I would like to make a large target rather than spend the money on buying one. I am thinking about 4x4 feet. As I work on experimenting with fixed crawl, string walking, and gap shooting, I would like to have the large area to catch my wild arrows. I also have beginners that would like to try some of my bows that are just starting out and don't want to lose any arrows. Just curious how others have designed theirs. Thanks for any suggestions.
I'll be checking this one, I need to come up with something for my kid ( and if were being honest I have a few wild shots too)
I'm in need to have a good positive backstop to keep the occasional "wild one" from going through wood fence and into the front yard.
:campfire:
I don't care if its positive, it could down right ornery as long as it stops my arrows.
Badum chhhh :laughing:
If not in town, a large round bale wrapped 10 times, for approximately $70 or less. will last for years.
We had some at the outdoor range that lasted over three years.
Cant go wrong with old carpet, just fold it over a couple of times. It is cheap too
In the trees almost under my deck. My carpet layer backings have been outside for 10 years.
Deno
How large horse stall mat can you find? I got one at Tractor Supply several years ago, and arrows do not go through it. It has lasted several years and shows no deterioration.
I bought a 4' X6' rubber horse stall mat at the local feed store. Built a simple 2x4 frame for it and use it as a backstop for my blob target.
X 2 on the stall mat. I fixed a 4' x 5' mat to a 2x4 frame and added a pair of wheels to move it out of the way for lawn mowing. It's been out in the weather now for several years and shows no deterioration.
About half the arrows hitting it bounce off, even from heavier bows. The rest penetrate no more than half an inch.
Dave.
I made a most excellent backdrop several years ago out of ethafoam that was used for packing. I contacted an IT department that had recently purchased many computers, and asked them for the ethafoam. I layered it all together and used stretch wrap to hold it. It's about 5'x5', and has lasted for about 10 years with no signs of wearing out. I'll look for pictures...
Quote from: Friend on March 28, 2020, 08:01:08 PM
If not in town, a large round bale wrapped 10 times, for approximately $70 or less. will last for years.
We had some at the outdoor range that lasted over three years.
Wrapped in what? I can get a large round no problem. I'll just have to move my shooting area but that's fine with me
I built a back stop,but I can't figure out how to bring it back up. Like Friend said I have a round bale in the back,and it last forever,and it's hard to miss it :biglaugh:
Another vote for the stall mat. Experience pretty much matches Dave's
I may be wrong but the OP said target, not backstop..... I assume he meant target a frame with material inside it like we see at indoor ranges..... If I am wrong I am sorry.
So for that I would use one of the designs floating around that uses a frame and all thread rods to tighten down whatever material is used for the target face. Cardboard, sliced and laid horizontally, fiberboard sliced/cut to width and laid horizontally and then compressed using nuts or turn handles on each rod (there should be two at each side to keep it all even)
There are other materials that can be used and the frame modified if need be. Ethafoam sheets are available in 4x8' sheets but you may have to hunt around to find them.
If this is what you are talking about remember to move your target face around the face of the of the fixture or you will get a soft spot. Soft spots will eventually happen anyway and in that case you just loosen up the tension and replace with more strips. If this is going to be outside I would suggest a covering for the target if you use cardboard or fiberboard as those materials will get wet.
Just my thoughts.
I had one like Huntschool is talking about. I used buffleboard in about 4" strips. It had a 2x4 top and bottom with ready rod down through each side with washers and bolts holding it together.
All great ideas. Thanks everyone for sharing.
My current backyard target consists of 8# ethafoam 6"x6"x36" blocks (scrap from industrial packing) stacked to 42" high with a PT wood frame. It has 1/2" rod running down the sides with a 4x4 block across the top to keep pressure on the material. It has worked perfectly to stop recurve and compound arrows for more than 10 years.
Another method is to purchase 2" 2'x8' sheets of 6# ethafoam and cut into 6" strips to stack as in above method.
Third method is to use 4 - 6# ethafoam and cut to 2'x4' strips for face of target,(2 sides) build frame to hold in place and a 12" space (fence) behind face to hold rags or plastic wrap to stop arrows
We used to use coal belt from the mine back when I was younger. If you could get your hands on some it's really useful and about as big as you want. Backstop only though. It's not a target.
" I would like to have the large area to catch my wild arrows. I also have beginners that would like to try some of my bows that are just starting out and don't want to lose any arrows. "
Joel
Large and beginners popped out to me. 4x4 isn't really that big of an arrow backstop for beginners.
Deno
This
A friend offered me a large archery target used by his daughter. It turned out to be a large piece of dock Styrofoam approximately 5x8x2ft . It makes a perfect backstop.
Get a couple (at least 3) squares of carpet. Hang them with maybe an inch or two between each layer. Will stop just about anything.
Thanks again everyone. I think the old carpet sounds like a cheap way to go. Time to carpet hunting. :archer2:
Not sure if you are looking for a target or back stop.
