Written by Bobby Cole, originally published in Mossy Oak Full Draw Bowhunting Magazine in 1996.
With a "ghosted" Bottomland backdrop, photo-realistic leaves and limbs and off-set shadows, Mossy Oak's new pattern is destined to be their most effective yet.
Sliding down the bank into the creek bed, I quickly glanced in both directions hoping I wouldn't see a deer just yet. A startled pair of wood ducks exploded off the water and screamed a shrill whistle as they rose skyward. Checking the wind one last time, I slowly began wading up the creek hoping to silently enter a scope of hardwoods that I know was absolutely raining white oak acorns.
With each passing step it was obvious why the woodies were here; many of the water oaks that lined the deep creek bank were dropping and acorns were floating everywhere. Approaching a sandbar, I couldn't help but notice the amount of deer tracks literally covering every square inch. Glancing up, the water oak's trunk appeared to be 4 feet in diameter, and I briefly thought about how much wildlife this tree had fed through the years.
"With it could talk," I thought to myself and stepped back into the water. I hadn't gone 15 yards when my heart nearly stopped! Two racked bucks dropped down into the creek 60 yards in front of me. Fortunately, they were both looking away from me which gave me the opportunity to drop my face mask and nock an arrow.
There was nothing to hide behind, so I simply leaned against the bank among the root system of another huge oak tree and cussed my luck for being caught in the wide open.
The bucks began gorging themselves on the acorns, and I began to sweat and shake. Both bucks were true shooters. I really didn't see any way I could ever get a shot without spooking them. If they did decide to come down the creek, I was really out in the o pen and would never be able to draw my bow. The creek was only 12 to 15 feet wide and the banks were 8 feet deep, so I had to totally rely on the effectiveness of my camo to break my outline. It was definitely a Mossy Oak moment.
Trying desperately to keep my composure, I watched as the bucks slowly turned in my direction and began feeding down the creek towards me. At 30 yards the pressure was unbearable. Several times they were looking right through me while they crunched acorns. Finally, at 17 yards, I knew something ad to happen. But what could I do--both bucks were facing me at eye level and I was knee-deep in water! Suddenly, several deer ran down into the creek, splashing where the bucks had entered. The commotion startled the two, causing both to look over their shoulders. Immediately I drew my bow and anchored the 20-yard pin on the closest bucks chest. The back buck, still unaware of me, turned broadside, presenting a cleaner shot. I quickly focused on him, anchored and released. The water exploded with deer jumping everywhere and within a few seconds everything was silent.
The adrenaline flowed, but I slowly regained my composure. Crawling up the bank the buck had leaped just moments earlier, I saw him lying less than 75 yards away, down for good.
Not Seeing is Believing
How could I pull off having two bucks within 20 yards at eye level for that long? The answer is simple: Mossy Oak. The key to my success began 10 years ago when Mossy Oak inventor Toxey Haas demanded that the colors of Mossy Oak be natural earth-tone colors and not standard PMS colors, which are normally used in other camo makes. His dedication led to the dirty, dusky tones that make his camouflage patterns so effective.
Mossy Oak's first pattern, Bottomland, utilized both vertical and elliptical shapes along with "dirty," natural colors and was so successful that is actually became the background for all of Mossy Oak's future patterns. This particular morning I was wearing the ever-popular Treestand pattern, which works by combining an overlay of limbs and small leaves with the Bottomland pattern to break the human outline. This is exactly what saved my hunt. By backing into the creek bank, the Bottomland background blended me into the dirt. The overlay of limbs matched the root system and completely broke my form. This is what caused the bucks to look right through me. This concept has been sewn into every Mossy Oak camo pattern. And it works so well it's spooky. And it works anywhere from Florida to Idaho, Manitoba to Mexico. Natural earth-tone base colors ensure each pattern's success.
Enter "Break-Up!"
Mossy Oak has a new pattern for '96 that promises to forever change the look of successful hunters and take concealment to a whole new level. It's Mossy Oak's new "BREAKUP," and it does just what its name states more effectively than any other pattern on the market, and that is a big statement.
I recently asked Larry Moore, who spearheads new product development for Mossy Oak, to explain the pattern and what was involved in its invention.
"Quite simply, Toxey challenged us to develop a pattern that from any distance--from 5 yards to 300 yards--would successfully break the human outline completely. He wanted to take this concept beyond what was already available, beyond even existing effective Mossy Oak patterns," explained Moore.
