Element Outdoors: Outfitting America’s Hunters

Hunting has been a part of human life for as long as humans have been on this planet. Some accounts say it dates back even farther than that to the time before what we consider modern humans roamed the Earth. In fact, there’s evidence that hunting existed more than 1.7 million years ago. It has been practiced and perfected for millennia, spanning an array of tools and techniques that have continually evolved along with humanity. 

Early on, hunting was a sheer necessity. People hunted for food and, most likely, to get rid of animals that wanted to make a meal out of them. Many people still hunt to put meat on the table and in their freezers. Some do so for sport. They enjoy the sheer thrill and rush of adrenaline that comes from outwitting their targets and landing those perfectly aimed arrows and bullets. No matter your reasons for hunting, being properly dressed for the occasion is essential. Element Outdoors is here to help make that possible. 

Why Do You Need Camouflage Clothing for Hunting?

Some people question why camouflage clothing is actually necessary for hunting. Why not just head out into the woods in your street clothes to kill a deer, boar, or turkey? That’s certainly an option. In truth, even some well-seasoned hunters insist that camouflage isn’t really necessary. They say that as long as you use some method of breaking up your silhouette to an extent and you’re quiet and relatively still when hunting, you’ll get your game regardless of what you’re wearing. 

That may be the case for some hunters, but most find that becoming part of their surroundings and eluding prey without camouflage is much easier said than done. For the majority of hunters, being decked out in the right camo is a necessity. It actually serves a few important purposes. 

Disguising Yourself

One of the main and most obvious purposes for camouflage clothing is to disguise yourself while hunting. Animals see differently than humans, but each one has its own visual strengths. Those help keep them alive in the wild whether they’re avoiding natural predators or human hunters.

Deer, for example, don’t see as clearly as humans in daylight, but they’re better equipped to see in low-light conditions. They can also process incoming visual information far faster than people can, so they can detect motions or other disruptions and react to them more quickly. Besides that, prey animals know their surroundings. If something is there that naturally shouldn’t be, they’ll avoid it. 

Camouflage breaks up your form and helps you to blend in with your surroundings. Not all that long ago, camo was only available in basic mottled patterns. Today, though, it’s available in an array of patterns and colors to make people look like part of the landscape no matter where they’re hunting. Of course, that makes it more difficult for animals to see you. Though you still have to be as quiet and motionless as possible when hunting, camouflage can certainly help you to blend in better. 

Masking Your Scent

With today’s hunting apparel being much more advanced than that of the past, some camouflage gear takes matters even further than the visual element. Animals don’t rely on sight alone to keep them safe from predators. Their other senses come into play as well. Smell is one of the most important. They can smell humans a mile away, so to speak. Even if you wash your clothes in unscented detergent, use unscented deodorant, and forgo cologne, they’ll still know you’re among them. 

Quite a few products are on the market to help solve that problem. Deodorant that’s designed to be as inconspicuous as possible while still controlling sweat and body odor is one of them. Laundry detergent that’s supposed to give off even less of an aroma than the versions advertised as unscented are available as well. On top of that, there are products you can drip sparingly on yourself to make you smell like animals’ natural surroundings. 

Still, that’s only part of the solution. When you’re hunting, you’re bound to sweat even in cold weather because you’re wearing heavy gear to keep out the cold. Deodorant wears off eventually, and the products you may be using to mask your own smell don’t last very long. Even if they did, there’s still an artificial element to them that animals tend to recognize. Some camouflage is now made with material that’s designed to hold in human smell, thwart bacteria growth, and wisk away sweat to prevent animals from smelling you. 

Other Purposes for Hunting Apparel

Disguising your form and your smell are the two main purposes of modern camouflage clothing, but it can also offer a few additional advantages. For one, there are different types and styles available for different types of weather. They can keep you cool in warm weather or keep you warm in cold weather. Some can also keep you dry in the rain and protect you from wind. As such, they help to keep you comfortable. If you’re more comfortable, you’ll be a little less likely to inadvertently fidget and make noise. You’ll be able to stay out in the field for longer as well.

