I asked the same question several months ago and received much of the same good information.
I did go and buy a big piece of mesh to do some testing. Here is what I discovered...
1. As many have said, the key is to have the mesh VERY tight... like banjo string tight. Tight mesh doesn't slow the arrow down as much to start the cut and the hole opens wider/faster once the cut gets started. I had very good luck with sewing each arrow hole up with upholstery thread and a curved needle (nothing special, got it at Walmart). This helps keep the mesh tight for other shots. I also used the thread to sew in additional quarter inch bungee cord loops on my blind mesh to help keep it tight.
2. Three blade heads did better than two blade heads and double bevel two blades did better than single bevel. Long and narrow heads did better than "spade" shaped heads or heads with a shorter, wider profile. Three blade solid heads did better than heads with replaceable bleeders (making them four blade heads). In my experience WW style heads did the best and my Piledriver heads did the worst. The two blade heads would only cut a slot, the three blades made a hole and the arrow flew more consistently. "Pointier" heads did better than "tanto" points or single bevel style points. Obviously sharp heads did better than dull heads.
3. Regardless of what head you use it MUST make a hole close to the the cross sectional profile of your fletching (duh... right?) On my first few test arrows through the mesh the arrow was flying kinda wonky, with all of the broadheads I was using. Most of the arrows I was shooting had shield cut, five inch, tall fletches. I never had an arrow catch in the mesh but on every shot the feathers were making contact with the mesh even on ninety degree shots. I switched to parabolic, four inch fletches and as long as the broadhead cut a similar sized hole I didn't get any perceptible change in arrow flight. All the arrows I used were three-fletch and I always put a drop of super glue on the leading and trailing edge of each fletch.
4. In doing testing in the backyard I did notice a loss of vision early and late as several folks have mentioned but not necessarily inside a reasonable shooting distance. The BIGGEST vision concern came when the sun was within a hand span of the horizon. Straight on angles of the sun reflected in the mesh and I couldn't see ANYTHING.
So... what did all this poking of holes in mesh with LOTS of different arrow and broadhead combos prove to me? Primarily it was that it is physically impossible to have NO effect on the arrow when shooting through the mesh but some specific broadhead/arrow choices can minimize the effect. If I was going to hunt a blind with shoot through mesh and expect the best arrow performance I needed to use an arrow with a pointy three blade broadhead that cut a hole as close to the size of my fletching as possible through very tight mesh with no give as the arrow passes through. Also, I needed to set my blind up so that the rising or setting sun did not shine straight in to the blind. My arrow choice came down to using my WW heads with a three fletch arrow, using four inch parabolic feathers. Other than dropping down to shorter fletches this is my standard deer hunting arrow. My Turkey hunting arrow won't work through mesh since I use a spade shaped two blade. This is OK because (as many have said) Turkeys don't have the aversion to the "black holes of death" the way deer do so I just don't use the mesh when I turkey hunt.
I suppose all this effort was useless since it simply proved all of the things that others have said. What it DID do for me was to keep any thoughts of apprehension or dread from creeping in when I pulled back and dropped the string on the very first deer I shot this last season through the mesh on my blind. So for me... TOTALLY worth it.
OkKeith
Topic: Shoot through screens on blinds (Read 2783 times)
