Cheap Archery Targets

I recently got interested in archery. I find it more interesting than gun shooting and without the "BAM!," and I can't legally shoot on my 2 acres anyway. Using a bow is more interesting because there is far more of the human side in the sport of archery that the more mechanical sport of shooting any kind of a gun, and I can do it in my yard. And I think that it is a nice survival skill to have. That stated, on to the topic at hand.

I got a very good deal on my bow, finger glove and arm protector. When it came to buying an expensive bulk target, I passed on that. In my estimation the cost for what you get for the money was extreme. I had expected for find a simple cloth cover that I could rig over a couple bales of hay, but they didn't have anything but paper targets similar to those for guns. and bales of hay or straw are not cheap anymore.

The target system I put together cost me $10.80 in supplies from my local Tractor Supply store. If that business isn't in your area, any decent farm/ranch/home store should have a similar product. For that money I got two plastic-covered, rectangular "bales" of pine shavings. They are normally used to spread on the floor of livestock areas.

My bow is of modest power, 45 lbs pull. I don't intent to ever hunt with it. With something less that a full draw the bow easily will put arrows all of the way through a block of shavings. But don't double (front to back) the bales as your arrows may get lodged somewhere between the two.

I had on hand a few of the corrugated plastic signs that various business tend to set out on streets and roads on weekends to announce their sweet deal on a used mobile home, etc. Since that is an illegal practice where I live, I tend to collect them in my neighborhood, helping the local authorities out. The signs are a pretty tough, and I first used them as a backstop behind the bales of shavings. Still, some of the arrow quills sunk into the bale. I moved the signs to be in front of the bales. In that fashion, the initial resistance of the signs was enough to dampen the inertia of the arrows from sinking too deeply into the bales and they pulled out easily. As I develop a full draw, I may have to double or triple the layers of signs in front, but no great problem there. After each session, I use my packing tape "gun" to seal the bale punctures. That tape keeps moisture out and helps retain the integrity of the bales.

a reply to: Aliensun

I bought one of these.



My crossbow is more powerful but this is a nice buy and it fits in a pocket.
This is a 42 to 48 pound pull.

I am an avid bowhunter, my current bow is a Mathews Mission Riot, set at 70lbs. I have found that straw bales do a fine job if they are compressed by using two ratchet straps (packs of 3-6 can be found at home depot/Wally world for about USD$20.00). I compress each bale individually using two ratchet straps on each bale length wise. I do this to three bales then stack them on top of each other. creating a 3 foot by three foot target area.

Without first being compressed a 70lb bow will put arrows right through a straw bale, or at least bury the fletchings which can damage them and require reflecting.

ebay replacment target bag fill with scrap cloth 4 bucks a target

i can get passtrews even on a good target my local range it takes alot just to get the arrows out

i shot about 90 lbs with a prokchop arrow so lots of ke

lots of diy targets tho there not particularly hard to make but the first one i bought lasted a full year

nothing else has withstood that long but i shot a fyew 100 arrows a day normaly

Shooting a bow is one of natures high. Doesn't even come close to shooting a gun, the high that is.

a reply to: Aliensun

All you need is this....

img2-2.timeinc.net...

+ container of some kind

Fill said container let it expand and dry( if you layer it too thick all at once it won't dry all the way through.

So you may have to apply in layers as it dries.

One of those super big pillows in a pillow case reinforced with leftover cardboard on the inside.

Draw your target on with a magic marker.

a reply to: Hijinx

Man that seems like a great idea!

a reply to: Aliensun

I was recently got into archery a few years ago myself. Got a PSE 50lb recurve and I love it.

All I did for a target was go to Dollar General and get a bunch of their old boxes and take them home, stack them up, ducttape them together and voila, instant archery target.

It made no sense to me to go spend 30-40 bucks on something I'm just going to end up destroying with arrows anyways.

You can't shoot you own gun on your own land? What a bunch of bull.