My yard keeps eating arrows.....

[JGBowman]

Howdy Folks!

My wife and I just bought our first house. Its tucked in the Pennsylvania woods and there is always deer, bear, and turkeys in the yard. You guys and gals would love it!

One problem. I have no backstops to position my archery targets in front of. When I miss they go sailing into the woods. I don't miss that often but when I do I usually smoke a tree or its lost forever.

I was thinking about getting hay bales or just an over sized block target. I wanted to see if any of you have a similar problem and what you came up with.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jahvette20]

A frame with a rubber stall mat or 2 works well as a backstop.

 

[JGBowman]

A frame with a rubber stall mat or 2 works well as a backstop.

I am shooting 70lb mathews halon 32 with FMJ and 100 grain tip. Will that rubber mat stop the arrow?

 

[Elk97]

I am shooting 70lb mathews halon 32 with FMJ and 100 grain tip. Will that rubber mat stop the arrow?

yep

 

[A.Hutch]

Hell next time I need some arrows, I'll just look in your yard.....



Hutch

 

[WYCFM1]

A cotton pillow hanging from two corners will stop your arrows


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[WKR]

I use hay bales and high density foam

 

[CentralFLMike]

Since I shoot from an elevated position 99% of the time, I climb up on the roof and shoot at cheap beer coozies that I scatter aroud the yard. I use the same broadheads I hunt with, only with old/dull blades inserted.

 

[Ten Bears]

I built this, it stops most of what I fling at it.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Another vote for a rubber stall mat. I bought a 3/4" thick 4'x6' mat at Tractor Supply and hung it behind my target. I shot a lightweight (380 gr) field-tipped target arrow out of a 28"/70# into the mat at 10 yds to test its effectiveness, and it stopped the arrow with about 8-10" sticking through the mat. It's a bit of a pain to get the arrows back out, often requires a combination of tapping on the front end with a wooden block while pulling on the back end, but it sure beats digging through the grass (usually to no avail). I probably could've gotten by with a 1/2" thick mat instead of 3/4".

 

[87TT]

I bought one at Tractor's Supply too and before I could hang it I Found to Heavy duty ones that blew out of or off of a truck or trailer. I hung one between two T posts behind the old hay bales I was blowing through and they at most penetrate a couple of inches. Most times they are stuck in the FP or bounce off. When they penetrate, I wiggle them a little and pull them straight out with two hands and my leg against the mat.

 

[TSAMP]

All above is good advice. I also bought a cheap metal detector which finds lost fmjs well. Its paid for itself many times over.

 

[Wrench]

Fill a garbage bag with plastic wrap and grocery bags. It'll stop anything and when it's shot up.....put it in a new bag.

 

[JustJustin]

Did anybody mention that it helps if you hit the target???





Actually, I've been in the same situation. I can testify to the performance of the shrink wrap/plastic bag idea; that works well and I've shot with someone that stuffed a large cardboard box full of shrink wrap and used that for shooting dots. You will need to compress the shrink wrap somewhat.
Back when I shot a 10 year-old bow and Walmart arrows I stuffed a box with old clothes. It was very effective. I did remove most of the metal from jeans so it wouldn't scratch points. Just make it as big as you need it.
I think stuffing a pair of overalls (like 50x34's or so) and hanging them on a frame would also be effective, and fairly original.

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[Maverick1]

As mentioned above a cheap metal detector is useful. Finding a lost arrow or two also helps to offset the general practice that arrows are sold in half dozen increments.

 

[Rob5589]

Hay bales. Cheap, biodegradable, works on broadheads.

 

[GoDawgsGo]

I built this, it stops most of what I fling at it.

View attachment 189772

That's a really nice setup you have there!

 

[mlgc20]

For my backyard setup, I just went to Home Depot and got a standard 4’ x 8 Sheet of plywood. Cheap and effective.

 

[5MilesBack]

I am shooting 70lb mathews halon 32 with FMJ and 100 grain tip. Will that rubber mat stop the arrow?

It will probably stop the arrow, but it will also most likely cause some problems to your FMJ's as well. I tried some FMJ's several years ago at our club when they had Pacific Target butts with those heavy rubber stall mats on the back side of them. Within 3 weeks the front 6-8" of those FMJ's wobbled like crazy.

 

[Gmark]

I do target practice at a place where I can't setup a permanent backstop and it would be impractical to take it with me all the time so I have resorted to using lighted nocks - it made it so much easier to find the arrows if I missed the target. Worst case, I go back at night to find the arrows. It is a bit more expensive but depending on the cost of the arrows, it could be a worthwhile option.