This is going to be my first full year hunting with a ghillie suit. Just wonder if anyone had pics or tales of thier success.
Here's a photo with me and a doe I killed a couple years ago. Hunting in a ghillie is awesome!!!! You will not believe how close the deer will come to you. Even if they catch you moving, a lot of times they will just go back to doing whatever it was they were doing. It's the only way I hunt anymore.
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/First%20Ground%20Kill/DeerPicPost-2.jpg)
Mike we'll have to get together to build a suit. I've got the netting and the dyes. I just have to pick up a few more supplies.
Wasn't there a build along last year with Gure? Can't seem to find the tread.
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g108/bmcmahan/IMG_1617.jpg)
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g108/bmcmahan/IMG_1603.jpg)
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g108/bmcmahan/IMG_1580.jpg)
Photos with my gillie, on public land. About 20 yards or so.
Bob
I dont own an actual Ghille Suit, but have had great success wearing Cabelas LeafyWear Suit! I shot aturkey once that was so close i swear that the fletching was still touching the rest of my bow, i also shot a nice doe at 4yds that stared at me for probably 5mins straight trying to wind me, but wind wasnt in her favor and you know what happened! She started walking away, tail up snorting and gave me an excellent quartering away shot!
Here are a couple of shots of my son in the one he made.
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff187/GingivitisKahn/20101112_ac_d03.jpg)
The wind-blown look rocks...
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff187/GingivitisKahn/20100206_dc_01.jpg)
The best advice I can give on buying a ghillie suit is to make sure and get the light-weight version. Also make sure to get one that uses netting for its frame. That way it can easily be repaired as the threads wear. I've seen some that are made using some sort of bug suit for their frame and have the threads sewn onto that. No way to easily repair that kind.
If I could have reached for my camera w/out getting busted to take pics of the two yearlings at 6 feet, I'd have success pics! :)
It was a blast in my homemade 2 piece suit based on a miserably ineffective old leafy suit with thousands of synthetic strings hand sewn in- by me.
Tell you what...ain't met a shaggy suit yet that wasn't hot...
Shot this coyote at 5 yards in my ghillie suit.
(http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad298/doug7759/coyote1.jpg)
Darren, I love that pic of you with the doe. How do you shoot that Moab with no shelf on it? :biglaugh:
Mike,
DO IT. Turkeys are gonna get a taste of this come SPRING. Might use some facepaint around the eyes, maybe not.
(http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g69/alexeinspruch/th_601b659c.jpg) (http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g69/alexeinspruch/?action=view¤t=601b659c.jpg)
QuoteOriginally posted by doug77:
Shot this coyote at 5 yards in my ghillie suit.
(http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad298/doug7759/coyote1.jpg)
That had to have been a rush!
Bobcat at 10 yds last Fri PM for like 5 solid minutes. It was damn cool. You are pretty invisible in these things.
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/molson410/2010NovDoe.jpg)
You took the picture!! :thumbsup:
Was sitting on my folding seat with my gillie suit and face mask on, holding my bow and a red bird lit on the arrow. Scared the begeebies out of both of us LOL
James.................
I have always wanted one. Well about a week ago my wife was shopping and sent me a picture and a text that said , do you need one of these , and there was a picture of a gillie suit. I said sure . She brought it home and it was exactly what I was wanting. So how much was it I asked, Normally 70 some dollars and it was marked down to 20, and believe it or not it was my size. She said they had one more so I called my buddy. He was waiting for them to open the following morning and got the other one.
Me and a buddy went to an army surplus store today and they had a guille in there that looked like one cabelas carrys, it was cheaper than cabelas though. Dont know if they all carry them, but after seeing it sure would like to try one out.
I got lucky on that coyote, she came straight down the trail and a 5 yards she turned broadside and looked away for a few seconds to long.
doug77
The Ghillie build along with Guru is in the how-to area of the web site. I'll try to post the link below to see if it will work.
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000113
There ya go Dirtybird hope this will help you or another TG'er.
The how-to that Guru (Curt) does is great, I'm thinking of giving it a go in the next few weeks. If I can get it done I want to use it in the upcoming turkey season to see how it works. And hope to be able to post some pics here.
wow these are some really cool pics!
I have the rancho safari ghillie and even in 20 degree weather you can feel the difference in warmth.
Bob did that bull ever run out of there or did he just mosey off? Great picks of the Bull.
Kahn what material did your son use?
I have been motivated by my buddy Molson's success with the bush in a bag. He has had bucks and does walk right up to him 5 to 6 yards and just go off feeding in another direction, or back up and stare at him and slowly move away. Most deer will then move down wind and try to pick up his scent. His shot oppurtunities have been 15 yds and less. One hunt he had two doe 6 feet away. The lead doe got nervous when he blinked, tried to get his wind and could'nt. That deer just continued to feed and walked off. We have alot of great terrain with grape vines and dead falls on our properties. Going to give it a serious go this spring turkey and Deer season. I am not giving up on tree stands , just having alot of fun experimenting with the ghillie.
