Time to replace my old Scent Shield leafy suit. So, was wondering if you experienced ground folks prefer ghillie or leafy suits and maybe recommendation on brand. I will not be stalking, only for stationary ground hunting whitetails. thanks.

I have never used a ghillie so this will just be my opinion.

I hunt from natural blinds 90% of the time. I think wearing a boonie ghillie which breaks up the head/shoulder outline is all you need.

I use a Cabellad boonie hat that I add 3D material to so the material comes down over my shoulders and breaks up my outline.

If I lived in an area where I would be doing more stalking I would use a ghillie.

Yup a leafy suit is just poor mans Ghillie. Easier to buy and use but not as effective.

Ghillies are heavy, and hot. Plus they are hard to move around in brush with them on.

I use a leafy for when I'm moving/stalking. I use the full ghillie for when I'm stationary.

I carry the ghillie (poncho style) in my pack, and just slip it on over the leafy when I find a spot to set up on.

Yes, I believe the ghillie is better concealment, than a standard leafy.

The full leafy ghillies are even better, but you want to talk about hot, and heavy. Sheesh.

Rick

As Rick said. Ghillies are tough to move around in. I bought a ghillie suit, went out of a morning, in the dark, and walked into a small brier patch, and i was stuck there for a while, couldn't hardly get out of it. It was like velcro. I just use the hat and jacket, but not the pants.

I prefer the leafy suit because of above reasons. Been very pleased with the results of leafy suit while sitting. I've had Turkey's I could have touched with it on, too close for shooting; (

Give the “Bush in a bag” a look as well. I enjoy using it.

I think the best one they ever made, was the Marc Anthony model...... I use a 3/4 top, and carry it rolled up, on my back, and put on when I set up.........

it is very effective,,,,,,,

Same as what ground hunter mentioned.

I have 2 leafy suits and neither were anywhere near as effective as my Rancho Safari Long coat ghillie.I LOVE IT !!!!!

Have both and while I agree the the ASAT leafy I wear isn’t as good from a concealment standpoint, the usability outweighs that to me. All I have worn the past 5 years.

There's actually a version of a ghillie that is a "stalking suit".

That is what I use when I am going to be moving. The full ghillie is reserved for times when I am stand sitting, or in a very particular type of terrain.

I'll try and get a picture of my stalking suit posted.

But to answer the questr, no, the leafy is nowhere near as effective, or versatile as a tru ghillie.

I go for the bush in bag,when moving its easy to gather and move great for turkey

Use ghillie top. Trim back bow arm and little chest trimming. Face mask lite gloves pull hood up watch wind make sure you have back cover and kill some. You already have a chair lol

I have a home-made guillie and I have a leafy suit. As Clay said it's really the head piece that makes it work. The material on a boonie hat needs to hang well past the shoulders to effectively hide head movement and the human shape.. With the hat, the leafy suit works almost as good as the guillie, kinda depends on what and where you're hunting. My home-made guillie is light as a feather and not the least bit hot like the store- bought ones.

Chris

I have both and use both, but prefer my Rancho Safari long coat. The newer versions seem to me to be lighter in weight and easier to use in the hot early season. I use mine with a Waldrop pac seat and put it on when I get to my chosen spot/location.

Ditto on the Rancho Safari Shaggie Longcoat. And the boonie hood that comes with is may be THE most effective part of the outfit as it obliterates the human head/shoulders outline.

My ghillie by far the best, most effective piece of hunting gear I've ever owned and it literally changed how I hunt.

They both work. The best camo is siting still.

TMBB

Wife uses a leafy suit . invesible to me

Sapper by All Predator calls.com. Light 3/4 length. I've had the green camo and the light marsh colored one for three years.I carry both in my day pack because they roll up small and they cover most terrain. Reasonable priced. Had three deer last year under eight yards. One a mature doe.

Anyone who either gets that close to deer without them detecting you has obviously mastered the art of minimal movement and how to use their EYES before anything else. Odds are that they'd get that close regardless of which they used and many don't even use either one of them. Like anything else, a ghillie/leafy is a TOOL that enhances learned skills that one already has. If you DON'T yet have the skills to move minimally, slowly and quietly then a garment of any sort is not going to teach you that.

My experience has been with a ghillie. That doesn't mean that a leafy wouldn't work, it most assuredly does. I have not used a leafy suit so I have no first hand experience with it. My first thought would be that the more you can add leaves to it the better it would be, or even use a boonie hood as mentioned.

See this link for a place that sells fake leaves that you can add on, Sneaky Leaf. I use these with my ghillie and if I take it off in the woods and lay it on the ground I have to search for it!!!

http://www.turkeyhuntingsecrets.com/store/store-camo-3d-leaf.htm

Here's the Rancho Safari boonie hood......

first lite leafy coat looks darn good

Need picture comparisons with varying backgrounds to compare.

I own both, and as Rick mentioned, Gilles are hot and toug to move with in the woods. I own a ASAT leafy suit and love it, best camo out there and the in the leafy it's even better. I bought mine a size larger so I can wear it over cold weather clothes, and being bigger it fills out and covers up the human outline.

