|
Post by LittleJP on Apr 26, 2011 1:05:05 GMT
So, after digging another one of my arrows out of the piece of wood I've been using as backing (also snapping 2 and losing the point of 1 in it) I'm wondering, how practical would it be for me to set up a sandbag wall to stop any missed arrows? It seems the best way to stop any arrows, especially I'm not sure where I can go to buy haybales.
|
|
|
Post by Ceebs on Apr 26, 2011 2:06:15 GMT
Sounds perfectly viable to me. Though my experience with sandbags and archery has shown me that they don't last very long. However that was with my War Bow so smaller draw weights and less damaging arrows would no doubt be better. I'm lucky to have a perfect 20 metre Butts set-up in my back yard.
|
|
|
Post by Bogus on Apr 26, 2011 2:11:18 GMT
Two reasons I wouldn't recommend sandbags: 1. Arrows poke holes in the sandbags, sand comes out makes a mess and you need more sandbags. Sure some archers use them, but I'm not really a fan of it. 2. When sandbags get wet they basically turn into bricks. It's one of the reasons they're popular for flood control--and a nightmare to clean up afterward. Pretty sure you don't want your misses going into a brick wall either. My personal recommendation would be to do the hay bale backed by a hill or berm, unless that just isn't an option.
|
|
|
Post by Major, Cory J on Apr 26, 2011 2:14:59 GMT
Arrow netting works or if you can make your own and cut down the cost
|
|
|
Post by LittleJP on Apr 26, 2011 2:32:39 GMT
Dang, looks like a poor idea then, especially since I'm using an 80# bow and cheap, easy to break arrows.
|
|
avery
Senior Forumite
Manufacturer/Vendor
Posts: 1,530
|
Post by avery on Apr 26, 2011 3:32:04 GMT
Not a good idea, using sand bags. If you can't afford archers netting, try a piece of old carpet as a back stop; hang it so it has a front and back. The trick to doing that is to make sure it's far enough back from your target so that you can pull the arrow out; if it penetrates past the fletchings or you push them through, it'll tear the feathers/rubber up. I've used an old rug for years as a back stop, mine is set about twenty five feet behind my target stand, bearing in mind that this is for longbow/recurve. When I miss, the arrow will often barely penetrate. With a compound back it up further, to about 40 give or take. My rug is 12' x 16' with the 12' section draped over to give a double layer of 6' tall by 16' wide surface area. Honestly, if you miss your target with that size of a backdrop, maybe you oughtn't be shooting. Oh, BTW, carpet remnants are sold for next to nothing, it doesn't have to be all one piece. I will add Corey is right, if you can get netting, it's worth it.
|
|
|
Post by LittleJP on Apr 26, 2011 3:48:30 GMT
Does anyone have experience with archery netting outside?
|
|
|
Post by Major, Cory J on Apr 26, 2011 5:37:51 GMT
Yes, I have used properly industry made stuff, but couldn't afford any for my own range, so my Father in law made some with material from fabric-land. Here is the "proper" net I used, it worked great, I just couldn't afford it at the time. www.3riversarchery.com/product.asp?i=4272XIf you make it yourself you will need a few things. Rope or cord to hang the net from Heavy canvas or such weight material to sew on the netting along the top Grommets, about 1 every foot or so. lots of netting, make sure its more of a tight afghan material and not "solid" cloth, or else even the slightest wind will take your back stop away... For the netting get more length that what you need. If you want a backstop to be 10 feet wide, then get 13-15 feet wide sections. You get more then you need, as you don't want your net sitting "tight" or "taught" as the tighter it is, the more the arrow will fly through it, you have to "bunch" it up a little so there is more surface area for the arrow to hit. Also I believe it comes (at least the stuff we got) in a width of 4feet, so get 2 of each length so you can sew them together and make it 8feet tall. But we also did a double layer as well, which we found stops the arrows much better. So if you wanted to do a 10x8 foot back stop you will need 4 lengths of 13-15feet x 4x. I hope this mini Tutorial helps you, but if you can afford it, the Industry nets are MUCH better, unless your using a compound then just forget it, the arrows just fly through it, even the homemade netting.
|
|
|
Post by Svadilfari on Apr 26, 2011 7:28:35 GMT
I've had success in the past just using an old length of free-hanging carpet a few feet beyond the target. Not very pretty, but if using standard target arrows, most times they either bounce off, or barely penetrate. Don't try with broad-heads, or high draw weight bows, though.
|
|
|
Post by LittleJP on Apr 26, 2011 11:10:08 GMT
Not stickly a compound, but a Grozer Turkich TRH at 80#, which clocks at about....I'm going to guess around 200-250 fps.
|
|
|
Post by chrisperoni on Apr 26, 2011 14:25:43 GMT
At my old house I managed with nothing more than a tarp tied at the top and weighted but loose at the bottom- this allowed it to sway and absorb the force, so arrows would be caught rather than pierce it. A sheet of heavy canvas works well too. (mind you my #'s were at about 3/4's of yours)
Hay can be bought at garden centres, Canadian Tire, some hardware stores.
