turkey blind question?

[dan ferguson]

Normally I spot and stalk, but I had one of these blinds come up for sale sooooo I bought it. My turkey season started yesterday, took the blind out and set it up put a couple decoys. big tom came in watched him for a hour finally came into the blind shot through the screen and my arrows took off for outer space, shot twice. does it bother them if you leave the screen down? heck I,m new to this game, It was all I could do to just sit there without going after him. Thought you could shoot through the screens, but it sure deflected these arrows.

[Wary Buck]

For turkeys, I'd recommend no screen and wearing black hat, shirt, gloves inside the blind.  In my limited blind experience, deer don't like open windows, but turkeys aren't usually bothered by 'em.

I've posted here and elsewhere before about whether a non-centershot traditional bow, launching an arrow that might be going through some archer's paradox when it hits the screen, and then fly off course...  And every time the veterans tell me it doesn't happen.  Yet I've always felt what happened to you, could happen frequently.  I've just not taken the time to practice much to find out.

[dagwood64]

From all I have read the uncovered opening doesn't bother the Turkeys a bit. Just makes it easier for them to see your movement, so a little more care is needed for drawing. I never had a Turkey spook from my Doghouse blind window being open, a pre-screen model, had a Tom strut for my decoys while I was in the blind. Good luck. Duane

[rg176bnc]

Its about 50/50.  Some dont care, othters clearly dont like it.  Put your jake decoy facing the blind about 10 yards away.

[DIAMONDBACK]

I leave my shooting widows open,as wary buck said dress in black,sit deep in the blind and you will be a black hole.

[Hoytman]

Windows open on your blind will not bother a turkey. (usually) But if you have windows on both sides so you can see all the way through the blind it is very easy for a turkey to spot movement. I think you are better off to leave the windows open than trying to open them if need be. This results in a black hole appearing form nowhere and will send a smart tom into orbit.

It's funny, noise from inside a blind doesn't bother them either. (again, usually)

I leave the screens open far enough to shoot, wear black uppers, and move very carefully just as if you had no blind.

I practice shooting through mesh. With my compounds, no problem. With my recuve, no way.... I thought it was just me, but I think speed is the main factor. I have also noticed that 3 or 4 blade broadheads do much better than 2 blade broadheads.

Are you using 2 blade?

[TSP]

If the screen is reasonably tight, bow poundage/shaft weight is adequate and the distance makes sense (say, out to 15 yards or so) you shouldn't have much problem shooting through the screen accurately.  Large feathers and/or large multiblade heads might complicate things a little (especially if heads aren't REAL sharp or your release is a bit sloppy) but even then it should work ok.  I've been fortunate to take a bird the last three years shooting through the screen and had no arrow flight problems at all using both 2 and 3-blade heads, three 5" feathers and wood and aluminum arrows.  But I do agree with the other comments, if you can get away with no screens it does remove the 'wonder' factor.

[BrianfromTulsa]

I've found that you don't need a screen for turkeys but you better have it on if your hunting deer.

[dan ferguson]

thank you guys, I,ll try the screen down.