Camo or Blind?

[Larry S.]

Literally any wildlife in the UK has been hunted and or persecuted beyond belief. For Owls in particular I like to break my shape with camo, I find you will get an extra few passes as they quarter a location, but if they spot you that is it generally and the chance is over. A hide is great if you know the location and it is not public (ie you have a permission) and want to set up a particular shot, ie the subject against a certain background, or a perch it regularly uses

Hi Marcus, your comments bring up another potential issue with blinds or “hides” on public land. If some casual hiker, explorer, et al.. sees your hide from a trail or path they are likely to go “investigate”……that could lead to a spirited exchange…. It sounds like the wildlife in the UK are seriously stressed by human proximity, ignorance and lack of access control by authorities…..

 

[PhilcTx]

Is that correct?

I include birds with wildlife.

I don't believe its a learned behavior. It's integral in wildlife/birds genetic survival mechanism.

Even simple blinds such as a sheet/blanket, etc. can be effective if it shields our human shape/form from birds/wildlife view. A frequently mentioned example is photographing setting in a vehicle close to birds. Once we exit the vehicle no matter how stealthily they usually will leave or move further away.

"Many findings from this literature review suggest that wildlife respond to humans similarly to how they respond to their natural predators, such as fleeing from both human and predator approaches."

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S161713812300119X

 

[viper699]

I include birds with wildlife.

I don't believe its a learned behavior. It's integral in wildlife/birds genetic survival mechanism.

Even simple blinds such as a sheet/blanket, etc. can be effective if it shields our human shape/form from birds/wildlife view. A frequently mentioned example is photographing setting in a vehicle close to birds. Once we exit the vehicle no matter how stealthily they usually will leave or move further away.

"Many findings from this literature review suggest that wildlife respond to humans similarly to how they respond to their natural predators, such as fleeing from both human and predator approaches."

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S161713812300119X

Very true, and it was evident while I traveled during COVID. At Arches the large mammals came down and roamed throughout the park, because there were no people. Other parks experienced this as well. Those were the best times of travel within the USA, another pandemic like that would be great for wildlife photography.

 

[Calson]

Animals that are prey are going to respond to fast movement and so moving slowly and obliquely often works. One advantage of a poncho or the wearable blinds from Lenscoat is that they break up the human outline and conceal the legs. A poncho also works well with a camera on a tripod to shield it from the weather.

Permanent blinds are rare in the USA and setting on up on private land requires the permission of the owner and setting it up and leaving it and then returning a day or two later. Not practical in national parks or wildlife reserves.

 

[Abinoone]

Steve recently presented some excellent tips and suggestions for getting closer to wildlife for better images. An interesting and informative discussion followed with members contributing some valuable insight. Never occurred to me, for example, that sunglasses might appear as large predator eyes. Or, pointing or your lens, intentionally or otherwise casually at animals gets their attention. Getting close to animals such as deer or bear is not as difficult for me as wild birds. I’m not talking about ducks being fed in in community ponds acclimated to people. Truly wild birds seem hyper tuned-in to what might be a threat…… and they’re gone.

So what do most members do for success with birds? Camo or blind? With camo you have “some” mobility whereas in a blind you are locked in to a location (unless you can pick it up and move while inside). With camo I try to match my clothes with the location I will shoot from. I usually wear a camo head-net over my hat also. I can easily see the EVF or LV screen through the mesh. Straight on stalking is not a good plan. You get ”made” instantly and bird leaves. Zig zag, as Steve and others point out, has worked occasionally…. but as the distance closes the critter gets nervous. Not good. I seem to have more success when I can sit low in bushes, brush, grasses, etc… and wait it out in a likely spot where I know they frequent.

