Homemade Archery Targets

Texas97

Texas97

Surgical Shotgunner
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
335
Messages
2,002
Loc
Texas
Anyone have some good ideas and want to share and show their setup? I'm leaning towards big round bale of hay.

Anything more creative y'all are using? Suggestions on targets for field tips and broad heads?
 
I’ve seen tons of shirts, packing/shipping foam. Those are 2 that have always stuck out
 
Shooting a compound, traditional, or crossbow?

A round bale will work, but you will spend time digging arrows out of it, especially with broad heads. I use one as a backstop where I hunt, but still put a target butt in front of it.

I’ve seen a few built using a 2x6 frame, covered in plastic burlap and stuffed with old clothes, rags, etc. It seems to work well if you want to build a bigger target. Biggest issue is messing up a carbon arrow if you bury it into the wood.

I had a morrell brand block that was finally shot out after a few years. My plan is to replace it with a Rinehart Rhino Block or 18-1 target.

Edit. Being I shoot in my yard, with a privacy fence as the backstop, I have been planning to get one of the horse stall mats from TSC to catch arrows. They work well for that. Old carpet will work also if you have access to some.
 
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Archerytalk had a bunch of designs. I think the most effective was foam, like you put on the floor in a kids room, sandwiched under pressure in wood frame. I think another design used carpet remnants the same way. Local archery range uses hay bales with a stall mat backer. Can be a pain to pull arrows depending on range and draw weight.

The foam block and bag targets are cheap as hell fwiw.
 
VG SERE said:
Archerytalk had a bunch of designs. I think the most effective was foam, like you put on the floor in a kids room, sandwiched under pressure in wood frame. I think another design used carpet remnants the same way. Local archery range uses hay bales with a stall mat backer. Can be a pain to pull arrows depending on range and draw weight.

The foam block and bag targets are cheap as hell fwiw.
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That reminds me, the archery shop I go to has blocks made out of layered foam of some sort that is compressed between two boards. Think they use all thread on the corners to compress the boards.
 
These work well for $25 with field points, even with compounds up to 70 lbs. Arrows are also easy to remove which can be an issue with some targets. Pretty sure they are stuffed full of rags though, so you don’t want to leave it out in the weather.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Morrell-T...arget/26531812

I used two hay bales in the past (not a roll), in short order the arrows would shoot in to the fletching and tear them off.

I am planning to build a covered station to leave my target out, probably with a horse stall mat backer. Interested in seeing people’s range setups.
 
Friend is a Nationally ranked Long bow competitor. He and his wife shoot every day.

Their main target is a 2"x 6" frame 4'w X 5'h with a set of pivoting T legs for support. The pivot is for when they are shooting 100 yards and the arrows come down on the target. It stuffed with grocery plastic bags and covered in chicken wire. The targets are zip tied to that. With the bags instead of rags the whole thing is essentially weatherproof. He has made a ton of them for their local archery group.

As long as you don't hit the wood frame pulling the arrows out is pretty easy. A lot better than foam targets I have used. Don't get a hay bale style. They do not hold up to weather over time and are a pain to move or keep covered when not using. We have one rotting under our shed roof.
 
shooting a compound at 31" draw length, and 66 lbs. the guys at the archery shop were like "man, with your draw length, id back down on the lbs and still carry enough speed to kill anything you need to"

so yeah, apparently right now, just doing the calcs, im pushing a 350 grain arrow at 343 FPS.


the kids foam is pretty awesome idea.

but im not sure about the chicken wire... wont that mess up the fletching? gotta be a better way to keep the plastic bags in.... maybe use 550 cord across the face to hold stuff back?
 
X marks the spot!

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i used plastic burlap for the outside with eggcrate foam center with these little interlocking rubber-type floor stuff between the eggcrate foam and the plastic outside.
 
Texas97 said:
shooting a compound at 31" draw length, and 66 lbs. the guys at the archery shop were like "man, with your draw length, id back down on the lbs and still carry enough speed to kill anything you need to"

so yeah, apparently right now, just doing the calcs, im pushing a 350 grain arrow at 343 FPS.


the kids foam is pretty awesome idea.

but im not sure about the chicken wire... wont that mess up the fletching? gotta be a better way to keep the plastic bags in.... maybe use 550 cord across the face to hold stuff back?
Click to expand...

