GLENVILLE, N.Y. �” Covered in his old forest camouflage, Steve Balser proved he’s nearly invisible to humans. His hunting partner walked within 25 feet and didn’t see him.

“I’m just not that sure about deer,” Balser said.

His suspicions are backed up by scientists who have studied the sensory advantages deer have over hunters, hence the quest for strategies and camouflage that will tip the odds in hunters’ favor.

Balser’s apparel has brown, gray and green patterns that resemble the autumn forests of upstate New York. While he can sit quietly, the outdoorsman is sure his human smell is a giveaway to wildlife, despite garments meant to conceal that.