Type of movement / body language as well?..I have noticed deer seem to be unflustered if you are just dog walking at normal pace, but seem more likely to react and scarper immediately if they spot you cautiously creeping along...
Alan
Busting the myth of camouflage clothing
- Thread starter tdawson
- Start date
Type of movement / body language as well?..I have noticed deer seem to be unflustered if you are just dog walking at normal pace, but seem more likely to react and scarper immediately if they spot you cautiously creeping along...
Alan
badbob
Well-Known Member
Big Sparky`s anecdote is very true. Prey animals seem to know when a predator is actively after them.
If you get spotted by a deer, instead of rushing up your sticks, or suddenly crouching or dropping prone ,sometimes it helps to act kind of slow and nonchalant.
Feeding pheasants, I always see deer ,not really too concerned at all.
Cammo is good if you want to use it, but always remember the wind in your face, not on the back of your neck.
If you get spotted by a deer, instead of rushing up your sticks, or suddenly crouching or dropping prone ,sometimes it helps to act kind of slow and nonchalant.
Feeding pheasants, I always see deer ,not really too concerned at all.
Cammo is good if you want to use it, but always remember the wind in your face, not on the back of your neck.
moosm14
Member
Many species, deer included do not perceive color spectrum as we do
The reference to blaze orange camo in the US is correct and in my experience effective
”Blocking” of solid hues or mixing can possiblly hinder stealth in stalking
However the reference to UV brighteners in manufacture and detergents is correct.
Always insure to launder with non- brightener detergent and non scented cleaning products
The Native American and Canadian First Nation I have hunted with swear deer are spooked by scent sooner than sight
in the forest scent will travel and signal alarm sooner than movement or color
Besides not laundering clothing in sweet smelling detergent they advocate no personal scented soaps.
Traditionaly a sauna or sweat lodge to cleanse any body oder followed by a smudge of burnt sage, including hunting attire, would take care of this.
your mileage my vary - ATB Hunting!
The reference to blaze orange camo in the US is correct and in my experience effective
”Blocking” of solid hues or mixing can possiblly hinder stealth in stalking
However the reference to UV brighteners in manufacture and detergents is correct.
Always insure to launder with non- brightener detergent and non scented cleaning products
The Native American and Canadian First Nation I have hunted with swear deer are spooked by scent sooner than sight
in the forest scent will travel and signal alarm sooner than movement or color
Besides not laundering clothing in sweet smelling detergent they advocate no personal scented soaps.
Traditionaly a sauna or sweat lodge to cleanse any body oder followed by a smudge of burnt sage, including hunting attire, would take care of this.
your mileage my vary - ATB Hunting!
Big_Sparky
Well-Known Member
I can’t find the exact picture I want - so this one will have to do! Taken from the cab of my wagon driving off the estate loaded with timber.
This comment is clearly anecdotal and wiser folks may have a more scientific answer - but it certainly seems to me that there is, at least, an element of deer “sensing” or being able to differentiate a threat. I’ve worked for a short while for a haulage company just outside of Oban on a timber crane wagon. A lot of the work we did was on the same estate that I’ve done some basic ghillie work for. You could be sat in the crane cab working away loading trailers with logs and the reds would pay between little or no attention. An occasional sideways glance. Equally if I ever visit my pal on the same estate you often drive past a good 20-30 deer grazing in the lower fields - many time I’ve stopped to take a picture - they don’t bat an eyelid. Get up on the hill and unzip the rifle from the bag..... and a very different story!!
Indeed, two days of blank red stag stalking last week and then turn up in our yard for work on Sunday morning and two roe bucks just stood in front of the car - didn’t even wander off when I fired the wagon up..... I’m convinced they were chuckling..... “look at that tosser - he’s left his rifle at home”
Many species, deer included do not perceive color spectrum as we do
The reference to blaze orange camo in the US is correct and in my experience effective
”Blocking” of solid hues or mixing can possiblly hinder stealth in stalking
However the reference to UV brighteners in manufacture and detergents is correct.
Always insure to launder with non- brightener detergent and non scented cleaning products
The Native American and Canadian First Nation I have hunted with swear deer are spooked by scent sooner than sight
in the forest scent will travel and signal alarm sooner than movement or color
Besides not laundering clothing in sweet smelling detergent they advocate no personal scented soaps.
Traditionaly a sauna or sweat lodge to cleanse any body oder followed by a smudge of burnt sage, including hunting attire, would take care of this.
your mileage my vary - ATB Hunting!
Human scent is strong if you have the wind right they won't smell you if you have it wrong they will smell you regardless of what soap or deodorant you wear or none at all .
Pay attention to the wind the most important factor in deer stalking.
