Just got a ground blind for an area not suited for tree stands. Question is to leave shoot through mesh up or take it down?
I always take mine out. They say you can shoot fixed blade broadheads through it but I wouldn't take the chance. Don't even think about shooting mechanicals through it.
This couldn't be any further then the truth. If you are using a fix broad head then I would certainly use it as it is to your advantage. Especially if the blind isn't set up well in advance. If you are using a mechanical broad head then you will most likely want to take it out. You will see first hand how spooky deer can be when they see the black hole of death. Even if it is brushed in very well.
I was leery of the the shoot through mesh also. Until I used it , with the insurance of my host.....two bucks later and I got to spend the rest of my south Texas hunt hunting quail... If your using fixed blades it's a non issue.
I couldn't imagine that it doesn't effect arrow flight. I mean if I hit a tiny twig my poi will be about 3 feet off.
As others have said,the mesh does not negatively affect a fixed blade tipped arrow. Mechanicals can be a different story.
If I have time and conditions work out, I open the mesh window before shooting. If not, I'll either poke the head through or just draw and shoot through it. One advantage of shooting through is that you can look at the hole in the mesh and see if your bow needs any tuning.
I had a bad experience with the mesh and afixed blade. If it were me iI'd take it down. I know they claim it doesn't effect it. But hey they claim you can regrow hair and make your member bigger too.
I can't speak about the effectiveness of shooting through the mesh, but I can tell you the first thing the deer do when they walk into my plot is look at that blind. If I have the windows open and it's black, they know it. Sometimes they are spooked, sometimes they are curious. Either way they are on high alert. I will be replacing my blind before next season as I ripped out the zipper. When I do, I will either buy a blind that has black windows, or paint them black. That way it always looks the same.
I have always wondered about this myself. Good topic. Obviously, you guys have shot thru the mesh so it does work. I always figured there is no way I would try it. This really increases the chance I will buy a blind after xmas during the sales. The second thing that has stopped me is not knowing a good chair to sit in.
I'm sure it effects it in some way, but I'd imagine it's quite different than a twig because the pressure is much more consistent compared to a twig that pushes against one side of the broadhead, resulting in a deflection. BUT, I ain't a scientist... just a redneck with opinions.
Any seat with a swivel. I missed one a couple of years ago because of a bad chair and bad position in the seat. I have since put chairs that swivel so i can get in a comfortable shooting position out of any window.