One thing I’ve considered is camera camo. I don’t wave my camera around but I see others here with camo on lenses and bodies. You guys have opinions on this and I would like to hear about your thinking on this…..including blinds and wearing camo….
View attachment 100914

For the most part, I don't try to camouflage my person at all, since generally most animals know you're there anyway. I've found that a slow, deliberate, non-direct approach to wildlife works far better in getting close to subjects than any amount of camo. The only exception I make is for notoriously skittish subjects, such as kingfishers, when I'll use my Tragopan VI blind carefully placed near a strategic feeding spot. I also use camo neoprene lens covers - not really for camouflage, just as a lens protector that happens to be camouflage colored.

 

[Marcus]

Hi Marcus, your comments bring up another potential issue with blinds or “hides” on public land. If some casual hiker, explorer, et al.. sees your hide from a trail or path they are likely to go “investigate”……that could lead to a spirited exchange…. It sounds like the wildlife in the UK are seriously stressed by human proximity, ignorance and lack of access control by authorities…..

Yep, sadly all of the above! Which is why i mainly try and seek permission on private land now, it is literally the only way (in my county anyway) you can do your thing uninterrupted...

 

[Woody Meristem]

Mammals almost always know a human is nearby, but they often have trouble locating a person if they can't distinguish shape or movement. Birds on the other hand are much more visually oriented, which is why camo or a blind is usually pretty effective if movement can be minimized. Where mammals and birds aren't pursued or harassed and encounter a lot of people they become habituated and often allow a close approach, but truly wild critters perceive us a potential threat and react accordingly. The fact that a vehicle makes a decent blind but they often flee when you get out no matter how slowly and carefully is a clue that the human shape is the "threat".

 

[Larry S.]

Mammals almost always know a human is nearby, but they often have trouble locating a person if they can't distinguish shape or movement. Birds on the other hand are much more visually oriented, which is why camo or a blind is usually pretty effective if movement can be minimized. Where mammals and birds aren't pursued or harassed and encounter a lot of people they become habituated and often allow a close approach, but truly wild critters perceive us a potential threat and react accordingly. The fact that a vehicle makes a decent blind but they often flee when you get out no matter how slowly and carefully is a clue that the human shape is the "threat".

Exactly spot on woody! I can add to that a bit. When we lived in the mountains the bears would frequently come into our small orchard. When overnight company visited they never saw a bear. Their car had an unfamiliar odor and visual impact which likely kept the bears away. Within an hour of the company’s departure the bears returned for apples. This scenario repeated itself many times. A bear’s nose is legendary for detecting scents & odors, eyes not so much. I totally agree about the birds being on visual alert…. I get “made” when they detect movement and game over…… I have a camo headnet that I have had luck using. I do think birds can pick out a human face…

 

[Woody Meristem]

I have a camo headnet that I have had luck using. I do think birds can pick out a human face…

I always carry, and often use, a camo face mask (the kind archery hunters use) which does make a difference and doesn't interfere with my vision at all. In many ways we're not very different than bow hunters: wary quarry that we want to be close to -- critters that want nothing to do with us and that perceive us as a threat; and our faces positively shine in good light. The tools and techniques of the hunter and military sniper are just as useful to wildlife photographers whether the photographer approves those activities or not.

 

[Chappy]

I learned long ago that wearing camo or shades matching the ground makes a difference. I learned this hunting dove. Parents knew I liked to hunt dove in high school and they got me a camo shirt for my B-Day one year. I wore it one day when dove season was open. I found that the birds didn't turn when they got into view of me.

I frequent a stock pond during the summer. Mesquite trees and some small oaks surround the tank. Generally i will wear a camo shirt or a t shirt the same color as the background. I generally find a tree and sit in the shade in my camo folding chair. Being very still and slow in my movements is the most important. Secondly is using some kind of cover like the shade of a tree or just the background also has and impact. In our area, the birds or even mammals will come back after a short time. Also going to the stock pond often gets them accustomed to you.

