Webster's - A means of concealment of personnel or material; especially one that makes them appear to be part of the natural surroundings.

Camouflage is an integral part of hunting.   Wearing camo pattern clothing during hunting trips is as popular as bringing a 4-wheel drive with you.  Although not completely necessary, it will blend you in with your surroundings and give you that hope of getting close enough to your target to make a killing shot.  The popularity of new camouflage hunting patterns has made camo clothing and gear extremely popular in recent years.  Now, hunters can go on a trip without having to feel like an aged veteran wearing old U.S. government-issue Woodland camo or jungle fatigues.  Hunters no longer have to make special trips across town to Army surplus stores to buy their camouflage.  Nor do they have to dig through old sea bags and footlockers and attempt to squeeze into their old issue uniforms they wore when they were 30 lbs. lighter.  New and modern camouflage patterns are now available through K-mart and Wal-mart type stores for pretty reasonable prices. 

    Wearing camo just feels right when hunting.   To me wearing cammies on a hunt is just as natural as wearing waders and a vest while fly fishing.  It's part of my hunting attire.  Camouflage isn't completely necessary, it just depends on what you're hunting and where you are hunting.  Some game animals have poor vision and wouldn't notice a car approaching them in broad daylight.  Others are extremely spooky and anything less than a Marine Corps sniper in a full Ghillie Suit wouldn't be able to get close to them.  I still like to wear camo when hunting big game, even if it isn't necessary.  It's tough, durable, lightweight, and most importantly, it's comfortable.  The military style (or B.D.U./Battle Dress Uniform) pants have drawstrings on the bottom of each leg and have large cargo pockets on each thigh.  These extra-large pockets act as storage bins and can carry a lot more than you are probably willing to stuff in there.  I won't think twice about low-crawling with my cammies on or laying in the dirt and mud.  This is something I am hesitant to do with a pair of jeans on. 

    When hunting turkey, full camouflage is a must.  My definition of full camouflage is from head to toe, literally.  A camo hat, a camo long sleeve shirt, camo pants, camo or dark boots, and camo for my face and hands.  For areas where I don't have clothing to cover myself with, I use camouflage face paint.  I apply this stuff to every square inch of exposed skin that may be visible to the turkey.  This inclues my eyelids, ears, neck, hands, wrists, and everywhere else that isn't concealed.  Camo face paint (or camo make-up as some people like to call it) is pretty cheap and durable.  One $7 kit will last for several seasons and can be easily stored away in your gearbag until you need it.  I use 3 different kinds; military issue, paint tubes, and the compact kits that come with a folding mirror.  The military issue kind is good but requires a lot more effort than its worth.  It looks like a huge stick of chapstick that you rub on your face.   You really have to rub this stuff in there, almost to the point to where it hurts.   In fact, if your face isn't getting squooshed all around and hurting while applying it, you're probably not getting enough on you.  The advantage of this type of camo stick is that it is highly durable and is hard to rub off. 

    The second type of camo comes in tubes works great.  It goes on easy but comes off too easily.  The lightest touch of your hand to your face will make streaks and rub the camo off.  This stuff comes in a kit of 3-5 different earth tone colors and each color comes in a small tube.  Squeeze some paint out of the tubes and apply.  Pretty simple.  Applying the camo effectively is another story that we'll get to later.

    My favorite kind of camo face paint kit is the little compact type that comes with the mirror.  A mirror is essential when applying camouflage unless you use your car mirrors or don't mind some other man rubbing his fingers all over your face.  That's not for me, so I bring my own mirror.   This type of kit has 3-5 different colors that come in the kit.  Each color is laid out on a flat pallet in a little make-up case that looks like something my wife carries in her purse.  When you flip the case open, the make-up is on the bottom and the mirror is on the top.  Rub your fingers into the colors you want and then smear it on your face. 

    When applying camouflage make-up, take your time if you are inexperienced.  If necessary, practice at home in the bathroom (and scare your wife and kids).  Don't get out in the field and look like a city boy that got dirty playing in the mud.  I have found that applying camo takes practice, and the more practice you get, the better you come out looking.  It's not necessary to come out looking like you're a Force Recon Marine or SEAL, but remember that if the tom sees you, any part of you, he's outta there in a hurry. 

    There are 2 things you can do to prevent the camo from coming off you while hunting.  The first one is pretty obvious, DON'T TOUCH YOUR FACE!  It's hard to remember this all the time, especially if you're wiping sweat off your forehead or out of your eyes.  The second way to prevent this is to apply a thick foundation of camo on your face before you get into making the actual patterns.  It's kind of like what women do, but we won't compare this to woman stuff, instead, think of it like applying....uhh, let's see, PRIMER.  That's a good analogy.   Before you paint a car, you have to apply a coating of grey primer to hold the paint on.  The primer will also act as a barrier to the top-coat and from all those times when you accidentally touch your face.  You might rub your external coating of camo off, but the primer will still be there to camouflage your face.  Try it, it works great.

    Camouflage clothing comes in dozens of different patterns today.  Several years ago, hunters were stuck with Woodland camo and Tree-bark.  A glance at a current issue of Cabela’s will illustrate for you all the different types of camo available.  There seems to be a pattern for each different type of terrain.  Depending on what part of the country you are hunting in, you can use different types of camo to optimize your concealment.   Pick the pattern that will best suit your needs.  Besides turkey hunters, bow hunters appreciate good camouflage.  They use it because of the close proximity they must be to their quarry before they can release that arrow. 

    Some states (not Arizona) require that hunters wear an article of clothing that is hunter or blaze orange.  This is an obnoxious color but it might save your life someday.  With the increasing number of hunters each year, it's a good idea to at least carry something in this color with you if you're not going to wear it.  I carry a blaze orange ball cap with me in my pack on all hunts.  When I start to see other hunters nearby, or notice a lot of trucks parked on the side of the road, then I will put it on.  Don't trust that everyone out there with a rifle or shotgun is hunting responsibly and safely.  Take every precaution around other hunters.

   A common tactic for hunters is to wear two different camo patterns.  By doing so, you will break up your silhouette against a lit background.  A RealTree jacket and Tree-Bark or Woodland pants will blend you in pretty will if you're hunting in wooded areas.  For desert hunts such as javelina, wearing earth tones or desert camo will blend you in.  Since javelina have such poor eyesight, some might argue that camo isn't necessary.  I believe there is some truth in this, but regardless, I still wear my fatigues.  Don't forget, that being camouflaged also includes not smelling like you're going to a nightclub.  Leave the mountain spring scented soap and deodorant at home.  Instead, several companies make hunters soap and other unscented stuff that won't leave you smelling like you just got out of the shower.  All game animals have a keen sense of smell that can pick up a city boy in a heartbeat.  If you're one of those types that just must use deodorant when hunting, at least be smart enough to use the wind to your advantage.

    Use cover and concealment to your advantage when hunting.  The game animals we are after all have natural camouflage and often elude us even when we are glassing through a pair of binoculars.  By effectively using camouflage to conceal ourselves and blend in with the animals' natural surroundings we can dramatically increase our hunting success.  Unfortunately, camouflage alone does not guarantee you success.  It is the combination of all the things you've learned and read about that will fill your tag.

Terry Chia

AZOD Fly Fishing Editor