# gillie suits



## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

are these things worth the $150???


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

Can't say, about the store bought kind. I made mine, and I would not sell it for $150, hell of a lot of time and energy tied up in making it. Done right you will be nearly invisable.

huntin1


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## sportsaholic07 (Dec 22, 2005)

huntin1 said:


> Can't say, about the store bought kind. I made mine, and I would not sell it for $150, hell of a lot of time and energy tied up in making it. Done right you will be nearly invisable.
> 
> huntin1


you have no idea how happy i am to hear this...i just received one for x-mas and can't wait for it to be done(aren't grandmothers great!!!)


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## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

how much did it cost you to make and exactly how did you make it


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## marcus_rubbo (Dec 11, 2005)

i got the jacket and pants set from ghillie.com off of ebay for $115 sells on there site for $150 ive had 2 deer and one bobcat come within 5 steps of me and never saw a thing...suprized that the deer dident pick up a sent thou??


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

I made my own.

Instructions.
- I used an old pair of camo pants and jacket (BDU's from an army surplus store).

- Then I used an old volleyball net or badmition net.

- I just the net into squares that I sewed onto the pants (a section of squares on the quad, hamstring, shin and calf area.) The on the jacket (bicep, tricep, front and back of jacket, and thent he for arms). You section it out for better movement.

- Sew it on with waxed dental floss (non-scented).

- Then you just use some shoe goo or other adhesive on the knots.

- Then all you do is cut some jute twine into desired lengths and dye them to the color of your area....I used dark green, black, brown, and then the twine color.

-THen start to tie on the twine to the sqaures until you get the desired pattern/coverage.

The one good thing is that if you get alot of burrdocks or stickys you can just cut them out and add more twine. I found the instructions on ghilliesuit.com.

I love this suit. I have had turkeys walk with in knifing distance. Deer have been close as well but then caught my scent. I need to add some more twine....looking pretty bare. Good luck. I would make your own. It is much lighter than the store stuff. I have not looked in awhile. But back before I was looking, the material was heavier and costed much more.


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

I made mine somewhat the same a Chuck Smith, instead of just twine, I used mostly burlap, separated the strands and varied the length from about 6-8 inches to 12-13 inches. I then tied the strands into the netting in bundles of about a dozen strands each, you don't need to be exact. I used mostly one color, and then hit it with spray paint after I finished it. I also tied in some different sizes and colors of jute twine.

Mine is made more after the military version, the front of the suit is covered with a tough canvas type material so that the suit lasts longer when low crawling.

There really are no set rules for making a ghillie, each one is a work of art unto itself. 

For more info just do an internet search on ghillie suits.

DO NOT wash the thing in your washing machine at home, your wife will not be impressed.

Make sure to treat the suit with a fire retardent spray as burlap and twine are extremely flamable. It goes without saying that one should not smoke while wearing a ghillie.

I have no idea what the materials cost me, I would say somewhere in the area of $100.

huntin1


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## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

thanks guys 4 your help...im gonna give it a try and ill let you know how it goes. :sniper:


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## RedRabitt (Jan 17, 2006)

I also made mine from both jute and burlap. The jute was bought from ghilliesuits.com natural color then I dyed it to my liking the burlap bags was obtained from an army surplus store I had to cut the seams and separate the twine. I used kevlar thread and glued the knots with Tear Mender to secure the netting. The netting I got was from a craft store nylon 1" squares. I set the BDU on a thick piece of card board cut to the shape of the shirt. I cut the shirt at the seams part way up the shoulders since the suit was gioing to be used like a poncho. Go long toward the top and short on the bottom tying each thread of jute or burlap twine doubled over the horizontal net rungs, so that you get two threads per one piece of jute used. Slide each right next to the other till that rung is filled. I faded each color in and out instead of going from solid color to solid color. you have to go about 4" between rungs or your going to end up with alot of bulk, weight and time.Mine was done in desert camo so the base or shirt I used was desert camo. I also used a boonie hat for my cover instead of a hood attachment, here again attach net and go to work. My suit hangs down to my knees but thats what I wanted so now alls I have to do is make some leggins or gaiters or whatever you want to call them. I made this for the sole purpose of sitting and calling coyotes but, did'nt try it yet cause I been doing pretty well with my Natural Gear camo. This suit is probably responsible for or atleast the straw that borke the cammels back in my marrige. It probably would of helped if I did'nt build it so close to Christmas, so be warned if your married. It cost less than 100 dollars in materials, but alot of time went into it,that you cannot put a price on, but I enjoyed building it.....Use of a nitting needle helps a bunch once you get used to it, and belive me you will be a master at it when your done


