View Full Version : Ghillie Suits - Have I gone too far?....
Leigh Robinson
24-08-2009, 22:11
Thinking of buying a Ghillie Suit to help with the tracking/stalking. mainly used in my local woods in cambs. Its a NNR SSSI.
My girlfriend says I have gone too far and can't have one.
Have I?
bikething
24-08-2009, 22:18
Well, having spent 20 minutes tonight stood out in the middle of a woodland path, wearing jeans and a black microfleece jacket, stood upright, watching a Fallow deer feeding about 10 meters away from me, I'd have to say .. why do you need one :lmao:
(or maybe I was just lucky :p )
C_Claycomb
24-08-2009, 22:24
How will it help? What are you trying to creep up on? Dressing up like a pile of mouldy leaves won't help much with tracking, surely?
Apart from the fact that you could probably make something, if you are really keen, such suits are hot, cumbersome, snag on all sorts of vegitation, and are only a basis for you adding your own, locally picked, materials. That is, if it is a real burlap creation. Those things covered in plastic leaves are pretty horrid, but not as bad as the ones covered in plastic camo net stuff. You can add noisy to any previous problem.
Do you already wear camo? Face mask, gloves?
A bit OTT, yea.
If things get that close, your smell can give you away.
As bikething said, cover your hands and face, maybe make a well concealled hide.
You can sneek up surprisingly close to deer / badgers etc even in everyday clothes, just try to keep downwind, and move slowly.
Gilley is a waste of money IMO for stalking, unless you want to be a paintball sniper......
Daegurth
24-08-2009, 23:35
ghillies are designed for skilled human sniper teams looking for/hiding from other skilled human sniper teams. they make little difference to animal tracking/hunting.
Face mask and gloves work well for hunting so I'd try them first
helixpteron
24-08-2009, 23:59
Thinking of buying a Ghillie Suit to help with the tracking/stalking. mainly used in my local woods in cambs. Its a NNR SSSI.
My girlfriend says I have gone too far and can't have one.
Have I?
Unless you happen to be operating with equipment such as this, then, yes, you've gone too far! http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/helixpteron/happy0009.gif
http://www.jeremywise.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/50cal2.png
Credit: Jeremy Wise.
Ghillie suits work great for human stalking but I would say not very good for wildlife watching. They are based on red deer stalker capes that were used many years ago but in this day and age of DPM very few stalkers use them anymore. They're hot, heavy, can be noisy, and catch every twig and snag, all in all a real pain. They are excellent however when trying to remain hidden from view or detection as stated from other highly skilled eyes searching for you at a distance.
Unless you happen to be operating with equipment such as this, then, yes, you've gone too far! http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/helixpteron/happy0009.gif
http://www.jeremywise.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/50cal2.png
Credit: Jeremy Wise.
Ahhhhh The Barrett...... what a fabulous thing to play with:D
Chinkapin
25-08-2009, 00:40
You do not need a ghillie suit to stalk., You don't even need camo, just a dark subdued material like olive drab. In my experience the number one thing that will give you away is movement. Don't be paranoid about movement, however, just remember that in nature, the wind blows and leaves and small branches move -- but not too much and not too suddenly.
Secondly, I would say white skin is your next biggest problem. Even if you are dark skinned, you still show up, particularly if sweating. You will glisten in the light. Cover up the skin. (just look at the two guys in the pic.) The white arms and faces are what you see first. The camo shirt is completely negated in the pic, by the white skin. Wear a long sleeved shirt, better in the woods anyway. Avoid shorts, (more white skin).
I don't know about in the U.K., but here in the states, you can buy baseball type caps with a built in sniper veil. They are sold for turkey hunting. You have got to cover up that face. You don't need to cut eye holes in the veil, just look through it. It seems odd at first but you get used to it quickly.
Up close animals see your eyes, remember they are partly white and they are wet and glisten. Almost all predators have large eyes. Animals are always watchful for eyes and large eyes in particular. I like to wear sunglasses to hide my eyes.
Animals will smell you. They will smell your natural odor, and they will smell soap, cologne, after-shave, etc. There are soaps available that will cancel out human odor. (for you and also for your clothes) If you don't have them, crush some local vegatation up that has a fairly strong smell and rub it on you and your clothing. Use that to hide your odor. Don't over do it.
Stalk into the wind. and last but not least, absolutely refrain from talking.
Don't panic if you accidently make a loud noise, such as, stepping on a stick and hearing a loud snap. The woods are filled with noises. It just can't be too loud or sound out of place.
