Thread: Cleaning Hunting Clothing

Originally Posted by BSA270

Don't totally disagree with the UV theory but often talk about when we were meat hunting and used blue and black swannies. Theory is blue creates or attracts UV rays but most deer in those days were shot under 100 yards in the open or 30-40 yards in the bush. Also when poisoning possums would often get the feeling of being watched, look around and see a deer standing looking at you close by.Generally bolted when eye contact was made. Nobody knew of UV ray theories back then. Bloody gear was usually thrown in the old agitator washing machine in the middle of the night and set on pre- soak til morning and then washed with soap powder.

UV brighteners are a relatively new thing 1990's on from memory. So any differences in the meat hunting days were more likely from synthetic fabrics which were just starting to become common in the 70's / 80's and also blue which is the most visible colour against the natural environment. To get around UV brightners I initially grated sunlight laundry soap into the machine but that is a pain, and the soap left a greasy residue.
I then compared different clothing items on my farm deer as well as hunting situations and there is no doubt that wearing something like a safety vest will send a mob to the other end of the paddock. On the hill sitting in the dark waiting for first light and deer barking at a bush shirt washed with a Uv brigtener. Take it off, deer settles down. Pick it up, deer barks ??
Sports wash is good but expensive, after the posts from Bol tachshin and Hutch I hear that the share price Sportswash has crashed.