Cover, Concealment, And Camouflage

[Smoke_A_Lot]

I treat my grow as i would a military operation, this thread mostly applies towards guerrila growers. the use of camouflage, cover, and concealment. i will be updating this thread with stuff i find that could be applied to guerilla growing. by the way those that don't know what guerilla means - a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment.

COVER

Cover gives protection from bullets, fragments of exploding rounds, flame, nuclear effects, and biological and chemical agents. Cover can also conceal you from enemy observation. Cover can be natural or man-made.

Natural cover includes such things as logs, trees, stumps, ravines, and hollows. Manmade cover includes such things as fighting positions, trenches, walls, rubble, and craters. Even the smallest depression or fold in the ground can give some cover. Look for and use every bit of cover the terrain offers.

In combat, you need protection from enemy direct and indirect fire.

To get this protection in the defense, build a fighting position (man-made cover) to add to the natural cover afforded by the terrain.

To get protection from enemy fire in the offense or when moving, use routes that put cover between you and the places where the enemy is known or thought to be. Use ravines, gullies, hills, wooded areas, walls, and other cover to keep the enemy from seeing and firing at you. Avoid open areas, and do not skyline yourself on hilltops and ridges.

CONCEALMENT
Concealment is anything that hides you from enemy observation. Concealment does not protect you from enemy fire. Do not think that you are protected from the enemy's fire just because you are concealed. Concealment, like cover, can also be natural or man-made.

Natural concealment includes such things as bushes, grass, trees, and shadows. If possible, natural concealment should not be disturbed. Man-made concealment includes such things as battle-dress uniforms, camouflage nets, face paint, and natural material that has been moved from its original location. Man-made concealment must blend into the natural concealment provided by the terrain.

Light discipline, noise discipline, movement discipline, and the use of camouflage contribute to concealment. Light discipline is controlling the use of lights at night by such things as not smoking in the open, not walking around with a flashlight on, and not using vehicle headlights. Noise discipline is taking action to deflect sounds generated by your unit (such as operating equipment) away from the enemy and, when possible, using methods to communicate that do not generate sounds (arm-and-hand signals). Movement discipline is such things as not moving about fighting positions unless necessary, and not moving on routes that lack cover and concealment. In the defense, build a well-camouflaged fighting position and avoid moving about. In the offense, conceal yourself and your equipment with camouflage and move in woods or on terrain that gives concealment. Darkness cannot hide you from enemy observation in either offense or defense. The enemy's night vision devices and other detection means let them find you in both daylight and darkness.

CAMOUFLAGE
Camouflage is anything you use to keep yourself, your equipment, and your position from looking like what they are. Both natural and man-made material can be used for camouflage.

Change and improve your camouflage often. The time between changes and improvements depends on the weather and on the material used. Natural camouflage will often die, fade, or otherwise lose its effectiveness. Likewise, man-made camouflage may wear off or fade. When those things happen, you and your equipment or position may not blend with the surroundings. That may make it easy for the enemy to spot you.

CAMOUFLAGE CONSIDERATIONS
Movement draws attention. When you give arm-and-hand signals or walk about your position, your movement can be seen by the naked eye at long ranges. In the defense, stay low and move only when necessary. In the offense, move only on covered and concealed routes.

Positions must not be where the enemy expects to find them. Build positions on the side of a hill, away from road junctions or lone buildings, and in covered and concealed places. Avoid open areas.

Outlines and shadows may reveal your position or equipment to air or ground observers. Outlines and shadows can be broken up with camouflage. When moving, stay in the shadows when possible.

Shine may also attract the enemy's attention. In the dark, it may be a light such as a burning cigarette or flashlight. In daylight, it can be reflected light from polished surfaces such as shiny mess gear, a worn helmet, a windshield, a watch crystal and band, or exposed skin. A light, or its reflection, from a position may help the enemy detect the position. To reduce shine, cover your skin with clothing and face paint. However, in a nuclear attack, darkly painted skin can absorb more thermal energy and may burn more readily than bare skin. Also, dull the surfaces of equipment and vehicles with paint, mud, or some type of camouflage material.

Shape is outline or form. The shape of a helmet is easily recognized. A human body is also easily recognized. Use camouflage and concealment to breakup shapes and blend them with their surroundings. Be careful not to overdo it.

The colors of your skin, uniform, and equipment may help the enemy detect you if the colors contrast with the background. For example, a green uniform will contrast with snow-covered terrain. Camouflage yourself and your equipment to blend with the surroundings.