When you walk, take two or three slow steps, and pause for a while. Search the woods ahead of you during the pauses. If you are in a hurry, don't even think about stalking.
Watch where your shadow is located, it can give you away. (you may be hid but your shadow is moving along the ground in plain sight.)
Just remember, animals are very wary and often have excellent senses of smell, vision and hearing. But conversely, they do not have supernatural powers and can be walked up on fairly easily at time. Also, they are generally either eating or looking for food, so they have things on their minds just like us.
Dave Budd
25-08-2009, 08:34
there were a couple of lads walking about the wilderness gathering this weekend wearing gillies. Unfortunately for them the (20+) folk around my stall had just been talking about bondage gear and thought that they were sporting the latest line in Bushcraft Gimp Suits! :yelrotflm :yelrotflm :yelrotflm
welshwhit
25-08-2009, 09:18
Gillie suits are great like already said for stalking people, but wildlife stalking you can get away with the modern camo patterns as long as your movement is slow and steady!
If you sit dressed in just dark natural colours [not all black] with your back against a tree in the shadows it never amazes me just how much wildlife you see just coming to you.
I stalk small game regularly and I find if my hands and face are covered even if the quarry sees you, it buys you that extra time needed.
Saying that though my friend who has alot of experience with gilliesuits, [and there is someone else in this category in this forum poss more I think] who says the gilliesuit is the premier portable hide! He often uses his for things that are easily spooked / clever, like corvids.
I too like the idea of a Gillie cape to go a stalking in, but is it necessary probable not!
As long as you go slow, go quiet and don't wear anything that obviously doesn't belong in the outdoors you'll be fine!
I still want one though too!! :D :D :rolleyes:
Bushwhacker
25-08-2009, 09:49
Most animals are colour blind in the red/green spectrum, avoid wearing anything blue they can see it a mile off.
I'm pretty sure this is why dairy farmers wear blue boiler suits, so cattle can see them.
You could probably wear a loud Hawaiian shirt with the same effect as a ghillie suit.
superc0ntra
25-08-2009, 10:58
Ghillie suits are great for static observation but are hot, cumbersome and snag when moving about. So getting one is more for the coolness factor of having one than actually aiding your stalking/tracking.
Based on this, I say you have NOT gone too far.
Ghillie suits are totally unneccesary for stalking animals.
You don't really need cammo gear either, just loose fitting clothing that creates it's own shadows in the natural folds of the material.
You can use solid colours in what you would class as being the "mid tones", but you don't need to use olive green you can use shades of red, brown, green and many others as well.
People use Olive Drab (OD) / Olive Green (OG) because it is a mid tone that people also have problems seeing when employed correctly, hence it being used by the military in the same way as we used to use Khaki.
Most DPM has the problem of actually being too dark, there are exceptions to the rule like AusCam that are in service, but they are quite difficult to get hold of unless you know someone in Australia.
The Old Denison smocks with a DPM pattern that looked like it had been painted with a 6 inch paintbrush is more effective than many.
Take a jacket that is made from 2 contrasting mid tones, one lighter, the other darker. To many animals you would be damned nigh invisible.
Movement on the other hand is a bigger problem as sharp or sudden movements catch the eye of both predator and prey.
w00dsmoke
25-08-2009, 11:28
I made a ghillie suit in the 80's way before they became fashionable among wannabe snipers and walts. The only reason I wanted a ghillie suit was to remain very well hidden from Human eyes AND as a mobile hide for static use.
What were my reasons, well before the access law was changed up here in Scotland we couldn't walk about anywhere without being chased off. Largely, landowners tollerated folk but in some estates it was "get orf my land.. BANG" scenario. So I wanted to explore without being seen and to be able to use it as a static wildlife hide.
It worked a treat but for tracking animals as everyone has said before you have goen too far!
Why not get a Ninja suit instead? People said there were a few at the bushmoot, but I saw not one the whole time I was there - definitely the way to not be seen...
(And anyway, I now think that all men should have at least one ninja suit.. they were rather nice... the one's I didn't see I mean :D )
Melonfish
25-08-2009, 12:15
i'd consider a ghillie but as woodsmoke says it would be a mobile hide. popping wood pidgeon and whatnot with an air rifle there's no need to setup a hide as your wearing it.
i'd get one of those flame retardant treated ones tho otherwise you can go up like a roman candle.
couple of the lads who airsoft have em and they work well there, but then its agains hoomanz not animals.
Bushwhacker
25-08-2009, 14:13
People said there were a few at the bushmoot, but I saw not one the whole time I was there - definitely the way to not be seen...
