I know...."Another ghillie thread!!"
Just wondering you guys that wear them how you prefer to use them?
Do you just park it at a tree on a stool? Find a dead fall? Maybe stalk?
Last year I did the park it next to a tree on a stool and it seemed I'd get busted 30-40% of the time. It wasn't movement the deer would be passing by within 10-15 yards and just freeze then the head pumping would commence.
So how do YOU hunt in your ghillie and what seems to be the most effective way to use one?
I will admit I had many close encounters last year (that where awesome) but most seemed to end before I could raise or draw the bow...
P.s.- I do wind check
I hunt from the ground 50% of the time these days. I have a Ghillie that I cut the lower half off of, as well as the left sleeve. Over the last 8 or so years I've harvested a lot of animals from the ground without the ghillie suit.
But the success rate has drastically increased and "busted" rate drastically declined once I started religiously running the ghillie suit if I was on the ground.
Making the ghillie only a coat essentially has made it so convenient to use as I'm bailing out the back door of the house. I throw it on and stalk my way into the timber. The ghillie has allowed for close encounters stalking into my set up where I'm sure I would have been busted before.
I still tuck into blow-downs, high grass, corn fields, etc etc. I do not simply sit in the wide open against a tree. Just this morning I got busted drawing on a doe at 10 yards in my Ghillie. I was in a blow down on a travel route. They caught me off guard by coming in from downwind and the opposite direction as usual, but I would not have got that chance without the Ghillie. They knew I was there from their nose, but they couldn't see me. Ofcourse until I started got to anchor ;)
You have to think of a ghillie as a blind. You're much more likely to have close encounters out of a blind if you brush it in. The same goes for a ghillie hunter. Brush yourself in a bit. (tuck into a blowdown / high grass / weeds / etc)
These animals live in these forests. A random 6' tall 190 lb bush sitting in the wide open that wasn't there yesterday is going to throw some red flags... or white flags in the end.. ;)
Good luck. Ground hunting is the best.
You need concealment behind you and some in front of you will help.
I have done a lot of different things. Yes, they work stalking, but they tend to catch on everything so it is slow and tough going... but it DOES work.
I like to nest into an existing bush or coupla bushes if I can, either on a seat or standing. Leaning against a tree there helps. Having some breakup, especially behind you helps a lot, but I have had things walk right past with me standing there.
Had a mid sized buck walk nearly right into me on a trail, as he was following where a doe had walked minutes ago.
Make sure you shoot with the equipment you are gonna use. I had no difficulty with my RER bow and I assumed all my bows would work, but the BH on my ASL is a lot lower and I hit my arm a lot using it. It cost me.
I just cut off the entire bow arm at the elbow and trimmed up the chest on that side. Don't need it anyway. Now it is out of the way.
I use a Rancho Safari ultralight longcoat with boonie hat. I added my own face mask ( didn't like theirs). I also have some other brand ghillie like gloves when I am in total sneak mode.
ChuckC
I never wear mine into the field. They are like a giant piece of Velcro! I once had an altercation with a multi flora rose bush and was stuck for three days until my dad came looking for me and cut me loose. Okay, maybe I exaggerated a little but they are a pain to walk around in. I carry mine in a backpack and put it on when I get to my hunting spot.
I have spider holes all over my farm to hunt from and I also carry a folding saw, anvil pruners and 14" zip ties with me in case I need to make an impromptu hide. I also carry a small piece of camo netting to help brush myself in. I think it is way more important to have something behind you than have something in front of you.
BTW - a ghillie suit will absorb approximately 50 gallons of water in a downpour and will weigh around 400 pounds. This is not a fun way to spend the afternoon.
Darren
What dhaverstick said !
I set up with some cover around me, front and back. I have had deer so close I could count whiskers, but that's to close to shoot. I sit on a waldrop pac seat keep the bow on my lap. Having a deer at 4 yards is really exciting even if there is no shot. When I get busted it's almost always my movement.