During the winter months I go to fields where the Sandhill Cranes, Snow geese and Canada Geese fly in to feed or by the playa lakes where they spend the night. The trick is to wear clothing that matches the ground cover and don't let them see your shadow. So that means getting low. Ive seen many hunters dig holes and cover the hole to make blinds and that works but I generally have good luck just laying low. I have also parked a tractor near the area where they fed and used it for cover. One time I even got on top of a cotton module and put a white blanket over myself.

 

[Micky]

…….. I have also parked a tractor near the area where they fed and used it for cover. One time I even got on top of a cotton module and put a white blanket over myself.

I have a backhoe and some skid steers that have enclosed cabs. We have used them for brush clearing. Deer are not alarmed by the equipment, even while in operation. I have had deer foraging within 10 yards of the backhoe as I grubbed Mesquite.

Similar experience while operating a small, 40hp tractor without an enclosed cab. I was planting wheat with a no-till drill. Deer were bedding down in the pasture within 30 yards of the tractor. Crazy.

 

[Chappy]

I have a backhoe and some skid steers that have enclosed cabs. We have used them for brush clearing. Deer are not alarmed by the equipment, even while in operation. I have had deer foraging within 10 yards of the backhoe as I grubbed Mesquite.

Similar experience while operating a small, 40hp tractor without an enclosed cab. I was planting wheat with a no-till drill. Deer were bedding down in the pasture within 30 yards of the tractor. Crazy.

Yep, the wildlife in my area are less afraid of tractors than pickup trucks. However, down on the pasture and oil lease the wildlife is very accustomed to the trucks running around the oil field.

I have gotten pictures of coyotes less than 50 yards away from me in a tractor or the sprayer but they will run if the see a pickup truck or a car.

 

[Lance B]

Like all animals and birds, generally a predator has eyes at the front, not the sides. Side placed eyes are for prey, front placed eyes are for predators. So, is they see your eyes they know you are a predator type. Birds generally have great eyesight and just wearing camo won't really do it unless your eyes are obscured, they can see your eyes are at the front which alerts them that you are a predator type. When I hold my camera up to my eye/eyes, it obscures my eyes and thus, if I move slowly towards them, they are less threatened, and I can generally get closer. The best thing I have found is that netting type stuff that has brown and green cut pieces of material over a net, like they use for camouflaging tanks and other military equipment. I just drape it over me and have the lens poking out and if I move slowly towards them or just sit in wait on a stool, they are much less threatened and will generally come closer to a point.

 

[rjselders]

On the topic of camoflage, has anyone had any close calls with hunters? I have a ghillie suit to break up my outline to get closer.

I asked the Park Rangers, like a good citizen, if there would any issues with using a ghillie suit in a state park. They were concerned that I might be injured/killed by a hunter that did not see me.

That cooled my use of a ghili suit as any remedy would defeat the purpose. I wonder if blinds may have similar risk.

Bob

 

[joe43]

I use both camo and blinds. For backyard bird shooting, the birds usually know I am there. I wear a camo hat to hide my white hair and use a face mask to hide my face when not in a blind. I wear a long sleeve shirt to cover as much as my skin as possible. Covering my hands is something I would suggest, but my experience has not resulted with any specific rules. When you make a move, keep your movements to a minimum and move slowly. I often just sit in a chair, camera on a tripod and cover myelf with a large camo cloth that I can see through.

 

[ssheipel]

Virtually all my outdoor gear is now in camo of one type or another I have a blind but do very little sit in the same spot for too long shooting, I augment my camo clothing with ghillie stuff -- from tripod leg sleeves to a hood to gloves to a full suit to a blanket which I throw over myself and gear. And the ghillie stuff I have is both actual ghillie and 'ruffled' camo material; almost all of it from Tragopan.

 

[Woody Meristem]

On the topic of camoflage, has anyone had any close calls with hunters? I have a ghillie suit to break up my outline to get closer.

I asked the Park Rangers, like a good citizen, if there would any issues with using a ghillie suit in a state park. They were concerned that I might be injured/killed by a hunter that did not see me.