Those aren’t crazy draw length and weight specs. If you’re able to easily draw it from a sitting position or at weird angles, I’d leave it alone. You’re also better off shooting a heavier arrow IMO, like 500 grains. They carry more energy and will quiet the bow down a lot. You also don’t have to mess with your setup if you decide to go hunt elk someday.
 
I've used rubber semi mudflaps laid up against square bales before. Works really good for field tips, I wouldn't use broadheads unless it was a fixed broad head. Might be able to get away with the practice mechanical broadheads that you usually get with the pack. Arrows penetrate, but the rubber self heals as it's going through and really stops the arrows from over penetrating. Might give that a shot.
 
Gatorgrizz27 said:
Those aren’t crazy draw length and weight specs. If you’re able to easily draw it from a sitting position or at weird angles, I’d leave it alone. You’re also better off shooting a heavier arrow IMO, like 500 grains. They carry more energy and will quiet the bow down a lot. You also don’t have to mess with your setup if you decide to go hunt elk someday.
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I don't have any plans to back down the weight. Bow is dialed in and tuned, with 20 yard pin set. I need to practice and set longer distance pins.
 
Texas97 said:
I don't have any plans to back down the weight. Bow is dialed in and tuned, with 20 yard pin set. I need to practice and set longer distance pins.
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First bow?

I picked it up about 5-6 years ago. Best advice is practice longer shots. It will make 20 yards and less seem like a chip shot after a while. My current bow has an axcel accuhuhter single pin slider. I’ve practiced out to 60 yards with it, but it has the capability to go further.
 
Aggie06 said:
First bow?

I picked it up about 5-6 years ago. Best advice is practice longer shots. It will make 20 yards and less seem like a chip shot after a while. My current bow has an axcel accuhuhter single pin slider. I’ve practiced out to 60 yards with it, but it has the capability to go further.
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Not first bow. But first bow made this decade. 2014 Prime Impact. I shot recurve in college some, actually found my score card where I finished second at the Aggie invitational way back when.

My cousin and I run moonshine and since we got arrested we cant carry guns so we usually keep our bows in the trunk and can do some damage with some stump fixer (dynamite) that my uncle has. A lot of shots we have to make out of a moving vehicle.....
 
Texas97 said:
Not first bow. But first bow made this decade. 2014 Prime Impact. I shot recurve in college some, actually found my score card where I finished second at the Aggie invitational way back when.

My cousin and I run moonshine and since we got arrested we cant carry guns so we usually keep our bows in the trunk and can do some damage with some stump fixer (dynamite) that my uncle has. A lot of shots we have to make out of a moving vehicle.....
Click to expand...

You will probably have a similar experience to mine. I went from a early 90s model Bear to a 2014 Mission to a 2017 Obsession. Major change in technology over the years.

As long as you’re making your way the only way you know how, you should be good to go.
 
Texas97 said:
Not first bow. But first bow made this decade. 2014 Prime Impact. I shot recurve in college some, actually found my score card where I finished second at the Aggie invitational way back when.

My cousin and I run moonshine and since we got arrested we cant carry guns so we usually keep our bows in the trunk and can do some damage with some stump fixer (dynamite) that my uncle has. A lot of shots we have to make out of a moving vehicle.....
Click to expand...

How is uncle jesse these days?
 
Target bags aren’t all that expensive. Why not just buy one, and save your time and energy to shoot more?

heres most my family’s set up. I live in the city, but get get out to 40 yards here in the front yard.

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A gunny sack full of plastic shopping bags works just fine for field tips. It wont soak up water, is light and when shot out, just put the whole thing inside of another gunny sack. I've got a 31 inch draw, the old bow was an 80lbr slinging 2317's, the new bow throws 300 spline carbons. Pulling broadheads out of them sucks. When I moved across country I tossed the target and picked up a square plain jayne foam target which works just fine. time v money
 
Stack of cardboard with threaded rods in the corners to compress.
 
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