Thread: How much camo is too much?

Originally Posted by jono7

A cautionary tale I have regarding camo clothing, and greens/browns that has changed my perspective.
Just recently, a couple of good hunting mates and I went on our annual spring hunt. This trip replaced a fly-in to the Kaweka's we had done for many years prior and is on private land(second time we have been there). Because we were now hunting private land, we were wearing our normal green swani's/coats, camo fleece pants etc. hunting clothes as you do, with no thought to wearing any blaze, or any other colour that stands out for that matter.

To cut a long story short, one of my mates fell approx. 150m down a steep face/bluff while recovering a deer on the first day, receiving very serious/life threatening injuries in the process. We believe he fell early in the day, and was mostly unconscious there after. When he had not returned by 6-7pm(had not come back for lunch which was unusual for him), we started searching. Around midnight we contacted the Police, then kept searching until 3am. Next morning the Police/SAR arrived. A helicopter also went up to search. Prior to going up the spotter asked us what he was wearing, and when told mate was in camo and green, he replied to the likely hood of spotting him if he was laying injured in any bush or scrub from the air was next to nil.
In the end, it was this chopper that found him at 2.30 that afternoon, laying at the bottom of a hill in the open, face down, some distance from where the ground party were searching, where most of the initial helicopter search had taken place, and where we thought he would be. They had done a sweep a bit further out at a higher altitude, spotted 2 deer hind legs high up on a face next to a track and thought it had to be him, so went over for a closer look. From there he was assisted by the ground crew until the Rescue chopper turned up and winched him out. They commented, had he had an orange shirt on, he may have been spotted earlier, who knows?
Until now, I/we had only thought of wearing blaze, or some contrasting colour to make us stand out to other hunters in the bush, not somebody trying to spot us from the land or air in a rescue situation. Most of my hunting clothing is fleece in varying earthy tones. I also have a couple of blue and orange blaze T’s and beanies I only wore when hunting public lane – this experience has changed that thought.

During the debrief that followed, the heli folk and the SAR volunteers all said how hard it is to spot someone dressed head to toe in camo, or green/brown clothing, even when out in the open. Blaze colour, even if just a cap or beanie can make all the difference.
Second point regarded EPIRBS, and where possible to have them on your person in a zipped pocket, and not in a pack as I do. In a fall as my mate took, it is highly likely the pack gets ripped off and left where you can’t get to it.

Food for thought.

Stay safe.
Jono

Food for thought indeed. Glad your mate made it out. I carry a bright orange meat bag and wear bright red undies(!) which I would hope to use to make myself more visible if required. Obviously no use if I'm unconscious or so badly injured I couldn't put them on display. There has been discussion on the forum of blaze orange looking deer-coloured in some light and the risk of getting shot. I always carry a PLB.