One of the basic tenents of fieldcraft is entering an area and remaining there unseen. Not only getting from on location to another efficiently, but also in a manner that doesn’t attract undue attention to yourself.
We find this skill put to practice in 1 Samuel 26:3-4 “….When he saw that Saul came after him [David] into the wilderness, David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come.” The term used is spies and the definition from Strong’s Concordance: “(H7270) Definition: A primitive root; to walk along; but only in specific {applications} to {reconnoitre}.” In a military context we would recognize this as a scout or reconnaissance team, the skills of which are much the same today as they were those thousands of years ago.
The more we study in the Bible the more we find, especially in the old testament, a history of self-preservation principles used by God’s faithful to keep them safe in times of danger. The side benefit of these skills are they will allow us to hunt or enjoy wildlife without scaring everything away.
The methods can change depending on the environment or situation, but the general principal remains that you what to enter an area and have that space treat you as if you belong there. By blending in and not attracting the focus of the animals or people who habitat or travel through that space.
In the woods that will mean clothing that blends in, of a material that is quiet. No quick or jerky movements, imagine a cat sneaking up on a bird. Every move is deliberate and smooth. Avoid harse smells, soap, tobacco, perfumes/deodorant, anything not natural to the area, and watch the wind! If you work outdoors long enough you can develop that ability to smell people and some animals before you see them in thick brush. Sound is the biggest give away of your presence in thick terrain however, and your ability to stop talking, and move with enough grace to either not make noise or have the noise you make sound like a natural sound will often be the factor that allows you to remain unobserved.
In an urban environment the principles of blending into your environment hold true. The difference is how you go about blending in. It still will take knowledge of the environment and having a baseline for each places “normal”. This is commonly called the gray man concept, which some advertising would us believe is a “subdued tactical”. Tan cargo pants and patch hat and black backpack… except this isn’t how people normally dress. It often will identify you as a guy trying to be the “gray man”. If our normal attire and mannerisms cause us to stand out, and that is undesirable at the moment it is better to then adopt the dress and mannerisms of the environment.
A minor advantage to blending in with your environment is, you get to see and understand it for what it is. If you entrance into area is immediately known and not part of a normal rhythm or routine then you no longer get to observe the area in its natural state.
An example of this would be when you are driving in the interstate in a group of vehicles. Up ahead along side the road a parked trooper is observing traffic. The trooper is something new to the drivers and will cause a change, everyone who is violating traffic codes (speeding, equipment, etc.) Or is somehow concerned about some other violating of the law (drugs in the car, warrant, history of criminal acts, etc.) Will change their behavior when they see the trooper. You’ve probably done it yourself and have observed it, whether you know it or not.
The more aware of your environment and yourself the easier the process will become, and the more you will have the opportunity to observe.
Joe
Outpost 95 