I was in Gander mountain the other day and they sell a gillie made by a company called red rock. It looked darn good, the set sells for 99 bucks., jacket , pants, hood , and gun cover. I thought it was a good bargain, any one ever use or hear of this co? They sell a spring fall and also a winter version
Looking at Big Jim's blind in a bag myself....looks like the Turkey ticket to me.
I know that Joe Keith has cool that I saw him use in MO at Kennym's place.
Nice doe Darin. Where did you get that suit?
James V that is hilarious.
Green, Tim got the bush in a bag from a turkey hunter. He swears by it. The nice thing about the bush-n-bag is it is light weight and dries quick.
Both the Bush-na-Bag and the Shaggie are excellent products and both are a little different functionally. If I hunted more open, drier terrain, I would use the Shaggie. In thick wet or damp areas I would use the Bush. Personally, I love the Bush because it dries out so quick and I can drape it all around me and the chair I'm sitting on. The Shaggie is like wearing a trench coat and the Bush is like wearing a big poncho.
Color doesn't matter when buying the suit. Pick a light one or a dark one, which ever you prefer, and then just clip hanks of cut up t-shirt or jute on it to adjust the shades to match your terrain.
How the heck do you guys shoot in these things without your string snagging the suit? I've just not been able to figure that out with the one I played around with. Seems there was something always in the way of my string!
I have the full Rancho Longcoat, hat, mask, and gaiters. You need to get comfy in it as it's not a "normal" archery feeling for sure. Practice in it. Last week I just pushed my bow arm sleeve all the way up over my bicep, almost to the shoulder and strapped it down with the wrist strap on the jacket....I suppose I could also trim the forearm too, but don't want to chop it up yet. Wear a camo shirt underneath and the left arm isn't an issue at all. Use big rubber bands to hold down the shaggy material up around your bicep if not trimming is a priority.
The Rancho suit is warm, to be sure, and mosquitoes can't get at you while you're wearing it!
Even if you trim the coat sleeves there is still enough cloth there to break up your outline. I took some off of the inside of my shooting arm and some off the chest on my left side. I am right handed. No issues with the string grabbing the suit anymore. Or should I say at this time.
Like Highpoint I practice in it alot.
Last suit I had in order to check all possible hangup spots I'd practice in the suit...kneeling and shooting at a target spot 12" off the ground similar to a shot on Turkey's through/under brush. If it's going to get in your way it'll dang sure do it here.
Hey wait a sec.....I never said I practice! I resent that coment!
I wish I practiced.
Dan, shooting a Moab with no shelf on it should only be attempted by seasoned professionals and not by inexperienced bowhunters such as yourself. I had to sign a waiver just to get Jim to build it for me.
Darren
Love my Shaggie!!! Have a skinhead in Iowa and a Wyoming goat so far with it!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/SpeedGoats2010/SpeedGoats2010107.jpg)
I tied the face hanging strip our of the way on mine....drove me nuts.
Nice goat 3311 . How many yards?
QuoteOriginally posted by Mike Gerardi:
Kahn what material did your son use?
That's jute tied on netting. The netting is sewn on a hoodie.
Here's my Ghille story....its a few pages long, but a grand hunt for sure.
CLICK HERE (http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=90;t=000199;p=24)
QuoteOriginally posted by Mike Gerardi:
Nice goat 3311 . How many yards?
About 18? I was tucked in the shade of some cottonwoods, with the resident rattlesnake! She had several more forsake a dandy PnY buck with her, but I'd already used my buck tag!!!
Mike,
The bull just wandered off...no tag!
The bull at the water hole is a different one. Has a droopy tine, as well as his ears. He was looking right at me, heard the camera go click.
Incredible as to what you can get away with when they don't have any concerns!
Bob
Think I've killed six speed goats and had a bunch of close encounters on other goats and elk when wearing my old ASAT leafy stuff. Mostly I just wear the coat and head net. Almost all spot and stalk so you can't even peek till your close enough for the shot anyway.
There were several close encounters in gilles when Jeff and Claudia came out here for the St Jude hunt a couple years ago. Bottom line is when you elliminate the human profile they flat work...
