The Evolution of Camouflage
Camouflage, first created in France in 1914 by artist Lucien-Victor Guirand de Scévola. Lucien-Victor was an artist specializing in theater design. With the addition of the plane in World War I, aerial photography was capturing images of troops and locations of bases. Abbott Thayer wrote, Concealing Coloration in the Animal Kingdom (1909) in which he described what he named “counter-shading” (darker color on top, lighter below) in the animal world. Animals such as; Great White Sharks, Tigers, and Leopards were great examples. His son Gerald applied the theory to military camouflage.
As a California native, the start of archery season is hot as the devil’s ass crack. I personally use the KUIU Gila to deal with the heat. Hell, I’ve had doe’s with fawns walk within 5 feet of me.
The “Trebark Camo” was invented around 1970 by Jim Crumely. The pattern was created to emulate… well you guessed it, tree bark. Hunters abandoned their red flannel shirts and loaded up on Trebark camouflage. Though this system is tried-&-true, their was one MAJOR flaw; Spot & Stalk. For an East Coast tree-stand hunter, the Trebark Camo fits perfectly for their style of hunting. For Spot & Stalk hunting, it’s quite challenging (if bow hunting wasn’t hard enough) to trick a deer into thinking a tree is slowly rolling its way towards it.
Trebark Camo in an old Bowhunters magazine
The evolution began when hunting clothing brands began testing the science of predator camouflage. Micro patterns with complex colors to create dimensions that blend with a vast range of land types. With an almost 3 dimensional look to the patterns, this creates a whole new level of camouflage. With vegetation and brush, shadows can giveaway cheaper camo patterns. With the new evolution of camouflage patterns, companies such as KUIU, Sitka, and First Lite are aiding hunters in the pursuit of disappearing into their landscape. When choosing your camouflage set-up, consider the times of year, temperature, and colors of the terrain your hunts will be taking place. Take advantage of holiday sales. I pick up new gear anytime a holiday is near. With the start of the fall season, don’t be that guy in the field with a bright red flannel.
