Close-up of tactical gear in Duck Hunter camouflage

History hidden in an iconic camouflage

Unlike many camouflage patterns, Duck Hunter stands out with its non-aggressive character,not directly associated with the military. The roots of this pattern date back to 1942, when General Douglas MacArthur commissioned special jungle combat gear for the Marine Raiders of the U.S. Marine Corps. This included a camouflage uniform, and the pattern itself was named Frog Skin, appearing in a two-tone version. 

A shooter aiming at a target, dressed in a tactical hat and chest rig in Duck Hunter camouflage

Frog, duck, and leopard – what do they have in common?

After WWII, these uniforms were sold to the civilian market. That's when the camouflage pattern caught the attention of hunters, and small companies began releasing their own variations of the Frog Skin pattern. Since the name was trademarked, a new one emerged – Duck Hunter. The pattern worked perfectly for duck hunting, which was very popular then.

During the Vietnam War, civilian uniforms featuring different versions of the Duck Hunter camouflage appeared. The Vietnamese named them Beo Gam, meaning leopard. The pattern was widely used until Tiger Stripe and ERDL camouflages were developed. It's worth noting that Duck Hunter uniforms were used by SOG, Navy SEALs, and Green Berets.

Now, you can find Duck Hunter at Helikon-Tex. Check out which products are available in this iconic pattern.

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Duck Hunter from head to toe: bestselling pants, anorak, and hat

Backpacks in Duck Hunter Camo

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Love Camouflage? Learn more about it

Are you passionate about the history of camouflage and curious facts about different patterns from around the world? Visit our blog and check out a themed post: Camouflage - Why do we love them?

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