A few shoot-thru mesh questions

[jerp]

1. Is the netting you can buy at Academy and Wal-Mart, made by Hunter's Specialties any different than the netting from Double Bull?

2. Does a shot have to be absolutely perpendicular to the netting to avoid arrow kick?

3. When the sun is shining directly on the netting, the deer may not be able to see in, but they are safe cause I can't see out either. Any remedy for this, other than the obvious? (setting up in the shade)
Thanks
Jerp
(formerly known as JPinFW)

[bcdawg1]

Excellent questions. Like others am using them for the first time this year and had the same questions.

[Bill M]

ttt

[Ryan]

I had to take the DB mesh off of these windows because of the glare when the sun came up. The inside is blacked out and I have not hunted it since so who knows how the deer will react.

Dont know about the other netting but it should work.

[Texas Grown]

I have tried the nylon netting from HS and it was a lot more problem than not having it. It is much more tightly woven than the shoot through from the mfgs. I lost a couple of animals because of it. When I decided to quit shooting through it, I still used it. But I used several clothes pens to hold it up across the windows where I could unclip one pen and the netting would fall, allowing a small area to shoot from without the netting. No noise when let down and ya can still see the animals with it up when it's light enough. When its to dark to see through it, but still leagle shooting time, I just removed a pen or two and my field of view was restored. Plus the ports were ready and waiting.

[Epack]

i still dont trust it even though ive shot thru it at a target, the animal is to important to me to take any chance at a wounding shot

[jerp]

A lot of you guys use mesh with great results - more input please!

[Frontloader]

When I have hunted out of ground blinds, I have used the mesh. The type you buy at Walmart or Academy on the last blinds we have built. I have not had any shooting problems with it that I know of.

This spring I took a turkey and hit where I was aiming. Same with a doe during deer season last year.

On our home built blinds with make a shooting window with a wood frame and the material stapled to it. Pull the material firm but not super tight.

My first ground blind was an Invisblind back in the '90s. I shot so many times thru it, I had to stitch up the holes with needle and sewing thread.

When videoing thru it, the sun will cause you fits if the window is not oriented so the sun does not shine on mesh. We try to have the window facing north to eliminate that problem. So when setting the blind up, pay attention to the direction the blind will face. Cloudy days are not a problem.

And if using a video camera, you may have to go to manual focus to keep the camera from locking in on the mesh if the sun is shining on it.

If there is a specific question, let me know.

Ed

[DRow]

I have the shoot through mesh on mine and have never even shot through it. I just really dont trust it. I may be wrong but i feel a whole lot more confident shooting through an open hole than through that mesh. Just my .02

[Rsatt]

Frontloader pretty well covered it. Here is a picture of the camo material I buy from Gander Mtn. I have had no problems with it. I don't worry about if the shot is perpindicular or not. It works good for me.My blind faces South. I have not had a problem seeing out. The little hole to the right is for my video cam. The green mesquite below the cam hole cost me a good 9...but that is another story..

[BIG D]

I have built a more permenant bow blind like Ryan's above and used the regular mesh like that sold at acadamy or any where else and it works fine. I stretch it tight and it has no effect on fixed blade heads.
As for the sun glare, I try to set up my blind where they are facing north or south. This means the rising or setting sun hits the mesh at an angle. It doesnt solve the problem completely but it sure is a lot better than dead on sun.

[Ricky T]

Don't face the blind toward the rising or setting sun. Keep your shots close, less than 20 yards if you can. Most times in a ground blind that's not a problem. Do not let the mesh intimidate you. A lot of folks who are unsure of the mesh will take a shot through it and yank their bow arm down to see if the arrow's heading the right direction. Practice through it SEVERAL times to get your confidence up. We've been shooting through mesh on a commercial hunting operation for more than ten years with no problems. Video is a little hazy but the benefits far outweight the problems. You can get away with a lot more movement.

[Chunky]

I have shot through the mesh so many times I counldn't count them. You do not have to be exactly perpendicular, but if you try to shoot through at a severe angle, it can make a long tear instead of pushing right through and cause problems.

As far as the sun goes, I have no solution except to find a way to create shade with brush or something artifical like a baseball cap bill. Other than that, hunt that blind when the sun is on the other horizon or wait for cloudy days.

[jerp]

Thank you for the help. Sounds like placement was my mistake. I like to set-up my tripods east/northeast of the feeder - least likely spot to get busted by our prevailing winds. Not a good idea, I'm finding out, for a blind with netting - on the afternoon hunt the setting sun reflects off the mesh and you can't see a thing till' it gets below the trees or horizon. Guess we'll have to move it north or south of the feeder and just stay away when the wind is wrong...

[Cotton]

So far I have shot 8 times through the mesh with a Rocket Hammerhead "L" blades.

1 squirrle dead (1st time test shot at 20 yards)
5 deer dead
1 turkey dead
1 turkey missed (operator error)

As far as set-up I just do the "obvious" and get it in the shade. Besides it's makes it a sweat box stuck out in the sun!