| A ghillie suit is an outfit that is used for camouflage. | | | | A good ghillie suit can be made from scratch, but it is |
| Also known as a yowie suit, a ghillie suit is used by | | | | very time consuming. The more detailed and higher |
| hunters and snipers to help them blend into their | | | | quality the ghillie suit, the longer it takes to make and |
| surroundings, so they can't be seen. | | | | weather. Ghillie suits of high quality can take 100 hours |
| Ghillie suits were originally developed by Scottish | | | | to make and weather properly. |
| gamekeepers as a portable hunting blind, so that | | | | One of the biggest problems with ghillie suits is |
| hunters could blend into the surroundings to hunt and | | | | temperature. The temperature inside the suit can get |
| not be seen by wild game. | | | | to about 120 degrees Fahrenheit or 50 degrees |
| Ghillie suits can be made in several different ways and | | | | Celsius, even in moderate climates. |
| with a variety of materials. Some ghillie suits makers | | | | A safety issue is also a problem-the burlap or Hessian |
| use Hessian, a rough burlap in flutes that are attached | | | | can catch on fire quite easily, so white phosphorus, |
| to a net poncho. Other makers use a jute twine to | | | | fires, and smoke grenades can be a serious hazard |
| attach to a net poncho. | | | | for a sniper. Ghillie suits are often treated with a |
| The US army ghillie suits use a pilot's flight suit as the | | | | fire-retardant product to reduce this hazard. |
| base or battle dress uniform. The most common ghillie | | | | Ghillie suits can be purchased in a variety of venues |
| suit base is durable nylon netting. | | | | and are readily available online. Most intense hunters or |
| The base of a ghillie suit is made with a stainable | | | | snipers will, however, construct their own to blend the |
| durable fabric such as burlap. As nearly invisible as | | | | best with the environment for which they will be used. |
| possible, fishing line or unscented dental floss is used to | | | | However, great ghillie suits can be purchased online as |
| sew each knot of net to the fabric where the | | | | a good form of camouflage. For hunters who are only |
| camouflage is going to be attached. Hot glue or shoe | | | | casual hunters, these pre-made ghillie suits do the job |
| glue is applied to each knot to strengthen the ghillie suit. | | | | sufficiently. Extreme hunters who are really into the |
| From there, the desired camouflage is applied to the | | | | sport of hunting will often make their own. Most |
| netting by tying groups of 5-10 strands of a color to | | | | extremist hunters hunt in a variety of places, so they |
| the net with simple knots-the colors are intermixed to | | | | need a ghillie suit that they can tailor make for their |
| create a camouflage appearance. | | | | surroundings and change from place to place with |
| The ghillie suit is then weathered as much as possible. | | | | removable camouflage. This way, the hunter can piece |
| This can be done by soaking it in mud or manure to | | | | together his ghillie suit to make it perfect for his hunting |
| give it an earthy smell, or running over or dragging it | | | | surroundings. |
| with a car. Once the hunter or sniper is at their location, | | | | Snipers, most often, will make their own ghillie suits for |
| they add elements from their surroundings to the ghillie | | | | the area they will be in. Snipers' ghillie suits are often |
| suit, such as leaves and foliage, to maintain as much | | | | made of different materials to reflect where they will |
| camouflage as possible. | | | | be stationed-for example, on a rooftop or in the desert. |