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$10 target ready for season

catman529

catman529

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Just set up two $5 hay bales and spray painted with paint leftover from other projects. Won't last long but will last through the season. 6 targets to disperse the wear on the hay so the arrows don't pass through as soon. I used 1 hay bale last season so this is a redneck upgrade!

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Ready to be shooting a lot of arrows. Plan is to shoot accurate out to 30 yd but mainly shoot deer at 20 and under. Got a dozen Easton Bloodline arrows in correct spine, cut to length, fletched, and with 100 gr field points installed thanks to EnergyWave archery up in Hermitage. Already shot a few times with them and now ready to start getting good for deer season.
 
They will blow through eventually but I used it last year and it worked. Got a styrofoam block behind the hay to help stop the arrows.
 
If you wrapped a couple ratchet straps around the bales it would help tighten them up some but I don't see them stopping the arrows without a backer of some sort.
 
I think everyone's missing the "i did this last year with one hay bale" comment.

Looks good Catman! I think the styrofoam block behind it will help in the event it does go through.
 
I doubt that'll last, but it might.

Get a blob style target. I have one thats about 4x2.5ft.. my buddy owned it for ten years and shot broadheads through it. He got it for free. Its made out of refridgerater insulation.
 
catman529 said:
Just set up two $5 hay bales and spray painted with paint leftover from other projects. Won't last long but will last through the season.

Ready to be shooting a lot of arrows. Plan is to shoot accurate out to 30 yd but mainly shoot deer at 20 .
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If you plan on shooting a lot of arrows that ain't going to work. You need a Blob, Rinehart or a range bag.
 
I got a piece of old OSB board and threw it behind the bales. I dont know if last year's hay bale was packed better or what, but all my arrows got stuck into the OSB so bad I only pulled one out and was about to bust from sweating in the heat so I went inside and will have to pull them out later. :crazy: Maybe these bales of hay just aren't packed as tight. Will re arrange my setup. Can't afford a blob target but might have to get one of those hard packed foam type sooner or later.
 
I recommend a good bag target for field points. Delta Speed Bags are really good bag targets for about $60. The cheap layered foam targets will work but are temporary. I recommend a bag target for longevity and $$$.
 
I might be buying a boat soon and don't have $60 for a target. At the moment I just want to get through the season.
 
Catman, go to the hardware store and get some threaded rods to the size you need, nuts and washers to fit and a couple of 2X6's. Drill two holes near the end of each bale in each board big enough for your threaded rods to go and tighten the absolute crap out of them and it will stop an arrow, as long as you shoot at multiple spots. Hay bales by themselves won't stop an arrow for long, but if you compress them, keep them off of the ground (i.e. steal a pallet :) ), keep them from the sun and rain by a tarp or roof they will last for a significant amount of time. Our haybale butts at the club on our walk thru range get absolutely hammered and we replace them about every 2-3 years, but they are covered with nylon bag, are on pallets and each one has a full roof on them. A blob, would be much better option, but you have to operate within your means and that is understandable.
 
Compression method works much better than ratchets do, due to the limited amount of pressure you can apply before they bend/break. Big industrial strength ratchets would be better, but you can get a blob for what all of that will cost. :)
 
UTGrad said:
You can shoot for free at the new archery range in Franklin. It's an excellent place to shoot.
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Haven't heard of that, where is it?

TNDeerGuy said:
Catman, go to the hardware store and get some threaded rods to the size you need, nuts and washers to fit and a couple of 2X6's. Drill two holes near the end of each bale in each board big enough for your threaded rods to go and tighten the absolute crap out of them and it will stop an arrow, as long as you shoot at multiple spots. Hay bales by themselves won't stop an arrow for long, but if you compress them, keep them off of the ground (i.e. steal a pallet :) ), keep them from the sun and rain by a tarp or roof they will last for a significant amount of time. Our haybale butts at the club on our walk thru range get absolutely hammered and we replace them about every 2-3 years, but they are covered with nylon bag, are on pallets and each one has a full roof on them. A blob, would be much better option, but you have to operate within your means and that is understandable.
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Not a bad idea... I can get all the pallets I will ever need. Basically a huge pile of them up for grabs. Got a couple of them yesterday to use on the pallet wood ground blind I am building.
 
Those should work for a while, but you will probably see some arrows go through. I suspect you will tear up some fletchings shooting into your bales.

The most cost effective product I have found is the Target Bag sold by Third Hand Archery out of KY. It is a VERY heavy duty, self-sealing poly bag with a velcro top. It has a variety of target circles printed on the bag. You stuff it with rags, used clothing/bedding, etc.

They really work well and last several years. They sell for $25 or two for $45.
 
Archery range in Franklin is at the Ag Center off Long Lane. Turn left on Long Lane and turn right into the first Ag Center parking lot and follow the road to the top of the hill.
 

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