Seriously, about any pattern will work as long as you know when to move and when not to... I've seen guys wearing red plaid shirts and blue jeans kill elk at less than 20 yards...
But I'll say this.... if you happen to be hunting open country such as sage flats... the Sitka Optifade Open Country is really nice. My hunting partner watching from an adjacent hill this past season knew exactly where I was and still could find me. I had to pull out some orange and wave it so he could locate me. Then he said when I put the orange away I vanished again before his eyes.
;)
Hammer's Link
Hey I saw it on the net so you know it has to be true....
I know I know.....Since the naysayer don't buy it lets see how it looks shall we....:o)
This is light hearted so don't get all pissy please. Instead your just wrong if you think it wouldn't work to well. Unless an animal sees in color a Hawaiian shirt camo pattern would work just fine...
Here is pic #1 in color from a dude who took pics of his different camo patterns etc. A make shift study so to speak.
Now if the critter you are hunting saw you in color like that pic shows it would suck wouldn't it? Sure it would.
My King Of The Mountain omnitherm camos cost 750 bucks new but I got them for 20 at a yard sale or I would go Hawaiian.
;o)
Hammer's Link
It actually has good and simple camo pattern info in it if a guy wants to apply it and is hunting ground or elevated platform.
You missed the point of the shirt pattern. It illustrates what works and doesn't and why. My last link that mentions the silly shirt speaks to it pretty well and what works in different situations. This was an attempt to post some info that can be helpful to the OP when he picks his camo pattern and to have a little fun while posting it. Most camos IMO are expensive and not really any better than the next but some guys will spend big money on camo maybe not realizing. Obviously I am not saying to go hunt in a Hawaiian shirt.
Edit:
Great edit job and way to completely change both your post to something else right after I responded.
Nicks edited post.....Cant remember the 1st one though it was once again an unsolicited underhanded immature remark. last post....."Hammer no matter how many times you post it I am pretty sure no one is ever going to wear a Hawaiian shirt when hunting. Ever!"
For the sake of continuity and to ensure it doesn't keep changing the now completely different edited postings now read #1, "ASAT is real good..."................#2 "Fusion from First Lite is very nice as well, plus it comes in Merino Wool"
Edit:
Sorry but here we go again. Now a 2nd edit was added after the fact to say "Hammer, what have you worn while hunting Elk?"
Nick the answer is cheap used camouflage like always. I refuse to buy new. You want pics of my $750 King Of The Mountain gear I got at a yard sale for 20 bucks as well now so you know I actually have that too?
Does this ever stop with you?
Mguu's Link
Hammer.. we meet again. I'll trade you 6 of my best Hawaiian shirts for that King of the Mountain! Cmon dude I know you're not using it.
You have 6 Hawaiian shirts? Yikes...lol.....
I am using it and besides if my health continues to improve so I can go BGH again I will be using it for years to come. I aint selling that gear any time soon either way my friend cuz I can use it here too. Sorry. Stuff is pretty darn warm. Wayyyyyy better than my cheap camos. Was in a thread the other day and someone posted this pic of their guide. My camos are identical to those except mine doesn't have the hood. I wish it did but for 20 bucks a guy cant complain that's for sure.
Even with the 100% profit you offered me I would be getting screwed now that I now its real value and have also used it on chilly MI deer hunting this season and felt its true value. When I kick the bucket my wife will sell them in a yard sale not knowing what she has just like the folks I bought them from. lol
There is no doubt that there are huge quality differences with camos as far as staying warm goes that's for sure.
Again, as others have said, movement is very key with elk and deer. You can pretty much wear anything and be fine. However, those are the camo patterns I like best!
Besides elk not being able to see non-camo or camo very well when stationary, you would drive yourself nuts trying to match the vegetation color out west anyway. You've got white aspen trees, light green fir, blue spruce, dark green pines, and all shades of brown and in between. Some exist all at once, or change within 100 yds. The south facing slopes are like night and day compared to the north facing slopes as far as colors. So just pick one, you'll likely encounter terrain that matches it at some point during the day. Once again, not that it matters anyway.
I personally use a pattern known as "max-1, hardwood, seclusion, advantage, multi-cam, open country" since none of my stuff matches, and is pretty much a hodgepodge of whatever I happen to grab that day.
good luck,
Everyone above said it better - no movement and stay downwind.
Thats true with most camo but, ASAT is the best I have found hands down for hiding from animals. I would expect Predator works equally as well also.
I was slinking along the face of an adobe ridge attempting to get in position on a deer when I was spotted by a coyote. I sat down and the coyote began barking at me, strange I thought because it just watched me walking upright for who knows how long. I sat there for several minutes while this coyote just kept barking, finally I stood up and waved my arms and just tried to make myself look human. Didn't matter, it just kept barking for several more minutes until it finally ran off.
Was it the camo? Maybe, maybe not but we were only 150 yards from each other. I have noticed that dogs seem to be curious about the pattern if not a little afraid of it.
Walking up a fairly open hill side one evening headed for some elk when I picked out a silhouette in the trees of a spike bull looking right at me 50 yards away. I froze and he stared for ever and finally stepped out in the open and started feeding. Now I know he heard me coming, he saw me moving, and stared forever at my still form and became convinced it was no threat.
He either saw the longbow in my hand or ASAT works better than any other camo I have used.
I got spotted by a cow elk while easing up to the one and only juniper I had between me and this small herd 70 yards away and anyone that has done any amount of hunting knows that when this happens, 9 times out of 10 its a done deal, the females of most species are pretty wary and take very few chances but I survived the excruciatingly long stare down test and the bull only got as close as 50 yards but they all stayed within 70 yards until it was dark.
I know the camo is working when I get caught moving and the animal just seems to stare right through me, good camo is money well spent IMO and I am going to buy more ASAT and continue to use it religiously.
It seems to break up an outline very well, which is what you want out of your camo. I can get quiet comfortable clothes in about any pattern I desire so thats a moot point.
I guess someday when I can get within bow range of the animals I hunt without ever moving I wont worry about camo.
I believe "concealment" should never be the primary reason for buying hunting clothes, especially when it comes to elk...I concentrate on functionality.
Best of Luck, Jeff (Bowsite Sponsor)
If you are not familiar with it, that is the mesh type ghillie suit and I wear the hood and face mask.
However, if you sit still, blue jeans and a T-shirt will work about as well as anything.
Just consider this: What color are the animals that depend on camo to hunt or hide? What color is an elk, a bobcat, a deer, a cougar? Ma Nature had it figured out. Ignore the vegetation. Ungulates don't see green as green. Color is for those animals that see color as we do. Aint no green on the animals mentioned above and they can disapear while you are watching them. If they don't move, we'd never see them.