Say what you will,but that target will play a long time. Used to be a Block target was a bit over $50,then finding one under $100 was hard. Now ? Who the hell knows. It's to the point where we all are going to have to go back in time and make our own backstops. Instead of using hay or carpet strips, we now have some great resilient foams to choose from.
Good idea. I've done something similar. ! built a target using the same basic idea, except that I took used empty cardboard boxes from the store. I also cut them into 1 foot x 2 foot pieces, and stacked them 3 feet high. I also squeezed them together with wood. Works great! And when the pieces gets worn out from being shot in the same spot, I just replace them with another piece. There will always be cardboard available from the store. Happy hunting! 🦌🦌
Yea man! I still have it and it’s still going strong. I had to replace the 2x4s on the bottom cause they rotted. Use pressure treated wood this time so it’ll be good forever now. -Mark
I was thinking about using these foam mats to make a target but I haven't found anyone else who has done it so I was afraid to. Now I see you've already done it. Thank you very much.
made one myself but cut the mats into thirds, arrows go about half way in at 70lbs but i have never had one pass through. its also a good idea to put some spikes on the bottom as you can stab it into the ground and it wont tip over
I built this basically the same way except I used 36inch all tread and nuts on either end. and it's been solid for 2nyears. Broadheads, field points, whatever I throw at it, they stop. It's an excellent design.
I’m waiting on my mats to arrive today, I ordered 3 boxes at right at 88.00, I am planning on using it for recurve, compound and crossbow, I have a smaller block for crossbow, but need something larger for distance, hopefully all works out well
Arrows pull out easily. Yes you could use broadheads but it will chew up the target faster for obvious reasons. You could use for a crossbow but I would not cut the sheets in half so you have more depth to stop those ultrafast bolts. -Mark
Great idea and useful tip. Just got into archery...today. by the time i bought my bow and arrows. String wax. And a target...well i was scared to come home. Definately hid the receipt. Gonna have to tell lies...haha. seriously tho. Targets are expensive. But seeing this gave me hope because id like to have multiple targets. I happen to build houses and we have alot of insulating foam cut offs laying around all the time. Wonder if your idea and the insulation will stop a crossbow arrow?....i bet we find out! Haha
Thanks for doing it 1 year apart. Watching someone making a food plot for 15 minutes of video with no follow-up is a complete waste of time. Tractor Supply sells a large 4×6 3/4" floor mat that people buy for many projects. Turns out u can make a great backstop for longer 3D shooting out of 1 of these mats. It would be great to combine both DIY builds. I've been making the 4mm arrows for about 4 years now. They r very tough & easy to get a FOC advantage with. 😅
It’s not necessary to cut them, it was just a way to get more bang for the buck cuz I didn’t need it to be so deep since my arrows are not penetrating that deep. That said if you’re shooting 80lbs u may want to just keep the stack uncut. What you definitely don’t want to do is shoot at the flat side. Cause when I do that, every arrow is penetrating every tile, so when u get a workout hole in the middle you need to buy a new set, but by stacking them and shooting at the side, whenever you get a worn out hole, you can just rearrange them to create a new untouched spot in the center. You’ll get way more out of your target if you do it this way. -Mark
Yes, it takes it and stops them well, but since it is a layered target it would quickly tear it up. But if the goal was to use it for broadheads you could stack them on their side so you shoot through the layers not between them.
I use an old double mattress behind my target, to slow any shots I might really screw up , cover it up with a tarpaulin when it rains. Last time I had a bonfire I slept out in luxury under the stars, perfect 👍
You didn’t watch the full video did you? I explain that I hate bag targets because arrows get stuck in them and never come out, and this target is way bigger so I can mess around with longer distances, and it’ll last longer since I can rearrange the foam layers when they get shot up. Block targets are lame. -Mark
awesome video, I'll probably be making my own too! how heavy is it? looking forward to the scouting content you were talking about. I finally got a couple permits for Matanzas WMA but I haven't hunted FL public in forever... almost got carried away by the skeeters 😅🤦♂️
Gotta git rid of them field tips buddy they are garbage ...... just get you some redular 100gr. tips buddy they are better . good shootin bud. Sweet target Ive made a few now since watching this video .
My vxr has a 75lb draw... kinda wouldn't mind if you could have someone with a Bow set to 75 could see if it'd still work? Cause I really want to do this.