TTT--- I was just looking on amazon and they have a gillie made by north mountain that looks really good. cheap too. I might just have to have one. Take a look.

I've tried them both an prefer a true Ghillie suit hands down. Easy and expensive to make. Simple to change the solor scheme if you want to, and more effective in my experience in every way.

I make mine using a decorative fishnet for the base and simply tie on different colors and textures of material using overhnad knots leaving them different lengths.

And the poncho style stalking suit leaves your arms uncovered, you keep them under the suit as you walk, your bow arm blends in with the material. So, there is no interference with the bow string.

"Easy and expensive" that should say "easy and inexpensive to make"

Rancho safari. Hands down

I agree the Rancho Safari can be hot, but by mid-October, here in Minnesota, it works well. On those Indian Summer days, I wear a leafy ghillie.

Guillles are not heavy and hot,,,,, that comment came from someone who bought one commercially... with my back ground I can assure you you can get them light and not hot......

with that said, and for those who do not want to make their own you can get some light commercially made ones from military surplus stores for around 59 dollars,, for the veil tops, which cover 3/4 and that is all you need

but what do I know, since I had to use one in real life

[[[ ground hunter: "Guillles are not heavy and hot,,,,, that comment came from someone who bought one commercially." ]]]

Michael, it was me that made that comment, and that has been my experience. Yes mine have always been commercially bought (Rancho Safari), and they are heavy & hot.

I dare say - most folks are most likely going to buy one commercially rather than building their own, so my statement was/is a valid one when taken in context.

That said - heavy & hot, I still love using it. I just don't go walking around a lot in it during warm weather, and never walk around in it in the brush.

Rick

That looks good FDP!

Question for the ranco safari shaggy longcoat users....I checked their website and it's not very friendly in seeing all the pattern choices. I'm guessing "Fall" would be good? Also, the sizing puts me in a large because it goes by height 6' to 6'4" which I'm sure is long enough but are they roomy? I'm going around 250 these days and usually need a 2xl for freedom of movement in chest/shoulders. Thanks in advance!

Bluesman, depending on what the material is in the leafy suit try putting in the dryer with a couple of tennis balls or a tennis shoe. That may soften it up.

Had both, like the leafy suit jacket and face net much easier to pack. Light weight and I've had deer sniff my feet and turkeys a couple feet away. If I was hiding from humans it would be the Guillle suit.

fdp X2 on softening it up.

Why would someone respond who wore neither?

Marc Anthony Ghillie if you can find one. Hands down best there is. Too bad they are no longer being made.

If you don't want to make a ghillie that's understandable. But, you can't buy one that is any more effective than one you can make yourself.

If you're gonna be hunting mostly out of natural ground blinds, breaking up the head n shoulder outline will work sufficient.

If you walk a lot with the suit on, I suggest a regular leafy suit.

But, here's a good compromise and the price is right:

https://www.ghilliesuitwarehouse.com/collections/paintball-ghillie- suits/products/arcturus-3d-leaf-suit

Hope this helps.

Actually I don't have any difficulty walking in the poncho style suit. It makes you move just about as fast as you should.

“It makes you move just about as fast as you should.”

I think there is more to that statement than a lot of folks will ever know!

When I was Elk hunting, I always figured that if I wasn’t at least a little bit too cold for comfort, I was probably in the wrong place to find a #500 animal wearing a winter coat.

Funny thing... moving slowly turns into hard work!!

In my country, now matter how slow. and careful you do it - if you walk around with a ghillie on you'll have a ghillie suit full of all kinds of stuff (including cactus) in short order.

Rick

Individual results may vary!

Rick, we don't have the abundance of cactus, and virtually no Mesquite in most places. Mostly Juniper and Limestone.

I know that Frank. I've hunted a few places where it wasn't a problem, but most of my hunting places have been horrible tangles of briar, cactus, grass burrs, cockleburs, etc.

Rick

In use a Marc Anthony Bowhunter Ghille from Bushrag. It is a Ghillie but has leafy mesh as well. It works very well. I still hunt it but if you wade through a briar patch it will obviously hang you up. I'd say be aware of your surroundings and act accordingly. In other words pay attention to where you are going. They are hot, mine is what would be considered lightweight being built on a mesh bug suit and it is still hot. As far as concealment and breaking up the outline it is hard to beat and I have actually had deer so cloe that I had to wait for them to move away far enough for me to draw my bow. Everybody has an opinion and some are absolutely sure that they are right and everybody else is a fool. Truth is there are no wrong answers,y ou ust need to find what works for you and work within your limitations. :)

"Funny thing... moving slowly turns into hard work!!"

BINGO! But.....if it is, then you're doing it right!

All Predator Calls.com Kill suit Sapper. lightweight and cool 3/4 length.Have the light and the dark version. Throw them in my pack and don't even know their in there. Had deer in my face and works really well. Marsh I use the lighter. Woods I use the darker green. Check out their pics on website.

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