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DIY Archery Range/Backstop Pictures & Ideas

Archelk

Active member
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
188
Location
New Mexico
I am looking for ideas on ways to set up a personal DIY archery range with good back stops. Lets see what all you have!
 
I just rebuilt mine, its in my shop but has casters on rear too make it easy to move. In winter can shot 15ish yards, once warm open garage door and postion as wanted and let it fly. 28" bag, the 2 foams are strapped down to keep from moving, when i leave for bow hunts i grab 1 of foams and go. Backstop is a sheet of osd $12 cut to about 6'6"? tall everything else is scrape lumber and casters are off a old toolbox. Gives me good place to put all my swag stickers.IMG_20230215_154923.jpg
 
I bale of cotton works well and is cheaper than you may expect.

Several layers of used carpet hung over an old swing set works as well but isn't as easy on arrows.

Hay bales stacked stink, but a big round bale is alright.

A pile of sand ain't bad neither.
 
I made up a simple wood sawhorse type deal with a Morrell bag target roughly 24" square that hangs under it. Easy enough to set out in the driveway or lawn and shoot at whatever distance I want, then bring back in the garage when done.

No need for a big backstop behind it so long as it's safe beyond the target. If you struggle to keep arrows in a 24" target, stay close enough that you can always hit it, and don't start backing up until you are sure of yourself.
 
4 bys and rubber workout mats that I had laying around.
 

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Local 3-d bow shoots around me use hot tub covers. They Stop arrows well. No idea where they got so many but I don’t ask silly questions
 
Don’t have a pic handy but mine is a stall mat fixed to the fence with a hot tub cover (the neighbor was going to throw out) in front of it. Stops any of my wayward shots in a heartbeat!
 
I just rebuilt mine, it’s in my shop but has casters on rear to make it easy to move. In winter can shot 15ish yards, once warm open garage door and postion as wanted and let it fly. 28" bag, the 2 foams are strapped down to keep from moving, when i leave for bow hunts i grab 1 of foams and go. Backstop is a sheet of osd $12 cut to about 6'6"? tall everything else is scrape lumber and casters are off a old toolbox. Gives me good place to put all my swag stickers.View attachment 264952
Surprised the HT mob hasn’t jumped all over your ass for the Kifaru sticker.
 
I do t have pics right now but I made my current ones out of carpet we took out of our house. Cut pieces and stacked then ratchet strapped tight. Built houses out of round posts and pallets with aluminum siding roof. Staggered the two 20yds apart for caring ranges can back up from there. They work great.
 
Horse stall matts are great. I used strips I lucked into screwed into the axe throwing board the previous owner left at our house. One cool trick for horse stall matts, is to have the bottom of the mat lay slightly on the ground curving away from the target. I've used old carpet as well but shooting modern compounds the arrows are so fast they can melt the glue remaining and be a pain.

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I just make sure that I hit the target. If I’m shooting 50 or 60 yards then I will aim at the center circle, that gives me room for error in all directions. I rarely hit the little black circle at 60 yards but that’s way beyond hunting range for me.
 
Also if you shoot a stick bow you can also rock this in the house. It's safer because the arrow is so much slower, more risk since your are more likely to miss one day. My wife is a big fan🤣

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