It's been said that a coyote is the only animal that can look at a motionless human in the sitting position and figure out what you are. I don't know if they are the only animal that has this ability but I have no doubt that they can do it.

Way back when I started predator hunting, camo was not readily available and even if it was, I couldn't afford it. I wore dark green insulated coveralls. They worked but probably were not ideal.

Today, I wear camo. Personally, I prefer coveralls for a couple of reasons. They are fast to dress in, they block out the wind and they have lots of pockets.

You can by them that are designed for cool weather, frigid weather and everything in between.

From what I have read and come to understand it is not so much the color or pattern but just the fact that there is a pattern of some sort that helps you blend in with the environment.

I always wear a camo face mask and I leave all my collars up. Leaving the collars up does a couple of things. 1st it keeps you warmer and 2nd it breaks up the outline of your pumpkin sitting on top your shoulders.

I read many many years ago, an article on squirrel hunting. The author, and I am summarizing, said when walking, keep your arms at your side and keep them still. Walk slowly and move your head slowly. His point was simple. If they cannot distinguish you as a human you will have the upper hand.

My favorite example of this happened back in the 70's. I hunted an old farm that had a lane up through the timber. I always walked up the lane as instructed by the article. There was a point in the lane where I could step through the trees into a pasture. I always had to step up to that opening and check things out. One day when I stepped up to the opening I spotted a doe feeding about 75 yards to my right. I literally walked out into the open keeping my gun positioned along side my right leg and my other arm motionless down my left side. Slowly I turned and faced the doe. I shifted the gun around in front of my body keeping it against me then slowly raised it to shooting position. All this time the deer would munch a little grass, look at me, munch some more grass. Obviously she did not know what I was but did not feel threatened either.

We played this cat and mouse game for a couple of minutes. Watching her through the rifle scope, my trigger finger was really twitching. Of course it wasn't deer season. Finally, I lowered the gun slowly back down to my side. The doe continued to watch and munch. Then I lifted my left arm straight out like you would to signal a left turn from a vehicle. The doe went from 0 to 60 in 2 steps.

That was all the proof I ever needed that your arms must remain still and close to your body. Using this walking method has put countless deer and squirrels in the freezer. An example that comes to mind happened in the 90's. I walked up on a buck by using this method. I did not know he was there until I stepped around a corner in a tree line. I brought the gun up slowly just as I had on the doe in the 70's only this time I could shoot and it wasn't until my safety clicked that the deer suspected a thing. But then it was too late and the rest is history. An incidental bonus to walking in this manner is that your heart rate stays down and you can calmly pull the trigger.

All this to say that while camo works, more important is your slow methodical movement. Sitting or walking make slow deliberate movements.

Gloves should be warm and camo and that's the order of importance too.

Boots should be warm and 100% waterproof, that too is the order of importance. If you can't afford waterproof, at least get yourself some warm boots.

A camo hat is nice but it doesn't work well with a thick face mask. The bill of the cap comes in pretty handy if the sun is going to bounce off your glasses. There's very little in nature that reflects and one glint off a pair of glasses could surely ruin a hunt.

Last Modified: Sunday, May 24, 2009 11:03 PM