Dispersion is the spreading of men, vehicles, and equipment over a wide area. It is usually easier for the enemy to detect soldiers when they are bunched. So, spread out. The distance between you and your fellow soldier will vary with the terrain, degree of visibility, and enemy situation. Distances will normally be set by unit leaders or by a unit's standing operating procedure (SOP).

HOW TO CAMOUFLAGE
Before camouflaging, study the terrain and vegetation of the area in which you are operating. Then pick and use the camouflage material that best blends with that area. When moving from one area to another, change camouflage as needed to blend with the surroundings. Take grass, leaves, brush, and other material from your location and apply it to your uniform and equipment and put face paint on your skin.

Fighting Positions. When building a fighting position, camouflage it and the dirt taken from it. Camouflage the dirt used as frontal, flank, rear, and overhead cover. Also camouflage the bottom of the hole to prevent detection from the air. If necessary, take excess dirt away from the position (to the rear).

Do not overcamouflage. Too much camouflage material may actually disclose a position. Get your camouflage material from a wide area. An area stripped of all or most of its vegetation may draw attention. Do not wait until the position is complete to camouflage it. Camouflage the position as you build.

Do not leave shiny or light-colored objects lying about. Hide mess kits, mirrors, food containers, and white underwear and towels. Do not remove your shirt in the open. Your skin may shine and be seen. Never use fires where there is a chance that the flame will be seen or the smoke will be smelled by the enemy. Also, cover up tracks and other signs of movement.

When camouflage is complete, inspect the position from the enemy's side. This should be done from about 35 meters forward of the position. Then check the camouflage periodically to see that it stays natural-looking and conceals the position. When the camouflage becomes ineffective, change and improve it.

Helmets. Camouflage your helmet with the issue helmet cover or make a cover of cloth or burlap that is colored to blend with the terrain. The cover should fit loosely with the flaps folded under the helmet or left hanging. The hanging flaps may break up the helmet outline. Leaves, grass, or sticks can also be attached to the cover. Use camouflage bands, strings, burlap strips, or rubber bands to hold those in place. If there is no material for a helmet cover, disguise and dull helmet surface with irregular patterns of paint or mud.

Uniforms. Most uniforms come already camouflaged. However, it may be necessary to add more camouflage to make the uniform blend better with the surroundings. To do this, put mud on the uniform or attach leaves, grass, or small branches to it. Too much camouflage, however, may draw attention.

When operating on snow-covered ground, wear overwhites (if issued) to help blend with the snow. If overwhites are not issued, use white cloth, such as white bedsheets, to get the same effect.

Skin. Exposed skin reflects light and may draw the enemy's attention. Even very dark skin, because of its natural oil, will reflect light. Use the following methods when applying camouflage face paint to camouflage the skin.

When applying camouflage stick to your skin, work with a buddy (in pairs) and help each other. Apply a two-color combination of camouflage stick in an irregular pattern. Paint shiny areas (forehead, cheekbones, nose, ears, and chin) with a dark color. Paint shadow areas (around the eyes, under the nose, and under the chin) with a light color. In addition to the face, paint the exposed skin on the back of the neck, arms, and hands. Palms of hands are not normally camouflaged if arm-and-hand signals are to be used. Remove all jewelry to further reduce shine or reflection.

When camouflage sticks are not issued, use burnt cork, bark, charcoal, lamp black, or light-colored mud.

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

Movement Basics

Movement Basics

Normally, you will spend more time moving than fighting. You must use proper movement techniques to avoid contact with the enemy when you are not prepared for contact.

The fundamentals of movement discussed in this chapter provide techniques that all soldiers should learn. These techniques should be practiced until they become second nature.

MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES
Your unit's ability to move depends on your movement skills and those of your fellow soldiers. Use the following techniques to avoid being seen or heard by the enemy:

* Camouflage yourself and your equipment.
* Tape your dog tags together and to the chain so they cannot slide or rattle. Tape or pad the parts of your weapon and equipment that rattle or are so loose that they may snag (the tape or padding must not interfere with the operation of the weapon or equipment). Jump up and down and listen for rattles.
* Wear soft, well-fitting clothes.
* Do not carry unnecessary equipment. Move from covered position to revered position (taking no longer than 3 to 5 seconds between positions).
* Stop, look, and listen before moving. Look for your next position before leaving a position.
* Look for covered and concealed routes on which to move.
* Change direction slightly from time to time when moving through tall grass.
* Stop, look, and listen when birds or animals are alarmed (the enemy may be nearby).
* Use battlefield noises, such as weapon noises, to conceal movement noises.
* Cross roads and trails at places that have the most cover and concealment (large culverts, low spots, curves, or bridges).
* Avoid steep slopes and places with loose dirt or stones.
* Avoid cleared, open areas and tops of hills and ridges.

