Tips for using Camouflage when SHTF hits.

Hello my friend and welcome back!  In today’s post we are going to be discussing camouflage and how to use it in an SHTF situation.  Grab a cup of coffee and have a seat while we discuss this very important subject.

Camouflage has been around for as long as life has existed on this planet of ours.  Even fish and a multitude of other animals have used it to protect themselves or to hide from their prey while hunting. When done right, it can be profoundly useful and could even save your life at times.  We are all used to seeing it used when hunting to allow you to get closer to your prey without spooking them off.  We can get it in everything from clothes to netting and everything in-between.  How and what you use depends on what you are trying to hide and what you are trying to hide it from.  Hiding something from an animal that is walking down a trail would be much different from say hiding it from an airplane in the sky.   If you were to try to hide a person as compared to a Truck, you would again need to use different types of camo as to apply it in different ways.  With all of this in mind, we need to learn to be adaptive in our approach to camouflaging different items.

So what types of camouflage are available and should be stored for SHTF?  The simple answer to that is just about all kinds.  Let me explain what I mean by that. Face and hand paint are a wonderful addition to camo clothing and hats.  They allow you to increase the camo effect into areas that you may not have been able to before.  The idea here is to make the item that you are trying to hide, blend into its surroundings so completely that it is not visible or recognizable to others.  To do this, we need to use everything available to us, especially that which is found in nature.  Items like Mud, grass, weeds, bushes and even leaves are available to us if we only take the time to look around.  By wearing camo clothing, hats, gloves and boots, you can improve the effectiveness of your camo, but don’t depend on it alone.   To be truly effective, you need to use items in the area like grass and dirt.  You need to completely breakup the outline of yourself and any equipment you may have with you.  In case you haven’t noticed, straight lines seldom exist in nature and you should look to break up any that may show up in your camo.

Trying to camo large items such as a truck or trailer requires you to take a bit of a different approach to doing it.  The first thing you are going to need is a large military grade camo tarp or net.  Personally I prefer the netting because it is easier to attach pieces of local brush and shrubs to as this will give you a much better overall picture.   Do not just take a tarp or netting and throw it over a truck or trailer and forget about it.  Despite what you may think, it’s not very effective and if someone is looking for you, you will be much easier to spot.  You need to break up the shape by using tree limbs and wooden poles to prop up the covering in different places so it is not uniform at all.  Again, I prefer netting when possible as it tends to hide the outline of large objects much more effectively than a tarp.  Try to make whatever you are trying to hide blend in and not just cover it up.

Do’s and dont’s of using Camouflage to hide something:

1. Do not try to use a bed sheet to hide in the snow if it has not been waterproofed. It will just get wet and sag around whatever you are trying to hide and then it will stand out like a sore thumb!  If you are going to use white sheets to camo anything in the snow, first treat it with water-repellent to help keep it dry and looking more like the snow around it.
2. Do not try to use wet leaves for camo as they will usually be moldy and will make you start sneezing or coughing and that is the last thing you need when you are trying to hide.
3. Do keep a good camo rain Poncho with you at all times. These have saved the lives of many a good man when hiding from the enemy.  They can quickly be augmented with local vegetation to make you blend into your surroundings.  These can also be found in white for winter use and will keep you dry in the process.
4. Never apply camo makeup in straight up and down patterns, but go at 45 degree angles to help breakup the outline of your head or hands. And always be sure to use it on any reflective surfaces on you clothing and equipment.

Well that is it for today and I hope you have enjoyed today’s post. Learning and mastering the art of Camouflage is a skill that is well worth your time.  There are many great books and videos out there on the subject so do your homework and learn now rather than just assuming you will figure it out when the time comes.  Until next time, stay safe, stay strong and stay prepared!

-The Sargent-