To Camo or not to Camo

[Altitude sickness]

Posted above. “No matter what color that is. It's a human silhouette”

And chiefly the head and shoulders give humans away. Even to other humans. Break up the head and shoulders outline and humans have a hard time seeing a human.

IE Scottish stalkers and game keepers came up with a suit to hide from poachers.

In Africa Hunting from a blind or even walking camo is not necessary.

When I hunt at home with a traditional bow or a self bow on the ground I use a leafy suit

I had my wife take pictures while I purposely skylined myself

My hands clearly stand out. But unless they move it won’t spook animals.

It’s the head and shoulders that denote human

 

[Altitude sickness]

Many also say the suit is from Scottish snipers. after the legendary Ghillie Dubh

 

[Major Bonkers]

I'm not sure that that's wholly right, Altitude Sickness.

My own understanding is that these garments were developed in the British army during and, in particular, after the war for snipers. Theoretically, they might even go back to the Lovat Scouts, an army unit raised from Lord Fraser's estate workers in the First World War, but this is just my supposition. They are completely impractical for the types of recreational rifle and shotgun shooting practiced in Britain, though.

The word 'ghille' is typically applied to a Scottish stalker, pony-boy, or fishing helper. I have spent a lot of time stalking deer in Scotland and reading about the subject, and I've never heard of 'the legendary Ghillie Dubh' (whose name, incidentally, would be pronounced 'Gilly Doo' and translates from Gaelic as 'Black Servant').

You will be astonished how many a 'Ben' (hill), 'Loch' (a lake or fjord), 'Corrie' (a natural bowl), 'Glen' (valley), and other geographical features are named 'Dubh'. Other adjectives used are typically 'Mor' (big), 'Beg' (small), and 'Gorm' (green). The names are quite mundane when translated into English!

 

[Altitude sickness]

Well I stand corrected on the suits origin. But the design. Wherever it came from still works. And my theory is the breaking or softening of the silhouette and chiefly the head and shoulders is the reason.

I made my own in the past. And wearing it wasn't habit forming. Hot and heavy. And eventually smelly. But very effective when hunting from the ground with a stick and string.

And definitely not needed in Africa. As mentioned. Most likely would not end well wearing any of this in Africa.

 

[ChrisG]

I have never hunted large game herbivores wearing camo. Turkeys ( not sure this even helps as they can see in the UV spectrum as well) and predators, yes, but otherwise, no.And it has, as far as I can tell, not dissuaded animals from approaching within shooting distance. I break up my silhouette by the things I am sitting/standing against or stalking near. Wearing camo, while skylining on a rock outcrop, is not going to be very effective. Movement gives away your position whether wearing the most expensive camo or a wool coat. As others have said, positioning for wind and approach, while stalking or sitting and knowing the ground and the habits of the animals, will always supercede what clothes you are wearing.

 

[GuttormG]

Not Africa, but..
When I started hunting red deer here at home two outfits were used. Blue boilersuits it It wasn't raining and orange or yellow raingear it it rained.

Season was shorter, there were no where near the deer population we have now and still this guy's filled the quota.

 

[fourfive8]

What to wear? Whatever looks dapper in a mirror, has a trendy label like Kuiu, has been seen on most youtube hunting videos, or if not camo, carries a secondary label like Westley Richards, and no matter the manufacturer or label, costs at least 3X its closest comparable.

 

[B0MBOY]

Posted above. “No matter what color that is. It's a human silhouette”

And chiefly the head and shoulders give humans away. Even to other humans. Break up the head and shoulders outline and humans have a hard time seeing a human.

That’s the key. I bring a sniper veil when hunting. Nothing crazy, just a brown or green net depending on foliage colors. But when worn properly it does an extraordinary job of breaking the human silhouette up. I use it to peak at animals without attracting their attention.

 

[0002S]

 

[PerH]

Actually Norway and Italy were some of the earliest to developed camo for general issue in the early 1920s . That was the tebt covers / zelthbahns . Italias camo pattern were used as regular uniform patterns later on by the Germans and others also.

Norway patterns were used mostly as tents and poncho’s . Until adoptions of camo uniforms later on .


now that said i sure would like some of the SAPS camo patterns jackets and trousers In my size . But i guess the laws make it impossible to export it or sell it to foreign collectors and 7x57 simps