METHODS OF MOVEMENT
In addition to walking, you may move in one of three other methods--low crawl, high crawl, or rush.

The low crawl gives you the lowest silhouette. Use it to cross places where the concealment is very low and enemy fire or observation prevents you from getting up. Keep your body flat against the ground. With your firing hand, grasp your weapon sling at the upper sling--swivel. Let the front handguard rest on your forearm (keeping the muzzle off the ground), and let the weapon butt drag on the ground.

To move, push your arms forward and pull your firing side leg forward. Then pull with your arms and push with your leg. Continue this throughout the move.

The high crawl lets you move faster than the low crawl and still gives you a low silhouette. Use this crawl when there is good concealment but enemy fire prevents you from getting up. Keep your body off the ground and resting on your forearms and lower legs. Cradle your weapon in your arms and keep its muzzle off the ground. Keep your knees well behind your buttocks so your body will stay low.

To move, alternately advance your right elbow and left knee, then your left elbow and right knee.

The rush is the fastest way to move from one position to another. Each rush should last from 3 to 5 seconds. The rushes are kept short to keep enemy machine gunners or riflemen from tracking you. However, do not stop and hit the ground in the open just because 5 seconds have passed. Always try to hit the ground behind some cover. Before moving, pick out your next covered and concealed position and the best route to it.

Make your move from the prone position as follows:

* Slowly raise your head and pick your next position and the route to it.
* Slowly lower your head.
* Draw your arms into your body (keeping your elbows in).
* Pull your right leg forward.
* Raise your body by straightening your arms.
* Get up quickly.
* Run to the next position.

When you are ready to stop moving, do the following:

* Plant both of your feet.
* Drop to your knees (at the same time slide a hand to the butt of your rifle).
* Fall forward, breaking the fall with the butt of the rifle.
* Go to a prone firing position.

If you have been firing from one position for some time, the enemy may have spotted you and may be waiting for you to come up from behind cover. So, before rushing forward, roll or crawl a short distance from your position. By coming up from another spot, you may fool an enemy who is aiming at one spot, waiting for you to rise.

When the route to your next position is through an open area, rush by zigzagging. If necessary, hit the ground, roll right or left, then rush again.

MOVING WITH STEALTH
Moving with stealth means moving quietly, slowly, and carefully. This requires great patience.

To move with stealth, use the following techniques:

* Hold your rifle at port arms (ready position).
* Make your footing sure and solid by keeping your body's weight on the foot on the ground while stepping.
* Raise the moving leg high to clear brush or grass.
* Gently let the moving foot down toe first, with your body's weight on the rear leg.
* Lower the heel of the moving foot after the toe is in a solid place.
* Shift your body's weight and balance to the forward foot before moving the rear foot.
* Take short steps to help maintain balance.

At night, and when moving through dense vegetation, avoid making noise. Hold your weapon with one hand, and keep the other hand forward, feeling for obstructions.

When going into a prone position, use the following techniques:

* Hold your rifle with one hand and crouch slowly.
* Feel for the ground with your free hand to make sure it is clear of mines, tripwires, and other hazards.
* Lower your knees, one at a time, until your body's weight is on both knees and your free hand.
* Shift your weight to your free hand and opposite knee.
* Raise your free leg up and back, and lower it gently to that side.
* Move the other leg into position the same way.
* Roll quietly into a prone position.

Use the following techniques when crawling:

* Crawl on your hands and knees. Hold your rifle in your firing hand. Use your nonfiring hand to feel for and make clear spots for your hands and knees to move to.
* Move your hands and knees to those spots, and put them down softly.

IMMEDIATE ACTIONS WHILE MOVING
This section furnishes guidance for the immediate actions you should take when reacting to enemy indirect fire and flares.

REACTING TO INDIRECT FIRE
If you come under indirect fire while moving, quickly look to your leader for orders. He will either tell you to run out of the impact area in a certain direction or will tell you to follow him. If you cannot see your leader, but can see other team members, follow them. If alone, or if you cannot see your leader or the other team members, run out of the area in a direction away from the incoming fire.

It is hard to move quickly on rough terrain, but the terrain may provide good cover. In such terrain, it may be best to take cover and wait for flares to burn out. After they burn out, move out of the area quickly.

