durable targets

[vermontrad]

First off, thanks everyone for hanging out here and being so helpful, I haven't posted much but have read a lot of 'em and have learned much. A fantastic brain trust!

So, I am going broke on targets, just shot through the BLOCK I bought 3 weeks ago, I'm going to have to start shooting the corners. What do you folks use for target practice? Did ya build it? Buy it? What have you found that would last a while and not  break the bank? I'd rather buy arrows! I'm thinking about building something in the back yard and thought I'd get some ideas...

[adeeden]

Get you some burlap bags and shove them full of plastic sheeting, shrink wrap, or plastic bags. Pack them in there good use your legs and really push them in there. Then sew the top shut. This is cheap, easy and last a long time. When you start wearing big holes in it, simply slip another bag over the whole thing sew the top and shoot some more. Burlap bags can be bought at feed stores, gardening centers, hardware stores like menards there not to hard to find and usually are only a buck or two. Plastic sheeting can be gotten free most of the time from furniture stores. Ask the manager for some or check there trash dumpster! It is amazing how many shots these can take!

[jhinaz]

I use the same as adeeden speaks of....burlap feed bags stuffed with plastic. The only thing I might add is try to avoid using the "sticky" type of pallet-wrap that some stores use, because it  makes the arrows sticky and harder to remove. Also, if you have some shade-screen-mesh or some of the weed-prevention-ground-cover (mesh) fold it 4 - 5 times and put it in the center of the bag with plastic stuffed between it and the burlap....it will act as a super arrow stop. I made a frame out of 1 1/4" Schedule-40 PVC to hold my bag-target.- John

[bayoulongbowman]

Heavy feed or rice bags work great, but you need a commerical needle to sew it up!! Id love to see some homemade back yard targets!! how to's and pics also!      

[geno]

I guess you are using broadheads. I just bought a cabelas layer (Kinda like the block) wood on top and bottom. dont care for it. broadhead take chunks out but field points  work well.except when I hit the wood.I bought one of those $15 foam targets for field point and that lasted about 10,000 shots

[SOS]

My Morrel eternity target has been ticking on for over ten years - most of those with compound.  True it has been recovered a few times, have stuffed old pillow innards and wrapped it in burlap and plastic and whatever I could find, but it is still hanging in there.  A key to the bag targets is hang them so they swing and put a slab of plywood over them to shed rain.  Steve

[Bodork]

With some flat black spray paint and very little artistic ability, you can outline an animal midsection shape on the burlap. Gives you a 'kill zone' to shoot for.

[Stone Knife]

Joe and i just use hay bales and feed bags stuffed with whatever we can get, It's a good way to get rid of wal-mart bags. We take cardboard and draw the kind of game that is in season and have at it, their fun to make and shoot at. Did i mention cheap also?

[fxe]

I never hit the same place enuff to wear one out  

[jimneye]

Nylon feed bags over stuffed with more feed bags.
The farmers around here are more than happy to get rid of them, they really pile up.

[VA Bowbender]

Originally posted by adeeden:
Get you some burlap bags and shove them full of plastic sheeting, shrink wrap, or plastic bags. Pack them in there good use your legs and really push them in there. Then sew the top shut. This is cheap, easy and last a long time. When you start wearing big holes in it, simply slip another bag over the whole thing sew the top and shoot some more. Burlap bags can be bought at feed stores, gardening centers, hardware stores like menards there not to hard to find and usually are only a buck or two. Plastic sheeting can be gotten free most of the time from furniture stores. Ask the manager for some or check there trash dumpster! It is amazing how many shots these can take!

I use 55 lbs. PURINA DOG CHOW bags and duct tape, that way I don't buy anything at all but a roll of tape. You can see the bags in the attached image.
 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I'll share one i've used for broad heads and got a lot of milage out of....Those big foam blocks they use at moorages for house boats and docks....those suckers are 4 feet high & two feet square....ther run about 30 bucks and last for years....if you are anywhere close to moorage areas, espeacially a big river...sometime you can scrounge up used ones for nothing...they aren't as pretty as the new ones....but still work good....Kirk

[jacobsladder]

I'm using geotextile fabric stuffed with any kind of clean recycled plastic you can find...i make a 4 X 4 bag  and use hot melt glue gun to mend the seams... works really slick, is waterproof and last for a very long time... I might have all of 5.00 into it..check your local major landscape supplier or construction suppliers for the most durable fabric you can find... steve

[vermontrad]

Looks like the bags have it. I like the float idea KirkII, Easy removal of the arrows? I have a friend who services and installs most of the moorings on Lake Champlain, might be easy to get a used one. Thanks for the input guys.
Oh, and nice shot VAbowbender!

[DAS Kinetic]

The best thing I've found that is cheap and quick is the U-Stuff-It targets.  They are nice and big and last a LONG time.  They only cost $20 and shipping is low since it is basically just a heavy duty mesh bag with a velcro closure.  They have grommets for hanging.  Plastic bags like feed bags or pellet bags are great stuffing.  Another good source of clean plastic stuffing is the wrap that comes around lumber products.  Just go ask at any lumber yard and you'll get all you want for free!

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Yes sir REEEEEE The shrink wrap stuffed in feed sacks work great until the feed sacks fall apart......i had some out there 10 years old i hadn't shot much....used them for a back stop kind of.....when i went to move them...i had shrink wrap EVERYWHERE!!!!! What a mess!

when i went back to the feed store to get some new bags to put this stuff in, i asked for extra large bags this time.....Well this little gal brings me up this bag that was 3 feet wide and 6 feet long            

I didn't realize it was this big till i got back to the ranch.....My God! i had to lay the thing down and crawl inside the bag to pack in all the shrink wrap, and i didn't have enough....I had to go back to town and do some more dumpster diving for more shrink wrap to fill the thing up.....I should post a photo of this target guys...LOL! this thing is HUGE!!! i'll bet it weighs over 300 pounds too....i should get 10 years out of this one!

The only thing bad about shrink wrap targets, is ya just cant use em for broad heads....Have fun guys!   I am......Kirk

Kirk

[philil]

This one is an ols seasack (sp) stuffed with plastic bags and pieces of foam mattrass.
Lasts real long, just need tofind a bigger bag cause my groups are not always that tight, and my neighbour's garage is right behind  

[Izzy]

I used some left over carpet and rolled it up.Now I have a horizontal target,roughly the shape of a deer and its lasted me a yaer of everyday shooting with no ill effects.No good for broadheads though.

[dan ferguson]

I live in ranch country in Nebraska, something we found that might work even better than plastic bags stuffed is net wrap off of round bales. We have unlimited sourses of it. The arrows pull out even easier than stuffed plastic.

[Gray Buffalo]

Wood frame, Junk carpet and stuff it with plastic