Cheap back stop suggestions

drew.h

New member
I'm looking for a cheap alternative to the back stop nets, if one exists. I'm shooting in my own 4 acre field, not a back yard, I have over 110 meters of my own land in any direction and depending which field my neighbour has their horses in, at least another 120 meters. So safety wise I should be fine.

Without a net I'm happy with my recurve and horse bow up to 50m away on a 2ft target. However I'm now trying to setup and practice with my compound, which almost shot through the clubs net on the indoor shoot (fletching tape stopped it).

Has anyone tried using say old velvet curtains? It doesn't matter too much if it goes through, because I'll have at least 60m of my own land behind it, just as long as it slows it enough so I don't have get the metal detector out.
 

BillM

Member
I've just erected some old scaffold netting at the field course (hung off a rope between trees behind the target, immediately in front of the rock face where I break most arrows). It's 4 layers thick and my reasoning is that arrows might penetrate it but should slow it down or at least, the fletchings will snag and stop the arrow hitting the rock. I've yet to shoot it but I'll keep you posted if it is doing the job (or not as the case may be).

BillM
 
D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
Old carpet, skips round the back of carpetland, allied carpets etc often have the old stuff they've taken out dumped in there. That should stop an arrow.
Del
 

drew.h

New member
Dust sheet didn't work. Doubled over the arrow still went straight through and carried on for another 20m, without the fletchings.
 

mk1

It's an X
Supporter
I'm not sure how you are going to hang this backstop - would it be possible to put up a straw bale wall behind the target near the boundary of your field. It would need to be higher than boss height for when you shoot 90m. You could hand some old carpet over it when you are actually shooting.
 

drew.h

New member
would it be possible to put up a straw bale wall behind the target
It would if I can get some straw. Only straw I can find is in half ton bales and expensive. I was talking to the farmer I buy haylage from, he said most crops were in water logged fields last year and the straw couldn't be baled, so was mulched instead. What could be baled was sold to power stations, as it is grown in the year it is used as fuel its classed as carbon neutral.
 

mk1

It's an X
Supporter
That's a shame - I see quite a few in-field collections of these big round bales stagnating. Yes farmers did not have a fun harvest year.
 

drew.h

New member
Last year I only got 4 large bales of haylage cut, 2 were rotten. Previous year I had 360 small bales cut.
 
D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
Bales don't make particularly good backstops as the arrows seem to find the gaps between bales and go straight through.
Del
 

mk1

It's an X
Supporter
Bales don't make particularly good backstops as the arrows seem to find the gaps between bales and go straight through.
Del
Bound to slow the arrow down considerably though - no?

OK well then park a van? mmm yo kow there advertising signs you see sometimes on trailers... what about one of those - you just tow it down the field - if you won't sink up to your axles - and you can sit in the tow truck when it rains. :poulies:
 

BillM

Member
Some guys in my club did a 'come and try' in a remote area a few years ago and the group doing it used straw bales as a backstop. They apparently did stop arrows which then had to be dug out as they were in beyond the fletches. Straw bales are not tight enough but better than nothing if that is all that is available.

BillM
 

BillM

Member
I've just erected some old scaffold netting at the field course (hung off a rope between trees behind the target, immediately in front of the rock face where I break most arrows). It's 4 layers thick and my reasoning is that arrows might penetrate it but should slow it down or at least, the fletchings will snag and stop the arrow hitting the rock. I've yet to shoot it but I'll keep you posted if it is doing the job (or not as the case may be).

BillM
Tested today (not by me but by one of my companions). Their arrow just bounced off it and landed behind the target. I'm nor sure what would happen if it were a strong recurve or a compound but the 34#?? barebow didn't penetrate the plastic netting.

BillM
 

Berny

Active member
Tested today (not by me but by one of my companions). Their arrow just bounced off it and landed behind the target. I'm nor sure what would happen if it were a strong recurve or a compound but the 34#?? barebow didn't penetrate the plastic netting.

BillM
I've shot at a place using this debris/scaffold net - just 2 layers & it stopped I would guess 95%+(?) of arrows.

Even the proper archery nets e.g. as supplied by Knox do NOT stop 100%
it depends on a few main factors methinks:
- luck - if your arrow just happens to hit a hole or lined-up-holes in multi-layer net it may go through;
- draw-weight - the heavier the bow the more penetrating power;
- diameter of arrow - narrow ones slip through easier;
- pile type - some pile go through easier than others e.g. Victorian pointy ones look nice but I was at longbow wand shoot
& everyone one of my misses went through the net (proper net, single layer, loosely hung);
Even shouldered field points go through occasionally.

Factors for risk assessment:
- make sure you still have the appropriate overshoot areas (& cordoned off) or other backstop
e.g.
- a wall + a tub of polyfilla & filling knife, tin of matching paint
- haybales
 

Darth Tom

Member
FYI if you're shooting thin carbon arrows, pretty much anything that won't break one won't stop one either, or (like the carpet - good idea that) will require some serious kit to hang it off. If you can set up carpet that's probably the ideal, but I'd expect the weight would require solid scaffolding - and make sure it can't blow over in the wind!

This isn't just a compound problem, when I was shooting recurve I had the odd arrow go straight through protective netting. I agree that it's good to have a backstop like this because even if you're shooting well, it's the strange things like an arrow bouncing onto the button, falling off the rest or breaking in flight that you need to stop.
 

Insanity-Rocks

New member
What about trampoline nets? I was considering buying one for have-a-go's but I found a cheap second hand proper net instead. It might have to be doubled up but would still be cheaper
 
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