The Best Archery Targets

As whitetail hunters who spend a ton of time dialing in their archery setups and honing their craft, Mark, K.C., and Tyler do a lot of shooting. They each cited the Rinehart 18-1 as their preferred target of choice, thanks to the 18 shooting surfaces (hence the name), compact size, and broadhead-rated durability.

"My favorite archery targets are Rineharts," Mark said. "They're tougher than anything else I've tried. The foam Rinehart uses can withstand the elements, so I can set it, forget it, and use it year after year."

Tyler and K.C. agreed that the 18-1’s durability and numerous aim points make it one of the best archery targets. Because Tyler and K.C. travel hunt all across the country, the 18-1’s compact size and tow rope make it easy for them to transport since they’re hauling around a ton of other gear. Of course, the Rinehart 18-1 is broadhead rated, so whether you’re broadhead tuning or confirming that your bow is still on, you can easily do so on the road.

"This is my favorite all-around target." –Tyler Jones

Specifications

• Type: Block
• Broadhead Rated: Yes
• Height: 15 in.
• Weight: 11 lbs.
• Pros: Packable, Takes a punch from broadheads, Plenty of aim points, Lightweight
• Cons: Pricey, Compact size makes long shots risky
• Price: $199

Bowhunting is no small investment. Between arrows, upgrades, and restringing your bow, it adds up quickly. If there’s anywhere you can cut a corner and not compromise your shooting, a solid yet affordable 3D target is it. That’s why Tony Peterson has relied on the Big Shooter Buck for his 3D target of choice.

"I've used a pile of different archery targets over the years," Tony said, "but this one is way cheaper than a lot of the competitors. It’s also super light, which makes it highly portable. I even bought my daughters the bear target, and I’ve been really happy with both. It comes with a removable insert, so when I wear out the vitals, it's a relatively cheap fix."

For $120, the Big Shooter Buck is a steal. Sure, it might look like a cheap target, but even when it’s time to replace the insert, you’ll still come out cheaper than other 3D options.

Specifications

• Type: 3D
• Broadhead Rated: Yes
• Height: 48 in.
• Weight: 19 lbs.
• Pros: Budget-friendly, Vital scoring rings, Easy to transport
• Cons: Proportionately small, Not super durable
• Price: $119

While $400 is a lot of cash to drop on a target, this upfront cost can save you money in the long run, especially if you have to replace a $100 target every season. MeatEater’s Janis Putelis has been using the Matrix for the past five seasons, and he’s only had to replace the center module once, he said.

"The Matrix target is heavy, but I think it will easily make 20 years," he said. "It has seven modules, and when you shoot out the center, you simply swap it for an outer one. You can also remove a single module for a small, mobile target."

While Janis appreciates the target’s durability and versatile features, he also highlighted its painless arrow removal.

"My favorite attribute is that arrow removal is easy," he said. "If you have to strain, grunt, and use two hands to remove an arrow, move on."

If you happen to blow through all of the Matrix’s inserts, they’re easily replaceable. For serious archers or hunters, this target should provide years of hard use and save you money in the long run.

Specifications

• Type: Block
• Broadhead Rated: Yes
• Height: 24 in.
• Weight: 45 lbs.
• Pros: Easy arrow removal, Super durable, Portable, Replaceable inserts
• Cons: Heavy, Expensive
• Price: $399

I own a couple of the Morrell High Rollers, and they’re some of the best archery targets for the money. You can lug the High Rollers around with one hand, and they’re easy to toss in the back of your truck/car. Thanks to the foam material, you never have to worry about pass-throughs, and they’re rated for broadheads. However, if you shoot a ton, you’ll notice that broadheads make quick work of the foam material. But for the average shooter, you should get plenty of service out of one of these targets.

If you’re worried about missing the target completely, or you shoot (safely) in confined spaces, go with the Big High Roller. It offers a bit more surface area, and the weight difference is a non-issue. On the flip side, if the dots run too big for your taste, you can easily use a sharpie to make smaller dots for a more precise point of aim.

