shooting into bails of hay?
 

this is only my 2nd year bowhunting. last year a buddy of mine gave me his old shooting block to practice. after going to the store today, i saw the cheapest block target was 90 dollars!!! i know a few guys that practice shooting bails of hay but other guys tell me it damages arrows. are bails of hay ok to shoot into or should i spend the money on a legit target? thanks!

A legit tartet is alot easier to move around than a bale of hay.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...346&hasJS=true

I have that target and it works great. I have probably 500 arrows in the one side and it still has at least that left in it, plus there is the other side that looks brand new.

Delta Quad
 

One of these will last you a long long time.

http://www.google.com/products/catal...CA0Q8gIwATgA#p

I used straw bails for many years. They are about 3 bucks apiece and last a long time...especially if you buy some all-thread and make a little press to keep it tight. They can't really be moved because they get wet and heavy. But if you want cheap then its the way to go...but only for field points.

Hay bails are "ok" as long as your arrow fletches do not penetrate. In time (very short time) they will peel back and you will end up spending cash on re-fletching. Hinse damage to your arrows.

You can find targets WAY cheaper than 90 bucks. In my opinion the actual "block" targets aint worth the money they are marked for. I just got a Rinehart 3d target to practice with and supposedly its supposed to last for years and have the self healing foam.

Well after 3 separate days I have shot it...theres already big chunks flying off. So everything is gonna get destroyed so might as well get something cheap and shoot the crap out of it :)

You can go "green" and buy recycled targets. I don't know what the core is made of but I shoot these in by basement regular @ 10yds and my arrows stop at around 8" penetrated with my Z7. This is by far the best target for the price.

Specs:
24H” X 20H” X 12D" 20lbs

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lightning-Stop-F...item4aa1c6e1ef

ive only shot into round bails at long distances so i know the arrow wont go very deep in but ive had my block for 4 years now and its still in good shape

Hay bales work great if you are using field tips. They dull broadheads really fast though. Once your fletching gets close to penetrating, replace the bale. That being said, I use a glen del buck. I have used it for about a year and I am ready for a new insert.

I used them for years.They work great with field points.

For an all-season target, the Rinehart 18-1 is amazing. They are guaranteed for one year for passthroughs, both fieldpoints and broadheads. Small, lightweight, portable, and will last you an incredibly long time. Block targets are certainly expensive...but with all the celebs on the commercials, they have to pay the bills somehow.

I guess my bows are too fast to shoot into hay, I've lost several arrows in round bales. I've never really had a problem with targets I buy several every year, but then again not too many people shoot as much as I do. I like to shoot a minimum of a hundred arrows a day and shoot eight hours on weekends.

The bows of today penetrate too deeply to use hay bails. You can get a descent target for $40 or $50 dollars that will last a while. If you use cheap targets like hay bails you will have to pay for new fletching and arrows often.

Not if you make a press using all-thread. You can make it as tight as you like.

If youre going to shoot into hay bales, make sure you shoot into them the right way....especially if youre shooting into round bales....if you dont know the right way, then buy a target...

The guy asked if he could shoot into hay bails not a pressed bail.

All bales are already pressed you they make them. They are pressed tight and wrapped with twine or wire. I'm talking about the small square bales. The all -thread is just a way to keep them tight as the get shot.

Keeping up with the Davis'
 

Those $90 block targets must go good with those $900 compound bows.

Wish I could help, but I'm using my 20 year old homemade design. And what modern archer is going to use a design that old.

Besides, I had to design mine to carry some distance. It had to be lighter and thinner than the commercial block targets. Most archers only accept targets, where the point is totally embedded in foam.
My target would never be acceptable, as the light target stops the arrow completely, but doesn't embed the point. The negative psychology would be overwhelming, I guess.

$90 you say. Makes me feel a little bad, that I've been using these homemade targets for decades and never bought one. One target costs in a little labor(very little) and some $7.50 in material. Somehow I still enjoy the obsolescent sound of that.

But then, some things are too cheap for acceptablility.

don't shoot into the flat side of a round bail-your arrow will bury-voice of experience

Burly...It all depends upon who baled the hay and how it was bailed...

Let's say that Lowes Hardware contracts with you to deliver 2,000 bales at $2.00 a bale...If you keep the ground speed high on the tractor and the pto speed low you put less hay into the bale and will get more bales per acre...

Now, let's say you are baling for yourself and are going to store them in a barn so you want the maximum amout of hay into each bale...In this situation, keep the tractor speed low and the pto or engine rpms high and you will have more charges per bale and a heavier bale...In other words, a tighter packed bale...

So, pick up the bales and see how much they weigh, look at the bales and see how far apart the charges are...Look around and find a farmer that packs a tight bale and you will be fine...

Pretty much the same goes with round bales...The slower ground speed and higher rpms produce a tighter bale...

my bow will go right through square bails and bury themselves into a round bail. Though alittle carpet on each side helped and keep the fleatches safe.