Greetings Folks!

I'm not sure if this subject has been touched upon or not. While doing an extensive inventory of my hunting gear last night I thought it might be an appropiate subject to bring up. If things get really bad next year we all must get outside to obtain stuff or check on close relatives,friends,etc.. With that in mind it would be very wise to be not noticed while moving around,whether in a neigborhood or out in the country.

The best way to not be seen is to blend in with the local environment. Meaning the type or types of vegetation,trees,rocks,dirt,etc....that are natural to your area. This can be accomplished by wearing a good pattern of camoflage clothing that resembles your terrain. You may want to consider gloves,face mask,and a matching hat as well! Nothing gives you away quicker than a white face standing out by it's self!

Considering the fact that we'll be in the middle of winter,you need to have at least one set of insulated cover-alls in the camo pattern of your choice. As spring grows nearer, have a lighter outfit that will match the greenery that is prone to your area. If we still have problems come summer, try to find the mosquito net oufit that us bow-hunters use here in the south. It's light-weight and air can breath through,usually comes in the real tree extra camo pattern.

As far as tactics go,it basically depends on your location.If you are holed up in a populated area,seek the best route to your destination that provides you cover to blend in with. This could very well be utilizing the sewers that run beneath the streets! Use the small patches of woods,bushes,small buildings,abandoned cars,etc... In a rural area it's much easier to dissappear,there's cover everywhere if you take the time to look before you move. You may have to go a little out of your way just to find a safe route.

If at all possible have some form of communication between you and your base camp. Establish rally points if more than one person goes out and you get separated. Carry what you think you may need,a light day pack,first-aid kit,knife,weapons of your choice,just travel light as possible.

As an after thought,I just remembered that those who live up in the snowy northland,Cabela's has an excellant insulated suit that is reversible,one side is a snow pattern and the other is real tree extra grey pattern.Would work great up north!

In closing I would like to add that if and when the need arises to slip out get supplies or go over and check on folks,react as if you and your families very lives depend upon it! Let's use the most valuable computer known to mankind,it's sitting right betwen our shoulders. Boy! I bet I could get some responses on that one from the other forum!

Take care all!

-- Ex-Marine (Digging In@Home.com), July 15, 1999

Answers

"The best way to not be seen is to blend in with the local environment."

For those stuck in the suburbs, this might mean a pair of Rockports, golf shirt, purple LLBean parka, and a "kewl" pair of sunglasses. Just so you don't stick out....

Seriously, at home we've discussed this over the years. When we lived in the suburbs I wrote off camo because nothing would stand out more. Instead we chose dark, plain coats, with natural colors like forest green and tan. Black gym shoes instead of white ones. You get the idea. A power out is d-a-r-k. But if a dog smelled or heard you, you'd have to look "normal", or reasonably so. Dressed in camo and you might yourself in a heap of martial law trouble. But as some "Joe" who was desparate to get word about grandma, well, they would be much more likely to forgive you with a warning. Same for a neighbor who's yard you're crossing to stay undetected.

In the country, camo would help certainly. But unless you're SO good that you can really travel undetected, being in camo is a big risk if caught or seen. In a crisis environment, you don't have to be apprehended - you can be shot from a long ways via a 3-cell maglight. I am equipped and trained to do just this if someone approaches our farmhouse at night across the fields. With a simple night vision scope held by a person on guard duty, camo wouldn't help you much. And .223 just doesn't care. A person in camo would be taken as hostile. Someone not in camo coming from the woods would just be taken as dumb. :-) And probably dead :-(

We're prepared to accept visitors at the front gate, and help feed people. We are not prepared to be naive fools.

Be careful out there. In a crisis, people might be even less rational than usual. And fear is certain to be high.

-- Programmer Farmer (farming@home.org), July 15, 1999.

Good ideas both. Wisdom there.

OT comments:

Appologies up front. The imp of the perverse is nagging me again. Couldn't bypass a smartass comment:

>Let's use the most valuable computer known to mankind,it's sitting right betwen our shoulders.

Boy, the guy sure must have a short neck.

-Greybear, who really does try to limit this sort of thing.

--Got a delete key?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), July 15, 1999.

This subject is important because it allows you to avoid conflict rather than be "recruited in to a defender vs aggressor scenario". This applies not only to avoiding fights when you are out to take the morning air (or whatever), but also to unintentionally inviting others back to your home for a lively discusion of property redistribution. That last point is important. It will be on the test. At this time there is a lack of camoflauge for the urban and suburban environment. Try as you might, you will find no BDU printed with patterns of BMW coupes, mini-vans, brick buildings or burnt out cars.

What to do. Well, camoflauge means much more than a suit of woodland print clothes or even netting. It means not standing out. It means looking like you belong in the terrain you are moving across. It means blending in. If you want to blend in where I work, throw on a suit and tie, grab a DayRunner(R), and comb your hair. Now imagine how woodland BDUs would look in this environment. Get it?

Some of this was covered in Ex-Marines post. (The part about adapting to the seasons). Look at where you weant to blend in to. What's it look like. What is normal for that terrain. Do you have to don ragged clothes and push a shopping cart down the street with filled bags of whatever to look like a bum? (Note to PC types: Bum = Street Person in PC parlance. Also, see Hobo.) If you do, remember to smear a little ash on your supposed bum face so that clean shaven white orb isn't giving you away. Think about all the people you never pay a second glance to. Try to think of WHY you dissmissed them out of hand. What visual queues caused that reaction. Now adapt those traits.

Hope this helps.

Watch six and keep your...

-- eyes_open (best@wishes.com), July 15, 1999.

When in the cities, Dress like Kramer. When in the country, dress like Farmer Milne. When in the suburbs, dress like ... Well, I'll need help there. Maybe like Biff and Muffy after a three day binge without benefit of a shower?

Realistically, leave the camo to the hunters and warriors. Woodland camo really needs some concealment to work with. The so-called Urban Cammoflage stands out like a sore thumb unless you're standing against a blue, grey, black and white spray-panted mural. In fact the only camos I've ever seen work well were desert and snow-field, and that was at some pretty long ranges.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), July 15, 1999.

Personally, I like Brigade Quartermaster's ASAT GREY for urban work, and winter. At about 40 feet i've noticed that the face starts to float on the building.....

chuck

btw it is SO IN now with the kiddies

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), July 16, 1999.