Need Idea for Economical Trail Target

[Lost Arra]

To obtain plenty of plastic Walmart-type bags:

I've told everyone at my office to save their plastic bags and in two weeks I had a bunch. Once folks know you want them you will get covered up with them. It seems people feel "green" by saving them for you rather than trashing them.

[Barney]

You can get "lumber wrap" free from about any lumber yard. The stuff the lumber arrives at the yard with. It's great for stuffing bag targets just watch out for the staples.

[Overspined]

Just a hint to all! using the nylon feed sacks.

At the same place you buy them, also buy a burlap feed bag for about $1. Stuff the nylon sack, then slip the burlap sack over the nylon one. They last and last! and it is brown like an animal. I leave mine out all year and just spend about $2 replacing the outer burlap and nylon if needed. Usually I don't replace unless too many broadheads have torn them up. I am not suggesting broadhead use with them!

[GingivitisKahn]

Straw bails for the win.

I shoot 'em in my back yard all the time and as long as you keep them covered (tarp / shrink wrap) they last a long time.  If you don't cover - not that big a deal - they're cheap.

[Bowwild]

Excellent tips, especially on the sources of filler!

[faustus]

Well, here a more unconventional way ....

     

   

 
My property has been partially logged recently and the loggers left quite some wood behind. So with my chainsaw I cut some woodplates and put them up as targets. The wood is softwood (pine or spruce) and I am shooting these with Judo points.

I have now a course of around 25 targets that I shoot from time to time. We even had a little stump shoot a couple of weeks ago.

Cost? I used 6 nails (6 - 8 inches) per target, that's it ....

Now you will probably ask aren't the arrows going to break?
I am shooting a 55 pound longbow with wood arrows and a friend of mine shoots a 70 pound Howard Hill longbow also with wood arrows. None of our arrows broke because of hitting the target.
However, you really have to use Judos as a point. They will stick but not penetrate ... and can be remove easily. I have tried field points once and of course broke my arrows when I tried to pull them out ... ;-(

I am wondering if somebody has done something similar? I have never seen this sort of setup before .... The idea came to me while small game hunting up north ... and when I took practice shots with my Judo and I realized that the Judo sticks nicely in softwood ....

[Jeff Strubberg]

Feed sacks stuffed with plastic are the trick.

If you use heavier plastic than wally world bags or shrink wrap you will find your arrows are a lot easier to pull.  I get mine from the local furniture store.  Everything they sell comes wrapped in heavy gauge plastic and they have to pay to get rid of the stuff.

Fill em a little over half full, double the remainder over a piece of rope and secure with a few wire ties.  Use the rope to hand them from a tree branch and let 'em fly!

[amicus]

My favorite home-made target is a kids size basketball. You can shoot it right out of the box/bag until it flatens out then I stuff plastic bags into it and start shooting  it again. I like kicking it and then shoot where it stops or try to shoot it while its still rolling. My son used to kick it for me and I would try to hit as its rolling and bouncing along. Lots of fun.

[highpoint forge]

Grind down your field point tips or use blunts, and over-penetration is not a factor. Your targets will last longer too.

[BowHuntingFool]

I love the burlap bags stuffed with plastic bags, bubble wrap or shrink wrap. Easy to pull your arrows out, once it gets beat up just toss another burlap bag around it and your good for another year or two!

I spray painted and outline of a deer on my bag, works perfect and didn't cost me a dime!


 

[stickbow2442]

Bales of straw/hay...and use blunts.

[ChuckC]

Walmart sells 6-packs of 2 1/2" foam kids balls.  They come in colors and also a baseball look alike.  The white one is the toughest.  

Use a large nail or heavy wire, heated very hot and melt a hole thru each ball.  Run a heavy 4-5' cord thru each, tying several bulky knots at the bottom end.   Hang them from branches just off the ground.  Kinda make sure there is at least some little bit of backstop.  Use only blunts, to include hex heads.  Judos will rip them.  

The six pack of balls costs around 5 dollars.  

For more fun yet, they also sell smaller green balls for some kids gun ammo.  These are  maybe 1.25" diameter.  We call them bunnies and shoot from much closer.  

They also have foam baseball bats, which, when suspended vertically make a fun long distance shot.

Another option is to use wadded up old blue jeans, tied and suspended.
ChuckC

[Bowwild]

I never imagined there would be so many possibilities.  A lot of ingenuity on display here.  Thanks!

[virginiashadow]

Great post, I am going to make some new targets on Wednesday from some of these ideas. Thank you gentlemen.