# Diy target box



## Scott F (Jan 29, 2009)

I definitely need to make one of these. I've read in a bunch of places about folks using regular metal chicken wire instead of cardboard. It seems to last longer and will not damage arrows.


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

Cardboard is cheap enough..one fridge box will set you up for a years worth ;-)


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## letsgobowhuntin (Aug 4, 2009)

If you use chicken sure you can pack the clothes tighter. The tighter.....less penetration.


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

made a 30x30 for my neighbor


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## dustoffer (Jan 24, 2009)

I have a bunch of nylon netting--like a softball/baseball backstop--works great and no damage to even those "sensitive" carbon arrows. You can also use that orange netting they use as barriers around excavations-


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

my neighbor was soooo po'ed today..his wife gave the 5 bags of clothes he was going to use to goodwill last week.

timing is everything


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## OrangeBlood (Jan 12, 2009)

hrmm, why do you not cut out the back side? Do your arrows not penetrate that deep?


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## Red Cabomba (May 3, 2012)

Just made a similar target box out of scrap plywood - measuring 24'x24", 12" deep, and open-faced front/back. The following pictures show it standing beside the corrugated board layer target we finished a couple of days earlier.








I couldn't get chicken wire.. so I just improvised by crisscrossing baling wire at 2" spacing in front then covered it with burlap. 








At the back is 1/2"-mesh wire screen. Filled the box with cloth scraps (bought from a clothing shop) thru opening at top of the box.

The box has, so far, stopped everything we've shot at it.. including shots from a 150-lb crossbow at 5 yards. The crossbow arrows barely got 6 inches of penetration, and only took two fingers to pull out. Slim target arrows shot from 30-lb or less draw weight got maybe 4 inches in.. but we experienced an average 1 out of 5 bounceouts. Not sure if its because of hitting the wire, too tightly packed filling, the cushioning effect of the filling, or combination of any/all said factors. So for now.. we shoot at it only with the heavier draw bows and crossbow.

I've been toying around with the idea of putting a target face layer in front of the fiber filling.. maybe 4-6 inches thick (if only to hold weak shot arrows in place to be scored).. but couldn't quite figure out (yet) what to make it out with. Corrugated cardboard would be convenient.. but the holes would not heal and the board will soon enough tear open. Ethane or rubber foam would last longer.. but expensive. Now what if.. I put a 6-inch deep horizontal layered target face in front?


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

orangeblood said:


> hrmm, why do you not cut out the back side? Do your arrows not penetrate that deep?


nope..pull out real easy too..


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEwnadhHPX8


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## Red Cabomba (May 3, 2012)

How I wish we could shoot into previous arrow holes as you do. :greenwithenvy: It sure would make the corrugated board face last longer. As things stand with us, it would look like swiss cheese in very short order.


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

when it gets shot up i just make more dots...i don't really need rings..lol...

oven and fridge boxes are just a sears store away for me here ;-)


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

red cabomba said:


> how i wish we could shoot into previous arrow holes as you do. :greenwithenvy: It sure would make the corrugated board face last longer. As things stand with us, it would look like swiss cheese in very short order.


 lol...


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

Bump


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## DocGP (Jan 2, 2013)

I have some old Tyvek around. Would that make a good face? I would think it would be fairly self healing.

Doc


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## bowfishinokie (Aug 13, 2011)

DocGP said:


> I have some old Tyvek around. Would that make a good face? I would think it would be fairly self healing.
> 
> Doc


use two layers works great.


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

cardboard has a nice snap to it. ;-)


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## Myerselite6 (Dec 15, 2012)

HOYTINIT said:


> View attachment 1491061
> View attachment 1491062
> 
> 
> made a 30x30 for my neighbor


Is that all cardboard filler? Or do you have old clothes packed in behind? Nice target!


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## Myerselite6 (Dec 15, 2012)

Never mind I overlooked the very first post...


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## Killemquietly (Dec 3, 2006)

What about broadheads?


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## np205 (Jan 19, 2013)

X2 on how it deals with broadheads


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## dw'struth (Mar 14, 2008)

Any target filled with old clothes will not be fun to get a broadhead out of........


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

I use deer for broadheads...


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

and for when you want to shoot 44 mag on down..


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

bump


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

WOW it been a while..


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## HOYTINIT (Aug 28, 2012)

STILL KICKIN ;-)


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## Justintime99 (Sep 11, 2021)

Great info, thanks 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Swamp69 (Sep 18, 2021)

HOYTINIT said:


> MADE mine 13 years ago ...still kickin fine
> 
> most lumber yards can cut most of the wood for you if you don't have a table saw ect...you will probably have to cut the target hole though in the front piece
> 
> ...


That’s badass I need to get something together


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## M. Brown (Oct 14, 2021)

Great info


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## Goshawker1 (Aug 27, 2021)

OrangeBlood said:


> hrmm, why do you not cut out the back side? Do your arrows not penetrate that deep?


If the box is 30 x 30 and packed tight I don’t see why they would hit the back.


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## 15mitchmartin (Sep 15, 2021)

Feed sack stuffed with old clothes works 💯


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