-Matthew Ebner- Throughout my NASP career, I have been very fortunate to have a range in my backyard. I believe that having a range at your home is very beneficial and can help to increase practice time. It is also nice to have the option to practice shooting on weekends, when your school may be closed.
Having a range at your home requires equipment.
You may want to purchase a bow to use at home if the bow you shoot at school must remain there. You will also need a target to shoot at. I suggest that you find an 80cm target to shoot, and I use two of the Morrell NASP® Eternity targets. You also need a tool to measure distance. You can use a rangefinder or surveyors’ tape to measure the distance. If you don’t have either of these, you can pace the distance off in steps.
It is important that you find a level area with a good backstop. I have my range marked for 10 and 15 meters. Once you measure the distance, it is helpful to find a stake or an object you can use to mark both 10 and 15 meters. This will prevent you from having to measure distance each round.
It is helpful if you have a quiver to hold your arrows. I enjoy using a ground quiver I made from PVC pipe. This keeps my arrows upright and out of the dirt. This type of quiver is fun to customize with your favorite stickers. I recommend using some type of bow rack to hold my bow when retrieving arrows. This helps keep my bow from being on the ground. Again, this can be homemade out of PVC pipe or there are many bow racks or hangers for sale. I purchased a tool rack at a local hardware store.
While shooting at your home range it is important to be responsible and safe.
As I had mentioned, finding a good backstop is very important and safety needs to be a top priority. A good backstop will prevent arrows from reaching places they are not intended to reach and help insure you are being safe while shooting at home. This can protect yourself and your surroundings. I invested in a ½ inch stock pad to prevent my arrows from traveling further than intended. I also use two targets, one behind the one I am shooting at.
Even with a good backstop, I would advise others not to shoot in the direction of other homes, vehicles, or animals, and always know what is behind your target and in the direction your arrows could travel.
Taking good care of your gear and equipment should be one of your priorities when having a home range. Never leave a target in the weather. Keeping a target outside in snow, rain, or sun can permanently damage the target. Therefore, you should keep your target under cover or inside when you are not using it. This also applies to your bow and arrows, if they are wet you should dry them off as soon as you can and store them inside.
There are so many benefits to having a range at home, and I hope you can set one up and enjoy it as much as I have.
-Matthew Ebner is a 2022 student contributor. Watch for his future submissions.-