REACTING TO GROUND FLARES
The enemy puts out ground flares as warning devices. He sets them off himself or attaches tripwires to them for you to trip on and set them off. He usually puts the flares in places he can watch.

If you are caught in the light of a ground flare, move quickly out of the lighted area. The enemy will know where the ground flare is and will be ready to fire into that area. Move well away from the lighted area. While moving out of the area, look for other team members. Try to follow or join them to keep the team together.

REACTING TO AERIAL FLARES
The enemy uses aerial flares to light up vital areas. They can be set off like ground flares; fired from hand projectors, grenade launchers, mortars, and artillery; or dropped from aircraft.

If you hear the firing of an aerial flare while you are moving, hit the ground (behind cover if possible) while the flare is rising and before it bursts and illuminates.

If moving where it is easy to blend with the background (such as in a forest) and you are caught in the light of an aerial flare, freeze in place until the flare burns out.

If you are caught in the light of an aerial flare while moving in an open area, immediately crouch low or lie down.

If you are crossing an obstacle, such as a barbed-wire fence or a wall, and get caught in the light of an aerial flare, crouch low and stay down until the flare burns out.

The sudden light of a bursting flare may temporarily blind both you and the enemy. When the enemy uses a flare to spot you, he spoils his own night vision. To protect your night vision, close one eye while the flare is burning. When the flare burns out, the eye that was closed will still have its night vision.

MOVING WITHIN A TEAM
You will usually move as a member of a team. Small teams, such as infantry fire teams, normally move in a wedge formation. Each soldier in the team has a set position in the wedge, determined by the type weapon he carries. That position, however, may be changed by the team leader to meet the situation. The normal distance between soldiers is 10 meters.

You may have to make a temporary change in the wedge formation when moving through close terrain. The soldiers in the sides of the wedge close into a single file when moving in thick brush or through a narrow pass. After passing through such an area, they should spread out, again forming the wedge. You should not wait for orders to change the formation or the interval. You should change automatically and stay in visual contact with the other team members and the team leader.

The team leader leads by setting the example. His standing order is, FOLLOW ME AND DO AS I DO. When he moves to the left, you should move to the left. When he gets down, you should get down. When he fires, you should fire.

When visibility is limited, control during movement may become difficult. Two l-inch horizontal strips of luminous tape, sewn directly on the rear of the helmet camouflage band with a l-inch space between them, are a device for night identification.

Night identification for your patrol cap could be two l-inch by 1/2-inch strips of luminous tape sewn vertically, directly on the rear of the cap. They should be centered, with the bottom edge of each tape even with the bottom edge of the cap and with a l-inch space between two tapes.

 

[gaga]

capture the flag?

 

[smokesalot420]

I feel like I'm going through secondary training all over again.....

Where's the rally point?!!!!???

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

I feel like I'm going through secondary training all over again.....

Where's the rally point?!!!!???

by that couch where the blunts are.. haha

capture the flag?

which one? there's a rainbow one around here for you some where.. haha

by the way guys, stay frosty. haha.. there's some solid advice i got from these. i have plenty more.

 

[Stanovavich]

I have heard of snipers taking burlap material, and sewing many elastic bands to the outside. Then, you just pick and choose vegetation from the area, and attach to the burlap fabric via elastic bands.

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

I have heard of snipers taking burlap material, and sewing many elastic bands to the outside. Then, you just pick and choose vegetation from the area, and attach to the burlap fabric via elastic bands.

yeah man that's called a ghillie suit, it's pretty easy to make.

 

[geemail]

I'm here to learn. Can't get _too_ much information. Please keep it coming!

G

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

How To Make A Ghillie Suit

How To Make A Ghillie Suit

Ghillie Suits

Ghillie Suits make good camouflage when in one position, or if you must move through somewhat open areas. They will entangle when you try to go through dense brush. Make your personal camouflage net by selecting material that blends in with the vegetation you are operating in.
I have received several requests for tips on Ghillie suit construction. I had considered having one made putting it up for sale, but it is time consuming and I'm not sure that anyone would buy it. Here are a few pointers that you should consider.

Two basic designs for ghillie suits:
Simple net for fixed positions
BDU

Suit construction
Your ghillie suit does not have to be elaborate to be effective. I have seen some for sale in a magazine that made whoever wore it look like exactly what it should not -- a guy in a ghillie suit. Now the very best one I can think of is the one Tom Berenger wore in that sappy movie -- "Sniper". If you saw the movie, did you notice how it magically transformed itself to match the background behind him? Amazing huh! By taking camouflage from the surrounding vegetation, and adding it to the netting, you can make it look just like the ground you are laying on. If you didn't see the movie, you didn't miss much. Or then again, maybe you missed a lot, like the magic rifle scopes!



