how long is hay good for?

[seth30]

I am going to buy a few hay bales after work for some back yard shooting I was wondering how long your bales of hay hold up to the weather, and general ususage?  Thanks for reading the post!

[Special T]

Hay doesn't hold up that well Straw does... Straw has no nutritional value to if you keep it relatively dry it will last a while.. unless your shooting a stick bow todays fast bows will blow right through a standard straw bail... They don't pack tight enough... You are fairly close to the Whidbey Island Bowmen, they are by the air port on some old base property... they have a walk through and a flat range
WHIDBEY ISLAND BOWMEN'S CLUB
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor
Ren Sarns, (360) 929-0551
President@WhidbeyBowmen.com
www.whidbeybowmen.com

[C-Money]

If you dont shoot the strings, they will last quite a few years. Keep some extra twine around incase you need to replace a string.

[Matt]

I am going to buy a few hay bales after work for some back yard shooting I was wondering how long your bales of hay hold up to the weather, and general ususage?  Thanks for reading the post!

Bails bought at the feed store will not stop an arrow from a compound bow.  And will only slow down arrows from a 40# stick bow.  Look into joining the Whidbey Bowmens Club.  We have an 80 yards practice range with new carpet bails ranging from 10 to 80 yards with covered shooting.  As well there is also a 30 target walk through course with 3-D animals set up for members.  Visit the web site for more info or contact Ren.  He's retired and has nothing better to do than help folks get started.

[C-Money]

I shoot at a cube target and have a hay bale background to slow down the fliers!

[Hunterman]

I shoot at a cube target and have a hay bale background to slow down the fliers!

If you have any bailing "wire" you can tighten the "straw" bails up so that your arrows stick..

Hunterman(Tony)

[seth30]

Thanks for the help, there is some places around here that sale it for 4 bucks a bale.  Special T, and Matt, yes I know about the club, and plan on joining it in may when my wife starts work again. Until then I will just practice in the back yard. 

[wapiti hunter2]

I built a small structure so I can keep a roof over my straw bales.  I have replaced them once in the last 10 years.  The key is keeping them reasonably dry.  I also have a tall dirt mound behind them to stop pass throughs.  We only use target points.

[seth30]

I am using those 125 Grain 20 cent a piece tips from ace hardware.

[6x6in6]

Set the straw bales on a pallet or anything to keep them from having direct contact with the ground and they will last longer.

[lokidog]

I used to use a couple of ratchet straps around them to tighten them up.  As said, try to elevate them and at least keep a tarp over them when not in use.  Someone had a good idea of using a burlap bag (I am going to use a plastic woven feed bag) with plastic grocery bags in it.  I think one of these needs to be hung up so that some of the momentum of the arrow moves the bag instead of penetrating.  Hay/straw bales make good back stops.

[Special T]

I have used a couple Just like Loki said... I think you can get  Burlap sacks with targets on them from Riverside archery in Mt Vernon they would last longer thatn the straw i think, and help get rid of all the extra plastic bags for free... 

[Special T]

Additionally i think you could spend close to $40 bucks on targets at your home, and that is the same price as a working membership for you or $50 for a family... I belong to a different SAB and i find i rarely use my target at home. 

[seth30]

Makes sense about not spending too much on the back yard.  I work next to a recycle bin, and theres plenty of foam to make my own target, and then place that against the bales of hay as a back stop.  My yard is pretty much a 45 degree angle in the back portion that will stop anything that gets through my  future homemade range.

[Special T]

I've taken the pink foam 2 in and made 2ft sqares and taped them together. they work pretty good for field tips or broad heads.