You def don’t need one. Just stay still. Birds walk right up to you even not perfectly matching and vegetation. Heck for that matter not even wearing camo. Camo can’t hurt though. I often wonder if we think cause it fools our eyes more if we assume that’s what turkey see. I can assure you, there’s no suspicion in the birds. If you move ghillie or not it’d not be unnoticed and the birds wouldn’t walk closer to see what moved. They’d turn inside out most times trying to get away.
Now I’m referring mostly to easterns cause idk other subspecies. Fellows tell me some like merriams they tell me are likely to just run in after you find them they’re that easy. Maybe an over exaggeration but idk. That being said if this is the case a ghillie is way too hot n heavy especially since unnecessary.
Fellas can use what they like though I wonder how many birds got away after a hunter trying a ghillie hit their chest or forearm with all the bulk hanging everywhere.
You guys will think I’m nuts, especially since you’ve been told your whole life how good their eye sight is. Maybe so but I’ve called in birds twice to 20-25 yards wearing a red n black woolrich jacket to prove to my buddy it wasn’t a tough trick.
My daughters hunts w me. The older one hates covering her face. Never does, had a habit of whatever sweatshirt she’s wearing hanging out of camo. She’s shot plenty of birds at 20 years old and I remember one time I was heading out w them. We were undressed about 1/2 way. Just out of force of habit I cutt at em on a mouth call. Birds gobbled n a gobbler group came in yelping like mad.
As we were caught in a cut hayfield, wide open, no grass, the birds entered about 100 yards out. Those birds came in through the field right to us. We sat 1/2 camoed, no masks on as they approached. My daughter shot one as the other never looked towards the yelping gobblers. If she was ready she may have gotten a shot off too.
Now the birds came to about 20, totally exposed. Just sit still n learn when to draw. If a solo bird you’ll have an easier time