Simple Net
Advantage - Light weight, rolls up into a small bundle, very adaptable to fixed positions.
Disadvantage - Difficult to crawl in, or move through brush.
Your net should be flexible enough for you to adapt to each situation. Keep it simple, and allow lots of room for improvement. A piece of camouflage netting will work well. All you need is a shroud, or short poncho, that covers your head, shoulders, and hangs down to your waste, with one side of it long enough to cover down to your knees. Cutting it out in an irregular shape, like a rounded triangle will help. You want to be able to adjust the shape of it so that it breaks the outline of your body. You can sew pieces of burlap to the netting in a haphazard fashion to increase it's effectiveness at short distances.

Go to an army surplus store and look for a piece of camouflage netting. If you can't find a piece you can make a good one with a piece of fish net or shrimp net. The shrimp net must be cleaned very well and dried a couple of times to insure that it does not smell. You want your netting to be durable so it should be made of twisted line and treated with an anti-rot coating. All shrimp nets are coated with the stuff and it's a dark green color. The tail of a shrimp net will last forever when treated.
Put the net over your head and arrange it so that you can see out. You will need to shape it so that you'll have a large hood with a lot of overhang to cover your face. You can gather it using thin nylon web strap. Don't worry about buckles, just leave enough strap to tie it in place. This will keep it from coming off. Leave it longer in back so it will cover your upper legs.

Go to an Army surplus store or to Wal-Mart's hunting department and get some camouflage colored burlap. If they have it, get two or three different colors/textures.
Cut the burlap in strips that are shaped like bow ties. The skinny part in the middle is where you will tie the strip around a piece of the net. Don't make the sides of the bow tie the same length or width. The shortest should be about 5 -6" and the longest a side should be is about 9". Two half hitches should tie the bow on to the net securely. Leave room between strips, if you bunch them too tight you will look a guy wearing a funny suit. Alter the colors you use as you tie them onto the suit. Don't make the knots too tight until you have a lot of pieces on and are satisfied with the look and arrangement.
Two straps at the neck will keep your "hood" in place and another at the waist will keep you from losing the suit when tangled.
The simple net is easy to make, light, and can stretched overhead in a position and arranged in various manners to meet the situation. With all of the holes, and loose burlap, you can stick all manner of small branches, grasses, and leaves to the suit to match the terrain.
The next piece of the net solution is an apron. Police snipers and competition shooters can use elaborate shooting mats. Snipers need an apron. This will help you remain comfortable while laying on wet ground for long periods of time. It will keep you warm and make it easier to slide along the ground. A suitable apron can be made from a canvas shelter half. It doubles as something to keep you dry in the rain, or a blanket at night. Keep it short enough that you can run with it.


BDU method
Advantages - It stays on at all times, provides total coverage of all body parts.
Disadvantages - Its hot and much larger will rolled up.
Sniper training in the military includes this skill by starting with BDU's and sewing camouflage to them. When sewing strips of anything to your suit, DO NOT make them all one length, color, and shape. You use camouflage to breakup outlines, you don't want to create new patterns that will look unnatural. Cut strips as described above only make them any shape you want. You may sew these strips to the BDUs or use some kind of net or mesh. Sew the net to the BDU's at the shoulders and small of back. On the pants sew to the waist, upper back of legs, and calves. Now you can sew the strips to the mesh.
In place of an apron you will need to add canvas from a shelter half to the front of the shirt and pants down to the knees.
For the sewing use a good strong thread and needle. This is the time consuming part. When I went to sniper school we did not have to make these, a simple camo net scrounged from the battalion supply sufficed. The suit is bulky and hot, if you must cover open ground without being seen then it would be nice to have.
If you need a suit that is light, and will only be used to supplement your other camouflage in a fixed position, the simple net will work well. A sniper must be resourceful.
Your ghillie suit will be a waste of time if you wear an exposed watch or ring. You must also wear gloves and of course your "camo" stick. You must cover all exposed body parts.
Camouflage for your weapon can be made in the same manner by wrapping the weapon with burlap. Take one long strip and sew a few smaller strips to it. Make sure you can reach your adjustment knobs and there is nothing obstructing the scope.

 

[Stanovavich]

Im going to be making mini ghilli suits to disguise my pots in trees. Maybe even have a 'hiding hole' close to my grows, with a ghilli blanket to pull over.In case someone comes by, I can just book it through the woods to my hiding spot to lay low. ahahaha There is some good tips in this read. thanks!

