Turkey camo??

[Bassboy1645]

To each his own opinions but what does everyone feel is the best camo patterns/colors for turkeys?? My friends say old school treebark but they always sit against trees. I see alot of ads and movies where they hunters prefer green. Does it really matter?? Ill prolly use the same clothes I do for deer. Realtree hardwoods. Any thoughts or comments??

[tealitup]

I use, and have luck with, Mossy Oak Obsession

[Jackpine Rob]

It all depends! When I'm hunting early seasons out in South Dakota the tan/brown camos are my choice, and I carry my TreBark cover jacket for setting up against trees. Desert camo can be a good choice, but I prefer my old Branch Bark.

Mossy Oak shadow grass is a nice compromise - providing enough light colored break-up in the bark pattern for the guy working shelter belts to blend into the dead grass.

Later on, I prefer Realtree with the green in it.

HOWEVER - - - concealing your movement and not skylining yourself are far more important than the individual pattern chosen, IMHO. Try to match the overall conditions as best you can, and try to pick stands with an eye to what you're wearing. In other words, setting up against a grey treetrunk with green camo puts you a bit behind the 8-ball. Sitting against a fresh green bush with the old traditional Treebark may not be the best plan.

[Powerstroke]

I totally agree with Jackpine. Colors and patterns are not nearly as important as reducing your overall movement and siloette (sp?). Just look at turkey blinds. SOme come on the full camo patterns, but the Double Bull blinds use the predator camo which is pretty basic. I've had turkeys walk right up to a blind in the middle of a field with no concealment. One of the big fads I think is the leaffy camo/ghille suits. I bet turkeys notice when leaves are moving when there is no wind.

If you reduce your glare from skin and gun/bow, you should do well. Move as little as possible and conceal your location with a portable blind or use a natural screen. There are several small blinds out there that aren't tents but just small folding screens to sit behind. These can be great for active hunters or hilly terrain.

[LABS4ME]

I've used the leafy camo for all 7 years of my turkey hunting... both states. I guess I must be on the front side of the 'fad'... I've had hens as close as 6-7 feet from me. I truely feel it breaks up your outline even better than regular camo because of it's 3-D qualities. It adds subtle shadows to to you outline further helping to break it up. I'm not concerned what I sit against because I just become undergrowth or a bush... no need to worry about bark patterns against trees or grass patterns for out in the open...

Movement is movement, with or without the leaves... move and they will bust you.

Good Luck!

Ken

[HateHumminbird]

I've been a fan of Advantage Timber, almost any of the Mossy Oak patterns (except the darker ones!), and esp. Predator brown/green. The idea is to break up your outline, plain and simple, but the best camo pattern in the world won't conceal you when you move at the wrong time.

A turkey's eyesight has been hyped, and for very good reason. I've been picked off at ridiculous ranges for white socks, watch-glare, arm exposed, etc. Most birds however are not the super-sleuths we give them credit for; rather, our ineptitude as hunters is the best reason to prop-up their super senses. I'm not bashing birds, as they've made fools out of me many times before! It's tough after all. We have to be in the right position, and sometimes reposition with minute-after-minute of painful sitting/holding positions. That's when the bird gets us. That, and I think quite a few folks try turkey hunting after being used to positioning on whitetails for a shot. Deer from a stand is not even close to turkeys at eye-level!

That said, pick a camo pattern that generally matches your natural surroundings, esp. those that do a good job in breaking up your pattern in many pieces of cover. After all, you don't always sit up against a tree, or "shadowgrass" .

The key is to move, and move, and move. Be comfortable, and do what you need to do to get there. But when that turkey is in sight, or you think there's even a remote chance there's no obstruction b/w he and you.....you're in lock-down mode. Your gun is already in position, calls spread out where you need them or in your mouth already, and you're setup in a preferably shaded spot with ground cover carefully removed to the best of your time/ability.

These traits are what sells camo.

Joel

[Ray Esboldt]

Don't overthink concealment patterns. I think what Joel pointed out is key. Camo does nothing for you if you move. Stay in the shadows, try to find trees that cover you on the side, and hunt ready. I don't mean to keep your gun shouldered at all times, just stay organized. Whether that's when you're sitting or moving. Be ready to assume the shooting position. Birds always show up when you don't think they are going to. And, practice hunting ready at home. If you're going to overthink anything, think about being ready.

My whole goal with turkey hunting is to get in, through, and out of the woods with only a couple Chikadees knowing I'm there. Squirrels, crows, deer, and turkeys are all looking to rat you out. Be paranoid. Good camo helps, but you can't get sloppy because you're wearing camo.