I do not think the camo per se makes allot of difference. While birds can see color they do not seem to differentiate between camouflaged enclosures or non camo. What seems to help the most with these blinds is if windows are only open on one side creating a darker space inside where you are sitting. I have moved around to a degree with turkeys very close and never alarmed them.
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Hide or Camo? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter MarkCaunt
- Start date
YellowBudgie
Well-known member
Thanks,
I've heard it's a great experience being in a hide out in the forest. One person had told me how the forest kind of comes alive and surrounds you when your well hidden, still and quiet. Sounds very nice.
I've heard it's a great experience being in a hide out in the forest. One person had told me how the forest kind of comes alive and surrounds you when your well hidden, still and quiet. Sounds very nice.
mothman
Well-known member
Hi Everyone,
I was curious if your just going out to shoot bird photos and don't plan to bring a hide or lay on the ground with a beanbag, etc... does cammo still help?
I'm new to the camo / hide technique but interested in learning. I've read birds see colors differently than we do and was wondering how well it would help if you were sitting in a metal folding chair digiscoping with some cammo clothing and netting to break up the profile of the chair and maybe tripod.
Does the small/medium tent sized hides work for the time your there to photo or would it spook some smarter birds off since its not what they are used to seeing? "Where did that new odd looking bush come from?" I could hear a weary and more intelligent bird thinking.
Just curious of your experience with cammo and birding photos.
I plan to buy a DSLR for general photography and save for a lens to photo birds with.
Thanks!
The advantage of good camo when NOT in a hide is that it breaks up your outline and "de humanises" you.
Fieldcraft is essential though- you do have to keep still!
mike from ebbw
Well-known member
It is a wonderful experience.When I am at my feeding station in the woods it is amazing.When I first get into the hide there is nothing around.After about 10 mins everything comes in!EG i was in my hide yesterday and counted 9 squirrels,woodpeckers,finches, tits and a load of other woodland species some within 4 feet of me.My wife always wondered how I could sit in one place with the camera for hours on end.I took her down there one day.She understands now!
mike from ebbw
Well-known member
Hi Everyone,
I was curious if your just going out to shoot bird photos and don't plan to bring a hide or lay on the ground with a beanbag, etc... does cammo still help?
I'm new to the camo / hide technique but interested in learning. I've read birds see colors differently than we do and was wondering how well it would help if you were sitting in a metal folding chair digiscoping with some cammo clothing and netting to break up the profile of the chair and maybe tripod.
Does the small/medium tent sized hides work for the time your there to photo or would it spook some smarter birds off since its not what they are used to seeing? "Where did that new odd looking bush come from?" I could hear a weary and more intelligent bird thinking.
Just curious of your experience with cammo and birding photos.
I plan to buy a DSLR for general photography and save for a lens to photo birds with.
Thanks!
When I used my portable tent hide at my first feeding station the finches and tits didnt have a problem with it.The woodpeckers,however were very wary of it.When I built a permanent hide at my most recent station the woodies come down all the time.The attached pic was taken at a range of about 10 feet yeterday morning.
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The Valley Walker
Well-known member
Mike is not wrong, tis so peaceful as you settle down in there then the show begins !! Two visits and three woodpeckers, amazing stuff. Don't know about you Mike but each time I have been there they announce their visit to the feeders. I am just back from an evening walk from Aberbeeg with my oldest and I bet it would have been a lovely evening down in the wood.
Managed to get one more picture for my collection.
Managed to get one more picture for my collection.
Attachments
YellowBudgie
Well-known member
Thanks for the responses.
Maybe I would benefit from some type of cammo covering and cammo clothing to break up my profile sitting in a chair. I would have to practice staying still. I have a bad back so I need to sit in some sort of chair with some padding on the back. I won't be going to far into the woods in the near future but it's nice to think about and learn camo now.
A friend of mine owns a birding shop with many feeders in a side garden. I've only been there once to photo with a 8x monocular back a few years. I've since picked up a Swarovski and have been shooting at home in my feeder tree for 6 months or so.
Last time I took my kit to digiscope there he took me to his neighbors private lake. There were Blue Herons nesting and I was able to get some photos of them way across the lake. They must have been out 600 to 800 meters. I had to put in the 20x to 60x and set it to 60x. The camera was at 3.5x. Big difference from shooting birds 20 feet away.
I was thinking if the birds in my friends bird store garden are nervous with me sitting away in the corner digiscoping I could ask to keep a hide there for so many days to get them used to it.
See ya,
Maybe I would benefit from some type of cammo covering and cammo clothing to break up my profile sitting in a chair. I would have to practice staying still. I have a bad back so I need to sit in some sort of chair with some padding on the back. I won't be going to far into the woods in the near future but it's nice to think about and learn camo now.