 

[kannubis]

oo rah kill
gotta use that shit somewhere, otherwise why did onkel sam pay so much fer us to learn it without having to think about it

 

[kannubis]

ghillie suits can be bought cheap at cheaper than dirt or cheap as dirt dot com

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

ghillie suits can be bought cheap at cheaper than dirt or cheap as dirt dot com

yup cheaperthandirt.com has some nice stuff and not too expensive. good thinking.

 

[supermanlives]

great thread. i learned my skills early as a hunter as opposed to a military training. good camo can have your ass hidden so close to people you could just about reach out and scare em.

 

[OrganicMonkey]

I'd rather go to the grow at night, other than when the site is being prepared and clones are coming out.

The best thing to do is cloning other plants, so only you know that there is an open space behind some shrubs. I like to find natural locations, where shrubs built up and I can find a tunnel through what is concealed by foliage. Then I find a natural space inside of that and make it larger.

Can't see these from the outside and the tunnel access is hard to find, these shrubs are not very dense but they aren't seen through at all or very easily. The ones that you can see through, if you look long enough and know just what to find (like you've been back there)....I hope to take more clones off of these native shrubs to thicken them up.

If thorn plants were more stable in their growth pattern, I'd clone these to build up a natural defense. Most people stay out of crawling through shrubs, simply because of poison ivy. Ivy gets nasty around here, so people usually stick to trails and don't go crawling through what appears to be impenetrable.

I have given thought to covering my face and concealing my personal effects, so say a T Shirt, jacket or pack back isn't recognized as myself. But I think just being out there and waiting for dark, at a camp spot that is distant across a valley...where I can hear vehicles, helicopters, or any unusual activity and creeping up at night simply paying attention is a less paranoid approach.

I would be more concerned about wearing to much cammo and being shot, because it takes longer to register someones posture. I don't see cops sitting out there all night, they don't have the patience unless they feel your going to be back very soon. They could be out there for a week, for all they do know!

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

Tracking Tips
What has the weather been like recently?
When did the sun rise?
Was there a dew fall?
Look towards the sun when studying tracks, you will see the shadows better.
Footprints in soft ground will begin to deteriorate around the edges within 2 hours depending on the humidity, sunlight, and breeze.
When it's very humid, the ground moist, and shaded, the edges of a track will not begin to crumble for at least eight hours.
If the ground is shaded until 11:00 a.m. (when the sun rises over the surrounding trees), then the sunlight will not begin to affect tracks until then.
If the wind is very calm and has been since the previous evening then little affect from wind will be evident.
Wind will blow debris into the track and increase the drying rate around the edges.

The depth of the tracks and length of the stride can indicate the weight of the load carried and the physical strength of the person who made them.
People carrying a load will take shorter steps than those without.
Tired people will 'meander', break more brush, drag their feet, etc.
The direction of travel is pretty obvious, and when tracks can't be seen, the direction that brush or twigs have been broken in will indicate the direction of travel.

Every boy scout knows the "walking backwards" trick. It is impossible to walk backwards and put the heel of your foot down first. If tracks show toes hitting first, then look at the stride. Long stride, toes hitting hard, dirt thrown forwards and back means the person was running. Short stride -- was the person tip-toeing or trying to walk backwards, backwards tracks will look unnatural, sort of a wobble or stagger to them.

By measuring a three foot section of trail, and counting the number of tracks within it, an estimate can be made of the size of the party who made the tracks. In a three foot piece of trail, a few people may make two tracks, those who step down at the very edge will probably step again near the other edge, people who step down near the middle will step again out side of the section. Count the tracks close to one edge, each of these is a person. Count the tracks near the middle, each of these is a person. Add them up and you will have a close approximation of the size of the patrol. Don't be fooled by tracks made at different times on a often traveled trail.
Discipline can be judged by debris dropped by along the way. Cigarette butts, candy wrappers, etc., all tell a story.

Paper will yellow and fade at a certain rate depending on sunlight and rain.
The moisture evident in the scar left when a branch breaks can indicate how long ago that branch was broken.
A small green branch will be moist for 24 hours, as it dries it will become sticky from sap secretions (depending on the variety/species). After a while the sap will harden.
Women tend to walk more pigeon toed than men.
The feces of a person can be examined to determine diet. The feces of a person who lives on beans and rice will smell different from the feces of a person who eats hamburgers, pizzas, LURP's, or c-rats. A pile of feces is a gold mine of information to a tracker. The wetness, settling, decay, maggot growth, etc. are all indicators of age.

