How to Choose Hunting Camo in 2022

Honestly, choosing hunting clothing in 2022 is no different from choosing one in 2020 or 2010. The basic principles remain the same no matter the time. The only thing that is changing all the time is the number of hunting camo patterns. The embarrassment of riches the hunting clothes industry offers today can confuse a beginner. However, we have a cure for this - our timeless guide on how to choose camo. In this article, we’ll explain what things you need to consider to pick the right camouflage for your tasks. Once you get a general idea, navigating the illimitable ocean of brands and patterns will be much easier.
But before we touch on the main subject, let’s first consider whether you need camouflaging clothing at all.

Camo vs. Solids

The best hunting camo clothes come with a high price tag. Besides, there’s no universal camo pattern that covers all scenarios, which means an avid hunter will need at least two clothing systems. Naturally, many people aren’t ready to spend tremendous amounts of money on the hobby. So they opt for clothing in solid colors.

Before camouflage became common with hunters, people hunted in regular clothing in earth colors. Some didn’t sweat on concealment at all and wore jeans and random shirts in soft tints. So why are today’s hunters so obsessed with camouflage?
There are two things to account for - animal senses of perception and distance of engagement.

Animals have senses of perception different from humans. Ungulates, for example, have rather poor vision and rely more on sounds, scents, and movements. When identifying a threat, deer, elk, sheep, and others focus on outlines and shapes, not details.
We’re trying to say that when hunting certain animals, your movements, noises, and position are sometimes of more importance than camouflage.

If you opt for wearing solids on your hunts, you also need to consider the distance of engagement determined by your method and weapon. The closer you are to your prey, the more concealment you need. For bowhunters applying a spot-and-stalk strategy, hunting camo is essential. On the other hand, long-distance rifle hunters don’t need concealment at all.
To sum up, camo isn’t a must-have for everybody. However, many strategies, such as spot-and-stalk and ambush, are unrealizable without camouflaging clothing.

Guide to Choosing Hunting Camo

There are four factors you need to take into account to pick the right camouflage: game, terrain, season, and method.

Game

Considering your primary prey is fundamental since deer hunting radically differs from waterfowl hunting - it’s as plain as day.

Deer and Other Big Game. We’ve mentioned that ungulates have rather mediocre eyesight. Their color palette misses reds and greens, and visual clarity is reduced - the image comes cloudy to them. It means that, unlike humans, deer and other ungulates pick out outlines and big shapes rather than small details. So camo for deer hunting is the one that disrupts your human silhouette - the break-up camouflage.
Break-up (digital) camo depicts abstract elements and usually combines micro and macro patterns and contrasting color areas to provide concealment at short and medium distances.

Waterfowl and Other Game Birds. Unlike ungulates, birds have eyesight superior to humans. That’s why wearing camouflage is essential - the closer it resembles the surrounding terrain, the better. For that reason, bird hunters wear mimicry camo with photorealistic depictions of branches, foliage, reed, bark, and so on. Though a moving person wearing mimicry camo is relatively easy to locate, it’s not a problem for waterfowl and turkey hunters since their strategy requires them to be stationary.
Often, turkey hunting camo is in Woodland pattern. Geese and duck hunting camo uses Marsh and Waterfowl patterns depicting reeds, cattails, and grass. Dove hunters usually wear camo with Brush pattern.

Predators. Coyotes and other predators are harvested using a stand hunting strategy. That’s why mimicry camo perfectly matching surroundings is preferred.

Terrain

Your next step is to consider the terrain of your hunt spot. Start with the region:

West. The western United States offers hard-level hunting. The predominant terrains are mountains, badlands, and deserts - lands lacking vegetation, thus, cover. To hunt west, you need camouflage in gray, yellow, and brown colors.

Midwest and Northeast. The regions are uplands, plains with vegetated spots, forests, and mountains. Yes, the Midwest is diverse, so you need to choose according to a particular terrain.

South. The southern U.S. is known for lush vegetation. Your best pick will be the camouflage that blends you with branches and leaves, with lots of green and brown.

Now that you have an approximate guide, consider the elements dominating your hunting location. Is it rock, green vegetation, dry reed, or sand? Usually, camo clothing brands explain which pattern is for which hunting. So read pattern descriptions, and you’ll be fine.

Season

Let’s take two animals - turkey and deer. Turkey season is in spring and fall, while deer season starts in fall and lasts until mid-winter. Both hunts take place during times when nature changes dramatically. You need to account for that.
If we take turkey season, your early spring camouflage needs to have less green and more gray and brown, and as the trees grow crowns, you need to adapt by adding more green colors to your camo. The same principle works for deer hunting camo.

Hunting Method

We’ve touched on strategies earlier, but let’s sum up.
Spot-and-stalk deer hunting will require break-up camo with micro and macro patterns because such camo provides concealment on the move and at various ranges.
Treestand hunters are stationary, and both pattern types work great. Their primary concern, though, is the tree crowns. Go with camouflage with enough white and light gray spots when branches are naked, and choose mimicry patterns when leaves aid in concealment.
For ambush hunting, camouflage with sharp contrasts, in greens and dark brown/black, is preferred.

Final Words

When shopping for hunting camouflage, do your research and read descriptions of patterns hunting clothing brands provide. Usually, they suggest terrains and game and accompany textual information with visuals.