I can't imagine not having a pocket on a hunting shirt. I guess they are not period correct, but I can't imagine as innovative and practical as the folks we portray were, that they wouldn't have a pocket or 2 on their shirts somewhere. I know that is why we carry a pouch. But where did those guys keep their can of Copenhagen?!

Sawbones,
In a recent article in Muzzle Blasts (I don't remember the month) John Curry talks about finding evidence of hunting shirts with pockets here and there. They were sewn inside the shirt, I think. Maybe someone remembers where to find that, or if you're an NMLRA member you might be able to find it archived on their website--don't know, as I've never tried.

Dick

Also,
If one is wearing a belt or sash, a lot of stuff can be held by stuffing things in the neck of one's shirt. Shirts were considered underclothes. Pockets are possible but rare, as Dick says.

Sparks

things fall out of shirt pockets all the time. I can't imagine stashing anything of value in one in those days. I would be curious as to what you would think they would have had to put in a shirt pocket.

Rich

It is a nice place to put a few extra patches, or wads, and a vent pick. It is just something that I like. I just made a hunting shirt out of linsey-woolsey, and it came out real good. I used only pc linen thread, and I did NOT put a pocket on it. I just like to use them.... I think I will put one on the inside though...

Bones,
I was of course referring not to the nice, white dress shirt with ruffled collar--I was assuming you were talking about an over-shirt--a "hunting frock" or something similar--which it sounds from your last post as if you were.
But as the others have said, pockets were rare. I think if you put one in it ought to be just above waist level, but not up high like a pocket on a modern shirt.

Dick

They had plenty of pockets. You must remember that the hunting frock or shirt was a protective garment related to the wagoner's smock. It was protective garment worn over better clothes, such as a waistcoat. Wasitcoats have pockets, with flaps. Not every hunter wore a waistcoat, but those that portray hunters probably should have greater numbers wearing waistcoats than not!

I have found one, and only one, reference to a runaway who had on a "hunting shirt with pockets". NOW it's obvious, if one is putting an ad in a news paper for a capture of a runaway indentured servant, that what is described can be seen with the naked eye, therefore the pockets had to have been on the outside of the shirt. BUT.., nobody can tell what style of shirt it was, so who can say if it was open or a pull over. We don't know where the pockets were located, or if they had flaps, or were slash type.

FURTHER...,it also establishes that the "normal" style hunting shirt did not have visible pockets, for if they did, then why would you need to mention a "hunting shirt with pockets" when everbody would expect them to have such?

LD

That is interesting. One could infer that, an indentured servent, being a poor or low level person, and having pockets, that pockets were not uncommon or expensive to add to a garment.

An Idea I have been toying with is to add a pocket to my shirts like the ones in a CW sack coat (inside the left side at a bit of an angle).
P

Who can say if it is not visible on the outside? My military haversack has an internal pocket, sewn to the side that rests against me. It is just large enough to hold my wallet, car keys, and cell phone, for easy access instead of rummaging around the bottom of the bag. Nobody can see the stitching from the front. You could do the same inside a shirt.

I carry a waxed cloth market wallet when I carry a tumpline. It sits in the center of my roll, and holds and protects all of my odd and bits from rolling away when I unpack, AND..., if I need to use the blanket as a coat, I merely stuff the entire wallet inside the blanket above the waist sash, and it holds everything in place, and keeps stuff dry. You might want to consider protection from the elements too if you put a pocket on your outer most garment for use in the woods.

FYI Light Infantry units in the F&I were ordered by General Wolf to add additional pockets on the exterior of their regimental coats, for holding extra ammo. So the idea of an external pocket wasn't unknown.

LD

There is the above reference to a hunting shirt with pockets (meaning at least two). I also believe that they were outside where you can see them. Were they simple patch pockets? Were they welt pockets with flaps? Who knows. I do think that whatever they were, they were probably pretty uncommon. If I were to GUESS, I'd say they were below the beltline, in the normal position where coat pockets would be...that's where I'd put them anyway. I don't like breast pockets. They interfere with the rifle butt.

There is one existing hunting shirt that has a patch pocket sewn inside. The reddish colored linsey-woolsey one that is drawn in the LaCrosse book (I have seen photos of it on the Frontierfolk board).