Any moving 3D target ideas

[Coonbait]

I've been tossing around a winter build project for me and my boys. We have a slide wire deer target but it's a pain to pull it back up the hill. And you almost need two people. I want to build a target that follows a rotating path. Possibly with an electric motor that runs a rope around pullies with a 3D target underneath. I have an auto repair garage with a small machine shop so building something usually isn't the problem, the idea sometimes is though! If we get some ideas I'll try and do a build along to it.
Credit for ideas will be posted with build along this winter.
GLENN

[MikeS]

Our club rigged up a couple of garage door openers that we hang a couple of targets off for an indoor shoot.  They don't move too fast, but we make sure the window of opportunity is narrow, so you have to shoot at the target in just the right spot.  Sometimes we hang a Reinhart ball on one of them that catches on a stick so that when it comes out from behind the barrier, it is swinging wildly.  
mike

[Bjorn]

We have a 'running pig' that covers about 25' at whatever speed the guy holding the rope wants. I would describe it as an 'interesting project' that needs a better execution.

[Coonbait]

I,m looking for something you turn on and it runs until you turn it off. Like a toy train.
Glenn

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

Originally posted by Coonbait:
Like a toy train.

I would say that something of this nature would be your best bet.  A type of stand built on a trolly that would run on a track.  That may be a bit expensive to try to build though.  As far as something hanging from a rope or such, it would only be able to go back and forth due to the way you would have to hang the rope.  The hangers would get in the way of the pulleys going around.  It could hang suspended from a rigid type of track but I would think that would be even more labor intensive and costly than the train type track on the ground.

If you had a small type target like a rabbit or raccoon you could buy a big remote control truck and modify it, or make some type of pull behind for it to prevent damage on arrant shots, then it could be a challenge for the guy shooting and the guy operating the target.    

[john fletch]

At the North American Longbow Safari this year they had 'bunnies on a loop' - this appeared to be a wide wheel at each end with a belt (similar to conveyor belt but about 3" wide)  There were metal pads sewn or riveted to the belt and the bunnies were of closed cell foam with magnets on the bottom.  They stuck to the metal pad and went round and round the loop (about 15 feet of open shot).  When you hit one, they popped off the belt.  Travel speed was less than 10 mph.  Great fun - tough shot even at 15 yards!!!

Main drive was a 12 vdc motor on reduction belt to get the speed they wanted.  Ran on a car battery.  A non shooter would step on the momentary switch by the shooting line when the archer was ready.  Saves on battery to have the switch!

OBTW - they ran more than 300 longbow shooters for 2 days!!!

[Coonbait]

Cool idea John.
Glenn

[RedShaft]

a while back trad bowhunter had an article that walked you through a target thrower. you can make at home. was really neat. im sure someone remembers it.

[Kevin Winkler]

Glenn, I will have to stop at my clubs indoor range and take a few pictures, but we have a moving target that is driven by a variable speed drill. It uses 4 bicycle rims and braided nylon rope to drive a continuous loop. We hang targets from the rope and adjust the speed with the drill.

It works pretty good and is cheap to make. PM me with you email address.

Kevin

[BigJim]

I built a running deer target ofmostly odds and ends at the farm. First strung a cable between two trees (my cable is 200' long). mount target on pullies and hang on cable. eye bolts on either side of pully slide.
I then took an old bicycle and separated the front wheel from back and made brackets for each to mount separately. remove tires and wrap rope around front wheel mounted to one tree and back wheel mounted to opposite tree and each end of rope back to target. Removed pedals and mounted a tarp motor to shaft in sprocket. run wires back to batteries and toggle switch. I had to modify the rear wheel because it free spins in reverse. If you use a multispeed bike, you can adjust speed from time to time.
Super slick and run from a switch. It does take a little to work the bugs out.
BigJim

[Featherbuster]

We have a standing bear behind an outhouse door with a rope and bungee cord.  You pull the rope and have to shoot before the door closes.  I will try to see if i can find a picture of it.

[stickhead]

One of the most fun moving targets I have shoot was a turkey on the roost. You were in the top section of a ladder stand five ft of ground when you let the rope go he flies down and you shoot him on the fly.

[Whitetail Nut]

Redshaft I made one of those aerial target throwers out of an old clay pigeon throwers. It throws the 12 inch foam disc from 3rivers great. They go about 30ft high.

[Tajue17]

you can do a close line type setup with coated cable and then do a counter weight so it pulls the target slowly in a walking forward direction.

my buddy also did a garage door opener but he mounted it in a track and we then made a base to mount to the chain in the track and finally a small mckenzie deer would mount to that and it was pretty neet but very predictable.

nothing at all beats a small tire with a couple sofa cushings stuffed inside and then rolled down a hill in the woods,, it bounces and bangs into trees and its pretty cool.