A friend of mine owns a birding shop with many feeders in a side garden. I've only been there once to photo with a 8x monocular back a few years. I've since picked up a Swarovski and have been shooting at home in my feeder tree for 6 months or so.
Last time I took my kit to digiscope there he took me to his neighbors private lake. There were Blue Herons nesting and I was able to get some photos of them way across the lake. They must have been out 600 to 800 meters. I had to put in the 20x to 60x and set it to 60x. The camera was at 3.5x. Big difference from shooting birds 20 feet away.
I was thinking if the birds in my friends bird store garden are nervous with me sitting away in the corner digiscoping I could ask to keep a hide there for so many days to get them used to it.
See ya,
Camo outside a blind has some advantages as far as breaking up an outline but the most important thing to do is remain still. Most birds that have not been pressured do not seem to pay much attention to an outline that is not broken up so long as it does not move and most wild mammals will never see you at all. Just don't be in the open where you are silhouetted. Taking pictures can difficult though if you are around skittish animals.
YellowBudgie
Well-known member
Thanks for the tip. At the lake the Red Winged Blackbirds didn't seem to mind me. They landed close for some good shots right when I put the kit away 
People do sometimes drive up and birdwatch there so maybe the birds are a little more used to people. The owners sit at the lake as well but I didn't notice any feeders at their house but can't really tell. The only birding item I saw was a large bird house my friend put up to try to get a pair of Kestrals to nest. I'd love to see the pair of Kestrals.
See ya,
People do sometimes drive up and birdwatch there so maybe the birds are a little more used to people. The owners sit at the lake as well but I didn't notice any feeders at their house but can't really tell. The only birding item I saw was a large bird house my friend put up to try to get a pair of Kestrals to nest. I'd love to see the pair of Kestrals.See ya,
Might want to try a ghillie suit also.
A bit pricey, but easy enough, and lightweight too.
http://www.uscav.com/Productinfo.aspx?productID=11283&TabID=1&CatID=67
A bit pricey, but easy enough, and lightweight too.
http://www.uscav.com/Productinfo.aspx?productID=11283&TabID=1&CatID=67
Atricapilla
Still Wandering
Whilst wearing a bug suit the other day ,I had a Black eared wheatear land on my scope!!!
This Advantage gear really works but I think you really do have to keep movement down to a minimum as well.
This Advantage gear really works but I think you really do have to keep movement down to a minimum as well.
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mothman
Well-known member
I recon the wetlands version of advantage camo is the best all rounder as realtree sticks out a bit in wetland habitats but somehow wetlands camo still works in woodland.
I have a Prologic wetlands jacket that I swear by, it is warm waterproof and silent.
It does however look like nineteen seventies curtain material!
I have a Prologic wetlands jacket that I swear by, it is warm waterproof and silent.
It does however look like nineteen seventies curtain material!
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Atricapilla
Still Wandering
I did'nt realise that they were 2 different products(Realtree/Advantage) Colin,so I have just looked at my gear which is advantage:~
Max4 ~ for the marsh.
Hardwoods green ~ for the woods.
Mossy oak brush ~ for the scrub.
I just buy the material from the states and get the tailor to make it up,much cheaper that way and its made to measure.
Keeping warm is'nt a problem here, and it only rained 12 days last year so waterproof is'nt necessary.
YellowBudgie
Well-known member
At a popular nature preserve the ghillie suit would be pretty cool. Anywhere else you never know when a hunter may be out there so it's best to look human.
mothman
Well-known member
Atricapilla
Still Wandering
The only people I see on my travels are the shepherds on the hillsides and farmers in the fields,but they are used to me now,they just have that look on their face that says "there's that weird looking Brit again",but they are always really friendly.
stevo
Well-known member
I sometimes use a bag hide bought from www.wildlifewatchingsupplies.co.uk I used it today and had a Tawny owl catch a mouse around 20 metres from where I was sat I do find the bag hides a bit like sitting in a sauna in hot weather though which is why i`ve just ordered some scrim netting again from the above company will try it out in the next few days and post how I got on.
Steve.
Steve.
YellowBudgie
Well-known member
I tried to find a link to this video but it wasn't on the MTV web site. There's a new comedy called Human Giant here in the US.
One of the segments had a guy peeing on a bush. He was arrested and sentenced to wearing a ghillie suit for a week. People were urinating on him, the cab driver, at the golf course, in a restaurant. He learned what it was like to be a bush. He found out after the cab driver just liked urinating on people
See ya,
One of the segments had a guy peeing on a bush. He was arrested and sentenced to wearing a ghillie suit for a week. People were urinating on him, the cab driver, at the golf course, in a restaurant. He learned what it was like to be a bush. He found out after the cab driver just liked urinating on people
See ya,
