Last night I got my first bow. I figured the most logical target was one of the ton bales in my barn. I know when I was a kid everyone would shoot their bows at small stacks of two string bales so I figured the added density and resistance of the bigger bale would compensate for the faster bow and stop my arrow with enough sticking out to allow for an easy retrieval. As most of you not new to bow hunting like myself have guessed, I was wrong. The arrow is now embedded somewhere in the 4'x4' bale and I will have to wait until I need to break it open to feed to the horses before I can find it. The bad thing was just before I shot it my wife was telling me about her friends dad who kept loosing arrows because of hay bales and blah blah blah, I had a new bow to shoot. I figured from 25 yards or so it wouldn't be an issue. No sooner did the arrow disappear than I got the I told you so from my wife. I quickly followed it up by saying I guess I need a new target. Lightening bolts shot out of her eyes and I could tell she was strangling me with her mind when she said we couldn't afford for me to spend anymore money right now. She was right. So my question is what can I use for a target that won't cost me much if any money. I plan on getting some actual targets but I want to be able to practice with my bow between now and then. If I turn one of the bales and shoot it from the end instead of the side will it provide enough resistance? I was going to try last night but didn't want to lose another arrow in the bale. Is there something I can pick up on the cheap to put in front of a bale that will slow the arrow down enough without damaging it? All suggestions are appreciated.
Bow Targert
- Thread starter T43
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dito
Active Member
Not sure what you could really use but I did find this for you: http://cgi.ebay.com/MORRELL-YELLOW-JACKET-SUPREME-BOW-PRACTICE-BAG-TARGET-/180630663729?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0e6d3231 Seems like a pretty good deal especially the shipping.
Thanks for checking I found that target in my local Cabelas ad for $35 but that's still pushing the price envelope. I'm already almost a couple hundred dollars over what I had budgeted for with arrows, tips, release etc. I just need something to practice on for a month and then I can buy a decent target but until then I need to figure something out.
Bobby Swaggs
Moderator
- Feb 21, 2011
- 7
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I have heard of guys just bundling up massive amounts of plastic wrap. When that gets packed tight it stops an arrow almost immediately. I'd imagine you could find some local company that ships lots of stuff wrapped up on pallets and ask if they would give you their junk wrap rather than throwing it away.
If you could line up a bunch of that stuff then you could just stuff it in a cardboard box to give it more of a solid shape to work with. The box obviously won't last long but I think this might be your best bet for a short term, cheap target option.
If you could line up a bunch of that stuff then you could just stuff it in a cardboard box to give it more of a solid shape to work with. The box obviously won't last long but I think this might be your best bet for a short term, cheap target option.
wolftalonID
Very Active Member
Construction foundation foam. Do you know any concrete guys? If so, they may have some scrap foam. This is the hard styrofoam stuff. I use that with six squares of it for my broadhead practice before the season, and it was free off a site here last year that was under construction.
Otherwise I use a bag target from Sportsmans. My bag target is only for field tips, but its lasted four years and still going.
Otherwise I use a bag target from Sportsmans. My bag target is only for field tips, but its lasted four years and still going.
RUTTIN
Veteran member
The best cheap target that will stop arrows out of even the fastest bows is easy to make. Being that you have horses, you probably have some grain sacks, if you can get a burlap one even better. Stuff it with old clothes (your wife probably has some you could use, to get back at her for the told you so. Just kidding don't want to get you in trouble) or I have a old sleeping bag stuffed in mine. Stuff it tight and close up the top. Spray paint some dots on it and you are good to go all summer. If I leave mine out in the weather all summer, I might have to replace the grain sack once or twice, give it a try! Oh ya almost forgot, don't shoot broad heads into it, they don't come out very easy.
ceby7
Active Member
Try putting your old newspapers in a paper grocery bag and using that. You can even stack several on top of each other to make a bigger target. Lasts a long time and easy and cheap to replace (if you get the paper).
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griz
New Member
If you have access to a straw press they should have some 2'x2'x10" compressed bails for you for next to nothing. I used them for my first year of practice and they worked awesome! Good luck!
HuntinFool
Member
Take an old tire and then get an old feed bag and stuff it full of plastics bags and other plastic things. Position the feed bag so it fits well on the inside of the tire and then get two more pieces of burlap or feed bag or whatever else you have on hand and them position those so they cover the open part of the tires. Then you can paint whatever you want on the front. Now you have a target that is the size of the tire you used and you can roll it anywhere.