fnicoletti, I use a bag target (burlap) filled with plastic (I like 4 or 6 mil. sheet plastic). It will take thousands of shots. I get my bags from a local coffee shop (it smells good for a while). I've found that with mycrossbow I have to packthe baga little tighter with plastic than with my recurve and longbow to keep the bolts from burying in the bag. I bet my plastic that I've used has taken about 8,000 shots from all types of bows over the last 6 years. I just get a new bag but use the same plastic. As far as the cocker question, I don't use one so I'm not sure how to keep it from sliding in. Maybe someone else could chime in with a suggestion.