# What Type of Target Butt do you like?



## red1691 (Jun 8, 2007)

I am asking about Butts for a Field Range, Me, I like the bail type wood shavings or grass! We now use Big Butts and Super Butts from www.pacificbowbutts.com They work great and last a long time. They hold the arrow straight as it enters the target, no sagging. I do not like cardboard butts, you can get some bad kicks at longer yardages, and in the olden days it would bend a lot of aluminum shafts! Rag butt have both good and bad, I think that rag butts are good as long as they are mantained on a regular manor, and have a good front cover to hold the arrow straight. Of course this is my thoughts, lets hear yours. thanks


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## pragmatic_lee (Jan 19, 2008)

Voted "other" - stacked, compressed carpet!


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

Of your choices....

Layered foam....Block Style targets.  As long as you keep the idiots from shooting broadheads in them they last a good while. 

Grass bales....Never seen them unless you are talking about the stuff that looks like hay that a lot of clubs have. Don't like it. If you keep it SUPER tight it's fine but they are a lot of work and you WILL get pass throughs the fastest with these bales. I wouldn't use them if I was building a new range.

Cardboard is ok...but not a favorite by any means. You can get bounce outs with cardboard. But I wouldn't use it outside either.

Rag targets....don't like those either. The arrows don't always go in at the same angle upon impact

Other....

Celotex or whatever board material you want to use....ukey: It works....but most of us hate scrapping arrows and they are a pain in the butt to pull arrows from. Skinny all carbons aren't bad....but everything else is a chore. 

Carpet....probably one of my favorites....very easy arrow removal. No pass throughs.  But as Jarlicker will tell you not a lot of fun to cut and build :wink:

I have a Pacific Bow Butt....I hear they last....but I have had two of the smaller 100lb ones and I started shooting through pretty fast. I got a replacement in less then a year. I still have it....but I would buy a block of some sort if I was to do it over....or the new SpyderWeb targets for personal use.


There are other materials out there....in Va and NC there are people using a rubber matt of some sort. I think it's a regional thing. As far as I know all of the material is coming from one place but the targets are sweet and much cheaper then everything else....other then carpet.

Here is a pic of one of the targets... I am sure one of the guys will chime in so you can get a better idea and look to see if you can find something similar


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## pragmatic_lee (Jan 19, 2008)

BH - those rubber target mats "were" a very good deal when they were first discovered - takes 3 per target (in most cases). When the locals first started buying them, they were $6-$8 each - now they are $30.

Still not too awful bad 3x$30 plus 4x4 posts and some washers and lag bolts.


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## jtmoney (Jan 14, 2009)

voted it would have to be foam


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

pragmatic_lee said:


> BH - those rubber target mats "were" a very good deal when they were first discovered - takes 3 per target (in most cases). When the locals first started buying them, they were $6-$8 each - now they are $30.
> 
> Still not too awful bad 3x$30 plus 4x4 posts and some washers and lag bolts.


True....but it's still cheaper then most of the other GOOD options.

$1350 for 7 range size Pacific Bow butts vs $630 sheets for 7 targets :wink:

Range Blocks $350 each or $700 Super Range Block

Celotex type material is probably in the same range maybe a little cheaper as the rubber....but more of a headache. 

I don't know how much the stuff is that they use on the Hill....but I would rather shoot the rubber targets.

Even when you factor in the work for carpet targets....it's still a good deal


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## Unk Bond (Aug 1, 2004)

I would like to see any bag type, have ears , on top and bottom.


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## rock monkey (Dec 28, 2002)

kjwhsfd did a ton of work on his club's field courses and they went with compressed carpet. the bales were manufactured. i know the company has a website, but i cant remember what it is. when i shot the course, the bales were very new and were a little difficult to pull from, they did loosen up on the second day.

celotex is ok, but make sure you dont use the coated type. no explanation needed for those that have shot into the coated board bales. uncoated will leave a residue on your carbon arrows, but if you use a lube, it's not all that bad.

excelsior is a pretty 'old school' material and it works, but it can be labor intensive. if not soaked in brine or sprayed down with brine regularly, they loosen up fast. small animals like em for winter nests, so giving em a good spray down with kerosene in late fall would be a wise idea.

whatever you use, please get a target pin that will hold. different materials need different pins.

excelsior, wire pins about 6-8inches long.
celotex and layered foam golf tees work great. long golf tees work better.
bag targets work good with something with some gripping surface on them. ring shank nails work great
on bales like the compressed carpet and compressed grass, like pacific bow butts, double headed nails work awesome. heavy duty enuff to not bent when you push em in.


