I just bought my first bow, Mathews Z9 up at A1 in Hudson. And couldn’t be more happier with the service and knowledge I received from the team up there!! But now I have a problem, I ran out of funds to buy a target to practice with. Does anyone have any home made target ideas that they would like to share?! Something low cost that will last for a few months and with a little upkeep can last for about a year.
Hay bales work decently. Find a farmer with a couple of spare/old bales, tie them together, and place a paper target over the top. Otherwise, I have seen guys use many, many layers of cardboard held together by clamps and threaded rods. Kind of like a layered block target. Hope this helps. 
I know this Irish guy that would work good. Ever practiced on a moving target?
What about a cardboard box filled with that expanding foam sealer stuff?
Take a couple of burlap sacks, put a sack in a sack for a double layer and stuff it tight with rags.
The best thing I have found is to take a burlap sack and stuff it up with bunched up stretch wrap. If you have a business or factory around you should be able to get a bunch of it. They cut it off pallets of product they get shipped in. I actually bought some burlap and made a 36″ x 36″ x 24″ deep sack and it has worked great for a couple years.
Fill bags with clothes, pack them into a big box. But make sure it’s packed tight. 
1 Gallon Milk jugs filled with great-stuff foam.
One can of that stuff fills a LOT of future targets. 
Hey thanks for all your great idea’s! I like the foam in the milk jug, really cheap and I drink about two gallons of milk a week so there will always be jugs laying around!! Thanks for all your great advice, wouldn’t get it anywhere else but here on IDO!
thats a hell of a first bow. grats!
just make sure that whatever you use can keep up with the speed of that thing. otherwise you might be chasing arrows or pulling them out of hte side of your house!
A long term DIY target. Build a rectangular frame out of a 2x2s. You can build to whatever size works best for you. I’m making mine 36T x 36W x 12D.
I then take chicken wire and staple it to the outside of the walls of the cube frame. Make sure it’s tight to help keep it’s shape when you start stuffing this thing.
Now, pack this thing tight with old clothes, I mean really tight. It will take a lot of clothes. You can generally pick up large amounts at “Good Will” like stores for super cheap. Be sure to cut cut out any zippers!!
One of the last things to do is cover teh outsite. I’ve seen everything from clear poly to those cheap blue tarps. I’m also going to build a rolling stand for mine since it will be rather heavy.
Be sure to make the top so you can open it in the future and add stuffing or just pack tighter.
I’m sure you are thinking, will the chicken wire damage my arrows?? NO. It will not. I’ll get some pics posted when I get mine started after turkey season. I’m guessing I’ll have about $25.00 into this thing.
heres a link to the AT site and some pics on ideas for a homemade target… guys have been using clothes, old carpet pcs, and shrinkwrap balled up from the grocery store.
Another great DIY target is to get 4 pieces of all thread or pipe clamps like these:
Take and cut a bunch of cardboard the same size. Cut 4 lengths of 2x2s about 6 inches wider than the cardboard. Drill holes into the 2×2. Run your clamp/all thread through these holes. Now stack your cardboar into the vise you just created. Now tighten. Makes for a nice target also.
I’ll try to find some pics on the net. Easier to see than describe. 
With the price of milk, stop drinking milk for a few months and save up for a new bag target. LOL!
Quote:
Hey thanks for all your great idea’s! I like the foam in the milk jug, really cheap and I drink about two gallons of milk a week so there will always be jugs laying around!! Thanks for all your great advice, wouldn’t get it anywhere else but here on IDO!
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