Practical/Real world camo/concealment
- Thread starter ebt.
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Beast I can offer is to wear drab colours and keep still.
The more you invest in gucci camouflage, the more specialised it seems to get - meaning that you buy camouflage for each environment that you want to hide within.
The human face and hands are very distinctive, as is the gait of locomotion - so if you can disguise your head & hands and reduce any movement to small, slow movements - you'll be doing all that is reasonably practical to exist within the area that you find yourself.
Animals, just like humans, are all adept at glancing quickly over open areas to determine whether any threat exists and then look somewhat more closely at the obvious areas of cover, but will only study intently an area if they feel deeply threatened - the aim as a hunter/photographer etc. will be to find a place within that area to conceal themselves that is not likely to arouse the suspicions of the prey that they want to observe, that also allows them the advantage of being able to observe un-hindered.
If you can use the local foliage (changing it as you change location) then so much the better, but also be aware that many of our animal cousins use senses other than sight as a means of detecting their surroundings - scent and sound are also big give-aways for human presence.
ATB
Ogri the trog
The more you invest in gucci camouflage, the more specialised it seems to get - meaning that you buy camouflage for each environment that you want to hide within.
The human face and hands are very distinctive, as is the gait of locomotion - so if you can disguise your head & hands and reduce any movement to small, slow movements - you'll be doing all that is reasonably practical to exist within the area that you find yourself.
Animals, just like humans, are all adept at glancing quickly over open areas to determine whether any threat exists and then look somewhat more closely at the obvious areas of cover, but will only study intently an area if they feel deeply threatened - the aim as a hunter/photographer etc. will be to find a place within that area to conceal themselves that is not likely to arouse the suspicions of the prey that they want to observe, that also allows them the advantage of being able to observe un-hindered.
If you can use the local foliage (changing it as you change location) then so much the better, but also be aware that many of our animal cousins use senses other than sight as a means of detecting their surroundings - scent and sound are also big give-aways for human presence.
ATB
Ogri the trog
Thanks for the reply ogri. Sorry, i should've been more specific. Im not thinking 'weekend warrior' stuff, or the whole 'tacticool' thingy, its more about how to improve the concealment of an overnight camp to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
We already do the drab colours thing (i try to avoid "camo" except for my bivvy bag), since i like to blend in without the attention that wearing camo brings. Sites are picked with thought to visibility, walking routes, smoke dispersal etc.
I guess Im after tips/tricks? It helps to be clear with what you want, right!?
We already do the drab colours thing (i try to avoid "camo" except for my bivvy bag), since i like to blend in without the attention that wearing camo brings. Sites are picked with thought to visibility, walking routes, smoke dispersal etc.
I guess Im after tips/tricks? It helps to be clear with what you want, right!?
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bambodoggy
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Site location can be important, look for sites that are naturally hidden anyway....depressions that could hide a camp site (but be aware you'll need to compromise as water may collect here too) other dead ground, dense thickets etc.
Short term it might be possible to buy cam netting and string it up behind natural foliage to beef the screaming up a little but it does mean carrying a cam net. Longer term why not plant something native and already there in larger numbers to grow your own screen? Can't advise cutting fresh vegetation for screen as its destructive and as it dies it then
looks more obvious that if you hadn't used it at all.
Most of the time if you are subtly dressed, very quiet, don't move much and try to burn smokeless fires then nobody will notice you anyway.
If of real concern then maybe set up a few early warning systems....snapped branch over the trail a little way up or trip wires with cans if you're feeling a bit "MacGyver", and then when you are alerted to somebody close by you can stop what you're doing, stand very still and watch whoever it is come and go without noticing you at all. I'm lucky in that my dog will give me a few very quiet woofs when somebody is close but doesn't go batty barking and shouting unless they come right into camp uninvited.
Hope that helps....not a great help I know but it's a long while since I had to hide from anybody in anger! Lol
Cheers,
Bam.
