# Backyard shooting stand



## DaJester (Jan 9, 2009)

Put this together last weekend with a buddy, thought to share we you guys since this forum is a wealth of info, it seemed right to try to give back. It was constructed from treated 2x4's and the backer and roof is dog-eared fence lumber. The base is wide enough to drop a bale of hay on as added measure to prevent pass-thru on thinner targets. (sorry for the fuzzy photos)
Project cost just over $100, but since my buddies shoot too we split the cost.


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## Brock-ID (Apr 2, 2005)

Nice job! Looks like a place to add a bow hanger also if needed..:darkbeer:


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## DaJester (Jan 9, 2009)

I took an idea from a field bow holder and tweaked it a bit, I'll post some pics of that when I get back home...

Thanks...


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## bbtownman (Oct 28, 2008)

*flyer?*

Looks good!- I'll bet that flyer had a pretty solid sound to it huh?

I know that cedar is pretty soft, but will it damage the arrows?


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## DaJester (Jan 9, 2009)

I remove the 4 screws holding that plank, unscrewed the FT off the arrow and wiggled it right out. No problem at all...


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## grady3 (Nov 20, 2006)

*Shooting stand*

What kind of light fixture do you have up there in the top?


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## bbtownman (Oct 28, 2008)

DaJester said:


> I remove the 4 screws holding that plank, unscrewed the FT off the arrow and wiggled it right out. No problem at all...


http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=858463

I posted the above thread yesterday looking for some helpful advice. I will now change the back boards on mine to the cedar you used.

Thanks !


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## DaJester (Jan 9, 2009)

grady3 said:


> What kind of light fixture do you have up there in the top?


Its from Lowes (no endorsement to them, just easier to get in and out of than Home Depot)...










AmerTac
8" 20-Watt Xenon Under Cabinet Light, Nickel Finish

Item #: 283326 Model: XC315KWLUS
$17.98 

I can be daisy-chained or available in a 3 light model...


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## DaJester (Jan 9, 2009)

bbtownman said:


> http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=858463
> 
> I posted the above thread yesterday looking for some helpful advice. I will now change the back boards on mine to the cedar you used.
> 
> Thanks !


Not sure if its cedar, its the dog-ear lumber for wooden fences (treated).


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## elkaholik (Feb 15, 2009)

That's pretty Sweet, I like the idea of night shooting.


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## Jared Les (Jun 22, 2008)

Good idea with the light


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## superbuckeye (Dec 31, 2007)

Looks great. now you need to post a materials list and plans. :thumbs_up


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## DaJester (Jan 9, 2009)

I can probably put a plan together, would everyone prefer a drawing with cuts or pictures with measurements?

Let me know, happy to go either way...


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## TxHunter73 (Dec 17, 2008)

That looks great!! Good Job!!


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## EPLC (May 21, 2002)

Looks good but is that a house behind your target butt?


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## DaJester (Jan 9, 2009)

EPLC said:


> Looks good but is that a house behind your target butt?


yup...


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## young_bull44 (Jul 21, 2008)

looks nice man!


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## DaJester (Jan 9, 2009)

Thanks for all the comments! Hope someone can build and use it....


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## Tenpoint TL-7 (Jan 23, 2006)

DaJester said:


> Thanks for all the comments! Hope someone can build and use it....


I live in the city and I'm not allowed to shoot my crossbow.  You're idea looks great.


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## Ringtail (Jul 18, 2007)

DaJester said:


> yup...


looks to be a swimming pool area....I would stack some hay bales behind that hanging target....just in case


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## Les K (Apr 2, 2008)

EPLC said:


> Looks good but is that a house behind your target butt?


That's the same thing I was thinking! I have a similar situation, urban shooting along my side yard at 18 meters. I have a 6 foot high cedar fence in back of my target (a 2' X 2' Block Elite mounted on a stand), in back of that and separated by about 4 feet is another 6 foot high pine fence, and on top of the inner fence I popped a 2 foot wide piece of plywood giving me a total of about eight feet tall of protection and I STILL feel uneasy about shooting there. 

It's not an aiming miss or a flinch/trigger punch shot that I'm worried about; I've never missed the block with a high shot let alone hitting the plywood, but I _AM _worried about equipment failure or something else. I've heard on other forums about loops breaking, nock failures sending the arrow _ANYWHERE_ which I've actually experienced, accidental touch of the trigger when you're not quite ready which I hate to admit that I've also done, string/cable failure causing the arrow never to be found again, I've even heard at my local shop some people talking about a guy that got stung by a bee at full draw that caused a garage door kill! All kinds of things could cause a real problem. 

I'm thinking of ways to build myself a "shooting shield" so that it would be virtually impossible for an arrow to be sent flying through the neighborhood unless it were intentionally aimed almost straight up. If I can get this done, I'll post pictures. 

I would urge DaJester to think about what could happen in the event of _EQUIPMENT FAILURE_. It's not the aiming I would be worried about, I'm sure he never misses his intended target. 

