Ground blind shoot through mesh?
Elk
I just bought a new ground blind and was wondering if anybody has had problems concerning accuracy with the shoot through mesh? It makes me a little nervous, thinking the arrow could change paths.
it will has too it hits the fletching ,, but more so is the fact i have a problem with my old eyes seeing my pins and the critter thru the screen ,,
I never liked shooting through mesh. Whether it actually does or not, I don't see how it can't effect the shot when the arrow is in the mesh while still on the string. I just shoot through open windows.
Shot through several times with a COC BH with a recurve on turkeys. Never had a problem. All shot at short distance.
Just set up yur blind and give it a try and see for yourself. Then you will know what works for you.
I've found that out of a tuned bow you won't notice a difference in accuracy. With a bow that is untuned it will send the arrow off in a completely different direction. I've never had the luxury of being able to leave a blind out long enough for animals to get used to it so I almost always keep the mesh down as it seems to work better for getting animals closer. One other thing to consider is to make sure that the mesh is fairly taught. as long as the mesh has no major wrinkles you should be fine, but definitely practice some shots through it with broadheads.
2 years ago I shot a doe at 25 yards through the mesh of a blind. It completely changed the angle at which the broadhead made contact with the doe. When I finally recovered the deer the arrow was angled severely towards the rear of her body even though she was standing perfectly broadside. I would never chance it again. That being said I know a few guys who regularly kill turkeys by shooting through mesh. maybe I had a bad experience but
Im scared to try it again.
2 years ago I shot a doe at 25 yards through the mesh of a blind. It completely changed the angle at which the broadhead made contact with the doe. When I finally recovered the deer the arrow was angled severely towards the rear of her body even though she was standing perfectly broadside. I would never chance it again. That being said I know a few guys who regularly kill turkeys by shooting through mesh. maybe I had a bad experience but
Im scared to try it again.
Here is my experience with the mesh:
I took my ground blind to the local range and shot at a 3D deer target at 20 yards through the mesh and nearly missed the target completely as the arrow deflected from the mesh.
For a couple of years I never hunted with the mesh up and was reluctant to use my blind because the deer in my area seemed to spook from the mesh. A couple of winters ago the temperatures dropped too low to comfortably sit a treestand (-20F!) and myself and a buddy were forced to sit in my blind. As we were debating to put mesh up or down I explained my experiences to my hunting buddy and he said he never had an issue with his blind and the mesh.
Upon inspection of the hole from my practice shot through the mesh it was obvious that the 1" diameter slick tricks that I shoot did not create a large enough hole for the blazer fletchings to go through without making significant contact with the mesh. (My hunting partner shoots large COC broadheads with feathers in his traditional setup which is why, I believe, he never had an issue with the mesh) Then and there we took a hunting knife and trimmed the blazers down to 1/4" and then I tried a practice shot through the mesh. Arrow flight was perfect!
Later that evening I made a near perfect (double lung) shot on a doe at 23 yards.
From that point on I started using feathers to fletch two arrows that I use exclusively for hunting from a blind. The feathers are slimmer and forgiving and don't alter the flight of the arrow if they make slight contact with the mesh.
Try a practice shot at close range and see what the arrow does and how your fletchings fit through the hole created in the mesh.
-Uncle Jimbo
No need for the mesh. I have shot many antelope, 2 elk, and 2 turkeys just through the hole without mesh. That black hole don't bother critters. I won't chance shooting through the mesh.
I have not shot through the mesh of my ground blind and I never will. If it doesn't change the arrow flight it will certainly affect elevation downrange. At close range I would suppose it won't have too much effect on elevation. Like the others have said try and see for yourself.
I like the mesh. You can get away with a lot more movement. I think it is a big advantage. It makes it much easier to draw and adjust position. I've shot a few animals through the mesh and never had problems. Just practice before you hunt. Some setups apparently could cause problems through mesh.
Use cut on contacts broadheads and LOW profile vanes or feathers. I have ALOT of trouble shooting Blazer vanes thru mesh.
I lost a great antelope shooting thru the mesh. The arrow hit just between the spine and lung in that no kill zone. The next day I took a great buck with the mesh down. Was shooting Montec broadhead and Blazer vanes. It is hard to get a good sight picture thru the mesh especially if the sun is shining on it.
I've killed roughly 20 animals through the mesh with no issues at all, some out to 40 yards. I think the key is a perfectly tuned bow and COC heads. I have slow motion video and lighted nocks that show perfect flight.
i think the broadheads make a difference but i never shoot through mesh because i think it is a disadvantage for my arrow to hit something it dosent have to.
