Who hunts with a ghilliesuit???? What make??How costly are they? What would I need to start out?Full suit or can I get away with a partial.Where is the best place to purchase them.Are they really worth it???????
Me and Several others. Rancho Safari. Depends on how you prioritize stuff. What can you afford? Full is best. 3 Rivers. Yes, yes yes....yes! I love mine. Several makers and I guess wherever you can get the best deal then go for it. Best Camo I have ever used on the ground. Wouldn't use it in a normal treestand set though. I am just one guy. Been a lot of deer killed by guys wearing plaid wool too which I also love. Personal choice I guess. Good hunting no matter which path you choose. Jake
I use both homemade and store bought suits. Use the 2/3 coverage top that comes to your knees. Don't bother with the pants. They catch on everything. They work perfectly and deer will walk right up to you without knowing you are there. Totally worth the cost and effort to make. If cost is a factor build your own with burlap died with RIT dye and mesh netting sewn to a top.
Timothy,
I hunt just about everything wearing mine.; deer, feral hogs, turkeys, ducks (yep, ducks with a bow are a BLAST!).
The 3/4 top as recomended above is a good suggestion. I have the Rancho Safari top and pants, it also came with a ghillie'd boonie hat. I bought it second hand, but in new condition, for $100. I been using it now for about 6 or so years.
I like the short top myself. It works good with waders on (doesen't get soggy when I wade in the water). If you were just chasing terrestrial critters the 3/4 would be good.
Might stay away from these fairly cheap "kits". From what I have seen they are not much more than a poncho (rough to shoot a bow well in a poncho it seems) and don't look like they come with enough stuff to really cover-up. I think they are more for the paint ball crowd.
I have seen some of the "leafy-suits" that would work just as well and for less money, but not sure how they would work in cold weather. Mine is the type made from strips of camo cloth rather than the jute/burlap. A lot less hassel with cockle-burrs and stuff, lighter and easier to get in a no or low scent condition.
Lot of answer for such a small question. Holler if you need more info or want a pic of what mine looks like.
OkKeith
Is burlap the only material used on the good suits? I'm thinking to use something light over regular hunting clothes and won't weigh a ton if it gets wet. Albert
I'm planning on making a ghillie coat myself and been looking at the synthetic jute...
http://www.ghilliesuitplus.com/products/pre-cut-and-dyed-jute.html
Has anyone used this, any good? Anything better?
I've hunted my Rancho Safari ghillie the past ten years.. A winner in every way!!
Mine is the 3/4 coat/full coverage. Only downside is it is heavy. Too heavy to wear until the weather cools a bit. Absolutely DEADLY on deer! So deadly that I rarely sit in a treestand anymore...
John III
I made mine over 25 years ago.I've neverstoped useing mine.
I got a Ghillie suit kit from sniperghillies.com
Used a home made one some time ago. It's a great suit but takes a couple of days to make
Check the product reviews, page 2 for some of the modifications I made to the suit. Some close encounters last year just could not close the deal.
Hey Albert,
As I mentioned, my Rancho Safari is made from strips of camo cloth (60/40 type material, I think). It is light-weight and doesn't get waterlogged in the rain and weigh much more.
I use it Fall, Winter and Spring. It is a little warm to wear here in the summer, but then again ANY type of clothing can be too much during an Oklahoma heat wave. I have used just the jacket while chasing feral hogs and it still works great.
Mine has internal web straps. When you turn the jacket in on itself (don't mess with the sleeves) and lay the pants in, it rolls up like a small sleeping bag and buckels. I strap it on-top or stuff it in my rucksack and put it on when I get into my hunting area.
I think another big benifit to the camo strip suits is that I can put it in the washing machine. I turn it inside out and run it through the gentle cycle then tumble dry on low. Easy Peasey!
Of course it doesn't look as cool as the military type, sniper suits, but then again I'm not hiding from people, just deer and they can't seem to tell the difference.
I think they make a 3/4 length jacket in the cloth strip construction as well.
Holler if you have any other questions.
OkKeith
Purchased my Rancho Safari Guille longcoat off this site last October. Used it a few times without success, but it wasn't the fault of the suit. Really enjoyed the experience. See it as a great alternative to hauling a heavy stand way back on public land. Expect to do a lot of ground hunting with my Guille this fall. :thumbsup:
Rancho Safari full, with snake leggins,shorts and tshirts in hot weather, mostly don't move around much, water and trails to feeders, cool weather spot and stalk hogs and deer, Great
I've never hunted with one but after hearing JC and Tippit's stories I am seriously thinking of buying one.
If/when I do get one it will be a Rancho Safari. I think Rod Jenkins at Safari Tuff was designing one as well but have not heard any mention of it in awhile.
Ok Keith, Thanks for the tips and taking the time to share. Albert
Another Rancho Safari fan here! 3/4 Jacket, Full, Mossy Oak (no burlap/jute), and the hat...I use a regular gator for my face to avoid string issues. Also trimmed a lot of the fabric down to 1" or so in the chest/left arm areas for string clearance.
This past season, I had a mule deer doe at 8-yards (not legal to shoot doe in the County which I was hunting), a 130" 8-pt run a doe past me at 12-yards (setting up brush blind the day BEFORE the draw hunt started), had a young 10-pt come down the same trail a couple of days later (I held out for the big boy to come back), 14 pigs inside of 30-yards (ok, it was 2 wet sows and 12 little-bitty piglets), and also had a bobcat walk right by me at about 17-yards (not legal to shoot predators on the Wildlife Refuge that I was drawn to hunt for deer & hogs).
All this while hunting on the ground in my ghillie and natural brush blinds. After deer season, I had several more deer in range and finally took a small hog at 7-yards.
I never released a single arrow t'wards a deer all year but it was an AWESOME season!!! ;)
I like it better than hunting stands or being in a "tent blind"....quite a rush to control when 10-15 hogs come in right at dark and walk passed you inside of 10 yards.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/tinman5575/100_5671-Copy.jpg)
This is the view to trail that three of the deer passed me on...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/tinman5575/100_5668.jpg)
This last image is my jacket hanging on a small tree behind the hide...move the suit forward into the blind a few feet. ;)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/tinman5575/100_5665.jpg)
I made one from the synthetic jute. Boy-o-boy, I got tired of tying the string. I got tired and only made a poncho and head piece. I started on a couple leg pieces but stopped and lated hooled them together tor a poncho for my son. It does get hung up in brush but I like it. Works great for turkeys. practice with it on because it will mess up a shot.
Is Rancho Safari still in business? I e-mailed them a few days ago about a new ghillie suit and have heard nada, nichts, nothing. What is the deal?
Yes, they have recovered from the fires and are operating again. It looks like they are using 3rivers as an outlet...their website does not appear to have been updated yet.
I called and spoke with Jerry (I think) a few weeks back...they are producing again and 3rivers has some items in stock!
Check your local gun shows. I got a full suit cover up hat with face blind brand new for 50 bucks. I might still have the tag if someone wants info let me know.