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## RedRabitt (Jan 17, 2006)

A couple more pointers. I used RIT powder dye tan color it will come out looking like brown if you use too much you have to play with it to get light tan if you want. When your done run a bead of Tear Mender ( latex glue ) along all the doubled over knots. when attaching the net you have to sew enough spots so the net does'nt sag under the weight of the jute material.


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## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

Chuck Smith, question:

I found those instructions but im a little fuzzy on tying the jute onto the netting. it says to tie in the middle and start witht the base color. does that mean when i go to ad my other colors ill have like 3 or 4 knots next to the base knot on the same bottom peice of each square of netting? How did you tie your jute on and what method worked best?

sorry if this is confusing...


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## RedRabitt (Jan 17, 2006)

The base color is the primary color just think of the primary colors where you will be hunting. Now to tie the jute start your first row of jute by row I mean all the way across the botom rungs on your net say you start with the back of your BDU shirt in that I mean cotton twill not T shirt. Ok you just double over your individual strand provided you have the length that you desire you double over a 30" strand you will get two 15" strands. once you have them doubled over so you have two strands from that one strand (they dont have to meet evenly) then tread your the doubled over section (loop section) through the square or bottom rung and pull the two srands trough that loop and cinch tite slide it over and do another and slide it right next to the previous one you just did. When your done with the first row in that I mean all the way across the shirt skip about three or four rows up if your using 1" squares for your netting that will be up to you how thick you want it when its finished. You can go further apart between rows depending on how much you want to tie or carry. Mine looks great, but I wish that I went a little lighter.... as your moving along fade in and fade out your other colors. My ghilli base color is natural jute color but Idaho has sage brush in alot of places that I hunt so I dyed some of the jute darker tan and some sage more or less gray. I wanted it to be "blended deasert callico" rather than just desert callico. hope this helps....


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## RedRabitt (Jan 17, 2006)

Here is a little more detail. I sarted out with 13 lbs of jute and or burlap twine (burlap is the same only woven) Seven lbs was natural jute three lbs was gray and three lbs was dark tan. Its really monotonous but it gets really exciting as you get close to getting finished. I stress using a small crochet needle it will speed things up. And don't worry about gluing the knots till your done. Its very simple but if you improvise using your imagination provided it goes along with your hunting situation don't be afraid to try something new. If your going to be in grasses then the jute works as is, but if your going to be in leafy vegitation then srips of burlap will work along with the jute how much is up to you.....Have fun!


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## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

thanks man...ill give it a try, theres no real way to screw one up. Just be random. Ill let you know how it goes


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Nutt,

I just started to tyr the twine on. I really had not set pattern. Red Rabbit has given you a great guide. There is really no way to screw it up. On each bottom rung of a square I have about 6-10 peices of twine attached. I just tied a 1/2 knot in the middle of the twine.

I use my suit mainly for turkey hunting. I also added some of the plastic leaves you can buy at cabela's or any other sporting good store.

Have fun making the suit.


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## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

thanks guys...your info is extremely helpful


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## RedRabitt (Jan 17, 2006)

You can make the ghillie with the jute and all your colors and put temporay attchments to modify it to your situation. I was totally burned out when I did mine and it sufices right now as a poncho, but you guys are getting me psyched out to get the gaiters done....


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## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

dude...im stichin mine right now and its a *****...LOTS OF MAN HOURS!!! But im psyched for the finished result...you should finish yours red...somethin to do in the spare time...


