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Good Targets and Backstops

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Good Targets and Backstops

Postby Swede » 04 22, 2017 •  [Post 1]

Awhile back I was asked which archery target I preferred for practice. Well all of my practice is about quality targets. I have my favorites like everyone else I suppose. The picture below represents what all of my practice is about. The rest of that stuff from Cabelas, etc. is preparation for my favorite target.


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Swede's Preferred Target
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Re: Good Targets and Backstops

Postby Wahpeton » 04 22, 2017 •  [Post 2]

I shoot a cheap cabelas foam block target, it's about 16" square maybe.
I have it hanging in front of a backstop.
I made the backstop out of two 3'x5' horse stall mats side by side, so the backstop is roughly 5.5" wide by 5' tall.
I have all this suspended by a rebar frame. I can practice in the wind at decent distances without fear of losing arrows.
I'm doing a lot of shooting at 40, 60 and 80 yards. I've never shot an animal past 30 yards, but this practice distance has been fun.
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Re: Good Targets and Backstops

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 04 22, 2017 •  [Post 3]

I have one of the Rhinehart targets with replaceable core. I've only had to replace the core once in 2/3 years; they're pretty tough and I shoot both FPs and BHs at it. I like the idea of the horse stall mat backstop and have looked at building a larger backstop to accommodate the mats more than once. Right now, I just have the Rhinehart sitting in a wood frame I built with a couple layers of carpet surrounding the target. I normally don't miss that bad but if I do, the carpet usually slows the arrow down enough to where it's just a few feet beyond the frame ;) .

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Re: Good Targets and Backstops

Postby jmez » 04 25, 2017 •  [Post 4]

My targets change based on time of year. I shoot my bow every day that the weather cooperates. I use Morrell outdoor range bags for most of my shooting. I also have a Glen Del full rut target. As the season gets closer I do most of my shooting at the deer target.
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Re: Good Targets and Backstops

Postby lamrith » 04 26, 2017 •  [Post 5]

I have a Bulldog Rangedog target I picked up used last year, 36x36. Before that I had a Cabela's green and then a cheap foma box target, the BH just eat the foam ones up alive.

WapitiTalk1 wrote:I have one of the Rhinehart targets with replaceable core. I've only had to replace the core once in 2/3 years; they're pretty tough and I shoot both FPs and BHs at it. I like the idea of the horse stall mat backstop and have looked at building a larger backstop to accommodate the mats more than once. Right now, I just have the Rhinehart sitting in a wood frame I built with a couple layers of carpet surrounding the target. I normally don't miss that bad but if I do, the carpet usually slows the arrow down enough to where it's just a few feet beyond the frame ;) .

IMG_1951.JPG


Been meaning to ask you... do you ever have issue with bees/wasps building nests in that setup? I have considered building something like that myself, but wasps build nests everyplace over here.. I could see building something to house my 36x36 as the primary backstop, but then pickup a Rhinehart to put in front for BH shooting. I Need to do something so target not soaked and rot in our crap weather and I can leave it out to shoot anytime there is a break in rain.
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Re: Good Targets and Backstops

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 04 26, 2017 •  [Post 6]

Nope, no bee issues at all to date.
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Re: Good Targets and Backstops

Postby Heartwood » 04 26, 2017 •  [Post 7]

I've been shooting into a homemade target that I built from a post on archery talk. It is a plywood box frame, target faces have chicken wire and filter fabric cover front and back. The box is filled with old rags from the thrift store. 3 seasons and not a single arrow has passed through the back cover.
You do have to keep it out of the weather and repack the filling once in a while. Some guys build a small "roof" on top so they can leave it out. I leave mine in my shop and shoot at it through an open door. I think they call it a lifetime target on AT. Highly recommended and very cheap to build. I use a Rinehart block target for broad heads and at hunt camp.
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Re: Good Targets and Backstops

Postby Lefty » 04 26, 2017 •  [Post 8]

I have a 39x 44 inch compressed carpet . Been shooting in it for 7 years. Tossed our a few pieces of carpet . A bit of work,. but great and cheap.
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