Best Archery Target and Backstop
This guide contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How affiliate links work.
By James Holbert · Explained Archery
The best archery target for most people is a bag target such as the Morrell Yellow Jacket for field points, or a layered foam block such as the Block Classic if you need something lighter to carry. Hunters shooting broadheads need self-healing foam like the Rinehart 18-1. Whatever you choose, the target is not the backstop: for a home range you also need a net or a solid barrier behind it that stops the arrows you miss with.
Quick answer
| You shoot | Best target type | Example | Add a backstop? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field points, any bow, at home or a club | Bag target | Morrell Yellow Jacket | Yes at home |
| Field points, need to move it often | Layered foam block | Block Classic | Yes at home |
| Broadheads or crossbow bolts | Self-healing foam | Rinehart 18-1 | Yes, always |
| 3D animal practice | Foam 3D target | Any self-healing 3D | Yes, always |
Bag targets do not take broadheads. Foam blocks and self-healing foam take both.
How far you shoot, what you shoot, and whether you have a wall or a garden behind the target decide the choice. The archery target distance chart covers distance; this page covers what stops the arrow.
Bag, block, foam or 3D: what is the difference?
Bag targets
A woven bag stuffed with synthetic fiber. Arrows stop by friction against the stuffing, so they pull out with two fingers and the bag lasts thousands of shots before the face wears through. Bags stop field points from any bow including fast compounds and crossbows rated for them. They are heavy, they should not sit outdoors in rain for weeks, and they cannot take broadheads: the blades cut the fiber and the bag dies.
Layered foam blocks
Stacked foam sheets compressed in a frame. Arrows stop between the layers, so the block works from four sides and weighs a third of a bag. Field points pull easily; broadheads work on the versions designed for them but wear the block faster. A good choice if you carry the target out to the garden and back every session.
Self-healing foam
Solid foam that closes behind the arrow. It takes field points and broadheads, lasts for years, and is the standard for bowhunters and 3D courses. It costs the most and arrows can be harder to pull, especially with a fast bow and a new target. An arrow puller solves that.
3D targets
Animal-shaped self-healing foam with a replaceable vital-zone core. Excellent for hunters who want to practice shot placement, unnecessary for anyone else.
The picks
Best all-round: Morrell Yellow Jacket bag target
The bag most ranges use. It stops field points from any bow you are likely to own, arrows pull easily, and the wear layer lasts for thousands of shots. It has a carrying handle but is heavy enough that you will want a fixed spot for it. Keep it under cover between sessions. Field points only.
Best portable: Block Classic
The Block is the target you can carry to the end of the garden in one hand. It works from all four sides, so you get four faces of wear instead of one, and it stops field points from any bow. The smaller sizes suit close range and lighter bows; go up a size for compounds at 20 yards or more.
Best for broadheads and crossbows: Rinehart 18-1
A self-healing 18-sided foam ball that takes field points, broadheads and crossbow bolts, and keeps doing so for years. It is also the most expensive option here, but hunters end up buying one anyway; buying it first skips the two cheaper targets that a broadhead would have destroyed.
| Target | Field points | Broadheads | Crossbow | Weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morrell Yellow Jacket | Yes | No | Field points only | Heavy | Fixed home or club range |
| Block Classic | Yes | No (Block Black for broadheads) | Check the rating | Light | Carrying to a lane |
| Rinehart 18-1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Medium | Hunters, crossbows, long life |
Check the speed rating on any target before shooting a crossbow into it. Fast bolts pass straight through targets rated for lighter bows.
Why you need a backstop as well as a target
Every archer misses the target eventually: a slipped release, a nock that was not seated, an arrow that glances off the target frame. At 20 yards a miss keeps going for 100 yards or more, and at 40 lb it is still lethal at that distance, as can a bow and arrow kill you explains. A backstop is whatever stops that arrow: a purpose-made archery net hung loosely behind the target, a bank of earth, a stack of old carpet or foam, or a wall of stacked hay bales two deep. It must be wider and taller than the target by a good margin, because misses land around the target, not in it.
| Backstop | Stops | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Archery backstop netting | Field points up to fast compounds; check the rating for crossbows | Hang it loose so it gives; a tight net lets arrows through. The easiest option for a garden. |
| Earth bank or berm | Everything | The best backstop there is, if you have the space. Keep it free of stones. |
| Hay or straw bales, two deep | Field points from light and medium bows | Cheap and heavy. Fast compounds and crossbows can pass through a single bale. |
| Old carpet, hung loose in several layers | Field points from most bows | Free and surprisingly effective. Six to eight layers, hanging, not stretched. |
| Plywood or a wooden fence | Nothing reliably | Arrows glance off or split the board and can bounce back. Not a backstop. |
A fence is not a backstop. Neither is a hedge.
Before you build any of this at home, check the rules: is it legal to shoot a bow in your backyard covers who decides, and backyard archery safety covers how to lay out the lane.
How to set up a target and backstop at home
Mistakes that ruin targets or worse
| Mistake | Result | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Broadheads into a bag target | Bag cut open in a few shots | Use self-healing foam for broadheads |
| Crossbow into a target rated for bows | Bolt passes through and keeps going | Check the speed rating; use a crossbow-rated target |
| Leaving a bag target in the rain | Waterlogged, moldy, arrows stick | Cover it or bring it in |
| Target on the ground | Arrows skip off the grass under it and travel | Raise it to chest height on a stand |
| Same spot every shot | Arrows hit arrows and the face wears through | Aim at different spots; rotate the faces |
| No backstop because 'I never miss' | The first miss leaves the property | Hang a net before the first arrow |
The target takes the hits you intend. The backstop takes the ones you do not.
Related guides
Set up the rest of the range and the bow that goes with it.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions people ask most before buying.
What is the best archery target for beginners?
A bag target such as the Morrell Yellow Jacket. It stops field points from any beginner bow, arrows pull out easily, and it lasts for years. Add a backstop net if you shoot at home.
Can you shoot broadheads into a bag target?
No. Broadheads cut the fiber and destroy the bag in a few shots. Use self-healing foam such as a Rinehart, or a foam block rated for broadheads.
What is the best backstop for archery in a backyard?
A purpose-made archery backstop net hung loosely behind the target, wider and taller than the target on every side. An earth bank is better still if you have the space.
Will hay bales stop arrows?
Two bales deep stops field points from light and medium bows. A fast compound or a crossbow can pass through a single bale, so do not rely on one bale alone.
Does a fence work as an archery backstop?
No. Arrows glance off boards or split them, and can bounce back toward the archer. Hang a net or carpet in front of the fence instead.
What target do you need for a crossbow?
One rated for crossbow speeds, such as the Rinehart 18-1 or a crossbow-specific block. A bag or block rated for bows lets a 400 fps bolt pass straight through.
References
These sources support the guidance on this page.