Making archery range/practice place?

[FilipT]

This is something that has been on my mind for some time, but I never put plan in motion. Bottom line, I must have some place near house where I could regularly practice archery, otherwise it doesn't make sense to build and have bows but shoot them just occasionally.

I am looking for very durable way to secure the target, a some kind of protection from arrows and a good target.

My idea was to put two poles in ground that are couple of feet apart from each other and that between them suspend the target. Target would be suspended using ropes and they would never allow target to flap around and it would always stay in air, roughly in belly or chest height.

I am not sure though what kind of protection I could put behind the target. I don't want arrows to fly past the target and hide themselves in some bush, or worse, hit someone. The place I would make all this is near road. What kind of protection is cheap and durable?

Target is the third matter for discussion. What is the cheapest way to make a good target?

At the end, does my idea make sense and what do you use as a practice place?

[Stoker]

Suspending it is a good idea. For a target. Use a grain sack fill it with plastic bags. For a back drop suspend a old chunk of carpet over a rope or cable giving you two layers
Thanks Leroy

[DC]

Easy target is a plywood box with a heavy plastic tarp(or tote bag) face. Fill it with plastic bags. This one is 2'x2'x1'. Start collecting them now it takes a lot. The backstop is another thing. I use a stall liner but after a bit you start to punch a few holes in it and the arrows are hard to get out of them. You can buy ballistic net(I think that's what it's called) but it's pricey. I tried carpet but the arrows went right up to the fletching. If you are a good shot the backstop kind of becomes redundant unless you live next store to a playground or school and then you should shoot the other way.

[Hawkdancer]

Straw bales stacked 4 high between 2 end posts, and covered with 7 mil construction plastic will work.
Don't miss, don' need a backstop .  The carpet is good, heavy canvas tarp will work draped over a rope.
Hawkdancer

[FilipT]

I figured that backstop would be most expensive piece of equipment here. I'll try not to miss then LOL. The road in question is very rarely travelled by foot, is about 90 feet far from my supposed archery place and has not much traffic, I live in a village after all.
Backstop was supposed to actually prevent arrows stucking in grass behind target. Regarding its possible prevention of someones injury, arrows can't possibly travel that far in horizontal line to injure someone I think?

Stoker and DC, you gave me good ideas for targets. I prefer DC idea more, because I could make hinges on that plywood box on which I could suspend it, or even some handle to carry it around.

[Eric Krewson]

If you are going to building bows you might as well build a proper archery range.

I built this one about 15 years ago and have used it enough to be on the 4th bag target cover. I shoot at all the little spots around the target and not the center. The target is double sided and I get over two years per side out of it.

The pressed wood on the right side is a target holder for my rifle and pistol shooting.

I put 4 pressure treated posts in concrete and made the roof and side bracing, the roof is shingled. The big Morrell will never wear out. I have two layers of carpet hanging down to stop high arrows and an old bag target to stop low shots. I wanted my target to be at eye level and not sitting on the ground. The bag hangs on two hooks in the frame and has a cross support across the base to hold it firmly.

My total cost for everything was probably around $100, the bag was one that was used in a big IBO tournament, I bought it used.

[FilipT]

Your place is similar to idea I had except yours is much more good looking haha. I think I'll just go for two posts in concrete. I'll try to make protection against low flying arrows similar to yours.

[Strichev]

I have a target with a single tube in concrete that acts like a sleeve for the other tube that supports the target so that it can then be rotated as deemed fit. The target is set in a wooden frame, covered with felt fabric and stuffed with industrial refuse felt. It's on pretty uneven terrain and I can turn it around when practicing from various elevations.

[FilipT]

What about filling box with pieces of cardboard instead of plastic bags? Also instead of plastic bags, using trash can bags which are much larger and fluffier?

[Strichev]

You could go all medieval and create an archery butt made out of soil. Cover it with a roof and make sure there are no stones in it. The arrows might get dirty though.

[FilipT]

Hell no. No place nor enough soil for that.

[GlisGlis]

What about filling box with pieces of cardboard instead of plastic bags

it will work but cardboard is much more affected by humidity and it will worn out faster.
In the center your arrow will penetrate more and more easily

[DC]

Also instead of plastic bags, using trash can bags which are much larger and fluffier?

You want lots of plastic in there, the denser the better. Put a hole in the top the size of your foot so your can stand on it. If you go to a place that recycles plastic bags you can usually get lots.

[FilipT]

What about filling box with pieces of cardboard instead of plastic bags

it will work but cardboard is much more affected by humidity and it will worn out faster.
In the center your arrow will penetrate more and more easily

True but I would remove target after every use and put it somewhere dry, so there is no reason for humidity. Anyway, I'll try to obtain large amounts of plastic bags like DC.

[mullet]

I've seen targets made of flattened cardboard stacked on it self and compressed tight with wood or weights last for years here in Florida with a small roof over the top.