Privacy when bushcrafting?!

[TheViking]

Hi...

When you go into the woods and set up a tarp/hootchie etc., do you pick a spot to set it up where you will have some privacy? I do! :biggthump

I find that camouflage is not the best...! Imagine, a camouflage hootchie has to fit in the environment it was designed for. If you get close enough, even to a camouflage, it will be spotted. A green one will too, but it can fit into a lot more different terrains... :biggthump

Both types, camouflage/green are not likely to be spotted at distance.
But what's your experiences??? :biggthump

 

[Adi007]

I like my privacy and tend to pitch up in areas that give me reasonable cover. I really don't want folks wandering into my area. I like to feel that the tarp is reasonably safe if I move out of sight of it.

I generally find that a DPM tarp offers greater privacy during the day than a green one ... I have stories of setting then up in places where people knew they were and couldn't see them in broad daylight.

However, I find that at night the olive green color melts into the darkness and is much harder to spot than a DPM one.

In any terrain, get close enough to either and most people will spot them!

Personally, I use DPM ... I have nothing against it and if people want to read reasons in me using it, I'm really not fussed. If you'd rather use olive green, black, DPM, AusCam or day glo pink, I don't mind, whatever you're happy with.

 

[stuart f]

I to like my privacy whenever i,m out and about,so i try my utmost to get well off the beaten track, my reasons for doing so is that i like to watch the local wildlife without it being disturbed by others.

I,m like Adi,i to use a DPM basha and don,t have a problem with it.

 

[C_Claycomb]

I feel that good map reading skill has more to do with privacy than what sort of shelter you use. Shelters using natural materials can be hard to spot, even close to, and hootchies aren't all that visible, but if there are enough people, and dogs, blundering about, someone is more than likely to stumble upon you by accident.

I put far greater store in finding places that people don't go through. A large scale OS map (topo map, 1:25000) can help a lot. The trick is spotting areas that are not "destinations" nor are on routes to such spots. You don't actually need to find acres of land far from anywhere, a small area with poor access, surrounded by more inviting, easily accessed country can be enough. Areas of woodland bypassed by footpaths, and with no particularly interesting features can get overlooked by the crowd.

 

[Adi007]

I feel that good map reading skill has more to do with privacy than what sort of shelter you use. Shelters using natural materials can be hard to spot, even close to, and hootchies aren't all that visible, but if there are enough people, and dogs, blundering about, someone is more than likely to stumble upon you by accident.

I put far greater store in finding places that people don't go through. A large scale OS map (topo map, 1:25000) can help a lot. The trick is spotting areas that are not "destinations" nor are on routes to such spots. You don't actually need to find acres of land far from anywhere, a small area with poor access, surrounded by more inviting, easily accessed country can be enough. Areas of woodland bypassed by footpaths, and with no particularly interesting features can get overlooked by the crowd.

Excellent suggestions Chris!

 

[SquirrelBoy]

Last week I was out practicing setting up my hootchie (green) and was only about 40ft away from the path.

I was amazed that quite a few people (2 walking,5 on horses, 1 mountain biker) past along without catching sight of me.

Everybody seemed to watch where they were walking - the path did have a slight asscent to it so that might have kept their attention.

Another thing I did was to stay absolutley still when I heard any movement, wear natural clothing and clear away any twigs that will snap under your weight - this way I went unnoticed and had a nice day in the woods ):

 

[sargey]

what chris said. 100%

i have a couple of local haunts. one is under a big ol' holly tree on the cold steep side of a hill in an overgrown hazel birch beech woodland. it's the winter camp. the holly provides year round protection from the rain.

the summer camp is a bit further up the same woods, it's flatter and easier to get to. but in the winter when the leaves have fallen it's a bit open to view.

and i just found a source of O.D.plastic survival bags in my local army surplus.:biggthump

cheers, and.