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## Hidden Hippo (Jun 13, 2007)

Layered foam from those options.

Best bosses I've ever shot on were called Eleven. Brilliant durability, easy to carry around and easy to pull arrows from.


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## jtmoney (Jan 14, 2009)

ttt


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## jarlicker (Jul 29, 2002)

Like Lee said I love the Layered compressed carpet bail. So much so I cut up another 10,000 Square feeet of carpet today.


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## pragmatic_lee (Jan 19, 2008)

jarlicker said:


> Like Lee said I love the Layered compressed carpet bail. So much so I cut up another 10,000 Square feeet of carpet today.


Hope you had some help buddy. You know I'd been there had I not had "other" things to do this weekend. :shade:


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## GOT LUCKY (Apr 30, 2005)

*Yeahhhhh..... those Rag-Bag Targets...........You just never know what you might find when you try to pull out your arrows........*


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## Xtorminator (Jan 31, 2008)

I like the cedar bales the best. They seem to keep the arrows at the same angle as they were shot from.


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## red1691 (Jun 8, 2007)

*Layered Carpet.*

I have heard of layered carpet but I have not shot any target butts made from it yet! But with as many homes that get new carpet all the time and as long as you know a carpet installer, there should be a good supply out there!
Sounds like jarlicker know how it cut it up, 10,000sf in a day? That a lot of cutting! Hope he had some good help and a few cool :darkbeer: to keep them going.


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## Line cutter775 (Jan 15, 2008)

Unk Bond said:


> I would like to see any bag type, have ears , on top and bottom.


here ya go unk.....no ears on the bottom but on top. i would not buy this though, blew a hole right in the middle in about 6 months


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

Xtorminator said:


> I like the cedar bales the best. They seem to keep the arrows at the same angle as they were shot from.


Pretty much all the bales but the rag bags will do that....the Morrell range bags give you some kick. But we didn't have a problem with it at Nationals on the ranges that used them on some targets.

The only bales I have shot that give you funny stuff sometimes are the celtox type bales when they are new or have just been tightened. Sometimes not all the arrows go in the same depth.


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## psargeant (Aug 1, 2004)

Jarklicker's stacked carpet bails are the best...I voted other...


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## psargeant (Aug 1, 2004)

red1691 said:


> I have heard of layered carpet but I have not shot any target butts made from it yet! But with as many homes that get new carpet all the time and as long as you know a carpet installer, there should be a good supply out there!
> Sounds like jarlicker know how it cut it up, 10,000sf in a day? That a lot of cutting! Hope he had some good help and a few cool :darkbeer: to keep them going.


I doubt he had much help, but if you knew jarlicker you'd know he is a archery working machine...


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## WrongdayJ (May 22, 2008)

Out here in AZ most of the ranges use compressed carpet bails.

They are pretty tough. They stand up to the AZ heat and sun, and take a ludicrous amount of pounding. My home range has had some up for at least 2 years that I know of and they are still in pretty good shape. 

THey have started using these compressed cotton bails to try them out, but I don't think they are nearly as durable as the carpet. I know carpet bails are a pain to make, but they are probably the best bail you can make all things considered.


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## araz2114 (Jan 13, 2003)

How thick are the compressed carpet bales? I mean the individual pieces...
What do you use to cut the carpet?
How do you keep them straight? 
How do you keep it straight when building them. 

I am picturing something similar to the Celotex... We call it Ten-test in Canada. We use the "natural" stuff... not the tar coated stuff. Lube the arrows and you are good to go.

What other info can you give me for Carpet bales? I am trying to convince my local club to put in a field course..."fingers crossed"

Oh ya as far as what kind of butt I like... I don't like anything too skinny... just a little junk in the trunk is fine with me. and I like Rag targets for archery 

Chris


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## pragmatic_lee (Jan 19, 2008)

araz2114 said:


> How thick are the compressed carpet bales? I mean the individual pieces...
> What do you use to cut the carpet?
> How do you keep them straight?
> How do you keep it straight when building them.
> ...


Hang on - I should have some pix - I'll find and post.


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## pragmatic_lee (Jan 19, 2008)

Carpet is cut with just a utility knife in 2' x 4' sections. The carpet shown here has about a 1/2" pile. The individual pieces are stacked and then compress with all-thread rods. Expect about a 20% compression rate. 