When the trail goes over hard ground look carefully at small pebbles. When dislodged there will be a small depression in the ground (the hole they were in). The pebble will be dark on one side where it was in the hole. If the dark side is damp then you know that the pebble was dislodged recently. Consider rain, dew, sunlight, and wind.
Leaves should be dark underneath in the same way. Leaves that have lain on the ground for a few days will have discolored grass underneath, if not, then the leaf has fallen very recently. This applies to anything laying on the ground, robbed of sunlight, the grass underneath will die.
People who spend their lives in the outdoors are very attuned to these things and can tell a lot about the person who left the sign. Never assume your enemy is stupid. Always assume that he is smart, clever, cunning, rational, and clear of mind, body, and spirit.
You want to be able to approach your hide unseen, and in a manner that no one will cross your trail while you are there.

Smells
After you have spent a few weeks in the out of doors, where there are no usually smells of habitation, your nose will become more sensitive to foreign odors. Your enemy's will too. People who live in remote, tribal conditions can smell much better than people who are bombarded by odors 24 hours a day. The detergent used to wash clothes, deodorant, chewing tobacco, a bar of soap, open containers of food, etc. all have odd smells to a person who does not use them. No they still can't smell as well as most animals, but they can smell you as far as 20? yards. Not strong, but enough for them to know you are around. Leave these items home when you are on patrol. Your body secrets different odors depending on what you eat and drink. A defense attorney will tell his client not to drink the night before the client has to take the stand under cross examination. The opposing attorney can sense when they are on a subject that makes you nervous. (body language as well but this isn't about trial prep). The best solution is to eat nothing but indigenous foods for at least 48 hours prior to your mission. You are better off eating only indigenous foods when out on patrol. This will help you conceal your odor, change your feces and urine also.

Route of Egress
This is your escape route. You must be able to get up and get out quickly without being detected. You must NEVER use the same route out that you used to go in. If your trail was picked up, someone could be following it or lying in ambush for your return. Always assume that you are being followed.
Never travel in a straight line or a predictable zig zag. Change your route often enough so that no one can review your course over a period of time and predict where you are going. If you have fired your rifle, you will not have time to circle and study your trail. If you have not, this is a good thing to do. When thinking this through, consider that you are alone. You MUST NOT GET CAUGHT, you do not have the firepower to fight the enemy. You must avoid contact at all costs. Remember discipline? No matter how tempted you may be, DO NOT hazard confrontations without thinking about the consequences.


Security
Ideally you will have at least two people watching your rear while you are in your hide. These men must be capable woodsmen. They may take point and/or pull rear security while you are en-route to/from your hide. They will cover you while you concentrate on the mission.

Actions at the Objective (Other miscellaneous stuff)
People who have their "s**t together" do not litter, masturbate, eat, sleep, or otherwise screw-off while at the objective. Litter tells a story and is indicative of the discipline/professionalism of the person in question. As the primary shooter, you have the responsibility of the mission in your hands. You must select people who complement your efforts and can perform with a high degree of professionalism.

You must not talk unless it is necessary and then only in a whisper. It is better to use signals for all communication. If you must eat in your hide make sure that you do not leave litter on the ground. Do not scatter your equipment about. Everything not in use must be packed and ready to run with at all times. A spotting scope, rifle, notepad, and pencil are the only things you need to have ready.

Careful notes should be kept referencing all sign that you cross and everything that you see or hear. When you set up your position you will make a preliminary scan of the area to make certain you have not been seen. You should then check your coordinates by using resection with your compass and map. Every terrain feature in or near the kill zone should be noted. Check the range to each and note it. After all ranges have been determined, go back and calculate any scope adjustments necessary for each range. Determine the right combination of minimum scope adjustment and hold for each range.

After I prepare my range card and I'm satisfied with my position I begin a methodical search of the area. I use a pattern because it gives me something to do and it keeps me from missing an area.
I begin from the left edge of the area at maximum range and slowly sweep to the right and then back, decreasing the range until I'm looking at the area close to my hide. DO NOT neglect the zone close to your hide. It is very easy to become complacent and assume that there is no one close to you. You naturally assume that if there was someone there you would see them. That is only true if the person approaching stumbles, makes a loud noise, or is talking to someone. I have been in many situations where people suddenly appeared very close to me.

