Is camo-ing your calling rifle necessary?

[KySongDog]

There's been some threads lately about camo painting one's rifle.  The paint jobs and all look real good. No question about that. 

My question is this: is a camo job really necessary to killing coyotes in the east?  Out west it would seem less important due to longer distances of the shot??    And in the east, the shots are generally closer but is a camo job really necessary?  I know the gun should not be reflective with shiny stock or barrel, but what about a flat black stock and matte finish barrel.   It would look like a big black stick, right?  Or would the yotes pick it out too easily.      Has anyone got any evidence that the camo gun really helps?  Just wonderin'.   

Semp

[Bopeye]

I think it's personal preference myself. I don't camo my guns, but I do make sure they don't shine.

[alscalls]

Mine is not camo but It has bothered me in the past. I shot one yesterday with a rifle that has a shinny barrel but when I shot I was in the shade.

[Yotehntr]

If everything is going right all they see is a quarter size  personally I use a stainless barreles ar never had them notice, yet. I think they key in on motion more than anything.

[Silencer]

To be honest I've only ever shot 2 coyotes and I'm damn proud of em, both with a camo gun so my expertise is nothing.  I've killed just about everything else without camo, including turkeys.  So perhaps a camo gun is not as important as no movement, picking the right set-up, etc etc..  Staying still, and no movement, or knowing when to move and when not  is more important and the key to any successful hunting.  IMO. 

Plus I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.     ( is that the correct commercial  )

[Roundman]

This is just my opinion but I think it can only help. If you use an e-caller and the focus of the dog is off of the shooter it may not matter much. If you use hand calls and that animal is zoomed in on you I think the hunter stands a good chance of being seen. The animal may not know you are a human but it knows something isn't right.
I need every advantage I can get.  I can't jump creeks and run them down on foot like Bop can. 

At the LBL one year Centerfire223 was using my rifle for a set. I looked over and the bolt was gleaming it the sun. If I can spot it at 30 yards I know the coyote can. 
Again this is just my 2cents

[FinsnFur]

Yeah, I think there's going to be times it doesn't make a hoot and there's gonna be times that one might wish his was camo'ed.

Let's put it this way...camo'ing a gun certainly isn't going to hamper your results. It can only help

[Bopeye]

Hamper your results if you lay the gun down and can't find it again. 

[Frogman]

Yeah, I think there's going to be times it doesn't make a hoot and there's gonna be times that one might wish his was camo'ed.

Let's put it this way...camo'ing a gun certainly isn't going to hamper your results. It can only help

Bingo Jim!  

Jim

[yucca]

 
Out west it would seem less important due to longer distances of the shot??   

I guess I may have taken maybe 3 shots at over 200 yds in the past couple of years. About 80% of the dogs I call here out west come into shotgun range. They don't seem to mind that the guns on the stand are not camoed.

It does have a coolness factor about it though.

[KySongDog]

The best camo in the world won't work if you move, that's for sure.    And I agree a camo job probably won't hurt anything. 

But the thought of me going at my rifle with a couple cans of spray paint is a scary thought.  And I ain't scared of nothin'.      No tellin' what that dayum gun would look like when I got through.   

Semp

[THO Game Calls]

There is an article on PM on Canine Color Vision that is pretty informative.

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/k9colorvision.shtml

Here is another

http://psychlops.psy.uconn.edu/eric/class/dogvision.html

Go out in the woods and sit down.  Then look out in the forest at a level of about 3 feet off the ground, no higher.   What do you see?  Look at all the stuff on the florest floor.  What color is it?   Black, grey, and shades of brown mostly.   Even in an area where there are ferns and low growth cover, there is still an enormous amount of stuff at ground level that is black, gray and shades of brown.  Now look at your rifle - unless you have a high gloss poly finish and a nickle plated barrel, chances are, your rifle is camo'ed perfectly for the environment just as it comes from the factory.  Especially in the winter when there is snow on the ground and the leaves are gone from the trees.


Al

[KySongDog]

Thanks for those links, Al.  Very interesting reading.   That's the kind of research I was looking for.

Semp

[CCP]

 My opinion is I sometimes camo my gun for the cool factor. As far as camoing it for the sake of coyote hunting it doesn't enter my mind. I have had people ask me what I use to camo my cameras with? I tell them nothing haven't never meet a coyote scared of a camera.

Same with a gun coyotes do not like the shape of a person not the shape of a gun. unfortunately there are so many things discarded out in the woods they see beer cans bottles household appliances all the time. To give an example the black coyote in our video shot at around 8 steps we were beside a blue 55 gal drum lying on its side. It was not there the week before when we scouted but the farmer discarded it a day or two before we hunted. Aaron ask if we should move? I told him not to worry we had a good setup and most coyotes have not had a bad experience being attacked by a 55 gal drum.

I killed many coyotes with this gun below some as close a 2 steps and most within 40 yards. As you can tell you and I can spot it at a hundred yards but I have coaxed coyotes to 10 yards in front of me and they walked right to me actually watching me call them the whole way. . It was all in how you setup and not having a human silhouette.



But all that being said I believe confidence has a fairly large role in success in no matter what you do or hunt in life. So if a person thinks camoing his gun, using cover scents, 5decoys or painting his toe nails blue makes him more successful then he should do it.

[alscalls]

"I told him not to worry we had a good setup and most coyotes have not had a bad experience being attacked by a 55 gal drum. "
:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
I bout fell outa my chair........nice take on things CCP

[KySongDog]

Based on THO Al and CCP Rich's experience, I think I'll leave the spray cans on the shelf for now.   

Great info, guys.  Thanks.   

Semp

[FOsteology]

There's been some threads lately about camo painting one's rifle.  The paint jobs and all look real good. No question about that. 

My question is this: is a camo job really necessary to killing coyotes in the east? Semp

Nope..... but sure does make your rifle look good! 

[FinsnFur]

When I clicked the newest reply to this topic, it centered on the pictures. I knew it had to be some of FO`'s equipment. Scrolled up and shore nuff

Nice looking stuff FO

[KySongDog]

Nice looking guns, FO!

That first pic looks like ASAT camo.  Correct?

What is the second gun covered with?  I've seen that pattern but don't recall the name.

Both look real good.  Did you do the camo job?

Semp

[FOsteology]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Semp,

Yes, the 1st one is ASAT

The second is what I would call "Desert Camo".

I had Charley Santon ("CAS") do the paint work.