must be doing that because he is half blind and can's see a cotton picking thing! If it was my scent he would have been long gone, long before I ever came into sight. If you hunt on the ground a lot you will learn very quickly that deer can see profiles.

Camo is overrated but nice to have

heck i stalk within 10 yards of turkeys in jeans and a tee shirt all the time. camo is nice, and is certainly an advantage but it is not neccessary

Deer hunting yes its over rated, but we do have some smart deer where I hunt, so I'll take every advantage I can get.

Camo may be overrated, but at least wearing it doesnt hurt your chances.

I can’t help but find it amusing that people talk about how back in the day people wore flannel jackets and not camouflage. Just because it’s not real tree does not mean it’s not camouflage. Camouflage dose help with deer hunting it breaks up your outline so the deer don’t recognize what you are. It was made to help you blend in with your surroundings, not to make you invisible.