Duck Camp shotgunned into the wingshooting industry and brought their innovative apparel offerings along with them into the uplands! Despite their name, they offer apparel that caters to waterfowl hunters, turkey hunters and upland hunters alike (you might even find some fishing related apparel on their site as well)! Duck Camp was born out of the frustration of the lack of functional and quality apparel for wingshooters on the market. Utilizing quality materials that are comfortable, light, breathable, quick-drying and with their proprietary camo designs, Duck Camp has upped the ante when it comes to outfitting the discerning Wingshooter!

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I rushed home as fast as I could after the tracking info on my phone indicated that my package was dropped off at my front door. I was excited about this package because it was an essential item I was looking forward to using for my upcoming Eurasian Collared-Dove hunt with my good buddy Tyler.

I ran through the gate, picked up the package and rushed inside and opened up the box. Neatly packaged and bundled with care, was my new Bamboo Hoodie Camo Shirt from Duck Camp. I unwrapped the shirt from the neatly folded wrapping paper like an excited kid on Christmas day. Once the fabric was in my hands, I knew I was going to like this shirt!

The specific Bamboo Hoodie Camo Shirt I received was in Midland camo, designed by Duck Camp specifically for the arid/semi-arid brush country that I typically find myself in when hunting doves.

The shirt was really light and felt cool to the touch, thanks to the bamboo-fiber blend. The 67% Bamboo, 29% Cotton, 4% Spandex fabric blend is designed to be moisture-wicking and provides UPF 50+ sun protection as well, something that is a great feature when you are hunting invasive Eurasian Collard-Doves in the blazing summer or Mourning Doves in the often hot Septembers.

I woke up early that morning, about 3am, and got ready. It was going to be about 80 degrees out in the dairy, so opted not to layer. Throwing on the Bamboo Hoodie Camo Shirt, I was immediately impressed by how soft and lightweight the shirt felt on me! It blows away that old generic RedHead Brand camo shirt I got from Bass-Pro! The seams on the Bamboo Shirt are “rolled” as well. This attention to detail just makes this shirt all that more comfortable, which is a big deal to me when I am out in the field!

I noticed that the sleeves were pretty long on me (I have short-stumpy T.Rex arms though), but Duck Camp actually designed their Bamboo Hoodie Shirts this way to ensure maximum coverage to protect you from the sun! I honestly, was not a big fan of the hood, initially, and I almost wished that Duck Camp had made a version of this shirt/camo pattern without a hoodie. I am just not a fan of hoods on shirts, but I can live with it, I guess!

I picked up Tyler and his old GSP, Ranger (RIP) and we headed off to the dairy farm. We set up decoys and arranged ourselves strategically under some trees by a known flyway and waited for the Eurasians to fly in. As we sat there, I paid close attention to how the shirt felt out in the field. Trying on apparel is one thing, but how does it feel out here?

Like clockwork, a trio of Eurasians flew in, taking my attention away from any thoughts about apparel and comfort, momentarily. I lifted the old vintage Ithaca 37 up and threw some #5 Bismuth shot at the lead bird, taking a few of its tail feathers off. My bird made an abrupt turn after realizing what’s going on, but Tyler knocked down one of the trailing birds. Ranger ran out and retrieved the downed invasive dove to hand.

The rest of the day was filled with more misses than hits (on my end, anyway), a whole lot of swearing, chuckles, smiles and good retrieves. The weather was warmer than predicted, soaring closer to 90 degrees and seemingly getting hotter. The wicking properties of the Duck Camp shirt came in handy that day. With a lull in the action midday, I decided to walk the treelines in an attempt to stir up some lounging doves.

As I approached some dead trees, a single Eurasian glided out, making its way for the orchards. The old 37 raised up and swung through the invasive dove, burped out some Bismuth, and with a satisfying puff of feathers, the Eurasian tumbled to the earth. I retrieved my prize, a plump bird, and continued in the July heat.

Walking down the line, the sun beat off my head and the back of my neck. This is when I finally became a fan of that hood! And I just couldn’t get over how comfortable and light this shirt was, especially near the end of the day where one can often feel beaten down by the sun and sticky and uncomfortable with inferior and clingy apparel!

We ended the day of our excursion with a decent amount of birds. My shooting wasn’t all that great, but Tyler shot swell and Ranger performed wonderfully. I was also very pleased with my Duck Camp shirt and how it performed in the field! It did everything they said it was designed to do!

I’m not gonna lie! I’m in love with this shirt!

I am not easily impressed by apparel. I’m pretty picky actually (just ask my wife). When I find something that I truly like, I am a fan for life. The Duck Camp Bamboo hoodie is one of those shirts! It is so comfortable and I wish I could wear it every day, everywhere. It definitely will be my go-to shirt for dove and pigeon hunting! Although the Bamboo Hoodie shirt is just perfect for summer hunts or early season dove hunting, it would also be a great shirt for your fall big-game hunt, easily at home out on the lake bass-fishing, or great on the beach out surf-fishing for perch!

The Bamboo Hoodie Camo Shirt in Midland camo that I reviewed retails for around $60 and can be found here. They have a matching Midland cap to go along with it as well!

 

God Bless & Happy Hunting!

-J.R.

 

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