Blinds - shoot-thru windows or no??

[Rando]

So, as I age I find myself in the trees less & less and I've really come to enjoy the "freedom" ground hunting the last years. I primarily use natural cover and my Waldrop, but I also own a Hidden Hunter blind that I will set up for the last (COLD) month of the Minnesota season. Haven't used it much to date and just wondering what you guys with more experience think of using shoot-thru windows vs open windows...
I'm guessing using the shoot-thru windows offer more concealment, but I worry about the potential effects on arrow flight and a bad shot on any animal.
Looking forward to your real-life experiences.
Randy

[Wile E. Coyote]

I do not think that shoot thru screens have an effect on arrow flight. That being said, for me they have a pretty significant effect on depth perception and therefore my shots with them have not always been ideal. I will try and screen everythere but my shooting lanes and keep everything sealed and dark inside and minimize movement.

[rastaman]

i used to use the shoot thru screens.  It messed with my depth perception, messed up a couple of shots, and ended up developing a case of target panic. That was years ago. Now i keep non shooting windows screened but leave my front window free and clear.  i sit in the dark in one of the corners and haven't had a problem since! Good luck and there's nothing like being 5 yards or less from an animal that doesn't know you are there.

[mnbwhtr]

Like others  have said, I've shot through the mesh without any deflection but prefer open windows. I mainly use blinds for Antelope and turkey but this year started deer hunting with one and had it in place for a month ahead of time so the deer were use to it. 2 open windows.

[Bisch]

I’ve shot 100’s of animals thru mesh. The only time I have ever had the mesh screw a shot up was when I tried to take a shot at a severe angle to the mesh. I had a fletch catch on the mesh and screw up the arrow flight. I learned from it, and don’t take that severe angle shot anymore. I hunt almost exclusively out of blinds and have mesh in the windows of all of them. The biggest detractors  to the mesh is that it cuts out about 10 minutes of shooting time and for some folks it messes with their depth perception. I like the freedom to be able to move more without being picked off. You still can’t make noise though, as they will hear that and spook.

It will work either way, but I prefer with the mesh in the windows.

Bisch

[GCook]

Fixed heads I've had no flight issues.  I've had a blade trip open on a mechanical once.  My issue is depth perception as mentioned. It messes with focus point for me.

[Terry Green]

I’ve shot 100’s of animals thru mesh. The only time I have ever had the mesh screw a shot up was when I tried to take a shot at a severe angle to the mesh. I had a fletch catch on the mesh and screw up the arrow flight. I learned from it, and don’t take that severe angle shot anymore. I hunt almost exclusively out of blinds and have mesh in the windows of all of them. The biggest detractors  to the mesh is that it cuts out about 10 minutes of shooting time and for some folks it messes with their depth perception. I like the freedom to be able to move more without being picked off. You still can’t make noise though, as they will hear that and spook.

It will work either way, but I prefer with the mesh in the windows.

Bisch

Bisch, do you put a drop of super glue on each ends of the fletch?

[Cory Mattson]

I’ve shot 100’s of animals thru mesh. The only time I have ever had the mesh screw a shot up was when I tried to take a shot at a severe angle to the mesh. I had a fletch catch on the mesh and screw up the arrow flight. I learned from it, and don’t take that severe angle shot anymore. I hunt almost exclusively out of blinds and have mesh in the windows of all of them. The biggest detractors  to the mesh is that it cuts out about 10 minutes of shooting time and for some folks it messes with their depth perception. I like the freedom to be able to move more without being picked off. You still can’t make noise though, as they will hear that and spook.

It will work either way, but I prefer with the mesh in the windows.

Bisch

Good observations - and I agree with this. I shoot through the nets Always. Great confidence in not getting picked off. Funny I have packed up and while heading out thought ooops I left too soon LOL. I haven't shot hundreds though - around 10 just these past few years.
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[Bisch]

I’ve shot 100’s of animals thru mesh. The only time I have ever had the mesh screw a shot up was when I tried to take a shot at a severe angle to the mesh. I had a fletch catch on the mesh and screw up the arrow flight. I learned from it, and don’t take that severe angle shot anymore. I hunt almost exclusively out of blinds and have mesh in the windows of all of them. The biggest detractors  to the mesh is that it cuts out about 10 minutes of shooting time and for some folks it messes with their depth perception. I like the freedom to be able to move more without being picked off. You still can’t make noise though, as they will hear that and spook.

It will work either way, but I prefer with the mesh in the windows.

Bisch

Bisch, do you put a drop of super glue on each ends of the fletch?

Not super glue, but I always put a drop of Fletchtite Platinum on the forward and rear tips of my feathers.

Bisch

[BAK]

I have shot some and too prefer shooting through the mesh.  No issues other than some depth perception as has been mentioned.

[Terry Green]

Good Bisch, I've had a coupe of feathers come off while blasting through biggish hogs. I super glue first, then add a drop of fletch tight.  Haven had one come off since

[Tim Finley]

I dont like to shoot thru the mesh my son always does he uses Simmons Tiger Sharks and doesnt have a problem . I have a box blind that I taped cling wrap over the windows to keep the cold winter wind out but I think that it had some deflection . At least that was my excuse when I missed a buck.

[Kevin W]

I’ve had several type of blinds snd always take the mesh out. It has created depth perception issues as mentioned but I’ve also noticed it makes it harder to tell waht may a little further out in the woods. It also messes with my view through binoculars.
Never noticed any problems with arrow flight when I get curious and try them again.

[Friend]

I much prefer the advantages that mesh offers.

Have taken 34 turkeys and many deer as  well as two  yotes and a bobcat shooting thru mesh.

[JamesD]

We have hunted out of Xenek ground blinds for the past three seasons. I do not like the mesh, so we leave it in the bag. Here are some of our experiences. Non rut, new blind placement equals deer altering their paths by 10 - 20 yards to go around the blind. Its funny, but not funny to watch whitetail's reactions as they see the blind inside of 10 yards and realize that it wasnt there yesterday afternoon. Come back to that same blind seven to ten days later, and they act like it has always been there (including mature bucks). Rut, new bucks (all ages) to the area pay it no attention. We rarely, if ever, get picked off moving. With that said, here is how we set it up. We leave all back windows closed, and side windows at peek out only ( no shooting ability). The front window is open with a shooting lane in the front only. We have shot five whitetails (including 2 mature bucks) the past three seasons with this setup. Also, when it gets cold, we take a heat buddy propane stove in the blind to keep warm. Hope this helps. Side note, all of these experiences with blinds have been on private property. We do not take them in or set them up on the public properties we hunt.