how important is a face mask??

If you look at many photos or videos where you can see the caller or shooter and they are not wearing a full face mask or gloves, you can notice how much the bare skin stands out in almost all lighting....

I figure that if I can notice, a predator that is continuing to function on survival by using their senses can see it better than I can...

There was an article posted about a year and a half ago that evaluated the eyesight on dogs/coyotes and one of the points that it brought out, even with camo, was that most clothing and skin produces a kind of luminescence to the canine eye, unless it is either well worn and not overly washed, or has been treated with a chemical to reduce the 'shine'...

One of the reasons that my camo never gets washed and I'm prone to rolling in the dirt and leaves when I first get out of the vehicle...dirty, yes...shine, reduced...I shake it out and hang it in the garage...My cap has a camo mesh veil, like a stylish bride would wear and it goes over my glasses and ears...

At the PM Hunt, I was fortunate enough to win a Rancho Safari Ghillie....Now I have to figure out if it has "Shine" to it, or not...
 
tt2.gif
 
Last edited:
Almost never wear one. The exception being if it's bitter cold and worn for warmth. Then I will sometimes wear a heavy camo ski mask.

When staying warm isn't a big concern I will wear a wide breamed camo boonie type hat pulled down tight so my face is shaded.
 
I've started wearing one recently and i think it helps. Seems like animals are getting closer, deer as well as coyotes. I'll continue to wear one. Doesn't hurt anything.
 
I always wear both gloves and face cover, and carry backups of each in my pack. Been more that once I've broke down gear at a kill sight and then left an article of dress on the ground (I hate backtracking). It's a pre-flight - hunting habit I've gotten into that works for me and hopefully doesn't work for the unfortunate coyote that happens along. Hate to think I missed one due to my shiny face standing out like an overhead barn light.
 
If it's an overcast, cloudy day...especially if the temps are warm...I normally won't wear a mask. It just winds up fogging my glasses.
However, if it sunny I try to wear a mask every time.
 
Quote:If you take time to put on camo and maybe camo your rifle why not camo your face? I wear camo head to ankle, face to fingertip.

t/c223encore.


I couldn't agree more. Gloves and a face mask are the cheapest camo you can get.

Nate
 
I wear one when I am hunting with a shotgun, but if Im hunting with my rifle and Im lying prone in thick cover looking over a field, I don't worry about it much.



Mark2
 
Originally Posted By: Colorado CoyotesDoggin Coyotes

No mask? Are you tryin' to scare them to death?

I wear a mask so as not to tear 'em up so bad.

Colo Coyotes,

In these tough economic times a man has to conserve as much live ammo as possible.

I'll take care of the close in hard chargers. I can usually kill em with one glancing look.

If you let em get out there a couple hundred yards before pulling down your face mask, maybe it won't tear em up so bad.
 
I usually have shot it by the time it gets close enough to see my face. I don't wear one yet. I was killing coyotes in July in WY one yr, and got the tops of my ears and face burned because I was wearing a camo baseball cap. I decided the only choice I had was to wear my big wide brimmed Outback Kodiak hat, dark medium brown in color. I took a real cautious dry female wearing it on one stand, she did look at me at 70yds, as she was sniffing a eagle turd on the ground, the T.20 crushed the top of her skull right then.
It is better if you sit in some sort of shade to help keep your outline from showing up. A lot of times I wore my browngreen long sleeved work shirt, no camo.
 
I always wear a mask and gloves. Not mcuh more effort and it couldn't hurt.
Also, with my success rate (or lack of) I wouldn't want the coyotes to be able to recognize me on a return trip!
 
WOW! ok thanks everybody for your opinions. it sounds like wearing a face mask is a simple thing that can help increase your chances of killin something. im gonna go and buy myself one right now. thanks again.
 
i think they get in the way and i cant stand wearing one. i've killed enough under 20 yds to think that i don't think they improve your chances. one of my calling partners wont hunt without one and swears by them as well as gloves. my uncle, who kills more than most guys, wears a camo hat and jacket and jeans and doesnt think that any more is necessary.

i've had them in under 20yds a couple of times without any camo on at all. to say a face mask is going to increase your chances may not be accurate, but i guess it couldnt hurt.
 
Lots of variables here, for sure. I've had yotes within 50 yards, looking right at me, with no camo, just being very still behind some bushes. Since I hunt at 100-150 yards, it's just not an issue. Of course, if you're bowhunting or something and need to get withing 20 feet of one, some camo may be helpful. But even then, remember the great Fred Bear never wore camo; he just relied on dull pants and plaid shirts, and more than anything else, BEING STILL.

As an ex-bowhunting fanatic, I think 90% of the camo out there is more designed to extract money from people's wallets, than it is to fool game animals. I mean, look at how a deer or lion can just vanish right in front of you; are they wearing camo? Common sense is the name of the game here.
 
Back
Top