Humans do not have super hearing. It is easy to walk closely to someone in the woods without them hearing you. This is especially true when a wind is blowing or it is raining. When selecting your hide, try to pick a place that will provide an early warning of someone's approach. Dry leaves that crunch, thick vines, logs, or other obstacles that someone would have to cross. Usually people will go around obstacles it because it is easier.

If they suspect you are there you are in trouble. If your target is a valuable leader it is possible security forces will sweep the area before he travels through it. They will look in all the likely spots. If it is night then they can use infrared equipment that will detect your body heat. This equipment can be hand held or mounted on a vehicle or aircraft. You will need something to protect you from this and a good hole will do the trick. You must have a lid covered with dirt and camouflage to pull over you when the security forces pass by. A good shrub with intact root ball works well. When an aircraft is involved you must be very quick to do this before they can spot your movement.

Remember this, air personnel will only spot you if there is a heat differential or if you move. During daylight the worst thing you can do is move. Freeze, don't move, wait until the aircraft passes. A spider hole is excellent cover and concealment. It must be positioned on high ground to provide good visibility. This bush will die and must be replaced. Pick a variety (if there is one) which is naturally dry looking. You will have to experiment with the vegetation in the area to determine which plant looks live the longest. Preserving the root ball will help keep the plant fresh. Dig the hole deep enough so that you don't have to bend to hide. Leave a step that will raise you up to shooting level. You must hide the dirt from the hole. Don't leave it in a pile nearby. Isolated piles of dirt look suspicious, whether you cover them with leaves or not. A nearby stream will wash the dirt away, but be careful not to leave tracks or fresh dirt near the bank. Also, if you dig into the side of a small rise, you may be able to disguise the dirt as part of the rise. Then you won't have to tromp around the area of your hide, leaving sign.

A Word of Warning
You've seen all sorts of clever tricks used in movies and on TV that provide some devious trap or ruse that leads someone to their death. Keep it simple. Don't waste time with diabolic schemes. Use common sense instead.
One trick I've seen with several variations is this -- To set a trap, the hunter leaves a small interesting object or clue that the hunted spots, he stops, picks up, looks around, then proceeds in the desired direction, right into a trap. What would happen in the movie if the "hunted" spotted the object, acted as if he didn't see it, walked past out of sight, then stopped and looked for the hiding place the hunter was using, and surprised the hunter from behind? People who write movie scripts do not have a secret source advising them on these things. They dream it up and make it work on screen. ANY sign you leave WILL be used to track you down and kill you.

Another one is where the hunted hides under the water and breathes through a reed. This can work, but depending on the diameter of the reed, it better not be more than 6" long. Otherwise the tube fills up with your exhaled breath and you try to breathe the same air over and over again. The worst time to discover this is when someone is standing 4 feet away and looking for you! Have you ever tried to breathe through a straw? You don't have to be under the water to test it, or hiding in fear of your life.

Smart soldiers will follow tracks, but they might send out security elements to their right and left flanks just in case you double back to ambush them. If they suspect an ambush, as in the case where sign looks too obvious or planted, they will determine the most likely spots for your hide, then circle around to surprise you. They won't come diddy bopping down the trail following tracks.

A note about dogs: Sprinkle cayenne powder around the area in a circle around your hide, this will keep away animals. If you must run, sprinkle some behind you every so often. Not just where you walk but on the bushes to the right and left of your path. Hounds don't have to sniff the ground where you walked unless the trail is several hours old. They "wind" you. Nose up, they run towards your scent that is in the air and clinging to things you came close to. As they run, you want them to kick up and breathe the pepper. That will put them out of action long enough to put some distance between you and them. A good trail dog can follow a trail over 24 hours old!

 

[mdk ktm]

ordered a ghillie suit today, it will be sweet to use in the woods. For the wetlands i just wear my camo waders. The average person isnt going to notice a person in camo, much less a full ghillie. I was thinking about hiding in the bushes at the park, and scaring the shit out of people when they walk past.

 

[JOJO420]

NECTAR

NECTAR

This is great. Big ups Smokes a lot. This is whats up, read n learn, it might save your life one day. Im gonna tag this one

 

[reddy1]

you get spotted in one of these sniper suites or seen acting like a commando, you are done, best to act like a normal person who is fishing, hunting, hiking, walking the dog, bird watching etc. act like you belong there.

best to do lots of research on your spots, figure out the best approach to your spot and back safely, work fast, leave no trash, trails, footprints or other traces of your presence, get the fuck out quick.

my 2 cents.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

ghillie suits? are you guys serious? just buy a camou t-shirt and some pants. jesus christ. no wonder so many people are against pot growers.