By the way, someone asked about the cedar fence damaging arrows. I can tell you that cedar can destroy X-10's (arrow fell off of the rest on a oly recurve) and can certainly crack Carbon Tech Cheetah's (that thumb release has no safety!).........


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## hunter_orange13 (Jan 2, 2009)

i made something like that, and it is a horrible time to sight in your bow IMO. cause when i hit wood, it bent my arrow, and kept my tip and insert, and the nock flew off cause of force on impact. idk if mine was cedar or what tho.


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## DaJester (Jan 9, 2009)

I appreciate everything said, all very valid points. We built it low for that reason, we use hay bails also (we never shoot at the wood directly), when we draw we draw towards the ground and then raise up and we don't usually shoot on windy days. Safety was a big concern for us, but we feel that with our equipment checked before each shoot and as much observation for safety as we can there is not much more other than not shooting at all.


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## TLong (Jan 12, 2009)

Les K said:


> That's the same thing I was thinking! I have a similar situation, urban shooting along my side yard at 18 meters. I have a 6 foot high cedar fence in back of my target (a 2' X 2' Block Elite mounted on a stand), in back of that and separated by about 4 feet is another 6 foot high pine fence, and on top of the inner fence I popped a 2 foot wide piece of plywood giving me a total of about eight feet tall of protection and I STILL feel uneasy about shooting there.
> 
> 
> I'm thinking of ways to build myself a "shooting shield" so that it would be virtually impossible for an arrow to be sent flying through the neighborhood unless it were intentionally aimed almost straight up. If I can get this done, I'll post pictures.
> ...


What about making something like a batting cage type setup, with some type of padding on the sides to contain the fly-aways, yet long enough to shoot that 18-20 meter shot?
Just a thought.


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## shooter22 (Apr 16, 2005)

*Pics with measurements*


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## Les K (Apr 2, 2008)

TLong, 

I've been thinking about how to build something, and to really prevent an arrow from flying really high, I'm thinking that it will have to be something mounted fairly close to me. Let's say it's a piece of plywood mounted somewhat high but only a few feet away from my shooting position. Obviously, the flat piece of plywood would make it impossible for an arrow to fly through at that angle. Depending on how large the plywood is, that would be the amount of protection that you would have. All I need is a mounted tall post, A piece of plywood, and perhaps some hinges so that I can swing it out of the way when I go to retrieve the arrows or when I'm finished shooting. 

Let me try to explain it better and you might have a better mental image: In the Army, we were taught about effective "fields of fire" when setting up a position. It is picking a position that is as free of obstructions as possible. If there is a big tree or rock on either side of you, well, you would have no shooting access for many feet or yards when it comes to shooting downrange. Your bullet would hit the tree or rock. You have a restricted field of fire. 

Another image: Applying the same principle-Let's say that you are a sniper in an urban situation. You are in a room with a window and your target is across the street in a bank office (a greedy bank CEO that has just fleeced your account-just kidding here and I hope that you're not one). Well, you're not going to be right up to the window where everyone can see the muzzle flash. You are taught to be well back from the window, where the room itself will act as some limited sound suppression, as well as hiding the muzzle flash. But think about what that does to your field of fire. The closer that you stand to the window, the larger that your field of fire will be. If you're back far enough into the room your field of fire narrows accordingly. Your bullet cannot travel through the walls accurately. 

I would apply the same principals. I would be intentionally restricting my field of fire in the upwards direction, and my hope is to build it cheaply and easily. 

Sorry for such a long response, but I wanted to be as clear as possible, and hopefully someone else might have an idea for something simple and effective. 

Les.


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## DaJester (Jan 9, 2009)

shooter22 said:


> *Pics with measurements*





















Materialsall treated lumber)
10 - 2" x 4" x 8'
15 - 1/2" x 6" x 6' dog-eared fence 
1 - box of 2" drywall screws
1 - box of 3" drywall screws

If you have a mitre saw or table saw the cutting will go quicker and a power drill for all the screwing.

Oh, one more item, a buddy to help hold and flip this thing around. I built the base frames and roof frame (both have same measurements) at the same time then assembled it. By the time I was done I would same it well over 100 lbs.

Feel free to ask any questions.....


BTW, I know the shooting bag is hanging there but we *do not* shoot at the bag at that level!! Maybe that is what has most concerned. Its too high up on the stand to shoot safely. We hung it there to help settle the stand and check that the roof is supported.


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## themoneyshot$ (Oct 4, 2006)

I totally understand everyones safety comments and they are valid, But i sometimes wonder if maybe it gets a little overboard. The whole "You'll shoot your eye out" mentality. Not everyone has a local range or back 40.


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## Les K (Apr 2, 2008)

cokedrinker said:


> I totally understand everyones safety comments and they are valid, But i sometimes wonder if maybe it gets a little overboard. The whole "You'll shoot your eye out" mentality. Not everyone has a local range or back 40.


