Acrylic Duck Calls » Duck Hunting Concealment Techniques

How Camoflage Works And How To Use It To Our Advantage Duck Hunting

Darin — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 01:15:57 +0000

As discussed in the post about the 2 Keys To Success While Duck Hunting, concealment is one of the two key tenets to successful duck hunting. In this installment we will focus on the base concepts of how camoflage works and then look at how we can apply these keys to hide us from ducks.

Camoflage has two basic elements to help a person blend into their environment: color and pattern.

Color

The color of camoflage is designed to match the color of the surrounding environment. Much like the military uses tan hues in its camoflage patterns while in desert environments, we should attempt to match the color hues we pick to match the surrounding environment we are duck hunting in. If you are often hunting out of a duck marsh that is surrouded with cattails your best pattern would include tan patterns. If you used the standard jungle military green and black you would stick out. Likewise, if you are wont to hunt flooded timber you are better off using a series of browns and grays to blend in with the woods you will be hiding in.

Pattern

The brain processes large blocks of similar color as one object. To this end, using small blocks of oddly shaped colors in our camoflage allows us to blend into the surrounding environment. It is best again to try to match the pattern with our environment. In a cattail marsh long lines similar to the cattail itself work well. Among trees with leaves the classic military jungle green and black shaped like leaves works well.

How have you used color and pattern to match your surroundings?

Duck Hunting Concealment Technique – Use Shadows To Your Advantage

Darin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:06:33 +0000

As discussed in the post about the 2 Keys To Success While Duck Hunting, concealment is one of the two key tenets to successful duck hunting. The key premise is that we are trying to keep our silhouettes hidden from the keen eye sight of incoming ducks.

A key way to keep your whereabouts unknown to oncoming ducks is to use any shadows available. Shadows are a powerful way to blend into the surroundings. The military has been using it for decades to keep themselves camoflaged from the enemy, why not use the same concept to your advantage in the duck blind. When you get to your spot, look around and see if there are any shadows around that you can use. Normal suspects to utilize are trees, but can also come from the bank of a river or a large rock. If you can get hunkered down in behind these you can virtually disappear. The other key thing to consider if hiding in the shadows is not possible is to keep a keen eye for the shadow that you cast. The key concept being the further you protrude from the ground or water, the large shadow you will cast. Try to get as close to the ground or water as possible.

Have you used shadows to conceal yourself while duck hunting?

Duck Hunting Concealment Technique – Hide Your Face with Paint or similar

Darin — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 02:52:11 +0000

As discussed in the post about the 2 Keys To Success While Duck Hunting, concealment is one of the two key tenets to successful duck hunting. To that end much attention must be utilized to ensure that ducks will not see you as they make their approach to your duck decoys.

One of the key areas that give hunters away to the prying eyes of passing waterfowl is their faces. Many accounts from airplane pilots have shown that a bare human face shines in the sun like a pie plate. It is the most obvious things that is seen from above (where the ducks are!). So we need to make sure that we are hiding our faces whenever we are out in the field.

Some key products that attack this dead give away are specially designed face paint in black, brown and tan; a mesh style mask similar to the ones that turkey hunters use; and a good old fashioned winter type face mask.

What do you use to conceal your face from ducks?