Backyard Archery Backstop Ideas

[bucksnbirds]

Do you have a link for the shade netting? Or at least let me know what HF stands for...guessing Harbor Freight?

Yes sir, harbor freight. It will be near the tarps

 

[butcherboy]

I’m actually going to buy a large sized excelsior bale. Had one years ago and that dang thing lasted forever! It gets even more solid when it gets rained on or even sprayed with a garden hose. I added some metal banding on it that I could tighten down once in a while when needed. The only reason I still don’t have it is because my neighbors cows got out and mistook it for a hay bale. They tore it to pieces.

 

[Alpine James]

Stall mats from Tractor Supply have held up quite well for me.

 

[insanelupus]

I bought 3-4'x6'x1" stall mats from the farm supply store a long time ago. I then ripped one of the mats lengthwise with a jig saw and layered 1 mat plus a half under the other half and 1 mat. Basically alternated the seam to have a double thickness 6'x6' backstop.

These were bolted together by sandwiching 3 pieces of steel strap 1/8" x 1 1/4" if I recall about an inch down from the top of the mats so the edges of the steel "bit/pinched" the rubber when bolted every 2" or so, I think.

I added chain links where I planned to hang it and suspended it from a swing set I bought that had the measurements I wanted and was rated weight wise for the set up, more or less. At the time, the swing set was already painted, made of steel tube, and cheaper than I could buy square metal tubing for to weld up. I just tossed the swings and hardware I didn't need.

It's a heavy beast. Neighbor had a Bobcat and helped me get it hung and all the ciphering and hole drilling more or less matched up. It's free swinging at the bottom and the second layer prevents over penetration.

Arrows are hard to remove, but a little dish soap squirted liberally and allowed to soak a minute works well for removal. Stops broadheads too with little damage to the arrow. But I spin the broadhead out before removal.

Were i to do it again, I'd use 3/4" mats, maybe 1/2" if i could find them. But I'd still double layer and let free swing.

 

[dlee56]

Finally finished my stall mat backstop! Welded up a frame out of 1.2” square tubing. I think I want to find a better way to hang the mat from the frame, the chain is a little sloppy and slides around too much for my liking

 

[Rchery]

Stall mat. Hanging from top.

 

[TheLoamRanger]

I also used a stall mat hanging from the top, and I love it. Nice build.

 

[Point Man]

Finally finished my stall mat backstop! Welded up a frame out of 1.2” square tubing. I think I want to find a better way to hang the mat from the frame, the chain is a little sloppy and slides around too much for my liking

Good idea. I need to steal a mat from my horse stall. I think I would build a 2x4 wood frame with legs and hang the mat from it. I'd rather a missed arrow hit the 2x4 rather then a steel frame.