Perception, how do we look?

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Tengu

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
12,776
1,510
51
Wiltshire
Ive been to the IOW several times; it feels very Victorian..

Same as that remote loch up behind Balmoral. (Cant recall its name) This was her hideaway

(Even she suffered from the Press)

She is there still.
 

Wildgoose

Full Member
May 15, 2012
776
429
Middlesex
As soon as I saw the lamp darting about I knew we were going to have an interaction of some kind, I just wanted it to be open and friendly.
I mentioned it to my friend who lives up there and she said the farmer was probably making sure we hadn’t broken down - possibly but the fact he went straight into the livestock thefts convinces me otherwise.
I am certain that if we did need assistance he would have helped us though, it’s that kind of place
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
Actually red and black cam o has been around much, much longer than the drab colors. We just call it plaid.

I find it ironic that 50 people per kilometer is considered “rural” for me an area isn’t rural unless you reverse the terms to describe how many kilometers per person. @C_Claycomb I like your theory about how the density probably influenced the tradition. That said I think there are exceptions. Even in our most sparsely populated western states trespass is still illegal and frowned on if it’s on privately owned property. I suppose the abundance of public land (open range, etc.) where anyone can go freely probably also effects that tradition? (with an abundance of public property there’s no excuse for trespassing?) )
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
You bet your sweet 8" locker pocket knife.
You wear blaze orange in the hunting season by law not by whim.
Some places of high hunter densities in particular.
Dictated minimum size coverage, too.

What game can see is not a part of the requirement.

I can wear ghillie camo, any season of the year and do as I please.
Gotta love it. So easy to disappear. Just stop moving and people gloss over your shape.
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,353
2,364
Bedfordshire
Thread title, "Perception, how do we look?" Meaning, how do other people perceive us, how to we look to other people?
If you don't meet other people when you are out, because you have square miles or km per person rather than persons per square kilometre, then how do you know how you would look to the non-existent people? :lmao:

BrianT, interesting take on the question! Wear super-sneaky-camo, and you are not seen by other people and are perceived as just a pile of weeds:lmao:

 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
We were hunting turkeys in the Kettle River valley, SE British Columbia. I was all decked out in my spring ghillie, it's about 2" thick and pleasant at -5C. Trying to call in a couple of toms and hens, I was sitting quite still when a woodpecker landed on me. Jeez but it was hard to sit still.

We had to sprint up the hill to cut them off (they like to take flight with a down hill run). Not quite a 10kg bird.
 

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Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,981
7,755
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
A group of us went to rural France for a tracking course in the forests a few years ago. We were pretty much all in green or greeny-brown. We took some time off and went to a local outdoor food market. We weren't carrying belt knives or anything but it did look pretty 'uniform'. I think the locals thought we were some type of army group and a pair of Gendarmes followed us from a distance just watching what we were doing (they were armed) One cheese stall holder actually asked me if we were military - but that was it. To be honest, it must have looked a bit more like Dad's Army than SAS :)
 
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Tiley

Life Member
Oct 19, 2006
2,364
374
60
Gloucestershire
A group of us went to rural France for a tracking course in the forests a few years ago. We were pretty much all in green or greeny-brown. We took some time off and went to a local outdoor food market. We weren't carrying belt knives or anything but it did look pretty 'uniform'. I think the locals thought we were some type of army group and a pair of Gendarmes followed us from a distance just watching what we were doing (they were armed) One cheese stall holder actually asked me if we were military - but that was it. To be honest, it must have looked a bit more like Dad's Army than SAS :)
In a similar vein, when I was on a bushcraft leaders course which ran for a calendar year, we were allowed out of the woods to go and resupply in the supermarket in Liphook on one afternoon each month. Without anything sharp about our persons, we must have appeared an odd crowd, mostly in drab colours, pretty unwashed and smelling of wood smoke. However, no-one ever asked us who we were or what we had been doing, which was probably just as well.

Going back to the original post, I think that most people's suspicions can be allayed if you are completely open and friendly with your questioner, no matter what clothing you wear. Going into town in your tweeds and greens might make you feel uncomfortable because you are not in the urban 'uniform' but I don't imagine anyone would give you a second look.

Where I live, we get quite a number of folk who come for a walk in their pristine trainers. I usually smile to myself, knowing full well that their immaculate footwear will be caked in thick mud by the time they've walked less than half a mile. That's about the limit of my interest in what other folk are wearing. For me, the choice is always something comfortable and practical; the fact that most of the garments I own that tick those boxes are a sludgy colour is pure coincidence.
 

SaraR

Full Member
Mar 25, 2017
1,631
1,177
Ceredigion
The average does not really tell much. What should be compared is population density outside city areas and I don't think those numbers are available. Anyway walking on peoples yards is frowned on here too so I don't see all that much difference.

It is not really demographics but very different traditions.
I still don't feel comfortable at all when a public right of way crosses a farm yard or passes right next to a house, as is quite common here. The most extreme one I've experienced was when following a public footpath that went across a low concrete landing between two bungalows. The gap between the two houses was perhaps five metres and you could see in through the doors on either end. Very awkward!
 

TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
3,092
1,624
Vantaa, Finland
public right of way crosses a farm yard or passes right next to a house, as is quite common here.
I understand that as a relic but I would not be comfortable in a situation like those either. Would a slight rerouting be possible in such cases?
 

henchy3rd

Settler
Apr 16, 2012
611
423
Derby
Actually red and black cam o has been around much, much longer than the drab colors. We just call it plaid.

I find it ironic that 50 people per kilometer is considered “rural” for me an area isn’t rural unless you reverse the terms to describe how many kilometers per person. @C_Claycomb I like your theory about how the density probably influenced the tradition. That said I think there are exceptions. Even in our most sparsely populated western states trespass is still illegal and frowned on if it’s on privately owned property. I suppose the abundance of public land (open range, etc.) where anyone can go freely probably also effects that tradition? (with an abundance of public property there’s no excuse for trespassing?) )
I’ve seen rusty red & black camo, apparently it’s called Urban camouflage, I’m confused.com?
 
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henchy3rd

Settler
Apr 16, 2012
611
423
Derby
I understand that as a relic but I would not be comfortable in a situation like those either. Would a slight rerouting be possible in such cases?
It’s very awkward if not impossible at most as it was there before anything was built around it. We are very protective over our rights of way.
But it can be done in theory if it doesn’t involve land boundary’s,disputes,privacy & meets the relevant tests?
The local council has a duty to keep clear as well as landowners.
I was abruptly introduced to blockages & self made diversions of rights of way by the ramblers association when we came across them..you’ll get dragged through the courts & fined if you don’t comply & made to pay to put it right.
Even the re-route across Chequers (prime minister’s seat)was refused.
Power to the common man.
 
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Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,422
614
Knowhere
But would you really want to know how Boris fills his weekends?
Many of my left leaning friends worship the late Tony Benn, however I do not, I can remember the controversy when he wanted a footpath diverted so that people would not be walking past his country seat.
 

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