Shoot Through Mesh: Yay or Nay?

[Rusty]

What are your thoughts on shooting through "Shoot Through Mesh"?

In Hunter Ed class we teach the students to only shoot when they have an unobstructed  view of the vitals.  Shooting through mesh seems counterintuitive to this.   

[Jsin]

I wish someone would do a little research, video piece on the  deflection on a arrow or bullet when shot through mesh or even minimal brush.

[Moho81]

I can’t bring myself to do it. Enough things can go wrong as it is why add another variable into it 

[Stubborn1vt]

I shot at a small buck with my bow years ago (before I know any better?) at 15 yards.  I missed about a foot high.  Never considered shooting through mesh again.

[grampy]

Once my arrow leaves the rest, I don't want anything touching it, until it hits where I'm aiming. I never liked shoot through mesh for that reason. 

[ShootEm]

Agreed with above, I don’t want a single thing touching my arrow or bullet until it hits the target. Personally I think the idea of shoot through mesh is ridiculous and more of a marketing gimmick for companies to just add to their list of “features” to rake in more dollars. 

[cervidchasers]

Most of the hunters now use mechanical heads, sure way to mess up the flight path if shooting thru a mesh and opening the blades

[mowin]

No.  As others have said, I don't want anything touching my arrow until it hits my target. 

[Wolc123]

I say nay based solely on my mid-November experience with this stout wny 3.5 yr old 8-point:

(Bc15)

 

I still have not found my crossbow bolt, tipped with a NAP spitfire 100 gr broadhead, but it struck outside of his body, as proven by a “hole count” during the late December autopsy following his expiration from “other causes”.  
 

The crossbow shot was taken from within my practiced range of approximately 40 yards, at the buck that was standing broadside.  That crossbow routinely holds a 2” group from that range. 
 

The bolt passed thru the mesh of a newly purchased popup blind (October 24 $49 special at TSC in Gouvenour).  I’m guessing that the blades expanded, on contact with the mesh, causing the bolt to plane and alter course.  
 

If I ever archery hunt from a popup blind again, it will be with the mesh windows open, or I’ll use fixed blade broadheads and keep the range under 25 yards.  
 

I probably wouldn’t hesitate to shoot thru the mesh from under 50 yards with a ML, rifle, or shotgun slug.  
 

Hopefully, I’ll be checking in on how that goes by late September of this year. 

Edited January 1 by Wolc123

[nygrandpa]

If you shoot through the mesh with a firearm you will probably set the blind on fire. 

[mlamm24]

My buddy has shot through and killed turkeys with his 12ga.

I tried with an xbow and it launched the bolt way high and hit a tree probably 60 yards behind the deer. I won't ever try that again. 

Edited January 1 by mlamm24

[dbHunterNY]

I have but used cut on contact magnus heads. Had the blind perfectly squared up to doe and they were very close. I mostly use mechanicals now and there's more opportunity if I just ditch the mesh on in the windows.

[ATbuckhunter]

I'll do it with a gun, but not with a bow. I've done it while turkey hunting and had no issues.

[mowin]

15 minutes ago, ATbuckhunter said:

I'll do it with a gun, but not with a bow. I've done it while turkey hunting and had no issues.

Shotgun I could imagine no issues.  Rifle, maybe if 50y or under.  

[ATbuckhunter]

13 minutes ago, mowin said:

Shotgun I could imagine no issues.  Rifle, maybe if 50y or under.  

I think the pressure of the air coming out of the barrel opens the shoot through mesh before the bullet ever contacts it. I would put the barrel as close to the mesh as you possibly can. I would even actually push into the mesh if possible. Its the same principle as putting tape over the end of a barrel

Edited January 3 by ATbuckhunter