bag targets

[travisg96]

looking at getting a bag target like one from third hand and am wondering about filling. What is your choice of filling  for these? I was thinking of cellulose or blue jean  insulation since it compacts down pretty easy.

[Pine]

Shrink wrap works good , also plastic grocery bags .

[nek4me]

I feed birds all winter and save the reinforced bags seed comes in. A bunch stuffed into one makes a lightweight and surprisingly durable bag target. Would make a nice portable camp target where weight and space is an issue.

[30coupe]

I've got a Yellow Jacket target that I've had for probably 10 years. I replace the cover every year or two...needs it again. The insides seem to be made mostly of bits of cloth and the stuff my wife uses for quilt batting. It stops the arrows well and the stuff doesn't pull out very much. I may have to do a major overhaul the next time because the stuffing in the center has migrated outwards pretty badly, but I think it will be doable. As far as bag targets go, these are VERY durable.

I bought some Hurricane bags because they were cheap. I soon found out why. They were stuffed with what looked to be scraps of seat cover material...cloth bonded to about 1/4" thick foam rubber. The stuffing grabs on to arrows and refuses to let go, so you end up pulling large chunks of it out through what soon becomes a large hole in the target. Durability absolutely sucks!

If I were doing DIY bags, I'd do what nek4me suggested, but I'd probably use cloth on the inside for the most part. Go to Goodwill and buy up a bunch of cheap cotton stuff that nobody wants, cut it up a bit and stuff the bag. Depending on your arrow speed/construction, friction can make some of the synthetic stuff kind of melt around your arrow at do about what the foam rubber crap in the Hurricane bags does. DON'T use foam rubber!

   

[Red Beastmaster]

I have my Third Hand stuffed with medium wt clear plastic bags I got free from work. Shopping bags, old blue tarps (less grommets), bubble wrap, etc all work great too.

I never had good results with shrink wrap. It held the arrow like it was cemented. Same with heavy water softener salt bags. Too hard to pull out.

Cloth stuffing gets wet, heavy, freezes, and molds. I let my target out all year without issues.

[Trenton G.]

After I shoot the center out, I stuff it with old rags and such, then put another bag over top of it. Works fine.

I use soy bean seed crates, very stout nylon weave, stuffed with used silage black and white plastic, 48" cube.  I also get pellet bags from Vogel paints. same bag just 36" cubed.  All free, best bag targets there are.

[BAK]

Visit any local construction sites and gather up old poly.  Lasts forever.

[forestdweller]

Do yourself a favor and get a BLOB target. I will never shoot bag targets again, they are junk in my experience.

I've gone through a Yellow Jacket target in only one month of heavy shooting. N

ot only that but due to the material inside the bag some of your arrows will stay stuck in the bag crooked and if you are shooting groups this could lead to damaging your own arrows (I shot 3 of my arrows with the Yellow Jacket and it destroyed them).

The BLOB target is a little more expensive at around $125 BUT it has lasted me 4 months before my first pass through of very heavy shooting......

I'm 7 months into using the BLOB and just shoot at the corners now even though I could really use a new target now.

In my experience all of the mass production targets are over priced pieces of junk. I'd rather cut down a tree and use the stump as a target.

[JakeD]

I know it's not a DIY target, but I love my Rinehart 18-1 target. Lightweight, tons of sides to shoot at, and super durable. I got mine for around 120 and I won't go back to any other target. Well worth the money.

[kenneth butler]

For filling bag targets I like the synthetic cotton/fiber fill. Light weight,stops arrows,easy to pull arrows, and  don't hold water. One old curb side couch will usually stuff a fairly large bag.I buy the burlap at Hancock and sew up larger than average size feed sacks. >>>----->  Ken

[Recurve7]

I would stay away from any material that absorbs water. I have a " yellow jacket " target that stays outside year round. However, 95% of my shooting is with old Zwickey  broadheads and judo points I shoot in the ground. I'm a stump shooting addict! All shot scenarios are different.

[Recurve7]

I would stay away from any material that absorbs water. My son use to have horses, he would save the plastic feed bags for me as a filler. They work ok if you compress them TIGHT.  I have a " yellow jacket " target that stays outside year round. However, 95% of my shooting is with old Zwickey  broadheads and judo points I shoot in the ground. I'm a stump shooting addict! All shot scenarios are different.