Removing arrows from targets

[Jagermeister]

A piece of the shelf matting works well, especially if it's wet out, inner tube is next best. Used to wipe them with some silicone spray lube, worked about the best of anything I could find. There was a tubular, fuzz lined, rubber cover wiper, around in some of the archery shops that I used to spray it into. There are some carbon arrows out there that are just a pain in any dense foam target. We broke a Mackenzie coyote in half one day in Red Deer trying to get an ACC out of it, and they were easier to pull than a lot of them.

Sometimes it is more practical to push the arrow through and try to remove it from the other side.

[Bow Walker]

Sending arrows past/over/under/around targets and into the trees or stumps that often backstop smaller targets usually results in an arrow that is minus its point and insert when (or if) you recover it.

Most shooters that I know carry a small hammer and knife/chisel/pry bar to use on trees and or stumps. Although you've got to be careful that you don't start digging into your arrow shaft instead of the surrounding wood. I've ruined at least one arrow that way....

I've also pushed arrows through targets to recover them - not 3D targets, but the field target butts. Some of them get pretty well used towards the center or bulls-eye part and it's sometimes easy to push a buried arrow on through to get it out.

[nolan-sawka]

twist your arrow then pull it out

[Bow Walker]

twist your arrow then pull it out

Nah - that's a good way to crack or fracture a carbon shaft, not to mention that you might twist too much and leave an insert or point behind.

Lubing the shaft is the only sure way of being able to pull out the arrow quickly and easily.

[MRP]

I agree with Bow Walker also. It is much too complicated and time consuming to use when shooting the regular archery target butts. Probably would be a good go if you thumped an arrow into something much harder like a log or tree.

My thoughts too. Just throwing it out there. Might be good for a club when someone sticks one in the plywood. Not that I’ve ever done that.

[Vader]

Always shoot with a strong young fella and let him pull... you keep score... pacify him with all yer hunting stories and he'll pull all day... even all weekend.. :P

[shotgunner]

I used the yellow with rubber treatment gloves ( powersaw gloves ) that you can by for cheap. Works great and easy to put on and off as needed.

[Bow Walker]

Now that there is a good idea!

[Red arch]

The best way to get an arrow out of a piece of plywood is hammers. There is a reason we always put them behind the backstops at BC's Largest Indoor every year.