Sandbags will be nothing more than empty bags with holes in them in no time.
Shooting into wood will shorten the life of your arrows quickly. Try making a target out of cardboard and styrofoam- wrap the whole thing in duct tape. The more dense you make it the better it will hold arrows in it (rather than letting them through) and it will not really damage the arrow too much.
Lemme look for the vid I posted with my makeshift portable target.... (btw- what arrows are you using- wood ones just don't last. For practice you should get fiberglass ones.)
edit/add: here-
It isn't pretty but it is cheap, easy to fix, does a great job, and can be hung on almost anything. You can make it big enough that it'd be pretty hard to miss. I usually don't bother with hanging netting or canvas anymore. All I do now is set up infront of my fence (just in case) then in front of that is a big box (5'x5x1' box some furniture came in), then the target.
Last thing I'd suggest is just don't miss! (see video)
|
|
|
Post by LittleJP on Apr 26, 2011 18:24:02 GMT
I'm using rather cheap carbon ones, at $7.50 a pop, it's not too much of a loss.
I'm most likely going to contact some farmers around here and try to get my hands on a few larger bales.
Not missing is hard once I get back to 30 yards or so though >.>
|
|
|
Post by Major, Cory J on Apr 27, 2011 0:57:28 GMT
Hmmm you could always go the way I went if your having trouble staying ON target... With that I'm good for 8'' (as long as the wind is agreeing) groups @ 90m. Getting better though
|
|
|
Post by LittleJP on Apr 27, 2011 1:15:17 GMT
I shoot recurve and instictive, actually, I snap shoot, bad habit. I actually have pretty decent groups until I shoot more than 40 arrows, by that time, my weakling arms start to vibrate and I start missing.
I've found a supplier for haybales, though I haven't gotten them yet, I think I won't shoot through them any time soon.
|
|
Sam H
Member
Posts: 1,099
|
Post by Sam H on Apr 27, 2011 1:28:01 GMT
As a backstop archer's netting is great. Hang it far enough back and you'll catch most arrows that go astray. Just make sure to keep it loose and not stretch it out. It is expensive though and not within the grasp of all archers.
Hay is a good old standby - however out of a higher poundage bow arrows can and do shoot through regularly. Either that or they get stuck inside the bales and then you have to deconstruct the bales to retrieve your arrows. Not exactly enjoyable.
Wood, sand bags, concrete, steel plates and stone are definitely NOT acceptable methods of stopping arrows without breakage. Don't use them unless you're prepared to either sacrifice arrows or rebuild your backstop constantly (sandbags).
Best idea - hay/straw bales in front of a berm or earthen barrier of some sort. The berm or barrier should be higher than the bale by several inches to prevent shooting over.
I like to use targets made of closed cell foam. This stuff can be purchased in large sheets off the web. Make sure to get the industrial grade stuff and not normal packing foam or your arrows will fly through easily. The heavy grade closed cell foam will provide an amazing amount of friction on the shafts of your arrows and unless you're loosing heavy fiberglass arrows from a 150# compound bow you're not likely to shoot through. This stuff though will lose structural integrity with continued use and eventually you'll have to replace it. Its what I like to use - but I use the cheap little targets that can be purchased from sporting good stores specifically for archery.
Practice how you will fight. In the area of archery practice how you will really shoot. That means if you intend to hunt/fight etc with wood arrows then practice with them. Same goes for any other type of arrow. Aluminum is the most common although carbon fiber is quickly becoming as common if not more common. Either are good shaft materials. Wood is very classic however if you don't make your own a dozen GOOD wooden arrows can cost you more than a dozen good carbon fiber arrows. They are also not as resilient so they can be costlier down the road as you need to replace them more often. Fiberglass is a decent alternative and very strong however they are most common among bowfishermen - they are strong enough to strike rocks and not disintegrate and carry enough mass that they have little deflection in the water. As an in flight arrow though the greater mass means a slower shooting arrow - translating into shorter ranges and in some minor way compromising accuracy at distance too. Bamboo is very traditional and very light - nature's carbon fiber shafts. They're not exactly cheap though (generally more expensive than wood) and not for the novice archer. That being said I prefer carbon fiber arrows. Even the cheap carbon fiber arrows at Wal-Mart will be fine for practice and hunting.
