The Best Targets for Archery Practice

No great skills are developed without a little, or likely a lot, of practice. Sure, you could race in the forest one dewy morning and go for broke, but unless you want to be pulling arrows out of mesquite trees, you better start archery on the range first. A great archery target should accommodate the kind of archer you are or the one you’re aspiring to become. Whether you’re comfortable firing from a prone position or would prefer a bit more excitement in your practice sessions, here are a few archery targets that we recommend.

Make a Purchase as Precise as Your Aim

Consider these factors when selecting your next target:

• Use: Before you even think about nocking, it’s important to distinguish which targets can accommodate your bow of choice. You’re going to need a pretty hefty or disposable target because a target that’s anything less won’t be yours for long. Consider targets with a dense core if you’re packing something stronger than a recurve or compound bow.
• Design Preferences: There are many design options you can choose from, so you really should consider what you do and don’t want to be spending your money on. If you’re an archer who wants to hunt even when there’s no trophy in sight, consider targets that are true-to-life; this will provide you a close hunting experience, from the appearance to the angles.
• Ease: It’s also important that the target you select be one that you can work with at any time. If you’re an archer who’s looking for no-fuss familiarity, then consider something along the lines of a flat target that only requires you to nock up, aim, and release.

Top Choice: Shooter Buck 3D Archery Target

If you’re an archer who prefers the real thing or at least getting close to the real thing, this life-like 3D target has you covered. Standing 48-inches tall, this realistic buck target is intended to closely mimic what you’d be up against. It’s crafted from a weather-resistant foam that’s highly impenetrable, withstanding hundreds of hits from field tip arrows, broadheads, and expandables. Wear and tear are inevitable, however, which is why this buck also includes a replaceable high-density core that prolongs use and offers up to five times more target surface than other 3D targets.

Best Disposable: Longbow Archery 40cm & 80cm Targets

If you’re an archer looking for something classic, and by that, I mean something as easy as tacking paper to a bale of hay and striking it so full of holes it no longer resembles itself, then consider this bundle. Longbow offers archers a variety of multi-packs, with two different sizes and several package counts, that would meet anyone’s bare-bones standard. Not to mention, these targets are printed to the exact standards of official archery targets used by professionals in competition. Packs are available in 40- or 80-cm measurements, and they are printed on a hefty 7-pt archery paper that limits tearing during impact for a longer-lasting product.

Best Multi-Sided: Block Black Crossbow Target

Target practice tends to take a simple approach. It’s just a matter of aiming downrange and releasing the pressure. For the moderate archer who wants to get in and out with maybe a few pit stops made along the way, this four-sided target box from Block Crossbow targets is your go-to choice. It’s designed with high-contrast, white-on-black graphics so that you can see your target easier from longer ranges. It features a PolyFusion design that enhances your target’s performance and maintains its integrity over time. Like other models, it also contains a high-density core designed to stop speeding arrows in their tracks.

Most Durable: Black Hole Archery Target

Contrasting aim points on all four sides of this Black Hole target offer plenty of ways to switch up your angles and precision. However, if you’re going for consistency or range, you can always spend your time striking a single side instead. This is an economical, long-lasting target that understands how to absorb the hits you’ll dish out from your compound or recurve bow. This target’s open-layer design stops arrows with friction, rather than force, not only making it easier to reclaim your arrow with little fuss but saving you stamina along the way.