What sand to use

[Bill Carlsen]

Dean: Last Spring I got a couple of truckloads of wood chips for gardening purposes. We have a small pile of them left and they do a great job as a broadhead target and the heads hardly get dull. A lot cheaper than sand and eventually they can be recycled in the garderns nest spring when we get another load.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

great idea Bill... I can get some mulch and do that...

[bootheeltechy]

Keep your eyes peeled when your out and about for local tree service or line clearance trimmers in your area. They chip all their brush and need places to dump and most if not all will happily accomadate you with a load of chips. Won't be as "clean" as landscaping mulch but it won't hurt an arrow either.

[Derwood]

Chris, that's what I have in mind.  The wood behind the target is for the roof.  I'm making it hinged so that it will swing up and lock in place for added protection.  But you are absolutely right, I need to do something about that gap on the left.  

Maybe I can hinge some side flaps on this thing and turn it into some kind of a Transformer toy.  One minute it's an innocent looking yard bin, the next a nifty sand target able to stop thousands of arrows.  LOL...

I also need to pretty it up a bit so it isn't such an eyesore.  I'm just happy that my wife shoots too.  She's only shot into it a few times, but loves it.  

Thanks for your input.  I really appreciate it.

[Dave Worden]

Our local Road Commission keeps a pile of wood chips available.  All we have to do is haul them.  Guess with gas prices what they are, it's not a free target backstop, but pretty close.

[doeboy]

be carefull diggin around in piles of wood chips....there arent many porta-pottys on tree job sites if you know what i mean....its embarrassing when you go drop of a load of chips for a customer to see a white tissues rolling out on there driveway! lol

[chrisg]

Good idea on the lid. 'Transformer target tank'!Nah, paint it nice muted landscape colours and stick a touristy blow up pic of the rocky mountains on the inside of the lid! I shoot against a twelve foot wall about twenty foot long, my arrows go nowhere except to the repair bench if I miss. LOL    
chrisg

[Adam Keiper]

Sand makes a fine secondary backstop, but is murder on broadheads and shafts with repeated shooting.  Stick a foam target, shot out hind end of a 3-D target, or even a straw bale in front of the arrows as your primary.  

Also don't shoot at the sand in winter.  Moisture turns it into a block of ice, which treats your arrows accordingly.