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## ND_RC (Jan 6, 2005)

Let's see some pictures. 

Thanks


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## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

will do when im done...(if its good)..


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## RedRabitt (Jan 17, 2006)

I think i will get it done, but were in to close to breeding coyote season. I also have to modify the arms so it fits over my winter camo. Theres a lady friend of mine that does costumes for a theater. Shes does awsome work and I think Ill go see her and have her do the final touch on the arms..


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## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

when does the breeding start and stop? Lucky you...i wish i knew someone good with costumes...save me alot of time and the holes in my finger tips :x


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## RedRabitt (Jan 17, 2006)

last year I seen and shot at this big male he was with his in heat female partner howled them in with the Dan Thompson Red Desert howler and my own home made cow horn howler. It was about mid Febuary but Im sure they started breeding sooner than that. Don't quite know when they stopped. she was so twiterpated on that male that she busted me but did'nt mind that I was making movement to shoot her mate. I was so twiterpated too, since he was the big coyote I shot at earlier in the season and I went for a head shot at 60 yrds my shot went right over the top of him.....yes I know. "Geeeezzzus of Palimainia!!!!!" they were gone in a flash...


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## RedRabitt (Jan 17, 2006)

go get you one of those curved neeles at wal-mart in the fabric section and a thimbol. the thimbol will help you push the needle through some of the tight areas of the fabric they come in a set two curved and some other weird ones.... upholstery needle set thats it!!!


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## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

haha...ill have to look into them...i didnt even know they exsisted. So the further into mating season the less weary they are?


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## RedRabitt (Jan 17, 2006)

Well I would say the female is if she is looking for a mate, or the male is very jealous and wants to kick butt on another coyote trying to move in on his sweethart and his and hers future pups inventory of rabbits. you can set up a senario with howls then go to rabbit distress cries or fawn bawls to play with there mind...have done much coyote hunting? you must remember these coyotes are suvivors of the winter and they will be smart so they may only respond to the howls. learn the vocalizations..


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## RedRabitt (Jan 17, 2006)

let me add that the female yote when in heat is especially vunerable cause thats all she can think about... Dam I wish I was a male coyote sometimes....


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## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

well...in tryin to learn as much about it as i can...i know where they are from archery hunting and iv always wanted to do it so bought a Johnny Stewart preymaster which will infact play two sounds at once (bark/howls and rabbit or deer) so it will be perfect. So im kinda excited to go out for the first time...i have a couple of private spots that i recently got permission to hunt...so basically i have hunted them but not seriously and i didnt know enough...so im reading up on them as much as possible on here and varmint als and other websites trying to get my game up to par so i can be successfull....just hearin them howl in my tree stand got my adrenaline pumpin...cant wait to get one


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## RedRabitt (Jan 17, 2006)

Your in for a treat! cause when I first started I had one call, no camo and hap-hazardly made succsesful attempts at calling but not shooting them. I already knew exactly what a jackrabbit sounded like cause I stepped on a wounded one in the back of my dad's truck its another story, that was close to 25 years ago and I never forgot that sound. Now the new rage in coyote hunting is howling them in. When I sat down at my first real serious stand I killed three coyotes minus a forth one I missed. The three I got were less than 15 yrds and belive it or not all done with a single shot H&R and since been hooked. I now have over $500 in just hand calls and camo not to mention guns..... Its a BLAST!!!!! man. Your sences really come alive when you get one to come in close. And even when you get one to come from way out. Its a different kind of adrenalin I think.....


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## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

i can imagine...just thinkin about it pumps me up...superbowl sunday im def goin out in the morning and afternoon before the game....and i hope i get some free time to go before that....IM PUMPED


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## RedRabitt (Jan 17, 2006)

hey nutt I was just in walmart today and stopped by the fabrics section and seen those needles you might be interested in.... They are called "curved quilting needles" just thought you wanted to know.....


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## nutt (Jan 17, 2006)

thanks man...ill take a look here at my local walmart...might just have to pick some up....


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