I started hunting toms with a bow exclusively & have been successfull ever since I made the switch - which is 3 years in a row.
The first thing I'd say is keep those windows shut - I have an old doublebull (not black, no mesh) and I bought my own mesh & cut it to fit inside of the windows & stretch it through & wrap it around the frame poles. If I set up with my back to something (where I can't shoot anyway) then I close the windows up with the stock material.
I prefer to (if possible) set up where you think the birds will cross in front of you - so lets say they are roosted to your left - then I'd put the corner of my blind straight in front & my deeks off to the right - close - like 10 yards & not past 12.
When the birds start moving toward the deeks they come PAST my left window & before they do I lower the mesh on my RIGHT window. As they pass the 1st window headed for the deeks I draw & wait for them to enter the right window. When he does it's a quick yelp - he stops to look & _______ (most would say whack but my bowtech is so quiet I just leave it blank
)
I really believe it's best to have the mesh in the windows but I couldn't shoot through them. My spitfire 100's flew like !#$!@$# through it - 5-10" off at 20 yards. I'm going to try my fixed through them today before I go out but I don't plan on shooting through the mesh. I imagine with a fixed head, feathers, and a STRAIGHT SHOOTING well tuned bow (meaning the arrow leaves the bow as straight as possible - bullet hole at 2 feed) then it might work ok.
I read on another board that guys have been using green saran wrap on their windows - the ol ball & chain got me some last night & I'm going to put it in the windows today & see what it looks like.
Get them close - 10 yards or less - and you'll be a happy guy.
Practice shooting at 10 yards or less too - you'd be amazed at where you need to aim when he's only out there at 4 yards and trust me it can happen.
I had ONE bad issue with my spitfire 100 gobbler getters & I'll never use them again because of it - I'm sticking with my fixed blades.
Buckwing makes a 'turkey opener' post/umbrella thingy that I've fallen in love with. It replaces the original stake in your deek & opens up like an umbrella inside to help open the deek - then the stake slides into another stake & it can spin in the slightest breeze. On top of that I have fallen in love with the feather flex deeks - combined with the spreader it's awesome. The rubber ones (delta for instance) seem to always have a dimple that I can't get out of them - and - they are heavier & don't fold up as tight (and are typically more expensive).
Shoot for the X - make it count!!!
GOOD LUCK!!!
later