Build Your Own DIY Archery Target
I absolutely love shooting my bow. Seriously. It’s therapy, and I know that each day I shoot my bow brings me one day closer to elk season. And elk season is just around the corner! One of the disadvantages of shooting my bow a lot is that I wear out targets. And targets are not cheap. Several years ago, I bought one of those big, commercial, 48″ x 48″ target butts like you see at the archery pro shops. I loved it. I wasn’t afraid to shoot out to 100+ yards, and I knew that even if I made a bad shot, my arrow wasn’t going to end up somewhere it shouldn’t be (i.e., it gave me confidence).
I shot that big target for a couple of years before it wore out…I couldn’t even guess how many arrows I shot into it. And when it did wear out, I decided to take it apart and see if I could rebuild it. Fortunately, I could…and I did! I shifted the internal contents of the target, replaced the sheet of cardboard that was used as the internal face of the target, and recovered it with an outdoor tarp. I was able to shoot both sides of the target, and it once again lasted another 2-3 years of heavy shooting.
Last fall, I noticed that my target was showing signs of age. Not only was it due for another rebuild, but the frame was starting to deteriorate and sag pretty badly. I decided I would build a completely new target – one with similar internals, but with a better frame. So, I did. Surprisingly, I spent less than $50 to completely build the new target…a target that sells for $400. And since I know I’m not the only one who likes to save money, I videoed the entire process, and I’m excited to share it with you. By the way, you don’t have to be a carpenter to build this target.
The target will stop any arrow, and pulling the arrows is so easy….literally, 1 or 2 fingers to easily slide it out. If you want a copy of the plans, click the link below the video, and I’ll email them to you so you can build your own DIY archery target! And let me know what you think of the video in the comments below.