I tend to stay out of the woods during bear, deer and spring turkey seasons when rifles are in use. During those seasons I go to places where hunting isn't allowed. However, for years I worked in wooded areas during those hunting seasons but always wore a bright orange vest and hat. In Pennsylvania during deer season (at least the first few days) there are hundreds of thousands of hunters in the woods and there are only a handful of accidental shootings each year, most either self-inflicted or a member of the shooters own group. It's not something I worry about, I just prefer to be alone out there and not see a lot of other people; plus I don't want to spoil their hunt -- they only have a limited time to hunt, I have all the rest of the year.

 

[Roy]

Steve recently presented some excellent tips and suggestions for getting closer to wildlife for better images. An interesting and informative discussion followed with members contributing some valuable insight. Never occurred to me, for example, that sunglasses might appear as large predator eyes. Or, pointing or your lens, intentionally or otherwise casually at animals gets their attention. Getting close to animals such as deer or bear is not as difficult for me as wild birds. I’m not talking about ducks being fed in in community ponds acclimated to people. Truly wild birds seem hyper tuned-in to what might be a threat…… and they’re gone.

So what do most members do for success with birds? Camo or blind? With camo you have “some” mobility whereas in a blind you are locked in to a location (unless you can pick it up and move while inside). With camo I try to match my clothes with the location I will shoot from. I usually wear a camo head-net over my hat also. I can easily see the EVF or LV screen through the mesh. Straight on stalking is not a good plan. You get ”made” instantly and bird leaves. Zig zag, as Steve and others point out, has worked occasionally…. but as the distance closes the critter gets nervous. Not good. I seem to have more success when I can sit low in bushes, brush, grasses, etc… and wait it out in a likely spot where I know they frequent.

One thing I’ve considered is camera camo. I don’t wave my camera around but I see others here with camo on lenses and bodies. You guys have opinions on this and I would like to hear about your thinking on this…..including blinds and wearing camo….
View attachment 100914

Moving slow seems at least as important as Camo ...

 

[Neil H.]

My experience is with birds, and the biggest lesson is that they have to see you as no threat. Alas, creeping forward slowly with a camera and long lens does not comply. As an example, 2 weeks ago I approached 2 Peregrine Falcons on a headland and got to point blank without one single alarm call. I sat with my back to a rock and had been photographing them for half an hour when small head appeared just above me - then another then a third . Three chicks - one of which started exercising its wings and almost knocked the other two off the ledge (a few images below - adult is a composite of 2 poses I liked). First, I try to spot the birds from a distance with my binoculars. If I can not see them, I approach slowly and if I hear an alarm call I stop and sit down facing away from them. After short while I get up and walk slowly always looking downward and away from them. I periodically stop and pretend to pick something up. When I get close I walk backwards and do more of the "picking up". When in range I sit facing away from them for a few minutes. When I turn around I do not raise my camera straight away. Once "in the zone" I can fire away for an hour and when finished I can stand and move away without them taking flight. Sitting or laying down on a beach or lakeside also works a treat for shorebirds or ducks. Sitting or laying down = no threat. Creeping towards them = mega-threatening. Showing myself to be no threat has been very successful with birds and I have also spent many mornings sitting in a camo bag from before dawn with zero results. Probably not suitable for mammalian wildlife??

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

 

[ajrmd]

There's another reason Camo might be less effective for many birds, namely in addition to their acute vision many birds have UV cones which augment their visual discrimination. For example, here's a photo of typical camo wear and then how it appears under UV. Maybe a deer or hog can't differentiate it from the background, but for a bird it's a virtual reflective sign.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

 

[Neil H.]