I know targets don’t last forever, so the High Roller’s price makes them well worth the service I’ll get out of one. While the field points aren’t the easiest to remove, they do little damage to the self-healing foam.

Specifications

• Type: Block
• Broadhead Rated: Yes
• Height: 13 in.
• Weight: 10 lbs.
• Pros: Lightweight, Genius concept, Extremely portable, Regular or Big options
• Cons: Broadheads do a ton of damage, Not the easiest arrow removal
• Price: $129

While block or foam targets tend to be more popular and useful for hunters, bag targets still offer an affordable and reliable way to target practice. The Yellow Jacket Kinetic 1.0 is a great target to throw in your backyard and forget about it, mainly because it weighs as much as a young doe, but it’s also great for shooting field points. I’ve been breaking in the new strings on my bow with this target, and it provides easy arrow removal. Crossbow hunters should also appreciate the Kinetic 1.0, since it doesn’t have an FPS limit.

The obvious downside of bag targets is that you can’t use broadheads, so you’ll need to invest in a target that can. While the Kinetic 1.0’s dimensions make it portable, it’s certainly heavier than other foam targets you can easily throw in your truck or car. If you already have a target that takes broadheads, the Kinetic 1.0 would make a great addition to your home range and give your other targets more mileage.

Specifications

• Type: Bag
• Broadhead Rated: No
• Height: 20 in.
• Weight: 65 lbs.
• Pros: Portable, No FPS Limit, Plenty of aim points, Budget-friendly
• Cons: No broadheads, Heavy
• Price: $139.99

If I could only own one archery target, it would be the Morrell Transformer Buck. With a removable insert, the Transformer gives you a 3D buck and portable block target in one package. The core uses the same foam as Morrell’s High Roller targets, which means it’s broadhead-rated and easily replaceable. If you’re traveling to hunt, just remove the insert and throw it in your truck. The whole target only weighs thirty pounds, and the removable insert and head make it relatively easy to transport.

While the self-healing foam works great, you can forget easy arrow retrieval with field points. While testing out this target, there were multiple times when I had to roll up my sleeves to pull an arrow out, especially when I stacked them close.

Though the size cuts down on the Transformer’s overall weight, it’s proportionately small, even for someone who chases southern whitetails. Still, the Transformer Buck’s design should appeal to hunters who have a regular shooting routine. The fact that you can easily transport it (the insert), switch between field points and broadheads, and have a 3D target at your disposal makes it one of the best archery targets available.

Specifications

• Type: 3D/Block
• Broadhead Rated: Yes
• Weight: 30 lbs.
• Pros: 2-in-1 design, Same foam as High Roller, Super portable, Proportionate vitals target
• Cons: Deer is proportionately small
• Price: $299

Whether you’re tuning your bow from scratch or trying to shoot tighter groups, the Yellow Jacket Mod Pro gives you the versatility to shoot a variety of aiming points thanks to the removable Velcro target faces. It comes stock with their tuning and precision wrap on one side and a variety of aiming points and targets on the other.

The replaceable wraps (purchased separately) give you the option to shoot targets that range from deer and turkey vitals to NFAA targets. The wraps are easy to swap (Velcro) and the different sized targets give you plenty of shooting options, so you’re not limited to the same configuration of rings.

Like other bag targets, the Mod Pro offers easy arrow retrieval. The Mod Pro’s size and weight make it a chore to move around, but this bag target best suits hunters who are looking for a more stationary target for their home range. I’ll throw smaller targets in my garage to get a bit more mileage out of them, but this one will be a mainstay in my yard. Obviously, you can’t use broad heads on the Mod Pro, but it’s an excellent and affordable option that should give bowhunters plenty of aiming points during their practice sessions.

Specifications

• Type: Bag
• Broadhead Rated: No
• Height: 31 in.
• Weight: 56 lbs.
• Pros: Changeable wraps for various targets, Stops most crossbows, Easy arrow retrieval, Good value
• Cons: Heavy, Bulky, No broadheads
• Price: $179