Beside the hillside, you can found lots of objects to shoot, but most of them can damage your arrow and can wear out and break quickly. If you give your more valuable time to making a target, that will last for a few years. So, if you want to think about archery, the archery target is necessary, and without this part, you cannot improve your archery skill. To improve accuracy, you need to do more practice. Moreover, many hobbyist people and beginners neglect the essential parts of archery targets, like how archery targets make off? Or how can they select the target according to their needs?
Making Own Archery Target:
Material Needed
- Large Cardboard box
- Aerosol Polyurethene Foam
- Screws
- Drill
- Tape
- One piece of Board which will be 2 x 4 ft., 1 ft. long
- Two pieces of Board will be 2 x 4 ft., 3 ft. long
Method-1: Cheap Box Target
- Take a Large Cardboard Box: For this first method, you need to find a large cardboard box. To stop the arrows, the thickness of the Board should be 12 inches or 18 inches. You need to select 18 inches when you are using the high velocity of arrows or high weights. It would be good for the beginner to use an 18 x 18 inches target. While you are firing a compound bow or high-powered crossbow, this method is not for you.
- Stuff with Plastic Bag or Shrink Wrap: You can get the shrink wrap free from any store as they want to get free from this wrap. Otherwise, stuff it with plastic bags or other insulation foam. Pack more bags as you can inside the box.
- Close the Box With Tap: Now it’s time to seal the box with duct tape or packing tape. In this way, you can make this portable archery target with less cost and very few components.
- Test It: After finishing making this target, you need to test it. Place this target in an open area where no one is standing nearby. Try to shoot closer than you usually shoot, And make it the margin of safety. If you see that the arrow travels through the target, it will be ok for you, and you can realize that all the things are tightly packed. During targeting the shooting, use the field point arrowhead. If you use the broadhead arrows, it may break or impact.
Method-2:The Durable Target
- Place a Lumber Frame: Take a whole frame that has no front or backside. And try to use a 2×12 lumber frame to make the target deep enough to stop the arrow correctly. You can select the width and the height according to your choice but remember that doesn’t make it more extensive than a 3 x 3 ft from the shooting area to make it more portable. To increase this lumber frame’s lifespan, treat the Board with perfect weather protection or use the dry Board. For the sides, try to use a comparatively longer board and then extend them below the shooting area. It will be helpful for you to attach casters or raise the target, making it more portable.
- Cut a Hole: Cut a large hole from the top of the frame in the Board. After finishing the assembly, you can stuff the target through the hole.
- Join the Lumber Together: For practicing archery targets, you need to practice more. Screw the lumber together with the screws at least 3½” long. To get the extra heavy frame, you need to fix all the threads from the frame’s left and right sides. Try to tight them with the ordinary washer and the oversized washer and also the nut-like this way. Now it’s time to test the shoot; after finishing your first test shoot, tight again and join the frame together in place. At that time, use an extra-large washer to tight them.
- Faten with the Poultry Netting: Now, use the chicken wire to wrap both sides of the frame, and it will make the stuffing stays in place. Staple this chicken wire many times to the frame. Over time being the chicken wire will bulge due to the force of the arrows. You need to reinforce with three or four tie-wire of this chicken wire to reduce the repacking amount. This will be the week point of the target and most of the people’s nylon window screen materials. You can use the shrink wrap or other stuffing that comes from the mesh reinforcement; you can get more than one layer to the chicken cardboard.
- Gather kinds of Stuff: You need lots of materials to stop an average arrow. Go to the retail shop, and then you can arrange in bulk at some rag stores and used stores. From there, you can get shrink wrap, plastic bags, foam, and other packing materials; the Old cutting carpet is also operating in the depth of the frame. You can also use shredded rubber, an old blanket, and other spare fabricks. It would be best to use the cloths after removing the metal objects, button, zipper, screen printed fabrics, and materials that make the arrow stick to the target.
- Compress the Stuff pieces: Try to pack all the stuff tightly as you can and keep them inside the frame. If you found any gap, then push the scraps of old stuffing through the chicken wire. Now it’s time to compress your kinds of stuff with overweight items. After that, tie it down with a strap and tight as much as possible.
- Cover the Surface: The final step is to cover the shooting surface for making a good archery target. If the cover becomes old, you need to change it. So, it’s an occasional surface. For this, try to underneath this easily removed 1×4 planks item.
Method-3: The 3d Archery Target
Among the target’s various kinds, the most used and advanced target is the 3d Archery target. Making the 3d Archery Target will need lots of effort, skills, and time and you will be wonder if you know how to make a 3d Archery Target? Here I will show you some easy steps that will be very helpful for you to make your 3d Archery target-
- To serve the cover of the flat exterior, use some newspaper. Now place the turkey tape made with foam and cardboard on it. Use the spray foam to coat the cover on one side of the decoy and start creating bulk. Give almost 24 hours to dry the foam thoroughly.
- Now turn out the turkey tape and again use the other side of the decoy’s foam spray. And give another 24 hours to dry it thoroughly. Don’t hurry; maintain the thin foam layer, and avoid using thick foam spray. Otherwise, the whole process will ruin. Use some extra foam layer of the trap or decoy. Let it dry again. Turn it over again and put extra foam spray over the area. Let it dry until you are satisfied. And repeatedly do the process too.
- To make a stand, use two pieces of board parallel with one another. After that, keep a one-foot-long Board on the upper side and make an “H” form. After that, you need to fix them properly by using the screw and drill.
- Now use some screws and drill to fasten your 3d decoy. Keep it in the middle of the “H” form. It will make your 3d target stand up straight. This type of hunting is natural hunting. You can set this target on a tree stand and make it very realistic. It can make the real target game animal.
Advantages of Handmade Targets:
Now, you already know the three types of archery targets on your own. There are several commercial benefits of homemade archery targets, and they are-
- Personalized: The targets you found in the store are most of the time-specific sizes and shapes. If they do not have what you need according to your choice, the homemade archery target is suitable for you.
- Cheap: The cost of making the homemade archery target is very economical, and this is the main reason to make your target by your hand. It would be best if you had lots of cheap and recyclable materials for making the target, which is very affordable, and sometimes you get them without any cost.
- Disposable: The recyclable materials don’t need to take enough care of. As I already see that most of the recyclable materials have no cost at all. You can make your new target by using this through items.
All the targets are very light to carry, and you can set them by using stones from the range and in the wood. When you come to practice archery, one of the essential pieces of equipment is the target. Without it, you cannot practice on your own. To become a perfect archer, you need to practice thousands of shots. If you make your archery target on your own, you can save lots of money and make all things more manageable