"We began by using the same Bottomland background as the other patterns but lightened it to the point where it has a 'ghosted' look. Then we were the first to successfully enhance photographic images and apply them to our pattern. We took actual leaves of different colors and sizes, then various size limbs, and strategically placed shadows to create an absolute image of the woods," Moore added.
"The dark, off-set shadows are what really make this pattern appear so three-dimensional. Shadows are the one thing in the woods that are consistent. We applied this knowledge with state-of-the-art technology and the results have been amazing. All you have to do is look at Breakup in actual hunting situations to see for yourself. With this pattern you can step out on the edge of your tree stand without any fear of being silhouetted," Moore explained pridefully.
Mossy Oak Senior Vice President Bill Sugg commented about the new, exciting pattern "breakup" and how he views the impact it will have on the camo market: "Today there are so many camouflage patterns that it's confusing, and I don't envy the consumer trying to make heads or tails of it. The average guy cannot afford several different outfits so that he can match perfectly with every terrain and habitat. Our goal was to create a pattern that was so universal that it would work in any environment...and allow the average consumer who can only afford to buy one outfit a year the opportunity to have one outfit that he can wear year-round and do it all. There has been so much research into this pattern and its performance that we are confident it will meet and exceed any expectations, and there are not many products that will do that.
"When you take it into the woods, it is just simply unbelievable. The realistic natural elements combined with the light-to-dark contrast all contribute to making this p pattern almost 'see through.' It has all the ingredients to successfully blend you in, as well as break your outline. There is no defining edge to Breakup when you view a hunter in a tree stand, leaning against a stump or simply standing in the open. You cannot tell where his outline begins or ends, and that definitely takes concealment to a new level."
"The pattern took us over a year to perfect; we changed colors, images and shadows until the pattern finally, without question, achieved its goal of breaking the human outline. And I want to explain that this does not mean that our other patterns don't work as effectively. We have just combined what was special in all our other patterns and improved. With the technology available, today we wanted to stay on the cutting edge of realism with our patterns," commented Sugg.
No More "Hunter Outline"
So many times the single factor that spooks game, whether it's whitetails, turkeys or western big game, is the human outline. Our silhouette, or form, can easily be spotted by game animals and is immediately associated with a predator. With increased hunting pressure all over the country, the idea of breaking up your outline has never been more important. Successfully hunters have long since realized this and work to break up their form as often as possible.
It's almost instinctual for a hunter to hide behind a tree or lean against a stump. But what if you're caught in the open, or you're hunting open country? Until now it's been a real problem that usually has resulted in a lack of success. Breakup is designed to remedy this worry, and will certainly allow a hunter to be more versatile.
Successful hunter Ron Jolly of Primos Calls and the "Truth" video series has known about the benefits of breaking hunter outline for years. Each time he sets up to film or hunt he takes this into consideration. When asked about his feelings after first seeing Breakup in the field, his candid response was quite enlightening.
"To be able to successfully film hunts we have got to be concealed, and since day one we have relied exclusively on Mossy Oak camouflage for our cameramen and hunters. Everybody knows that we have been able to capture some pretty amazing hunts on film, so there is no question that the patterns work unbelievably well. I was skeptical when I heard that they had improved on something that I personally thought was close to perfection. When I first saw it, there was no denying it was going to work, and I was simply blown away by its realism and outline-breaking features. I could not wait for an opportunity to field test it. One of the things that sticks in my mind is the fact that you can sit in the bright sunshine and it is just as effective. Its lightened background really gives it depth, and the limbs, leaves, and shadows are real. They are real limbs and leaves...it's incredible. I have hunted all across America and I know what it takes to conceal yourself. Mossy Oak Breakup is the ticket!" Jolly excitedly explained.
The concept behind Breakup is so revolutionary that it may be hard for seasoned hunters to break the old habit of worrying about their silhouette and realize how much more they now can get away with. But once you see someone wearing this pattern in the woods or you experience whitetails looking right through you, you will quickly realize that this pattern is true to its name. Ten short years ago Toxey Haas' insistence and dedication led to the development of a pattern that single-handedly changed the way people hunted. His total dedication to concealment and improving his products to better serve the needs of users has resulted in seven patterns, any of which will work effectively in a wide variety of conditions and situations.
In the past, there have been two schools of thought pertaining to camouflage concealment--blend in like a hen quail, or break your outline with contrasting colors like a tiger. Mossy Oak has been able to successfully do both. And now with Breakup, it can be done so effectively and so impressively that any hunter would be foolish not to consider adding this pattern to his arsenal of equipment.
