How to DIY Archery Targets | Homemade Archery Target

Putting together a homemade archery target is a rite of passage for archers. Once you have a bow and arrows, the next logical step is finding something to shoot! It’s not just beginners who get creative in the backyard, either. Plenty of seasoned shooters prefer their own designs, and there’s a certain rustic charm that you can’t get with store-bought targets.

Once you know how to craft your own archery target, you have a skill you can use for life. You’ll save some cash, and you could even turn your hobby into a business if you’re the entrepreneurial type.

Here are four easy ways to DIY archery targets.

1. Make a Makeshift Backstop With Bales of Straw

If your goal is simply to give your arrows a place to land, a stack of bales of straw should do the trick. That said, it’s extremely important that you proceed with caution, as one or even two bales may not be adequate to stop an arrow from a modern compound bow.

This approach is about as rudimentary as it gets! If you need a little extra stopping power, you could put a few layers or stacks of plywood behind your bales. You may need to get a little creative with the design, but it shouldn’t be too difficult. Just make sure your DIY archery targets are even tougher than you think they’ll need to be. Bows are powerful.

Once you have your homemade archery target all set up, you could paint a target or hang paper targets so you have a bullseye to aim for.

2. Try the Burlap Sack Method

A big ol’ burlap sack can make a great target. You may be able to get one from a grocery store that sells bulk food, such as rice or potatoes. Or you could get a livestock feed bag from a local farm or a coffee bean bag from a bean sack from a coffee shop.

You’ll also need a rectangular cardboard box that’s roughly the same size as the burlap sack. The box will give structure to your DIY archery targets.

Place the cardboard box inside the burlap sack. Now, it’s time to fill it. One filler option is plastic packing wrap. You’ll need to pack a whole lot of it in there, and keep compressing it down.

You could also use old carpets or rugs, pillows, rags, towels, blankets, sleeping bags, clothes—any old materials that can pack in tight and stop an arrow. The key is to make sure the materials are compacted extremely tight together.

Once your target is packed to the brim, use twine or even a shoelace or two to sew up the top. Paint or hang a target on the front, and you’re ready to test it out. We can’t stress enough that you must exercise extreme caution when using DIY archery targets. Never assume a target will stop an arrow until you’ve proven it will.

3. Stack Some Cardboard

Not sure what to do with all of those old cardboard boxes? Make a homemade archery target! While a single cardboard box is obviously not going to stop an arrow, there’s strength in numbers.

The basic principle for this method is to stack a TON of broken-down cardboard boxes on top of each other, compress them tightly together, and devise a way to keep them that way.

First, you're going to need to deconstruct your boxes so you have flat cardboard pieces. Next, you’ll need to cut them so they’re the proper size for your DIY archery targets. While you can cut them by hand, a table saw will make the job so much easier.

Once you have your cardboard stack, you’ll need to compress it together. You can accomplish this by placing wood on the top and bottom of the stack and then using ratchet straps to sandwich the cardboard in place between the top and bottom wood “bread” pieces.

4. Use Old Rugs or Carpets

If you’re able to get your hands on a large quantity of old rugs and/or carpets, you can use them as DIY archery targets. Just like the cardboard box method, the goal is to stack and compress them tightly.

One basic approach is to stack your carpets and then place something extremely heavy on top. Or, you could build a wooden box and then layer the carpets vertically inside. Get creative with it! As long as your carpets are packed tightly and thick enough, you should be good to go.

Upgrade Your Bow With a Custom Bow String

Now that you know how to put together a homemade archery target, take your shooting experience to the next level with an essential bow upgrade. Custom bow strings can boost your bow’s performance so you can hit your DIY archery targets’ bullseye more consistently.

Whether you need a simple recurve bow string for a traditional bow, compound bow strings for a state-of-the-art hunting bow, or even crossbow strings and cables, we can build you the industry’s best.

Our bow strings are individually built by Brad Patsy, a multi-world and national archery champion. He’ll customize your bow string just how you like it, including the bow string material, size, and fit. You can even choose from awesome custom bow string colors to personalize the look of your rig.

Our bow strings always hit the mark, so place your order with confidence. Questions? Get in touch. Have a blast making and shooting your DIY archery targets!