If you're like most people, then hearing the words "ghillie suit" might leave you wondering "what on earth is a ghillie suit?" Is it a dress suit made of fish gills? Wouldn't that be extremely smelly and unsightly? We can assure you that's not the case; a ghillie suit is not a suit made of fish gills (we're sorry to disappoint you).
Before we get on to answering the big question, however, you may have also heard about ghillie suits being used for pranking people and pulling all manner of practical (and impractical) jokes. Of course for that to make sense, you'll first have to understand what exactly a ghillie suit is; however, once you've got that down, we can fill you in on whether they're actually good to prank people with.
And should you decide to fork over the dough for a ghillie suit all of your own, then we can help you on your way to pulling some absolutely fantastic pranks. So if you're just itching to know what is a ghillie suit how to pull a prank with one, read on.
WHAT IS A GHILLIE SUIT?
So here's the big question: what is a ghillie suit? Put plainly, a ghillie suit is a type of full-body camouflage that can resemble grass, plant life, snow, or sand. They're typically made of net and cloth and covered in strips of cloth, twine, or burlap (hessian). This material is usually made to look like leaves or twigs to help the wearer stay blended in with their environment.
Sometimes, those who wear ghillie suits add real bits of foliage from their surroundings to make their ghillie suit even more convincing. This type of camouflage gives a three-dimensional aspect to concealment as opposed to the normal linear patterns on regular clothing.
While one might initially think that wearing something like this would just make you look silly, these suits are actually very effective in what they do. In fact, they do great work even at close range. By staying perfectly still and attaching bits of surrounding fauna to the webbing, you can make it almost impossible to see you.
So while a ghillie suit may not be the most fashionable choice for say, walking around at the mall, they are quite remarkable inventions that allow the user to accomplish a level of camouflage that simply can't be rivaled by conventional camouflaged garments. There is simply nothing like a ghillie suit!
WHAT ARE THEY USED FOR?
Ghillie suits are mostly used by military professionals, who wear them to stay hidden from enemies. A soldier who wears one of these could be mere feet away from an enemy without anyone knowing, making the suits ideal for spying on targets. Likewise, when a ghillie suit is made the right way, it will blow in the wind the same way as plant life in the environment, making for an extremely convincing camouflage.
Law enforcement personnel might also make use of a ghillie suit for similar reasons as a soldier. If you're a bad guy running from the law, don't expect to see them coming if they're in a ghillie suit.
Likewise, ghillie suits can also be used for hunting and photography. Just as ghillie suits are able to conceal the wearer from human beings, they're likewise able to fool a lot of animal life. Of course there are other things that you may have to worry about with animals, such as your scent, but for some animals, or if you have a way to mask your scent, a ghillie suit can be the perfect choice.
If you're going to wear camouflage for a hunting trip, it doesn't come any better than a ghillie suit. Your hunting buddies may laugh their heads off when you meet them at the hunting site, but you'll be the one who's laughing when you come back with three seventeen point bucks draped over your shoulders! That'll show them who's boss.
Ghillie suits can also be used for good old-fashioned pranks. We'll get to that in a minute.
THE HISTORY OF GHILLIE SUITS
The word ghillie actually comes from a fairy in Scottish mythology known as Ghillie Dhu or Ghillie Dubh, that clothes itself in leaves and moss. It was particularly fond of children and even once found a little girl lost in the woods and took her home. Generally speaking, fairies in most mythologies tend to be tricky and mischievous, which is quite suitable when you think about the ghillie suit's potential use as an aid in pranking and practical jokes.
It's interesting to know that the Australian version of a ghillie suit, known as a "yowie suit," also gets its name from a mythical creature (the yowie is similar to bigfoot or the yeti).
The first known military use of ghillie suits was during the Second Boer War when the Lovat Scouts, a Scottish Highland regiment, wore them. These scouts also eventually became the British Army's first sniper unit.
Interestingly enough, some scouts hailed from the town of Gairloch, which is where the story of the fairy Ghillie Dhu comes from. How fitting!
WHY ARE GHILLIE SUITS GOOD FOR PRANKS?
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The answer to this question is a lot easier than the one to "what is a ghillie suit?" Having the ability to camouflage yourself almost perfectly is a great tool for trying to trick, prank, or scare your friends or family. The fact that you can remain camouflaged and unseen even mere feet away from another person could make for some particularly interesting pranks.
The general appearance of a ghillie suit is quite odd to begin with and may work in your favor if the scare-factor is a part of the prank. So what is a ghillie suit? It's the perfect way to pull one over on a loved one or get revenge on your worst enemies.
GHILLIE SUIT PRANK IDEAS
Now that you know what a ghillie suit is and if it is indeed good for pranks, it's time to get down to business and learn some great ghillie suit prank ideas. Of course, the greatest pranks you'll ever be able to pull will be original to you, but perhaps you can riff on some of these and develop your own bag of tricks, should you decide to fork over the dough for your very own ghillie suit. Here are three pranks that use a ghillie suit that you might love:
O CHRISTMAS TREE, O CHRISTMAS TREE
The key to this one is dressing in a ghillie suit and then decorating yourself with tinsel and ornaments. Then all you have to do is stand perfectly still and wait for an unsuspecting passerby filled with too much holiday cheer. Jump out and watch them scream!
Of course there are a few drawbacks to this; though a ghillie suit may conceal you, you're still going to look very much like a human-shaped tree. You can also only really perform this prank in December. Still, if your subjects aren't paying attention and it's the right time of year, you may get a good laugh out of performing this prank.
DON'T LET THE GRASS GET HIGH
This one totally depends on how high the grass in your neighbor's lawn has grown. If you can find a way to look natural (and not just like a suspicious pile of grass) in his yard, go out early and wait for him to start mowing. Jump out when he's looking in your direction and you might get his bladder to malfunction!
Of course there are caveats with this one, too; you've got to known when your neighbor's mowing, and you could be waiting out there for a long time. Likewise, if the grass isn't high enough or you can't get in a position that seems natural, you could be the one that ends up looking stupid!
JUST A WALK IN THE PARK
If your park has a trail that goes by a wooded area, you can hide off to the side of the path and have a field day.
The benefit of this prank is that you can get multiple subjects on a busy day! There's still a bit of waiting involved, but that's pretty much the way it is with any ghillie suit prank.
CONCLUSION
Now that you know what a ghillie suit is and if it is indeed good for pranks, it's time to get down to business and learn some great ghillie suit prank ideas. Of course, the greatest pranks you'll ever be able to pull will be original to you, but perhaps you can riff on some of these and develop your own bag of tricks, should you decide to fork over the dough for your very own ghillie suit. Here are three pranks that use a ghillie suit that you might love:
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