Never Be Seen from the Road
If you drove in a car, it's best to move away from it. If you brought your camping setup on foot, even better, this allows you to leave absolutely no trace as you trek deeper into the woods and away from obvious scrutiny.
As soon as you eliminate line of sight from the road, things are going to get a lot better. People aren't actively trying to find you, and most people wouldn't notice you anyway. They ONLY care if your presence grabs their attention, disturbs their everyday routine, or causes them any inconvenience.
Find Your Campsite Before Dark
In reading about other people's experiences on the trail, it seems that the most common mistake is getting stuck setting up camp after the sun has set and all natural light sources are gone.
Second to your car, artificial light (like a flashlight or a head lamp) is going to attract unwanted attention. In a dark environment, eyes are instinctively drawn to light. And bright artificial light can go quite a ways, even through tree cover, maybe even back to the road you worked so hard to move away from.
In just about every scenario, survival or otherwise, the trade-off for stealth has always been speed. Finding a suitable campsite before the sun sets should take precedence over making good time on your journey.
Twilight should be the time you are setting up your tent, using your own natural developing night vision and avoiding any type of flashlight or headlamp. And, lest we forget, artificial light can also come from a motorist's own headlights, reflective off some piece of particularly shiny gear you are using. One of the main culprits are the reflective panels on a typical bicycle (they are mandated!). Because of this, you should take steps to cover such things (with tape or similar).
And always, always clean up after yourself.
Leaving no trace of your venture is the polite thing to do. The actions of a stranger, in a strange place, affects not only how their presence is received by the community, but how future travelers are welcomed. A direct synonym of trace is, in fact, evidence. If you're not worried about leaving a trace, ask yourself if you want to leave evidence. They're the same thing. Leaving remnants of your campsite behind defeats the purpose of stealth camping.
How Can Military Surplus Help?
Traditional military camping and stealth camping have a lot in common. In both cases, you want to keep a low profile, and that's why access to military camping gear is going to give you an advantage in reducing your risk of being exposed.
Military Tents are usually built for less people (not a family) and designed to stay low to the ground. If you're camping by yourself, you might even be able to get away with a bivy and leave the bulk and weight of a full tent back at the house. Beyond escaping detection, military surplus equipment gives you affordable access to waterproof protection, reliable warmth (even in challenging conditions), and dependable carry options.
