Whats your favorite nonarchery target?

[Cyclic-Rivers]

When I was a kid me and my best buddy used to ride our bikes into town and went as many stuffed animals as we could from those Grabber machines X. We used to shoot them until all the stuffing couldn't be stuffed back in anymore

[A Lex]

I saw tennis balls mentioned. They would be a great target if I didnt have a labrador retriever. Tennis balls dont last long here.

Yeah, my Blue Heeler loves tennis balls too, but I think she loves archery even more. Now I just tell her "No, it's a target" and she leaves the ball alone and sits by me till I shoot. When I do whack the tennis ball though, she can't help it and tears off after it and brings it back.

Now, if I could get her to retrieve arrows.......................


Just remembered, I tried ping pong balls for a target, once. Useless. They just smash when you hit them.

Another thing. We often place a floro clay target in various places in our woods here at home, and then go back and "stalk" them. One shot allowed only. Miss and move on, and it's the next persons shot. That has been great fun, like someone said earlier, "Keeps me (and my boys) entertained for hours".

Best
Lex

[pavan]

I like butterflies, no point in harming the harmless.  I love to shoot dry milkweed pods.  They are reactive, and it spreads the growth of milkweeds, monarch butterflies need those milkweeds.

[A Lex]

I hear you Pavan, but the cabbage moths were a pest and were going to be sprayed with a pesticide the next week, so we didn't mind whacking the odd one or three.

Dollar store smaller stuffed balls were ok for a while, but my heavy longbow and blunts knocked the stuffing out of them in no time, literally. Hence my love for tennis balls. No bounce back with those and a heavy arrow, and they last well.

Might give golf balls a try next. They sound like fun.

Best
Lex

[pavan]

I shot one orange golf ball out of there air that was thrown hard my by me.  I had four witnesses.  The best shot that i ever made with that 89 pound Big 5.  I have never missed an orange golf ball that I happened to find out at the old country golf course, that was thrown by me and hit at about 35 yards out and 30 feet high.  golf balls do not make good targets, arrow deflection can be extreme, as in the case of the one that I shot.  I have seen some surprise deflections with tennis balls as well, okay for open fields, not so good for the back yard.   

[Bchunter1]

I bait my target with some peanut butter which brings in the ants which brings in the lizards to eat the ants . Lizards crap all over the pool deck so they have to go .


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[Hummer3T]

I love giant puff balls, when new hard and suck up arrow shock well, when ripe they explode like mini atomic bombs.  my ranch has many after hay harvest is off.

[fnshtr]

I second (or third) tennis balls and plastic golf balls. However, my favorites are small rubber balls from an old “ladder game”. I push bailing twine through them and hang them from low tree branches. The wind moves them slightly and they are a blast to shoot.

[DXH]

Ducks

[Trenton G.]

I like to hang a paper towel tube from a piece of rope in front of my target, then when its a bit windy, try to shoot through the center of it whenever it turns and is lined up with me. It's really tough to do, but a lot of fun at the same time.

[lablover]

Hedge balls.

[1Arrow1Kill]

I stick my broken arrows in the ground at differing distances and shoot at the feathers.  I hate throwing away broken arrows that I spent so much time and money making. 

[old_goat2]

Mole Hills are the most common thing I shot at I guess, if I'm taking a practice shot from the tree stand it's usually a leaf. Small shrubs, flower heads, Tufts of grass round out the balance.

[Gdpolk]

Bugs make for fun targets.  That said, really anything can light up my face.  I just like shooting.

[reddogge]

When I was a boy of 12 in the 50s I took an old pair of pants and shirt and stuffed them. I hung the scarecrow in the chain link fence gate and it became the Sheriff of Nottingham and received arrows from my Ben Pearson longbow. You see, the movie Robin Hood was big at the time.

[wood carver 2]

A good friend of mine has a lot of foam “pigs” that he got from gas pipeline works near his home. They’re used once and thrown out. They are 3’ x 5’ and 2’ x 4’ and make great targets. My buddy ties them to trees and spray paints dots and animal silhouettes on them.
They last for years and can stop an arrow from a heavy bow.
Dave.

[mcgroundstalker]

I shot at a hornets nest once..... Never did that again! 

[slowbowjoe]

"I stick my broken arrows in the ground at differing distances and shoot at the feathers."

I used to do this when I broke arrows stump shooting; just planted 'em where they broke. then it got too depressing roving the woods and seeing broken arrows all over the place.

[Gdpolk]

The bugs that I am able to hit.  In all honesty I shoot my bow almost like a kid with a BB gun when I take my bow shooting.  My favorite targets are really anything that challenges me and is acceptable to shoot.

[1Arrow1Kill]

"I stick my broken arrows in the ground at differing distances and shoot at the feathers."

I used to do this when I broke arrows stump shooting; just planted 'em where they broke. then it got too depressing roving the woods and seeing broken arrows all over the place.

Yah, kinda looks like an arrow cemetery.  Just remember to pay your respects and tread lightly.