I'm going on a Penninsula Brown Bear hunt in September. With that, I've finally decided to break down and buy some new camo clothing (military surplus can only go so far). Any thoughts as to what would be appropriate of the modern patterns?

A Peninsula hunt in September? Most of the Alaska Peninsula is unit 9. The season this year is in May.

I think camo is way overrated. I own one piece of camo clothing, which is a windproof fleece jacket. No camo pants, raingear, etc. Using the wind when bear hunting is most important. I'd say choose a camo pattern you can use wherever you do most of your hunting.
Ken

I with you Alasken, most camo is overrated and companies make a bundle - making a forune. I tend to use the common fleece. If things become too thick I carry some oversized sweat pants and pull them on over my jeans. My shirt is generally fleece or the light jacket is. I see people coming up from the states chartering Wright Air or some other small commuters here dressed all the way to there boots in camo-guess they don't want to see each other.ha. It is funny.

Up until this January I never even owned a piece of camo gear for hunting. Now I have exactly 1 piece, a rain jacket. I find that it's just not necessary for Alaska big game hunting.

I'm glad to see there are other Alaskans who feel the same way I do about camo. Can you say "Camo shmamo, who needs it?"
grizz, I love to see the walking Cabela's stores too.

Alot of Alaskans say camo is not needed.I use Realtree camo and have had moose and caribou walk 5 foot away from me without seeing me.The thing most people forget is a pair of camo sunglasses.Its when an animal sees your eyes is when they will take off.I have used camo here 8 seasons and it works better here than most places because the animals have never seen it.If you crouch and use realtree camo you can sneek right up on moose and caribou.It will work the same on bears also.

Bradhe

I like camo. If you are going to buy good quality clothing made of the new high tech fabrics for hunting you might as well buy it in camo.

I have several different camo pattern but as you mentioned the Peninsula which can have a lot of open country I'd pick one of those duck hunter patterns with several shades of brown. We found that this worked very well on the mixed tundra and willows you will encounter.

Mark

Historically thinking and comparing notes with you guys about the use of camo- it is your money. The old guides that set the standards for todays guides is still common, the wind is still your best camo and the use of the terrain. I have had both species of animals get close without the use of camo by using my wits. I do wish you great success Bradhe-keep the wind in your face.

When I take my 2 sons (ages 9 & 11) hunting we all wear blaze orange. We have had moose walk within 15-20 feet of us. I have had the same situation wearing the required blaze and hunting whitetails. Grizz is right, wind and terrain are your best "camo." Camo is another tool to use, but I've never felt I missed out on a game animal because I wasn't wearing it.

As you can see, most Alaskans are not that impressed with camo and I'll agree. But on occasion it does seem to work. Most patterns are way to dark and only accentuates the upright human form . My favorite pattern is a dead grass pattern. On the peninsula it is perfect and, due to the light and dark striping, it also blends in well in forest, jungle and even a lot of the desert.

I'm ambivalent (at best) about cammo but it is getting hard to find good hunting clothes in plain colors.

quote:

Originally posted by akpls:
When I take my 2 sons (ages 9 & 11) hunting we all wear blaze orange. We have had moose walk within 15-20 feet of us. I have had the same situation wearing the required blaze and hunting whitetails. Grizz is right, wind and terrain are your best "camo." Camo is another tool to use, but I've never felt I missed out on a game animal because I wasn't wearing it.

I bought my kid and I a matching set of blaze camo fleece tops. I really like them from the safety standpoint and quickly locating where your partner is at. We tend to do a lot of still hunting and I don't like to loose track of him for too long.

Here I am modeling it:



And the kid in his:



I know that deer can't see this stuff. We called them into less than 5 yds from us several times.

quote:

Originally posted by Mikelravy:
I'm ambivalent (at best) about cammo but it is getting hard to find good hunting clothes in plain colors.

Here I am modeling a solid color fleece top and solid color hat. Just find one that matches your background colors. Shouldn't be too hard.

quote:

Originally posted by 458Win:
As you can see, most Alaskans are not that impressed with camo and I'll agree. But on occasion it does seem to work. Most patterns are way to dark and only accentuates the upright human form . My favorite pattern is a dead grass pattern. On the peninsula it is perfect and, due to the light and dark striping, it also blends in well in forest, jungle and even a lot of the desert.

I too have heard and read that most camo is way to dark for Alaska. As I have been preparing for my first trip and hunt to Alaska this fall, I've been buying some fleece and have found that a lot of the higher tech, newer stuff is hard to find in anything EXCEPT camo OR black/navy. Jackets are easier to find in non-camo and I have a couple in dark tan (mushroom?) and light grey. For the rest, I've tried to pick the lightest color pattern. These are usually the "grass" type for waterfowling and they grey colored stuff. Check out the Cabela's Outfitter Camo, I've got one of the polyester shirts and a vest in that pattern. I think I'll also buy a pair of the pants. BTW, I'm planning on buying the green Helly Hansen Impertech for my waterproof layer.

I'll agree with 458 in that most camo patterns are too dark. To test this, I once had a camp full of archery hunters in several different camo patterns and colors. They all walked off 50 yards into the edge of the forest and we took turns "modeling" our camo and observing. Virtually all of the darker patterns made the hunter simply look like a dark, human shaped blob. The one that was most effective was the Predator camo. That one just seemed to disappear into the woods. On this occasion it was their green pattern, and that was in Colorado, not Alaska, but the more "open" pattern really blends well into the background. It's what I've used ever since.

I use the new Marine camo uniforms good pattern.

try using the same camo pattern that the bear does Just my opinion,but i do believe most of the stuff is just made to sell to somebody

Camo?
Sorry, but a sure sign of a nimrod as far as I'm concerned. I never use it.
Bear in Fairbanks

quote:

Originally posted by cobrad:
I'll agree with 458 in that most camo patterns are too dark. To test this, I once had a camp full of archery hunters in several different camo patterns and colors. They all walked off 50 yards into the edge of the forest and we took turns "modeling" our camo and observing. Virtually all of the darker patterns made the hunter simply look like a dark, human shaped blob. The one that was most effective was the Predator camo. That one just seemed to disappear into the woods. On this occasion it was their green pattern, and that was in Colorado, not Alaska, but the more "open" pattern really blends well into the background. It's what I've used ever since.

Now you know what to use when you want to hide from humans. Who knows what the animals think.

I've got a few different camo patterns but usually I'll just use fleece under my carhardts.

During spring bear season here in fairbanks I turn into a walking 3D leaf bush!