# (Why) do hunters wear camouflage? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 1, 2009, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-hunters-wear-camouflage/519578 "2009-12-01T13:00:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-hunters-wear-camouflage/519578/41 "2009-12-03T03:00:09Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I’m a hunter, and I’ve always been skeptical of camouflage clothing. I am of the opinion that game animals do not care about the color and pattern of my clothing. I honestly think it’s more of a fashion statement. The hunting magazines try and convince hunters that they \*must \*be camouflaged with the latest-n-greatest Mossy Oak pattern (or whatever), and people believe it. I also believe some people hunt as a way of engaging in fantasy role-playing, and dressing up as a military sniper (or whatever) is part of the fantasy. > > When it comes to hunting and not being seen, there are only three things that matter IMO: movement, noise, and smell. The most significant are the first two; the less you move, and the less noise you make, the more invisible you will be. I’m neutral on the importance of body odor. I think it can certainly work against you in some circumstances, but not nearly to the extent that the magazines claim. (I think ScentLok clothing is a joke.) > > . I agree with you esp for deer. In the old days, very few of us hunters, bow hunters, wore comoflage clothing. we just wore dark colors so as not to stand out. deer are color blind.. Camoflage does break up your outline and it helps, but it is not necessary because I was a successful deer bow hunter, shooting deer up close, before camoflage became so available to most people. Deer have no memory and cannot tell what a human is if he makes no noise and does not move. I have had deer walk by me within 20 feet, without them knowing what I was. I walked up to deer simply by moving only when their head is down, and then the deer could not remember that the last time he looked I was 3 feet farther away. There are all sorts of gimmicks that people try to sell you, I just saw a snowball maker at Dicks. I guess kids today can not make snowballs without a snowball maker anymore. However, on the other hand, I find that ducks can tell I am a human from pretty far away, even if I am not moving. The only way to hunt ducks is to comoflage because other wise they will see you and know what you are even if you wear green and even if you do not move. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-hunters-wear-camouflage/519578/42 "2009-12-03T04:51:21Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Camouflage condoms. She’ll never see you coming! Don’t laugh (OK - go ahead and laugh) but the one thing I won’t carry into the woods in deer season unless it’s camo or olive drab ----- toilet paper. When a deer gets ready to run, the tail shoots up showing the white underside. Some yahoos who shoot at the slightest provocation see any flash of white in the brush and they set out to empty that pump action 06 as fast as they can. Since you are going to have to sooner or later if you hunt enough ------ it just seems like a bad time to be mistaken for game. To the best of my knowledge it has only happened once in PA with serious result and a handfull of close calls in 30some years. But I know what my luck is like so ---------- ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-hunters-wear-camouflage/519578/43 "2009-12-03T16:28:49Z")
First thing, all hunting/fishing accessories first have to catch hunters/fishermen. Second, the dawning of your dedicated, camo gear puts you in the right frame of mind. It’s like a suit that you’d wear for work, but more appropriate for hunting. For me, it’s not about the wearing of camo, but more that my hunting gear is dedicated to that, washed in scent free/scent reducing detergent, and stored in a plastic tub. It also has the pockets & features that I’m looking for. I did buy my blaze orange jacket with the breakup camo pattern, as I don’t see how it can hurt to break up all that expanse of solid color… I needed a new one, that could be taken apart into layers, and mine was on sale, with appropriate pockets. For some hunting, it’s very important, for other hunting, not so much. But why have multiple types of clothing for all of the different hunting? (waterproofness/temperature requirements aside) ---
**Author:** ![JerseyFrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@JerseyFrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyFrank)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-hunters-wear-camouflage/519578/44 "2009-12-03T17:13:20Z")
> [@YPOD](#): > > I remember being in a Wyoming store and seeing thongs and teddies in camouflage. It’s so they blend in with the bush. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-hunters-wear-camouflage/519578.md?page=2)