Archery Target

[munkinstein]

So I got around making a target.  It's very, shall we say, utilitarian.  I got an old pair of jeans, cut the both legs at inside seam and then sewed them both together at the sides and bottom to create a long cylindrical bag.  I then stuffed said bag with old fabric and clothes that I don't wear.  The problem is that the arrows are not penetrating the thing at all.  My bow is 52 lb at 28 inch flatbow and I'm firing 478 grain arrows with field points at it.  The arrows are going pretty fast and I'm drawing the bow to 29 inches, which is my draw length.  I figure the target is just too darn solid.  Also I've tried firing from about 10 yards and even then still no cigar.  There is a small chance that I have stuffed the material too tightly as well.  So my questions are as follows:

What could I stuff it with that would work, I was thinking plastic bags or industrial cling-wrap? and, what have you found useful for making targets?  I will eventually buy a proper target but not right now.

[Olanigw (Pekane)]

In my experience, you'd get better resuts just stuffing a cardboard box with your scraps and clothes.  are your field points bouncing off the jeans or just not penetrating very deep?  Pics would be helpful.

Denim is surprisingly  tear resistant. it's like a natural kevlar

[Slackbunny]

I've heard that plastic bags work really well, and they're probably the cheapest option. I'm interested to hear what others have to say here as I'd like to make my own target once the snow clears up.

[Olanigw (Pekane)]

Another option is to take corrugated cardboard, cut it into 6-8 inch strips with the grain going lllllllllllll, and roll them pretty tight into a big wheel, taping as you go.
Stack cardboard strips and compress somehow.
wooden frame, carpet, stuff with scraps, foam, whatever.
Pillowcase stuffed and wrapped in duct tape.
Goodwill throw rug cut and layered.
Stacked memory foam mattress pad.

The world is your oyster.

[Christian Soldier]

My archery budget is pretty slim. I bought a single hay bail from my local hardware store for $5 and it lasted nearly 2 years; then I just bought another one. 

That's my suggestion, you can also make a target out of pretty much any hard container (like a box or a gallon jug) and then fill it with "Great Stuff" spray insulation.

[Pat B]

I've been making bag targets for years from feed bags stuffed with plastic grocery bags. This bag will stop any target point and the arrows can be pulled with 2 fingers. It can be used with broadheads but you will have to push the point and arrow through the target because it gets hung up pulling it out. Be careful if you do use it for broadheads because they can zip right through the bag target.

[PrimitiveTim]

I like all these ideas!  I've just been using a cardboard box packed with dead grass.

[Pat B]

Everyone has hundreds of plastic grocery bags at home so all you need is a burlap or other feed sack and you are in business. A few years back I set up a simple 3D cuurse here on my property using burlap bags filled with grocery bags. I hung them horrizontally from tree branches just off the ground. The burlap bags I used when stuffed were about the size of a deers body. When it was time for a shot I'd decide which way the deer was moving  and pick a spot right where its boiler room would be and let loose.

[lostarrow]

Pat B +1            Plastic feedbags stuffed with grocery bags makes a great all weather  target that can be left outside year round!

[Pappy]

What Pat said,it works great.
   Pappy

[bow101]

sometimes if you hang out at construction projects you will see scraps of Styrofoam been thrown out.

[H Rhodes]

I know my solution won't work for you fellows that don't have a lot of room, but I put a round bale of hay on a pallet and put a piece of tin on top of it and have been shooting the same bale for more than two years.  Takes up space and hard to move if you don't have a tractor, but you will have a target that will last you a long time that doesn't cost much.  I shoot almost every day and this bale is still going strong.

[Slackbunny]

Just yesterday I made a little target out of a plastic bag that I stuffed full of wood shavings from my current bow in progress, and then wrapped in duct tape.

[crooketarrow]

  I've did a coupe times.
  Folded it up a old wool blaket sewed the sides up stuffed with plactice ans sewed the top shut. Practice tips go between the woven wool. Last a surprizing long time.
  Better to get a judio and walk around unknown yardages alot better than shooting across the yards. REALLY DEVELOPES THE HAND EYE,BRAIN TO SHOOT UNKNOW DISTANCES.

[bowtarist]

I've got all sorts of targets around my place.  Some bought, but some like PatB said.  We used to raise chickens, so I would take the feed sacks and roll them up and stuff them into another feed sack, then tape the top, when the front was shot out, I'd stuff the whole thing down into another feed sack.  You can also go to the recycling center and get the plastic grocerybags and do the same thing.  There is a nature preserve on a lake near my house, in the spring I go to the West side of the perserve and look for dock floats that have been blown there from the past winters storms.  I've found two that are really sweet and work great for shooting @.  I also have an old lawn chair recliner pad, from one of the long wooden lawn chairs that I folded in thirds and painted three circles on, it works great for stopping arrows and I like to use it for the long shots, I take it to my neighbors field and set it up at like 50 to 100 yards and shoot three at a time @ it.  What's the big deal if your arrows don't stick?  Less work pulling in my opinion.  I also shoot a lot of blunts and judos at random stuff, flat soccer balls, basketballs, make sure they arn't holding much air, tennis balls, milk jugs full of foam insulation.  I don't like cardboard so much because if you shoot through it, it will tear offf your fletching, milk jugs w/o insulation and beer cans will all do the same.  Good luck and have fun, sounds to me like your jean target is a good start, though. dpgratz