Lol, must've been good ghilli suits.
Chinkapin - lots of good practical advice - thanks
Chinkapin
26-08-2009, 01:40
Thanks Elines, It is nothing specifically discovered by me, but just what I have picked up from a lifetime of hunting.
I Turkey hunt and they are the most elusive thing imaginable. When turkey hunting, I go all out with good camo and sometimes use a homemade ghillie suit that i pack in, put on, take off and pack out when done.
Chinkapin
26-08-2009, 01:41
I have my ghillie suit on right now, and I'll bet a fiver you can't see me!
So every one keeps saying they are not needed for stalking animals or tracking.
Well, guess the Ghillie suit part of it escapes most peoples notice - they were designed for Ghillies to stalk and shoot deer in, a worn / portable shooting blind if you will.
It then was put into military service during the Boer war, and built upon in WW1.
Chinkapin
26-08-2009, 23:45
I have always been told that they were for Ghillies to stalk and shoot poachers! So, what is the real story here anyway?
I have always been told that they were for Ghillies to stalk and shoot poachers!
Same here, and from a fairly reliable source:rolleyes: . Which quarry has keen vision and shoots back?
Bothwell_Craig
19-09-2009, 23:05
I have worn one operationally and now have one that I use on a regular basis to great effect when observing wildlife. They can have a bit of a problem with snagging, depending on the terain you are moving through though.
treefrog
19-09-2009, 23:15
Most DPM has the problem of actually being too dark, there are exceptions to the rule like AusCam that are in service, but they are quite difficult to get hold of unless you know someone in Australia.
.
You can get AusCam through http://www.kitbag.com.au/ They do international delivery
mayobushcraft
14-10-2009, 20:02
When I hunted in Florida I used Real Tree patterned camo any bare skin I would cover with army camo wax. I would also wash my camo by hand with a non UV soap then dry in the spare room away from odors. Once dry I would then put in a plastic bag with pine neadles and grass. I wouldnt but the clothes on until I arrived at the hunting area and would change out before I left in the eavening and put back in the bag with the pine and grass. I would not use any soaps or deoderents that had any scents in them and never fill my fuel tank on the way to the hunt.
Ahhhhh The Barrett...... what a fabulous thing to play with:D
a nice wee round to squeeze off eh !:rolleyes:
Cap'n Badger
14-10-2009, 20:39
Why not get a Ninja suit instead? People said there were a few at the bushmoot, but I saw not one the whole time I was there - definitely the way to not be seen...
(And anyway, I now think that all men should have at least one ninja suit.. they were rather nice... the one's I didn't see I mean :D )
Lol...they're also good fer paintballin''...:)........But the old fella in the local shop nearly had a kitten when I went t' get some chocy supplies...
Why not get a Ninja suit instead? People said there were a few at the bushmoot, but I saw not one the whole time I was there - definitely the way to not be seen...
(And anyway, I now think that all men should have at least one ninja suit.. they were rather nice... the one's I didn't see I mean :D )
Shhhhhhhh;)
Even for sniping work they are an over-rated item.
Good field-craft is mostly about understanding your target and using your grey matter.
crazydave
21-10-2009, 20:20
a lot of animals see in a sepia tint not colour so you could wear bright orange if you wanted. the essence is not to look out of place. hiding from animals you use the same rules as hiding from man. a ghillie hat or suit was so that when the stalker popped his head up over the folds in the ground it wasnt obvious that it was a human.
so shape, shadow, shine, silhouette, smell and sound are the general givaways along with movement. the main thing you need to disguise is your head and shoulders so a net/scrimscarf/shemagh/mossie net should brake up your shape. a poncho makes a good sit shelter and along with a headnet will keep you disguised well enough as long as you dont smell too human or get the hiccups :)
Lol...they're also good fer paintballin''...:)........But the old fella in the local shop nearly had a kitten when I went t' get some chocy supplies...
No way?! ...You wore your ninja suit and the man SAW you??
Unnatural noise is probably your worst enemy - you can have the best camo pattern there is and it'll be useless if it's made of nylon and make more noise than a jack russell licking the inside of a crisp packet.
There's a reason lovat tweeds have been beloved of stalkers for centuries. Quiet, dull green pattern perfect for dawn/dusk/twilight, warm, water and wind resistant, but above all is quiet.
Not to mention, that you'll resemble a reasonably respectable country squire (laird if you live on the other side of the wall) instead of a member of Hamas.
Cheers,