Rancho Safari Shaggie, any suggestions?

[Gil Verwey]

I intend to buy the a Rancho Safari shaggie this year and hunt from the ground. I saw some recommendations for the boonie hat and long coat. If anyone is using one today, what is a good set up or combination that Rancho has for trad bow hunting? Are they very heavy?

Thanks
Gil

[Mudd]

I hunt with the long-coat and head cover.
I don't think of it as heavy but that's a relative term. I did think it heavy when I 1st started using it but not any more.

I don't own the gaiters, for me they would be a waste of dollars.

God bless,Mudd

PS: I don't know if my answer helped any but I hope so.

[Gil Verwey]

Thanks Mudd, do you have the boonie bowhunter hat?

Gil

[Doc Nock]

My buddy had one... he goes 6'2" and weighs 280 and is strong as an ox. He thought HIS RS great coat was 'heavy' and HOT!

Then he got it wet...said it re-defined the word "heavy" for him.

Worked though...too good. He had a bear scent trailing him to his "stand" and had to jump up and wave, shout and run the bear off... I'd have paid good money to film the exchange!

[Bob Stager]

I have the long coat, head cover, and boonie hat. I shot two does from the ground and had turkeys at 8 yards while wearing it. Bob

[Ragnarok Forge]

To heavy is subjective.  I spent a lot of time lugging a lot of weight around the world in the army.  I don't find my home made ghillie or shaggy suits to be heavy.  They can be hot to work in.  Neither is an issue as far as I am concerned. The benefits far outweigh the detractions.  If your downwind and move slow the animals never know you are there.  Some will come close enough to step on you.

[Covey]

How long.. is the long coat? Jason

[Mudd]

No! I use an old felt hat under the head piece. It works great as it kind of holds the thing up off of my neck so when I turn my head the piece isn't pulled around.

God bless,Mudd

[Andrew Wesley]

there are 2 types of rancho safari suits. the hat model and hood model.. for an archer you want to go with the hat.. it turns with your head. they also have tabs that wrap around the sleeves that you can tighten to keep everything out of the way under your arms.. the light model is made with a thin material that doesn't absorb water very well and will stay very cool even under super hot hunting conditions..
the heavier models comes with burlap built into it, at the burlap frays out over time it looks better than the "light" model.
they all role up into a tight ball with a shoulder strap that make it easy to carry.

on top of all that the suits are made in the USA and have great quality.

[John3]

I modified my Shaggie longcoat..  These are as deadly as can be for ground hunting. I bought mine in 2000.  Killing my biggest buck ever from the ground wearing it.

I do not know about the "new" style. Mine is the jute burlap and a bit heavy... I should say the temps are too warm in MO until late October to wear it.  Until then I use ASAT Ultimate for my ground hunting.

Carry your Shaggie in and put on at your set up.  I did cut the hood off and made my own ghillie type hat/face mask combo.  I never liked the hood.

[OkKeith]

Gil,

I have a Rancho Safari ghillie suit, and think it is the best "wearable blind" you can get.

I have the short jacket, pants and boonie hat. I have hunted just about everything in Oklahoma successfully with it. I suppose it is the "light" version. It doesn't weigh any more than a medium weight jacket with all three parts bundled up. It’s made completely from strips of camo cloth. It isn't heavy and will not soak up water in the rain. Lots of folks recommend the long-coat. From what I have read it goes down to your knees or so. My short jacket falls just below my waist after covering my "more than ample" mid-section.

If you are going to be sitting on a stool or the like when you hunt with it, I think the long-coat might be best. I really like having the versatility of jacket and pants. I even use the jacket while wearing waders, duck hunting. If I am spot and stalk hunting for feral hogs I will wear just the hat and jacket so I can move quick. In the early part of the year (October) when the trees still have their full load of leaves, I use it in tree stands (wearing the pants, jacket and hat). I always wear a face mask of some sort and gloves. Total coverage.

I also definitely recommend the hat over the hood, more versatile and easier to use with a bow. The hat turns with your head rather than the hood staying put and your head turning inside it. Mine needed a little trimming so my draw and anchor weren’t obstructed. I sewed in a snap just over my right eye so I could snap the hat brim up to shoot.

The VERY FIRST thing I think you should do is put it on and shoot your bow. It is my experience that the sleeve of your bow arm will need to be trimmed up to eliminate string interference.

They are a lot of fun to hunt in. Here is a picture of my niece wearing mine for a really intense game of hide and seek.
 

Have fun! Holler if you have any other questions.

OkKeith

[Gil Verwey]

Kieth they have two boonie hats, is yours the bowhunter?

Thanks
Gil

[OkKeith]

Ya know what Gil,

I dont see mine on the website at all. Give me a little bit and I will take some pictures of mine laying on the couch or something so you can see what it looks like.

Mine is pretty similar to the ones Cabelas sells. I think those may be made by Rancho Safari too.

Give me a bit to take and post some pictures.

OkKeith

[Jason Hansen]

I just purchased a Shaggie outfit from Jerry at Rancho Safari.  The quality is top notch and Jerry is one of the nicest guys I've ever talked to on the phone.  For bowhunting, he recommended the deluxe longcoat with the boonie hat.  I also purchased the gaiters and kneepads as well.  Give him a call...he's a great guy!    

[highpoint forge]

I go with the longcoat, boonie hat and gaiters, plus gloves. NOTHING will see you. It's nuts.

[Gil Verwey]

Thanks for the info guys.

What camo patterns are you using. I intend hunting harwdood mountains in Ohio, elk in North Western Colorado and deer in the Jersey Ppinelands. It is going to be hard to get a pattern for all three, I guess.

Thanks again
Gil

[Bill Turner]

Gil:
I would also recommend the RS longcoat, boonie hat and facemask. Quality is top notch. I pack it in and change when I get into my hunting area. I also have a two piece leafy suit which I use when it is too warm for my Guille, but the Guille is my go to suit. I purchased a nylon mesh laundry bag at Wal-Mart that has a shoulder strap which allows me to carry the Guille in with ease. By the way, they run large. I wear a 2XL in most everything but my Guille is a large. Go figure.

[Gary Logsdon]

Took this KY longbeard on Monday. I've used the 3/4 longcoat for several years now with some minor modifications.  When hunting I wear a ragged old camo cap, with the brim trimmed way down, under the hood plus a spandex type facemask.

(NOTE: Hit F5 on your keyboard to refresh if the photos fail to load.)

 

 

[Gil Verwey]

Thanks for the advice. I am going to give Jerry a call and order a shaggie.

Gil

[Eric Krewson]

I wear a ball cap under my shaggie boonie. I found without it I would turn my head and some of the strings would not turn with the boonie and my vision would be obscured.

Deer have caught movement when I had it on but turkeys completely ignore the lump of brush sitting there.