Additionally, some types of camouflage clothing are designed with animals’ acute senses of hearing in mind. They rustle less to make animals less likely to hear you moving around. Many also have ample extra pockets built into them. That gives you places to store all your essentials, like ammo, calls, snacks, water bottles, and your phone if you choose to take it along for the trip. 

Finding the Right Camouflage Gear for Your Hunting Trips

Camouflage serves a few purposes besides just making people look less obvious while hunting. To take full advantage of modern hunting attire, though, you need to find the right pieces to suit your needs. To help make that a bit easier, keep the following points in mind. 

Where You’ll Be Hunting

One of the most important things to consider when you’re looking for camouflage is where you’ll be hunting. Will you be in the woods? If so, what types of trees and other foliage are common in the area? On the other hand, you may be planning to hunt waterfowl in marshlands or around lakes. Perhaps you’ll be in a relatively open field.

These settings look very different from one another. Because of that, you’ll need to choose a camouflage pattern that most closely matches the surroundings. Otherwise, you might not be as hidden as you think. Some experts insist that larger, bolder camo patterns are best for dense forests whereas smaller, more detailed patterns work better in open fields. If you intend to hunt in the snow, that changes the game even more. Think about the area where you’ll be hunting, and find a pattern that looks as much like it as possible.

What You’ll Be Hunting

Obviously, different camouflage patterns have different colors because they’re designed for different types of surroundings. Beyond that, even though some brands and patterns may look almost identical, there may be subtle color differences in them. Some fall on the lighter or brighter side of the spectrum while others are a bit duller or darker.

That may not matter in some areas or for certain types of game because they see patterns more so than colors. Other animals can see colors even more vividly than humans, though, so coloring would make a major difference. Consider what types of game you’ll be hunting and maybe do a little research on how their eyesight works. That’ll give you insight into just how closely you need to match the colors of the camo to the surroundings. 

When You’ll Be Hunting

When you’ll be hunting factors into the equation as well. For one, seasonal changes bring changes to the landscape. Your autumn or summer camo may not match the area in the winter or spring. As mentioned, snowy hunting grounds require different camouflage patterns and colors altogether. 

Blending in better isn’t the only reason to think about what time of year you’ll be hunting. Weather is important too. You’ll need to choose hunting apparel that’s suitable for the season. After all, you don’t want to wear a thin long-sleeved shirt that’s perfectly matched to the environment only to end up missing your target because you’re shivering too hard to aim correctly. You don’t want to wear a jacket that disguises you flawlessly only to sweat so much that the animals won’t come near you, either. 

Choose camouflage clothes that are appropriate for the season you’ll be hunting. Versions are available for all types of weather, so there are plenty of options at your disposal. Consider layering so you can discreetly slip on a jacket or remove a layer of insulation as the need arises. Buying a few water-resistant pieces for hunting in the rain and in wet areas is also recommended. 

Materials

Aside from choosing camouflage that’s suited to the area and time of year you’ll be hunting, take a look at some of the different materials that are now on the market. You no longer have to wear a thick, heavy, bulky, restrictive coat to stay warm when hunting in the winter. Materials are getting thinner and more flexible while also providing even better protection against cold and wind than their predecessors.

You’ll also find materials that are more breathable than standard cotton or polyester. They can help keep you cooler. Some fabrics are moisture-wicking, so you don’t have to worry about being constantly soaked in sweat when you wear them. Waterproof and water-resistant materials are available as are those designed for scent control and other purposes.

Investing in camo with those added features isn’t a bad idea. At the very least, consider the quality of the camo you’re buying. Though high-quality pieces may cost more, they’re bound to last longer and survive the hazards of the outdoors better than their cheaper counterparts. 

Picking Your Perfect Camouflage

Camouflage hunting apparel serves several purposes, and numerous types are on the market at this point. Remember the points mentioned here to help you find the best pieces to meet your needs and make your hunting trips more successful. Whether you have a favorite time and place to hunt or you’d like to branch out, you’re sure to find options that’ll accommodate.