Homemade arrow target

[snapcrackpop]

Made an arrow target by using bulk seed bag (free from a seed dealer) and filled it with plastic grocery/wal-mart bags.
It works great.  Stops arrows in 6-12' and pulls out very easily.
Unfortunatly the bag doesn't last over a year in the weather.

Any other ideas?  This bag is about 4x4' by 5' high, so it isn't very portable.

Anyone have plans to make the 2x2 and chicken wire frame and fill with bags?
Where do you get a sheet of rubber for a backstop?

[Cottonwood]

I have made a great back stop ie broadhead target from the foam found under carpet.  You can usually find discarded foam at your local carpet store that they have removed from someones home when replacing the carpet.  Some places recycle it, others are glad to get rid of the stuff.

But it does make for a good backer or target material.

[burntmuch]

Ive seen a couple blue tarps hanging from wire used as a backstop. If its hanging loose (dont attach bottom) It will stop an arrow . Jay

[Daveinthebush]

Shrink wrap will work better than grocery bags. 

[snapcrackpop]

Shrink wrap will work better than grocery bags. 

I tried that and actually have some in my big bag, but I felt pulling arrows out of the grocery bags is much easier than the shrink wrap.

What have you noticed that is better about the shrink wrap?  Stopping power, pulling out or durability or other?

[Daveinthebush]

One of my friends that is a traditional shooter uses the shrink wrap in four of his targets.  If you are using carbons it they may be creating too much friction on the wrap causing some minor melting. 

I use a Block target with supports on the top and bottom, then 2 ratchet straps to compress it.  I also have a Black Hole, which is like throwing money in a black hole, useless for carbons. Then for broadheads I have 5  - 4' tall dock floats.  The carbons are a little fast for the Styrofoam blocks as I have to scrape the melted stuff of the arrow once in a while.  But the Block is on it's 7th year. I don't shoot broadheads at it.

[Cheesehead]

I seen a guy using a sand pile supported on three side by treated wood walls 4' x 4' in size. He used various small targets, paper cups ect...
Not portable but durable and effectively stopping all arrows, broad heads and field points.

Cheese

[Cottonwood]

Well if you do buy a broadhead target....

... see the test Broadhead Target Test

If they had used just field points for this test, I think that most of these targets would have held up much better.

[Cottonwood]

Here are my home made arrow targets:

The large targets are bundles of layered carpet foam.  The center one has been shot over 100 times by field points and several times by my G5 Montec practice broadhead.  I only repair the center with the silver duck tape when needed.  The others were left exposed for the picture to show you all what I am using.  They will get lumber tarped for being shootable targets and backers.

The Morrel bag target is a recover that I got at a local Archery shop for about $15.99 and slid it over my old bag target.

[Cottonwood]

Now after posting that picture above... keep your eye on that little square of gray duck tape on the white bundle that is at 20 yards.

Arrow Dynamics Nitro Stinger 2" blaze fletching with 100 gr field point - total arrow wt 393 gpi


Arrow Dynamics Nitro Stinger with 4" fletching with 100 gr field point - total arrow wt 401 gpi


I have still yet to have any pass throughs with my arrows.