Carpet stacks should have some type of roof for protection from the weather. This target has a back-stop since it is approximately a 30 degree upward shot - plus the pistol range is behind it.

BTW: my arrows are the green nocks/orange vanes - not a "pretty" 20, but a 20 none the less. :shade: And to vindicate Deon a little (2 arrows off the paper), I don't think he had ever even seen a target this close, let alone shoot 1. Took him a few shoots to figure it out.


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## bgriffin (Aug 14, 2008)

compressed carpet bails all the way. used them last year for my indoor range and they were great to say the least. will have 6 of them for this years indoor league. they are 4'X4'X12" and catch arrows solidly with easy arrow removal.


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## blueglide1 (Jun 29, 2006)

Excelsior bales.


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## pragmatic_lee (Jan 19, 2008)

bgriffin said:


> compressed carpet bails all the way. used them last year for my indoor range and they were great to say the least. will have 6 of them for this years indoor league. they are 4'X4'X12" and catch arrows solidly with easy arrow removal.


I always thought that 12" would be deep enough as well, but Jarlicker made all of his 24" deep. Of course with the all-thread, you can tighten them enough to stop the arrow in just a few inches.


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## feildfool (Jul 22, 2009)

*From the immortal words of Sir Mix-a-lot*

Oh my God
Becky, look at her butt
Its so big
She looks like one of those rap guys girlfriends
Who understands those rap guys
They only talk to her because she looks like a total prostitute
I mean her butt
It's just so big
I can't believe it's so round
It's just out there
I mean, it's gross
Look, she's just so......
:darkbeer:

Serious now, I prefer the kind of butts like they had at Mechanicsburg, PA.


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## Scott.Barrett (Oct 26, 2008)

I voted other....Laura Francese!!!!


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## feildfool (Jul 22, 2009)

feildfool said:


> Oh my God
> Becky, look at her butt
> Its so big
> She looks like one of those rap guys girlfriends
> ...


http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=5447375

Sorry, I couldn't resist posting this one.
:booty:


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## Jbird (May 21, 2002)

*Underlayment Material*

Does anyone know where you can get that stiff black woven plastic cloth that is tough as nails and used for highway underlayment? This is the material that many of the target butts at Watkins Glen are covered with.
Last for at least three years of heavy backyard use.
Jbird


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## jarlicker (Jul 29, 2002)

The carpet cut 12 inches wide will work fine, but will get shot up rather quickly and would have to be replaced once it is shot out. These 12 inch pieces would fall apart once shot up.
The 24 inch wide carpet can withstand a good beaten. These pieces will stay together and could be moved around the bail if a soft spot starts to appear.
I like the idea of being able to restack the carpet in different ways to keep the same material in use. I have bails that are over 8 years old and still going strong. I have not had any wear out yet. Just keep adding more material due to settling and keep tightening down the tension to keep the bails tight.
Stops all type of arrows well. Easy pulling all the time.


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

feildfool said:


> I prefer the kind of butts like they had at Mechanicsburg, PA.


Well that isn't much help....they had every kind of bale there is there but carpet....and there may have been a couple of those :doh:


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## medic75 (Feb 23, 2009)

The range that I go to has all new Bull Dod taget butts. There is covers on all of them so the sun stays off. Just have to get guys to remember to take them off lol. There is some where around 20 or so. 
Will try and get some pics up next week.


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## archeryis4girlz (May 29, 2006)

*Omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1*



Scott.Barrett said:


> I voted other....Laura Francese!!!!



LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

That is tooooooooooooo funny!!!

Thanks I needed to laugh...


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## Scott.Barrett (Oct 26, 2008)

archeryis4girlz said:


> LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
> 
> That is tooooooooooooo funny!!!
> 
> Thanks I needed to laugh...


My pleasure sweetie! Come back to Florida soon...Huntin' season starts in a couple of weeks....


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## archeryis4girlz (May 29, 2006)

**

I'm going to book a gator/fishing trip in sept.....i can't wait!

L


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## red1691 (Jun 8, 2007)

*Pricey Field courses some were!*

I see 53% of the folks voted that they like layered foam target butts for a field range! That is one pricey range, even if it is only 14 targets!
I know we are use Big Butts and Super Butts on our Range, It is a public range so we can talk the county into buying them, but all work and maintance is up to us!
I like the looks of Jarlickers carpet butts, used carpet should be an easy find, but I bet cutting that stuff is tuff and time consuming. May have to make one for my son Boy Scout troop, they want to start an archery program!


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