Most hunters, no matter what their quarry, try to maximize their chances of success by choosing hunting clothes that blend in with their intended environment. According to Walls Outdoor Goods, this process is more complicated than simply wearing green, brown, or grey garments. There are a few special factors to consider when deciding how to dress in order to disappear into the background and get close to unsuspecting prey. Here are the main details hunters need to know.

Scent

The motivation behind wearing camo and hiding in a blind or stand is to prevent wild game from detecting that humans are in the area. Although visual alerts are key, the more important consideration is scent.

Deer, elk, and other mammals will smell a human long before they seem them. For that reason, it is crucial that hunters wear clothes that have scent-masking features such as charcoal linings, and that they are washing using unscented soaps and shampoos. Many serious hunters may choose baking soda as laundry detergent to avoid perfumes as well. Hunting clothes should not be worn when eating food, smoking, or fueling up a vehicle.

Patterns

Logic would seem to indicate that wearing head-to-toe garments in the colors of the hunting environment make the most sense. However, many common prey animals are more likely to notice movement and scent than they are to notice the colors hunters wear. Deer, for example, have a limited ability to see color and detail, but they have a much bigger range of sight than humans do, about 270 degrees.

In many cases, the best camo pattern is one that blends in with the environment but also breaks up the shape of the human so that animals aren’t notified of his or her presence. That means clothing with large patterns and lighter colors may work better for hunters than dark green tree prints.

Noise

Most animals people hunt have far superior hearing capabilities to humans. Even from the sky, prey can easily hear humans’ movements even if they can’t see the hunters. This sends up an alert, and the prey flees. Many hunters choose to wear quiet cotton materials when hunting instead of noisy fabrics such as nylon blends. If they reach up to pull the arrow on their bow or turn to aim a gun while wearing soft materials, they are less likely to make sound that will scare off prey. For hunters who move to track animals rather than staying in one spot, noise control is even more important when it comes to clothing.

The chance of a successful hunt can rely heavily on the clothing choices a hunter makes. Thinking carefully about these three key points will set him or her on the right path toward the selection of the ideal hunting gear.