A friend of mine named Marc Anthony got me into wearing a Ghillie Suit. This man is from west central Illinois, works for Heartland Outdoors, and is on the pro staff for several products. He also owns and operates "Look alive taxidermy" in Illinois. This man is incredibly humble but here is his quick bio:
"Marc Anthony of Central Illinois, brings over 30 years of experience hunting big bucks. His wall is full of Pope & Young's and Boone & Crockett's....all taken with a bow! Marc has been featured in many major magazines and on radio with ESPN. He is on a very short list of hunters who have taken more than one "Booner" whitetail with a bow, five to be exact. No other hunter in the world can claim this honor! The truth is that Marc has many whitetail racks that he hasn't even entered into the books. His last 10 whitetail racks average over 160"! No game farm or fenced - in animals here, all fair chase. Most of Marc's animals were taken on the ground and not in a tree stand. When Marc is not hunting, you can usually find him writing as he is an active member of the Outdoors Writers Association of America. Marc is married with a wonderful wife and 3 great children."
He hunts exclusively from the ground and always wears a ghillie suit. This man is my hunting 'idol', and is currently writing a book. You won't see him on any shows though, or behind any fences. Pure free range/fair chase.
Do you guys use them in tree stands or mostly on the ground.Do you build a ground blind around you or just kinda back in to a corner.
I got a bush in a bag from Big Jim, and have been practicing shooting with it on. I got a full length Cat Guard Armguard from 3Rivers. It really helps me keep the string clear.
The ghillie helps out in the ground or in a tree. The whole idea is that it breaks up your silhouette. With that said however, I usually won't wear it unless I am hunting on the ground.
GHILLE...KILLIES...
Huntingarcher,
We have alot of natural cover on my property grape vines, deadfalls, and thickets. Real nice dark areas to just melt into. This will be my first year in the shaggy suit. I see alot of safety issues wearing one in a tree stand. But thats just me. I do not think it is needed in a tree stand. IMHO.
Sam.. tell your buddy Marc to get on here and post some pics and share some knowlage.
QuoteOriginally posted by Mike Gerardi:
Huntingarcher,
We have alot of natural cover on my property grape vines, deadfalls, and thickets. Real nice dark areas to just melt into. This will be my first year in the shaggy suit. I see alot of safety issues wearing one in a tree stand. But thats just me. I do not think it is needed in a tree stand. IMHO.
Sam.. tell your buddy Marc to get on here and post some pics and share some knowlage.
He is active over at Deer and Deer Hunting.com, he also has his own web site "Non Typical Hunter, and he writes for Prairie State Outdoors, and now Heartland Outdoors.
I will talk to him and try to get him over here, though he hunts with a compound bow.
He is currently working directly with Bush Rag to make a new ghillie suit built specifically for white tail bow hunters. Like I said, this guy is very very very humble in the deer world. Especially for a guy that holds the B&C World Record for most Booner bucks with a bow.
Here he is in his ghillie.
Another:
And Another:
*****please, no non-trad bowkill pix*****
QuoteOriginally posted by Mike Gerardi:
Huntingarcher,
We have alot of natural cover on my property grape vines, deadfalls, and thickets. Real nice dark areas to just melt into. This will be my first year in the shaggy suit. I see alot of safety issues wearing one in a tree stand. But thats just me. I do not think it is needed in a tree stand. IMHO.
Sam.. tell your buddy Marc to get on here and post some pics and share some knowlage.
Well, he is a compound bow hunter, so all of his pics are with a compound bow. So... maybe I shouldn't invite him this way. "Non-trad" pictures are not allowed. Sorry bud, tried.
You can invite him here, just don't post non-trad bowkill pix. We're all here to learn...
QuoteOriginally posted by Guru:
You can invite him here, just don't post non-trad bowkill pix. We're all here to learn...
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
So the post is about ghillie suit success, which is why the photos were posted, as he wears a ghillie suit. If the compound wasn't in the pictures I guess they would be acceptable???
Is it acceptable to discuss kills not completed with a traditional bow, and just not post the pictures?
Cool pic's guy's never new these worked so well.
I know what my next hunting gear will be. as this will be my first year with traditional equip.
Awesome picts, guy's and great stories.
Sam1385,
Your pictures being pulled is not anything personal. Since the inception of this site, pictures of any animals killed with anything other then a traditional bow have not been allowed. Here is a link to a thread that contains the topic guidelines for the POW WOW section of this site (it is permanently attached near the top of the forum):
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=082053
In addition, the trad only picture provision is in the detailed list of rules on the main page, which everybody agrees to abide by when they sign up to become a member at TradGang.
Well said Walt. Terry has said before that if you have had a pic pulled your not alone and in good company.
Terry I keep flipping through those pics on your Ghille thread. Great hunt for sure. I hope to meet Vance one of these trips to Montana.
Mike hopefully we will be posting are own pics up after this year. :readit:
(http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu112/ZekeB/100_1322.jpg)
(http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu112/ZekeB/DSCN3393.jpg)
Kodiak Island. I snuck from about 400 yards in the open to take that buck. Homemade ghillie I made with synthetic material tied on a mosquito net. Took about three hours to make.
Good job zbearclaw. That ghille looks good in the first photo.