Movement, particularly ungloved hands and open face, appear to be more important than what clothes one is wearing from my limited experience.
My personal choice is not to wear camo and instead to go muted grey/green tones but it's a personal choice and part motivated by possible interactions with members of the general public on the way to/from my permission. I'm not bothered if someone else does go the camo route and I'm prepared to accept that there may be circumstances in which camo would confer an advantage on the wearer when combined with really good fieldcraft.
If I'm really wanting to get up close to a deer, I generally find wearing a pair of flip-flops, shorts, red t-shirt and carrying no rifle works a treat, particularly when accompanied by a shouting toddler son.
My personal choice is not to wear camo and instead to go muted grey/green tones but it's a personal choice and part motivated by possible interactions with members of the general public on the way to/from my permission. I'm not bothered if someone else does go the camo route and I'm prepared to accept that there may be circumstances in which camo would confer an advantage on the wearer when combined with really good fieldcraft.
If I'm really wanting to get up close to a deer, I generally find wearing a pair of flip-flops, shorts, red t-shirt and carrying no rifle works a treat, particularly when accompanied by a shouting toddler son.
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moosm14
Member
All quarry sense the hunter as out of place in their domain
Whether vehicular travel on a roadway or the “mankini” and flip flops is no deterrent
(which would give me fright to flee to scour my eyes with bleach)
The 100 meter rifle range I shoot has a forested hillside berm the deer casually frequent with curiousity.
The deer and wild turkeys both stroll as bold as brass while shooters safely bang at targets many feet down the hillside below.
Clearly they have read both the range prohibition from disturbing wildlife and the hunting regulations to determine when and where they are safe!
Whether vehicular travel on a roadway or the “mankini” and flip flops is no deterrent
(which would give me fright to flee to scour my eyes with bleach)
The 100 meter rifle range I shoot has a forested hillside berm the deer casually frequent with curiousity.
The deer and wild turkeys both stroll as bold as brass while shooters safely bang at targets many feet down the hillside below.
Clearly they have read both the range prohibition from disturbing wildlife and the hunting regulations to determine when and where they are safe!
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
Strictly speaking not correct. Dazzle was used to confuse a submarine into being easily able to determine the bearing and distance that a ship was at so as to make it difficult for the submarine to correctly work out the "angle on the bow" (or whatever the technical term was) for the release of its torpedoes. Whereas guns on surface ships of the time used optical rangefinders which could be confused by having irregular vertical surfaces so the rangefinder operator couldn't get a precise alignment of a perpendicular such as a mast or funnel on the enemy ship.
So dazzle schemes weren't about blending in with the background but about making it impossible to work out a correct firing solution to a submarine intent on attacking it. So it wasn't designed to hide or camouflage the ship from other surface ships...far from that in fact but to make it stand out (in plain sight) through the periscope of a submarine as if its bearing and angle from you was different from its actual true bearing and angle from you. So the best dazzle schemes like the best optical illusions that then trick the brain and eye were designed, in fact, to be seen.
AN DU RU FOX
Well-Known Member
So be no use on chinese( water )deer in a buckinghamsire field then. sorry enfield couldn,t resist.
moosm14
Member
Awesome reference and explanation of “dazzle”!
Skylining or presenting oneself at the summit of a hill or precipice comes to mind as an example of standing out.
Often a tree stand blind is employed in North America as deer are often not inclined to look up
(Chinese Deer from Buckinghamshire notwithstanding)
However deer will Telegraph to a tree stand blind if some degree of dazzle is not employed -
Skylining or presenting oneself at the summit of a hill or precipice comes to mind as an example of standing out.
Often a tree stand blind is employed in North America as deer are often not inclined to look up
(Chinese Deer from Buckinghamshire notwithstanding
)However deer will Telegraph to a tree stand blind if some degree of dazzle is not employed -
Reflecting what @enfieldspares says above: there’s generally a great deal of confusion about what the different types of crypsis are meant to achieve, and in what context.
AN DU RU FOX
Well-Known Member
Caroach did a test /review a few years ago that was very surprising on different patterns. but there again its what we perceive as we buy/wear not as the deer see us.
Limpet
Well-Known Member
I have often wondered why they do that - makes me laugh though - so I hope they carry on with it.
CarlW
Well-Known Member
Or indeed, that other tribe, the 'clean-shaven young man wearing red trousers and tattersall shirt' crew...
Or fat old hags in tweed miniskirts and conker boots, who don't seem to realise that it is no longer 2004 and at no point in their lives have they ever looked like Kate Middleton...
Or any man in Dubarry boots. Too fookin' gay...
Or...well, I'll shut up now. Thanks, @woody, for reminding me why I am no longer welcome at such gatherings...
Only slightly overweight??
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