Target help

[Beba123]

Next month is our Cub Scout Day Camp. I am the shooting sports instructor (certified). In NJ, we must use rubber-tipped arrows rather than steel tips. In the past, I have used pizza boxes and other items that make a sound and move when hit. I am looking for plans to make a spinning target for this year's range. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can do this? We plan to decorate medieval shields (keeping with the camp theme), I'm just not quite sure of the mechanics of making it spin.

 

Beth

[JoeBob]

Hi Beth,

 

I admire your enthusiasm, but I wouldn't recommend using a spinning target for archery.

 

1- Scoring a bullseye on a 4 inch stationary circle is challenging enough for Cubs.

2- Shooting at a moving target is not ethical in hunting circles. Too great a chance to wound an animal, instead of scoring a clean kill.

 

If you get a spinning target worked out and it is a success with your boys, lemme know how you did it! Sounds like fun!

 

JoeBob

[perdidochas]

JoeBob,

 

I think by spinning target, she means one that spins when you hit it.

 

I'd say make a frame out of PVC. Then hang a target using a T-shaped piece of PVC a size bigger than the frame tubing (say use 1 inch pipe, and a 1 1/2 inch T-piece).

[perdidochas]

This youtube link is to a similar idea. I didn't listen to the sound on the video, just the picture.

 

 

[Beba123]

By spinning, I do mean spin when you hit it. With rubber-tipped arrows, it can be difficult to tell when you hit something. We use varying sizes to determine what is a bulls-eye, etc. We need to be a bit creative. Since we cannot use steel-tipped arrows, we cannot use traditional targets. Thanks for the input.

[JoeBob]

Aha! Spinning feedback when hit by non-penetrating arrows. Got it...

 

How about securing a short section of PVC pipe through the middle of your pizza box? (Hot Glue or Gorilla tape if the weather predicts heat) Suspend the whole box on a taut cord through the pipe and it should rotate when hit on the top or bottom. Weight it on the bottom to be self-righting downrange.

 

 

[CalicoPenn]

Does it have to spin, or can it just move and make a lot of noise?

 

Can you have some boy Scouts rig a a couple of posts with a crossbeam at the top (pioneering lashing project) at the end of the range that you can hang something like metal pie plates on a string that the Cubs could aim at? Hit that and it should make a satisfying noise and move too.

[Scoutfish]

I have a very simple idea for you. You need two 4 foot long pieces of 3/4 inch pvc pipe or just 2" X 2" wooden picket ( used for porch or deck railing) . For each target, drive the pipes or stakes in the ground about 30" apart. Then get yourself some pizza boxes. Cut the tops and bottoms out and paint or draw targets on them. Then get yourself some wire clotrhes hangers and thread them through the cardboard about 3 inches from the top edge. bend a hook in each end of the hanger and let that hook stick down into the pipe.

 

If the hit the target, the box should shing back away from the arrow, but by deflection, should also send it to the ground faster and in a shorter distance.

 

 

 

 

[Beba123]

Thank you all for your wonderful ideas. We are going to do the stake in the ground with the PVC pipe over it and then hang the target from that.

 

What a wonderful website this is! Everyone is so helpful. Thanks again. I'll post again around the end of July and let you know how it went.

 

Yours in scouting,

Beth

[Fehler]

Two thin sheets of metal, with a small gap between them, wired to a battery and a buzzer. Shooting an arrow pushes one against the other, completing the circuit. Could get fancy, and make separate circuits/buzzer sounds/lights for each ring of the target.

[infoscouter]

When we held day camps in parks that required us to use rubber tipped arrows, we used either a tarp painted with target faces (the arrow makes a thunk when it hits the tarp), or milk jugs hung from a string. The jug will swing and spin when the arrow hits.