Vancouver Island mule deer - camo necessary?

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Silveragent

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Still putting together my kit for hunting for the first time so have another question. I have an opportunity to go to region 1 in BC to get XXmule deerXX (EDIT: thanks for the correct. I mean black tail). I don't have a single bit of camo but have plenty of outdoor gear including earth tones, mostly browns. Do I need camo for rifle hunting in that area and if so what pattern? I'd like to try both stalking and sitting still.

I had an idea of keeping my clothing the way it is and draping myself with camo netting. I already have a Real-Tree hat with veil.

I'm already exploring descenting options like body wash.
 
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Camo is more a fashion statement than anything. Avoid bright colours and white (unless there is snow).
 
^^^ What he said ^^^

The only camo clothing I have are a pair of hunting pants. I bought them due to their water shedding and insulating properties. They just happen to be camo. I couldn't care less.

De-scenting is a gimmick. Go ahead and spend your money if you want, but wind awareness is 1000 times more important than scent control. The deer will still smell you, the scent control product, gas fumes from driving, the coffee you spilled on your hand in the truck, your breath... everything.
 
Camo is a successful marketing gimmick aimed at the little boy within all men. Makes no difference for deer hunting. Some high end camo clothing has good weather protection properties but not as good as those available from general high end recreation clothing.
 
bisonhd said:
Camo is a successful marketing gimmick aimed at the little boy within all men. Makes no difference for deer hunting. Some high end camo clothing has good weather protection properties but not as good as those available from general high end recreation clothing.
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The hunting-specific stuff is often quieter, which is a definite advantage. On the other hand, I've got some drab-green army surplus stuff in polar fleece and it is even quieter than my "hunting" pants.
 
Silveragent said:
Thanks for the tips gents. I don't want to spend money that I don't have if it makes little difference.
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No worries. If you were bow hunting turkeys I might say it might be worth camo-ing up and trying to cover scent, but mulies?

They're as dumb a grouse. The buck I shot on Oct 1st was about 25 yards away. I had driven up to with 50 yards of him on my trail bike, stinking like cheeze whiz and cologne. I stalked up to him (and about 5 does/fawns) and I made a small sound with my mouth, he looked at me and then started eating again. BANG!

I could have been wearing a clown suit and smelled like coyote piss and that deer still would have been down.
 
The best hunting pants I ever had for the wet coast was a cheap pair of surplus wool German army pants. Some had a noisey nylon type liner, avoid those. The good old wool stanfield over a high tech wicking undershirt is tough to beat. All that for the price of one Browning logo.
 
If you're not wearing camo you won't even see a deer during your hunting trip!!! They will spot you the minute you leave your house.....lol....makes no difference at all!!!!
 
I dunno....
I am not gonna say you "have" to wear camo... Or use scent control .... But I have made the last 20 years, an excercise in become a master of mule deer hunting ;) dunno if I'm there yet.
I do all my serious hunting for blacktails and interior mulies, on foot stalking just inside cut lines, or setting up ambush in high sign or known high use feeding/bedding/migration areas. No treestands, no ground blinds. Just quality camo and gear that is silent, blends well, hands and face covered and I absolutely use scent control. My freezer is full every year and though I don't trophy hunt, my rack collection has several B&C qualifiers.
Sure, depending on the area and the deer in it.... You could be cruisin in a ice cream truck and wearing a clown suit and still fill your freezer ;)

However, if yer out in the bush , where the deer live, and on foot, neutral colours/shades, stay away from reds, black, whites and it pays to cover face and hands.... As generally these are the first part of a human, that gives them away in the bush.

175 class mule deer aren't dumb, 10 yard shots and having them get that close for it is no accident. Camo and scent control however..... Works extremely well for me.
 
MiG25 said:
Birds can't smell, and turkeys can be even more naive than yearling muley bucks.
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080716111421.htm

...and what's all this I hear about turkeys being extremely hard to hunt? If they are so naive, why all the camo and keeping absolutely still and all that? Maybe south BC turkeys are dumber than Ontario turkeys?

I've only ever tried Ontario turkeys and I didn't even come close. Hence, I believed what they say about turkeys...
 
Silveragent said:
Still putting together my kit for hunting for the first time so have another question. I have an opportunity to go to region 1 in BC to get mule deer. I don't have a single bit of camo but have plenty of outdoor gear including earth tones, mostly browns. Do I need camo for rifle hunting in that area and if so what pattern? I'd like to try both stalking and sitting still.

I had an idea of keeping my clothing the way it is and draping myself with camo netting. I already have a Real-Tree hat with veil.




I'm already exploring descenting options like body wash.
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The deer on Vancouver Island are "black-tail deer" not "mule deer".

One doesn't necessarily NEED camo clothing but it is better to have clothing in some sort of pattern as to break up your outline. One solid color esp. a bright color is not the best. Camo does a good job of breaking up an outline and making the human form less visible.

I have seen hunters wearing lots of camo but their hands and faces shone like white lights and were very visible when they were moving. And I have seen a fellow in full camo with head net and gloves that scared the crap out of me when he moved and spoke when I was about 8 or 10 yards away and had not seen him.
 
Rain gear

I got my first and best V.I. blacktail almost exactly 43 years ago. It was a 4x5 and I didn't even have a camera at the time.

Can't remember what I was wearing, but it sure wasn't camo.

Stealth and luck counted more than anything.
 
ironsighter said:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080716111421.htm

...and what's all this I hear about turkeys being extremely hard to hunt? If they are so naive, why all the camo and keeping absolutely still and all that? Maybe south BC turkeys are dumber than Ontario turkeys?

I've only ever tried Ontario turkeys and I didn't even come close. Hence, I believed what they say about turkeys...
Click to expand...

So they have no actual proof that birds can smell. Cover some carrion and watch the birds sniff it out, right they wont.
 
It's not just about the camo pattern. Camo these days comes with fantastic insulating fabrics which are water proof, quiet, and have scent control capabilities. It's designed for hunting, so you get your extra pockets for shells, maps, compass etc..
You can get an awesome camo set for around $300. I don't see anything wrong with that. The key is to buy during the off season.
 
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