That's true for me; what i finally build will be certainly overboard but where I live here in Orange County, CA it's pretty much a non-hunting, non-weapon friendly area. People don't understand, and I need to be ABSOLUTELY sure that NOTHING will happen. I have about the same safety margin as DaJester when he sets a target on the shelf of his stand, but I'm just trying for some extra insurance in the event of some catastrophic failure of my equipment, or some other unforeseen event. I do have a range/pro shop within about 10 miles, but the hours are VERY limited. They don't open until 11, and they are closed Sundays and Mondays. Saturdays are very busy, mostly hard to get a lane, so I do need to shoot in the yard. At least my side yard is flanked by my house on one side, and a 6ft. high block wall on the other, with about a 5ft. wide lane all the way down. I just need something better for that UP direction...

Les


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## shooter22 (Apr 16, 2005)

ty that is just what i needed. going to get the compound miter radial saw going


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## leemovie (Feb 26, 2009)

great stuff. I'm keeping this post as a future reference.


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## peeps30 (Mar 9, 2009)

Fly-Aways???? I've had one in my 16 years of shooting and that was my own fault for adjusting my stinking release tension. With proper maintenance YES maintenance of your bow and equipment you should minimize the possibilities. Very nice idea. The light is a great idea. Would love to have that after a cookout or something. Besides.....I have a neighbors wood garage to stop my arrows. LMAO (just joking btw)


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## dan50 (Jan 27, 2009)

if you put a piece of carpet double hung behind the bag target it might help with the flyers


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## jp1 (Mar 15, 2009)

Thanks for the dimensions. Looks great!!


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## trophyhunter20 (Nov 1, 2007)

looks great. Not a bad idea.


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## Waknstak6 (Dec 27, 2008)

I love the light after dark...looks great!!!


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## DaJester (Jan 9, 2009)

Thanks for all the great comments! I use this thing almost everyday, it was well worth the effort...


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## deertracker (Aug 4, 2006)

themoneyshot$ said:


> I totally understand everyones safety comments and they are valid, But i sometimes wonder if maybe it gets a little overboard. The whole "You'll shoot your eye out" mentality. Not everyone has a local range or back 40.



Not picking on you personally, but I've heard the same comment over and over about this issue. Just because you don't have a local range or back 40 doesn't mean you can shoot toward your neighbors house. I'd sure be pissed if my kids were playing in the backyard with someone next door shooting in their direction. Yes the odds are low that anything would happen, but it's still not worth it IMO. If you wanted an archery range in your back yard, you shouldn't have bought a house in the city or in a subdivision.

The stand looks nice and looks like it's well built though.


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## mike 1980 (Feb 9, 2009)

Does it have a beer holder??


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## Brad66 (Jun 7, 2008)

Not everyone has the freedom to pick where they live, I live in an apartment in town because its what I can afford, I have a small garage and am planning how I can safely shoot in there. If you live in the country and you have the ideal range with all the backstops thats great but I wouldnt hesitate to use this target holder to shoot at. I wonder if a guy was to make a little shelter thats like 10 foot long by 5 foot wide or whatever you want, then you could stand towards the back and even if you had something go wrong it would hit the side or top of this shelter and would stop the arrow. If anyone has a problem with it and its legal in your neighborhood to shoot, I would say THEY should be the ones to relocate. 



deertracker said:


> Not picking on you personally, but I've heard the same comment over and over about this issue. Just because you don't have a local range or back 40 doesn't mean you can shoot toward your neighbors house. I'd sure be pissed if my kids were playing in the backyard with someone next door shooting in their direction. Yes the odds are low that anything would happen, but it's still not worth it IMO. If you wanted an archery range in your back yard, you shouldn't have bought a house in the city or in a subdivision.
> 
> The stand looks nice and looks like it's well built though.


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## TMall (Mar 20, 2010)

Very awesome :darkbeer:


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## deertracker (Aug 4, 2006)

Brad66 said:


> Not everyone has the freedom to pick where they live, I live in an apartment in town because its what I can afford, I have a small garage and am planning how I can safely shoot in there. If you live in the country and you have the ideal range with all the backstops thats great but I wouldnt hesitate to use this target holder to shoot at. I wonder if a guy was to make a little shelter thats like 10 foot long by 5 foot wide or whatever you want, then you could stand towards the back and even if you had something go wrong it would hit the side or top of this shelter and would stop the arrow. If anyone has a problem with it and its legal in your neighborhood to shoot, I would say THEY should be the ones to relocate.


I guess we can agree to disagree then. If my kids are playing in the back yard and someone shoots a bow and arrow toward them with just a ceder fence in between, you can bet your last dollar they won't be shooting it for long. At least not in my direction. Just because you can't afford something doesn't give you the right to infringe on someone else's rights.


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## jlnel (Dec 22, 2009)

cool


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## scotty624 (Jul 26, 2009)

wonderful stand jester, i've been wanting to build something and i'm starting to lay this all on paper now, just one question, can you leave your target on the stand during any type of wheather or would i have the modify your design and make it a solid no gap roof, "front door" and sides with no gaps as well?

Thanks in advance,
Scotty


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