I will tell you that our family owned an archery shop with 8 shooting lanes. We used a frame, larger than the target bale that we shot at made out of 2 by 4's. We then hung old carpet over the top of that frame so it reached the bottom (ground) on both sides of the frame. The arrows went thru the first layer of carpet but not the second. That 4" of dead space between the carpet seemed to do the trick in stopping the arrow..
To answer for those confused about whether target or backstop, I have appreciated both answers, but what I was originally addressing was a backstop to have behind my intended target. My area is rather confined with neighbors that I don't want to upset if a wild arrow were to show up in their lawn. More of a security measure. Again, I really do appreciate all of the responses. I have a buddy picking up some old conveyor belting from the mine that he works at.
No problem. I just took it from the way you wrote it that you were looking for a target material and frame.
By the BY.... if you stick one good in that mine belt bring some liquid soap or WD 40 along as getting the arrow out of that stuff can be a major task. Also watch out for the metal banded types of belting. Obvious reasons.
We had a ton of coal mines here in Southernmost Illinois, most of which are gone now so belting was easy to get.
No problem. I had a hunch it was for a back stop and that is why I responded with info on one. Your first sentence referencing a target is what threw me. All is good. At 71 I am easily confused anyway. :knothead:
I used old carpet for awhile, then a couple years ago I bought a horse stall mat from Tractor Supply, 3/4" thick and very dense. I have straw bales stacked in front of it with ratchet straps to compress them, it has stopped all my arrows, none have penetrated through it. I haven't shot broadheads at it, but I believe it would stop them too. I'l try to get a picture posted later.
Jason
[attachment=1]
Not the best picture, but shows the size of it.
Jason
I'll repeat what was said above.....a round bale is hard to beat. I've never even had them wrapped extra- just use them as is. They typically are wrapped w the orange bale twine that lasts forever. The bale starts falling apart after 3 yrs or so. I like to cut cardboard deer or turkeys and pin them to the bale.
Tim B
[attachment=1]
Here is one of mine
Tim B
I've had great luck with a large rubber stable mat as a backstop. :archer2:
Here's my horse stall mat backstop.
i have to agree with the horse stall mat.. 45 bucks at tractor supply.. minimal lumber for a frame. can add wheels to move if ya want to.. a whole lot easier to move than a round bale. I actually use mine as a target,I hang tennis balls from the top. some times my arrows will stick but the right wind could blow them off. broadheads do penetrate but MAYBE at most 1/2 sticking out other side shooting about 47 pounds
If you need a large backstop, and are willing to spend a bit more, take a look at the ones that Three Rivers sells. I know someone here where I live that sells them. I have shot with him in his yard and these big curtains work really well.
Dave.
Just a few ideas:
- large round hay bale
- stacked square hay bales
- horse stall mat on a simple homemade frame
- stacks of carpet or cardboard
- styrofoam boat dock blocks
- dump truck load of sand (kids can play in it too)
- cinder block or brick retainer wall with a load of sand, rubber mulch, or natural mulch in it...you could even use the natural mulch to touch up flower beds as needed
- get a small shed to shoot into, sew up a the sides of a 2 yard section of burlap fabric sold by the yard, and stuff it with old clothes/linens...I do this and my bag target also becomes my grease rag supply
- get one of the hanging shooting curtains from 3 Rivers
I build mine out of 1/2" sound board. I buy 4x8 sheets, rip them to 12", use an LVL top and bottom to compress them, replace sections as needed when they wear out. You get 4" of 4' target out of every sheet. So 12 sheets is 4'.
MAP
Quote from: MdDave on March 31, 2020, 10:08:02 AM
i have to agree with the horse stall mat.. 45 bucks at tractor supply.. minimal lumber for a frame. can add wheels to move if ya want to.. a whole lot easier to move than a round bale. I actually use mine as a target,I hang tennis balls from the top. some times my arrows will stick but the right wind could blow them off. broadheads do penetrate but MAYBE at most 1/2 sticking out other side shooting about 47 pounds
I'm gonna put wheels on mine. Cheap lawn mower wheels screwed on with lag screws should work.
[attachment=1]
I made this out of elastifoam from whitetail industries in Indiana. I think it took 4 bundles of elastifoam, some all thread and scrap 2 x 8's. Field points only. It's held up great for the last 3 years.[attachment=1]
(https://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab105/olddogrib/Target_zpsoj7ett2m.jpg)[/URL]
I think mine's the same stuff as Tshooter's, but not as elaborate. Only used two threaded rods and it's not as deep. The things 20+ years old and still going strong. I just re-stack the shot-out slats every couple years.
Horse mats come in two weights, the thick one is heavy. They can be cut to fit on a 4 x 8 sheet of OSB, or plywood and fastened with screws and small washers. As a backstop mount it on a wall, fence, or couple of 4 x 4 posts. If you need a target butt large synthetic bags filled with plastic bags, sheets, makes good target butt.