Short term it might be possible to buy cam netting and string it up behind natural foliage to beef the screaming up a little but it does mean carrying a cam net. Longer term why not plant something native and already there in larger numbers to grow your own screen? Can't advise cutting fresh vegetation for screen as its destructive and as it dies it then
looks more obvious that if you hadn't used it at all.
Most of the time if you are subtly dressed, very quiet, don't move much and try to burn smokeless fires then nobody will notice you anyway.
If of real concern then maybe set up a few early warning systems....snapped branch over the trail a little way up or trip wires with cans if you're feeling a bit "MacGyver", and then when you are alerted to somebody close by you can stop what you're doing, stand very still and watch whoever it is come and go without noticing you at all. I'm lucky in that my dog will give me a few very quiet woofs when somebody is close but doesn't go batty barking and shouting unless they come right into camp uninvited.
Hope that helps....not a great help I know but it's a long while since I had to hide from anybody in anger! Lol
Cheers,
Bam.
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What kind of "unwanted attention"?
I am sure you are not talking about camping illegally - because concealing an illegal camp would be very foolish indeed - how is someone who legally shoots that land (for example) to know there is a camp there?
one man's hidey hole is another man's backstop!
as a night shooter the thought of it makes my blood run cold
as a night shooter the thought of it makes my blood run cold
Be aware of the "S"s
Shape
Shine
Shadow
Silhouette
Smoke
Nature abhors not only a vacuum but also a straight line and crisp angles so break up any of those in your camp.
Shiny, glittery bits draw the eye so matt everything down
In this case shadow can be your friend deep shadow can hide you from prying eyes
Pitch so that your camp has a matching background from every aspect - pitches that are on a ridgeline stand out
Avoid producing clouds of smoke which may be visible for miles
Shape
Shine
Shadow
Silhouette
Smoke
Nature abhors not only a vacuum but also a straight line and crisp angles so break up any of those in your camp.
Shiny, glittery bits draw the eye so matt everything down
In this case shadow can be your friend deep shadow can hide you from prying eyes
Pitch so that your camp has a matching background from every aspect - pitches that are on a ridgeline stand out
Avoid producing clouds of smoke which may be visible for miles
Thanks guys. I've got a handful of spots with permission to set down, but sadly theres a few types around who i prefer to avoid meeting.
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I'm lucky in that my dog will give me a few very quiet woofs when somebody is close but doesn't go batty barking and shouting unless they come right into camp uninvited.
Bam.
Cool dog!
To my mind, movement is the key.
I did a longish walk and camped just off the footpath. Naturally I did not want to alarm anyone using the path nor anyone to alarm me. I always found somewhere suitable to kip. I used a tiny gas stove to reduce the smoke/smell issue and only used a tarp when it looked like it would rain; even then, I kept the ridge line very low, say lower than the height of the trunk of a fallen tree (straight lines are a no-no). Exploiting dead ground is key, as has been mentioned. The other point is, no torches and minimal movement. Good luck.
Master this and you'll stay safe
[video=youtube;fVVqBlcTjHU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVVqBlcTjHU[/video]
[video=youtube;fVVqBlcTjHU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVVqBlcTjHU[/video]
Rogue Male is a good story worth reading for concealment. The first Rambo film shows S S survivin in wet woodland Washington.
I'm with you there EBT, nowt worse than the wrong type of people around in the wilds and backwoods, had a night last week up in Scotland where i made sure my blade was in my bed with me due to the types who kept passing my campsite near dusk, thankfully there came no point where i needed to defend myself, sometimes I have to remind myself in these situations that those dodgy looking types coming across my bulk in the dark may be a bigger shock to them than they were to me
Thats how I always camp just to be private and out of the way. Its fun and a challenge not to be noticed and I feel closer to the surroundings.
Are you serious? Sleeping with a blade like that? Would you have used it? Sod that I'd move on. Camping and potential knife fights are just not for me chap.