Nice but my question is how they would perform with broadheads? Noticed you were using field tips. Broadheads always fly different than field trips and so if I'm sighting in before a hunt I would want to do so with the broadheads I will be hunting with Which are the montec G5. Be nice to see you test with broadheads
It takes broadheads fine but they will damage it and eat it up faster. I usually get it sites i and practice with field points and then send a few broadheads to get sighted for a hunt. -Mark
I see pool noodles ending up everywhere except the pool, lmfao!! This is honestly a great idea compared to spending multiple hundreds every year on new targets. Just curious are those floor mats dense enough to tune broadheads?
Lots n lots of comments have asked the same. In fact. I’ll be checking the flight on some new broadheads I got this week. So make sure you are subscribed, I’ll put a short video up about shooting broadheads at it. -Mark
Did you think about using the boxes with the foam as they came in, just like that? It seems like the cardboard would add some compression and although the arrows go straight into the foam compared to going along the layers, it seems to me that this would be the most cost effective and easy way to just shoot at a target, don't you think?
That could work, but I think you get more bang for your buck by cutting them in half and stacking them. Get twice the surface area for the cost of 2 2x4s and 2 ratchet straps -Mark
Yea it’s not though, I just have short forearms. If I bring my elbow down I can’t contact my anchor points. Typically you’d be right but some people are shaped funny. -Mark
Question for you: at 14:21 you mentioned you had shot at the target for about a year, maybe a thousand arrows. Did you have to take the target apart and rearrange the mats during that time? Or did it go 1 year and 1000 arrows without rearranging mats? I have a 10 year old son who got into shooting compound bow a little over a year ago. Now my wife has caught the bug and they shoot together. I'm looking for a good idea to make them a large target block to shoot at home instead of driving to the nearest archery range, which for us is about a 1 hr drive down the highway. This is the best idea yet!
I think I shuffled it once in that year. I still have it and I’ve shuffled it another time. I don’t shoot at it as often anymore cause I was given a big professional range target (4x4ft) and I shoot at that a lot because I like shooting long range but I’m probably up to like 2000 arrows now and it’s still going strong. -Mark
Pretty good, pretty good. Have been looking at different examples for the past year, and this one rates right up there. Lightweight I would imagine, so I can move it and mow easily.
Loved watching your video, well done! I have a question though: you never showed how difficult it is to pull your arrow out of the target. I'm a petite female and that used to give me a difficult time with certain targets.
It’s easier than any target I’ve ever used it’s comparable to pulling arrows out of a rinehart 3D target. You should be fine! Let us know if you build one. Curious to see what you think. -Mark
You don’t actually have to crank it down tight. It’s just to hold the pack together. You can crank it real Tight with the straps but it doesn’t make it stop arrows any better.
No but I probably should! It will probably stop them fine but if not I’m sure it would if you didn’t cut them in half and just left it as a 2ft deep target
I was doing bad math. The 1/2" mats were only about $110. I made this target with some changes. I used two pieces of lumber, each 23" long, to "sandwich" the mats. There are two rachet straps the cinch the sandwich tight. It will be very simple, tool-less, to replace mats when needed. There is about 6" of arrow penetration. It's a very safe and self-repairable alternative to store bought targets.
It’s still taking arrows like a champ. I ended up having to replace the 2x4s cause they eventually rotted because I didn’t use pressure treated wood. But it’s been like 4 years of taking arrows and it’s still going strong
Great video. I was wondering if you could tell me about how thick the sheets were after you tightened them down with the straps. I'm trying to do the math of how many I would need to buy to make the size target I want but I don't know how much height is lost from tightening them; it looks like not much at all from your video but I can't tell.
@@SwampNStomp Awesome, thanks a lot. I really appreciate all the details and long term results you included in this video. This is definitely the most effective and easiest DIY archery target I've seen. I can't wait to start shooting my Bear Super Magnum 48 Recurve. I bought it years ago after my Bear Grizzly got warped, but I never got to use it because my disability (optic nerve damage) stopped me from shooting. Thank God I've recovered enough that I can try shooting again; can't wait to pick it back up!
Yea but if you only shoot broad heads at it it will Tear it up fast. For broadheads you would be better off turning the sheets on their side so you shoot through them not between them
