Reviewing Archery Targets and the Wall Archery Backstop

Jason D. Mills

Working at 3Rivers Archery it’s fair to say that I shoot traditional archery a lot. I’ve had the opportunity to try many different bows and arrows, which means I’ve shot a lot of targets (and target faces). Recently, I was given the opportunity to test a handful of these targets for our YouTube channel.

Among the targets that I tested were the StringShot Wolverine Hanging Target, the Mini StringShot Wolverine Hanging Target, the Delta McKenzie Black Magnum Broadhead Target, and the Delta McKenzie Travel Pro Broadhead Target. I was also given a B40 and a B60 StringShot Wall Target Backstop, which I used behind each of the targets for the duration of the review.

It’s worth noting that I shoot my (54# @ 30″) longbow daily; I also have a 63# @ 30″ recurve, but I don’t shoot that as often.

The StringShot Wall Target Backstop

Before this review I was already familiar with the StringShot Wall Target Backstop because we have one hanging on our range here at 3Rivers Archery. However, I was happy that I would have the opportunity to try and set one up at my home.

The best thing about the Wall is also its biggest drawback – and that is its size, especially the B40. With the smallest one being 8 foot x 8 foot and the largest being 9’x30′, these backstops are massive. So, if you don’t have the space for them they’re probably not a wise investment, and you should probably go with something a bit more manageable like the Shield Archery Backstop instead.

It’s also important to note that these backstops aren’t meant to be hung taut. Instead, they need to have some folds in them, just like a shower curtain. The folds increase the amount of kinetic energy that the backstop can distill. I found this out the hard way because when I first set-up the backstop I failed to read the instructions and set it up incorrectly. Although the backstop did it job for most of my arrows, two arrows flew straight through and hit my fence behind it.

However, this didn’t happen after I hung it properly. So, overall I was impressed with the Wall Target Backstop. It took a bit of work (I had to install a couple of temporary beams to hang it from in my yard), but I was happy with the end result.

My final verdict? This backstop works and if you’ve got the space then it’s exactly what you’re looking for.

The StringShot Wolverine Hanging Target and Mini Target

I really enjoyed testing these – both the mini and the full-sized targets are great. They are hard targets, which is their only real downside. However, because they’re hard targets they can really take a beating and are much more durable than the tennis ball that I often shoot at during my practice sessions.

Each target (even the small ones) can withstand hundreds of shots. They don’t last forever (no target does), but they last much longer than many other specialty targets and, for the price, they really can’t be beaten.

The full-sized Wolverine Hanging Target is about the size of the vital area on a deer, so it’s great practice for hunting season. The smaller mini targets are a great way to hone in your accuracy. The yellow color makes it easy to see if you’re in a field and throw it in some tall grass or water.

Overall, I was very pleased with these targets. It is, however, a bad idea to shoot it with more than one arrow at a time – if you do, you run the chance of breaking an arrow (I found this one out first hand).

The Delta McKenzie Black Magnum Broadhead Target and Travel Pro

Wow. Color me impressed.

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I first received these block targets, but what I got was striking. I’ve found that after extended use a bag target will start to “eject” arrows as the material inside of it starts to compress. However, I’ve been shooting these block targets for a while now (both with field points and with broadheads) and they’re holding up well.

They are both essentially the same target, that is to say they’re made of the same material and are the same thickness, the only difference being their overall size (the Travel Pro is smaller than the Black Magnum). There are no plates, cables, or bands in either of these targets, which means that all four sides can be shot and you won’t have to worry about damaging your arrows.

They’re only good for bows that shoot less than 280 feet per second, which is fine for traditional archers (if you’re shooting a longbow or a recurve bow and you’re getting more than 280 FPS, please let me know what you’re shooting, so I can get one too).

Overall, I was so happy with these targets that they’ve converted me from the bag target that I was shooting at regularly.