The Complete Guide to Different Types of Archery Targets
In a world of screens and sedentary hobbies, it’s hard to find a fun activity that captivates your imagination and engages your body and mind. Archery is an ancient sport that’s much more than hitting bullseyes. This activity combines precision, focus, and a healthy dose of physical exercise without hitting the gym. But before you can start channelling your inner marksman, you need the right targets to aim for.
One of the essential pieces of equipment you’ll need for this sport, apart from your bow and arrow, is a high-quality archery target with easy arrow removal. No more struggling to pull out your arrows, risking damage to both your gear and your patience. You can focus on what matters: improving your skills and honing your accuracy. They come in various designs tailored to suit your preference and skill level. From classic foam targets to lifelike 3D models, and even sturdy bags, there’s something for everyone.
Bag Targets
These are primarily used for practice and sighting in your bow. They’re great for sharpening your skills and getting those bullseyes. You’ll often find them at practice ranges and backyard setups because they’re versatile and easy to use. One of the great things about them is that they’re relatively inexpensive compared to other types. You can shell out big bucks for fancy 3D targets or high-tech electronic systems, but if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option that gets the job done, these are your go-to choices. They usually come in under $100, so you won’t have to break the bank to snag one.
Foam Bales
You’ve probably seen a bale archery target at competitions, towering over the shooting range like a mighty sentinel. These designs are massive, versatile, and durable. Foam bales are designed to withstand the rigours of competitive archery, enduring countless arrows and still standing strong. Depending on the type of competition you’re in, you can customize them with different sizes, colours, and scoring rings. This allows you to tailor your practice sessions to match the demands of your upcoming events, giving you a leg up on the competition.
Lifelike Targets
If you’re tired of aiming at a boring old bullseye, you can choose a lifelike replica of a wild animal. The 3D bow hunting targets are made of foam and shaped to resemble animals, painted to look as realistic as possible. There’s something exhilarating about aiming for a lifelike design, imagining yourself in the heart of the wilderness, tracking your prey with every arrow. These models come equipped with scoring rings near the vital organs of the animal, challenging you to make precision shots just like you would in a real hunting scenario.
Depending on the brand and type of competition you’re in, the scoring rings can vary, adding an extra layer of complexity to your practice sessions. While some of these models strive for realism, others are scaled down to more manageable sizes, like elk and deer. This allows you to practice your shots without lugging around a giant foam animal on the range.
Modular Targets
These arrow targets are built to last, with features like puzzle-piece construction and multi-sided cores that you can rotate to evenly distribute wear and tear. This means you can keep shooting without worrying about wearing out the centre too quickly.
With their interchangeable layers and rotating cores, you can customize them to suit your shooting style and preferences, whether you’re practicing for a competition or just honing your skills in the backyard. They provide consistent stopping power, ensuring that your arrows come to a clean stop every time. This means fewer bounce-backs and stray shots.
Layered Foam (Block) Targets
Layered foam archery targets are crafted using multiple sheets of tightly compacted foam. This results in a dense and durable item that can withstand the force of arrows from all types of bows, whether you’re shooting with a traditional recurve, a high-powered compound, or even a crossbow.
This versatility makes them a favourite among archers of all skill levels. Unlike some other designs that are limited to specific types of arrowheads, Block archery targets can handle it all. Whether you’re shooting field points for practice or broadheads for hunting, they can take the heat. This means you can practice with the same arrows you’ll be using in the field without worrying about damaging your equipment.
How Do You Read Archery Targets?
Targets for archery are divided into five colourful rings, each with its point value. Aim for the gold inner ring to score the maximum of 10 points, while hitting the next gold ring earns you nine points. As you move outward, the points decrease, with red, blue, black, and white rings scoring progressively fewer points.
But hitting these objects isn’t the only challenge – it’s about distance too. Recurve archers aim a whopping 70 metres back, aiming at a target face measuring 122 centimetres. Compound archers have a slightly closer target, shooting from 50 meters back at an 80-centimetre face. Meanwhile, barebow archers also shoot from 50 meters but aim at a larger 122-centimetre face.
Archery events feature individual, mixed team, and team competitions. In mixed team events, one man and one woman archer team up, shooting with the same bow style. Team events consist of three archers of the same gender and bow style. During qualification, each archer shoots 72 arrows to determine their ranking based on the total score. The top-scoring man and woman set the seeds for mixed team events, while the top three archers of the same gender from one country determine team seeds.
