Archery targets

[gutsnthegrass]

I'm kicking the idea around about buying one of those Large targets like they have at the archery ranges.  I really like the targets at Cedar River Bowman but don't know if they sell them, and if they don't where can I buy one?  I have alot of room at my place to set up my own range, I just need the target.  Thanks for any info.

[Machias]

You can build a real nice target for about $7-$10.  Four 2X6s (make them as long as you want your target width to be)  Four all threaded bolts (I think the are 4 feet long) Eight washer and nuts.  Drill a hole in both ends of your 2X6s, slide your bolts through.  The top washer and nut should just cover the bolt.  Then the bottom washer and nut should be about an inch in.  Fill the void with cardboard.  Once you have them sandwiched in as much as you can tighten the bottom nuts.  You should be able to compress the cardboard about 4 inches and you'll have 4 or 5 inch legs to push into the ground.  Keep it covered from the rain and it will last a LONG time.  Once one side is shot up, one or two seasons, turn it around.  One of the bonuses of these targets is you can shoot without a target face and practice picking out a spot on a all brown target, which is very good practice for picking out a spot on a deer or elk.

[boneaddict]

Neat idea Machias. 

[Todd_ID]

Great plan Machias!  I did the same with carpet remnants from Home Dopey.  I don't think I'll ever shoot through it.

[gutsnthegrass]

What a great idea and alot cheaper than buying one.  Thanks I'll give that a shot. 

[Machias]

This photo gives you a better idea.  This one shows a strap, but the wood and bolts compress the cardboard alot better then the strap does.

[boneaddict]

Not as fun as shooting a wolf every day though.

[Machias]

Very true!   

[big ed]

That looks real good I'm going to make one for my kids to use in the garage.they keep dragging the straw bales in when it rains it makes a hell of a mess.

[BLUEBULLS]

for field tips I use a cardboard box filled with shrink wrap. I get plenty of used plastic shrink wrap at work. It's free and you don't need a whole lot of plastic. You have to replace the box itself after awhile but it stops arrows great.

[dp1175]

 the targets at cedar river  i believe are just  scraps  of carpet  pressed together between  wood. i dont think it would be  to hard to make them. the carpet  you could get  from flooring stores or flooring installers. they alway have left overs.  cut them into 4x4 squares and then do  what machias said to do.

[TheHunt]

Carpet would be for the wet side of state would be the better solution then wet cardboard. 

[flashover52]

Growing up back east, we took a pallet and put a 2x4 on each corner and a couple on top for a pitched roof. A piece of OSB and a bit of that 3 foot rolled shingle material and you've got a covered base. We then stacked three bales of excelsior on the pallet. We stapled a piece of cardboard across the front and draped a piece of carpet on the back for the few that might find the cracks between the bales.

We could easily replace the cardboard on the front as it got shot up.

The excelsior bales seemed to weather the New England weather (humidity, rain, snow, cold, hot) pretty well. During the winter, we would hang a couple of tarp scraps on the sides and back to help provide additional protection.

I like the idea Machias provided too.....   

I heard the other day that some of the targets sold are basically compressed trash bags. Sounds about right if BlueBulls uses shrink wrap in a box. Must be similar to the Morrell's Humungo target.

[bugle-em]

tried the cardboard between 2 boards when i was a kid, couldn't get the arrows out, maybe i did it wrong, sounds the same though. have used the shrink wrap in a burlap bag, that works good, can get differant sized bags and set them out like a 3-d course.

[Machias]

tried the cardboard between 2 boards when i was a kid, couldn't get the arrows out, maybe i did it wrong, sounds the same though. have used the shrink wrap in a burlap bag, that works good, can get differant sized bags and set them out like a 3-d course.

You talking field points or broadheads?  This is strictly a field point target.  I have use one for 20 years, never had any problems getting the arrows out.  Most of the time penetration is only 3-3.5 inches.