Comments on: How to Make Archery Targets

on 9/17/2009 glue three boogie bourds together for feild tips only

on 1/4/2009 171717 take a cardboard box and stuff it with foam or plastic bags or both and draw with good marker a tarhet and set it up and you will have a great target.

on 11/20/2008 Hay works great but can hard to get hard to keep together and harder to clean up. I've found what I think is the greatest target ever..... Phone books. If you can get in with a hotel, casino or phone company ect... they will more than likely be free then lay them so the pages are facing you and wrap them with a plastic like a shipping wrap to keep them tight and weather proof. Mine have been in the back yard for over a year and I shoot as much as possible they show no signs of needing to be replaced.

on 11/20/2008 I've found what I think is the greatest cheep or free archery target in the world.. Phone books.. I've had a stack that I got for free from work (hotel casino) and they have been in the back yard for over a year and they stop my arrows perfect everytime... lay them so the pages face you if you can wrap them in a plastic I used shipping wrap because it keeps the pages tight together.

on 1/6/2007 archery targets...ball up plastic bags (wal mart and such) and melt them with a heat sorce, if possible and stuff them tightly in a burlap sack..just pack real tight if you cant melt them..just for field tips...you can also use cardboard,carpet,foam, or old ceiling tiles (same size) and stack them on a board thats a little bigger and put another board on top and compress using hooks and rope or sinch straps..even on old targets the boards and rope help you get a little more use by compressing them more(wont shoot through a little while longer)

on 8/8/2006 Collect disguarded shrink wrap. Stuff it tightly into a burlap sack. Tie it shut with twine. Spray paint some dots for aiming points. Will stop field points only. No broadheads.

on 8/8/2006 Take a box and fill it up with plastic bags. For stronger bows, use an old pillow in the end.

on 8/8/2006 If you don't live near a farm or ranch, try calling hardware stores (such as ACE Hardware). Oftentimes they carry bales for various reasons, but do not put them out on display (since they take up a lot of space). Most outdoor landscaping stores also sell them, and you will rarely have to pay more than $5 a bale. As long as you store the bale in a dry place away from wildlife, it will last you for years.

on 6/30/2006 Hay bales do work well for archery targets/backstop. However, you must find very tightly bound bales, or the arrow will go right through it. I was skeptical that an arrow would go completely through a hay bale, but if it's a loosely bound bale the arrow will go through it. If you place two loosely bound hay bales together, the arrow will bury itself somewhere inside the hay, and you'll have to tear apart the bale to find your arrow.

on 6/30/2006 Draw a deer on an old piece of carpet, cut it out and spray paint on all the details. Trace the top edge onto some old plywood, leave about 2 inches of wood to work with along the top, and tack the carpet to it. Next, cut several pieces the same size as the body section and tack them onto the back side, about 5 should be enough. Use some tie wire and tie the bottoms together every few inches. Stuff some old rags between the last two layers, leave the front end and back end open (you can add more rags if needed). Tie it all between two small trees and shoot away.
I have made everything from deer, turkey, fox, coyote, bear, even a dinosaur for my kids and they all have been used for several years and are holding up excellent. Plus, arrow removal is easy; two fingers to pull any weight bow and stopping arrows so up to 305 fps.

on 1/18/2006 Make a press using 2x's and threaded rod. Stack corrugated cardboard, cut about 6 inches wide, on a 2x, and press it tight using a 2x on top and the threaded rods at the ends.

on 11/22/2005 Use a hay bail as a target, and to ensure that it doesn't pierce anything else, use a piece of plywood as the backing.

on 11/22/2005 Use an old mattress as an archery target.

on 11/22/2005 Get an 18 inch bucket, some 2 inch high density foam, and pieces of old carpet. Cut the foam and carpet to fit into the bucket. Alternate the layers and finish with a layer of carpet. After about 2 layers of each, stuff it with some old clothes. Finnish it off with another two layers, topping it off with carpet. Leave 4 tabs in the last layer of carpet and tuck them down the inside of the bucket, this keeps it all together.

For the stand use a folding multi type ladder. Fold it out to sit like a letter 'M' and the bucket target sits perfectly.

on 11/22/2005 Obtain used foam carpet padding. Cut it 12" to 18" wide and roll it up until you have a sufficient size. I prefer 18" diameter. You can use paper plates for replaceable centers, to compare patterns.