Further to my comments above about not appearing as a threat I had 2 major learning experiences with a "camo bag".
1. I got into position at a Ramsar bird site (Victoria, Australia) before dawn, sitting on a stool inside a camo bag with the camera set up on a monopod. I aimed to photograph some of the thousands of waders that had migrated from Siberia. Several birders came and went behind me without knowing I was there. However the waders remained roosted on the next spit and after 1.5 hours cramp set in and I had to give up. I stood with the camera and monopod hanging on a shoulder strap and was holding the camo bag above my head and was using the breeze to blow it to assist folding it up. Out of the corner of my eye a group of waders landed just behind me and started walking towards me with the camo bag flapping away. I lowered the bag slowly and turned picking up the camera and pointed at the nearest bird. Unbelievably it was closer than the nearest focus distance of 1.5m!!! As I moved the camera to focus on bird a bit further away they all took off. I got nothing that morning at that site. However laying down in the open on a nearby beach and letting the incoming tide bring the feeding waders to me I ended up point blank with the main challenge framing and focusing on fast moving waders while feeding.

2. Two Rainbow Bee-eaters were landing regularly on a nearby low branch. I set up my tripod at full height with the camo bag over the top and retreated. The birds continued to visit the branch. I twice entered the camo bag and sweated profusely for 20 minutes with no bird visits. I then remembered some advice and got my friend to approach the bag with me. I got in and he walked away and within 2 minutes both birds landed. Alas I had put the tripod too close for landscape orientation and was cropping the tails. I did not have a zoom lens so I had to pick up the tripod and "zoom" with my feet by taking 3 steps backwards. Amazing that the camo bag went from threat to no threat on the theory that birds can not count. Lesson is that if you were seen entering you may have a LONG wait.

 

[Harmonicat]

It is highly dependent on what you are doing, and what you are aiming to photograph in my opinion. For example, I am aware of a location frequented by ravens, wolves, and eagles. You enter a blind before sunrise to avoid detection from the ravens who would otherwise be too weary of your presence to come down, thus also spooking off the other animals. Large mammals such as those of the cervid family can smell you so either you pay attention and manage your positioning with the wind or use either method to stay out of sight. A deer who can smell you down wind is going to be aware of you even if they can't see you.

For the way I usually go about my photography a blind doesn't make much sense practically, so I stick to earth toned attire or camo that will help me blend in as I setup position to observe locations that I know might have birds that I'm interested in photographing or observing, but I'm also shooting mainly in locations that the animals are more accustomed to human interaction and are not skittish. I also second what Neil has said about making sure you are not a threat, some of my best experiences have been just standing or sitting in the same location for a longish time and having birds come to me rather than actively approaching or seeking out; in these cases either a blind or camo would have worked equally as well just really depends on the practicality / what you are willing to bring with you for those situations.

I guess in short my thought process is that if you know there is a specific location you want to shoot where being out of sight at a fixed point will allow you to get the desired results a blind might make the most sense, allowing for the fact that you can actually get one set up there. In a more dynamic scenario or a setting where you might be scouting out a wider area maybe wearing scenario appropriate attire makes more sense, but it is all about knowing your location and knowing your target subjects to set yourself up for success rather than flying by a hard-and-fast rule.

 

[MikeJ]

2. Two Rainbow Bee-eaters were landing regularly on a nearby low branch. I set up my tripod at full height with the camo bag over the top and retreated. The birds continued to visit the branch. I twice entered the camo bag and sweated profusely for 20 minutes with no bird visits. I then remembered some advice and got my friend to approach the bag with me. I got in and he walked away and within 2 minutes both birds landed. Alas I had put the tripod too close for landscape orientation and was cropping the tails. I did not have a zoom lens so I had to pick up the tripod and "zoom" with my feet by taking 3 steps backwards. Amazing that the camo bag went from threat to no threat on the theory that birds can not count. Lesson is that if you were seen entering you may have a LONG wait.

The caveat to this is ravens and crows, which are supposedly able to count. Which means they'd see two walk in and only one walk out.

 

[Harmonicat]

The caveat to this is ravens and crows, which are supposedly able to count. Which means they'd see two walk in and only one walk out.

Yep, and as I said in my earlier reply if those are spooked off it can make other animals know that something is amiss as well.

 

[Lee R]

Crows and red squirrels are like natures alarm system.