Cory - that's one hell of a rig you have there. Your stabilizer bar looks like its easily 3 ft long. Do you hunt with that? Do you find it difficult at all to walk through the woods with that? How about target acquisition and drawing while hunting? Your sight system is impressive too although I've never used sight systems on a bow so I wouldn't have a clue what to do with it. I prefer to draw, look down the arrow and place the point of the arrow where I think my point of aim should be.
JP - if after 40 arrows you're starting to fatigue it just means you need to work those muscles more. That's my case right now actually.
|
|
|
Post by LittleJP on Apr 27, 2011 1:35:13 GMT
I am pulling half my body weight . I'm actually doing a wood backstop to a bunch of haybales, hopefully, the hay will slow it down enough that it won't actually penetrate the wood? I'm using carbon arrows right now, though I prefer carbon fibre, though they are a little more expensive, and more rare to find in the stiffness I need.
|
|
Sam H
Member
Posts: 1,099
|
Post by Sam H on Apr 27, 2011 1:57:19 GMT
An 80# draw isn't so hard to find arrows for especially in carbon fiber. Just a point though I didn't know there was a difference between "carbon" arrows and "carbon fiber" arrows. I thought they were one and the same? Perhaps someone could enlighten me on this.
JP - I'm sure you know that having arrows that are too flexible for your draw weight it could bring about some pretty disastrous results. I've seen wood arrows explode just in front of the bow due to being too weak for the bow. Now though did you know that having arrows that are too stiff for your draw weight can adversely affect your shooting? An arrow flexes in the air as it flies toward its target. This is known as the Archer's Parallax. An arrow that is too stiff for the bow will fly off to one side or another. Typically in a right handed bow the arrow will shoot fairly consistently to the left. In a left handed bow the arrow will go to the right. This is not a constant though and will vary depending on distances and the difference between draw weight and what the arrow is rated for.
|
|
Greg
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,800
|
Post by Greg on Apr 27, 2011 3:11:49 GMT
JP, I shoot a 50# longbow against a normal "brick" of hay. I penetrate maybe 6 inches into it from 20 yards. So I think that the poundage and distance you are shooting, it shouldn't be a big deal to just use the small bales of hay. However, I did go to www.hayforsale.net and found that depending on what type of grass you buy, you can get one of tho's huge round bales for about 30 bucks. But if you are buying "hay" then it's upwards of 60. After I move to my new place, I do intend on getting one of tho's large round ones and not worrying about berms or backdrops. If I start missing that target all together, I'll just step in closer.
|
|
|
Post by Major, Cory J on Apr 27, 2011 4:10:04 GMT
I have killed the odd pest squirrel here and there with it, but I had another compound bow that was just for hunting, but I recently sold it to buy my first gun . The Stabilizer is a 28" Custom by JimPosten.com (made to match the bow "inferno" color scheme) The sight on there is actually different from what I have now. Currently I have a "field" scope on it with 5x magnification, so snap left or right shots are tricky, but this is a competition bow, for "spot" shooting, field Archery, FITA, and 3-D courses. I compete throughout Ontario. Its actually quite easy to shoot it. You just look through the "peep" sight that is in the string (little ring wedged in there) and put your "pin" in the middle and hit the trigger on your release. WHAM 10X! I also shoot Traditional, like stick and string, as I do like the challenge of hitting a target 50 yards out with no sights. Taking that target bow through the woods for 3-D shoots its kinda of a PITA, but I carry my Pro Bi-bod and just set it down while I'm waiting for my turn to shoot. Here is some Pics from my first compound tourney (last summer), I had only had my compound (my first one too) for about a week when I entered this tourney, managed to come away with 14th position (knocking 2 guys down the list who had been shooting for 30+ years).It was a "triathlon" event, meaning we did 3 separate disciplines, FITA (olympic style) Field (shooting at known distances in the woods at "Spot" targets), and 3-D (shooting at life-like animal targets, while estimating the ranges, a talent all to itself) This was also before I had most of my cool toys that you saw earlier, on my bow. Just a 1pin adjustable sight, and a small basic hunting stab. This was at the FITA range and we were shooting @ 70m. Doing the Field shoot, this was shooting down a ravine in pouring down rain @ 65m. (first picture is taken from exactly where I had to shoot from, if you look you can see the target way out there.) This was a glorious moment, my first perfect "12 ringer" in a round of 3-D. I believe I guessed this one to be about 35m or so when I took the shot.
|
|