GilV, that target looks like it was attacked by an axe! What heads are you shooting?
I agree with Richmeister that if you have the space to devote to building a sand pit, it's a great option. My club has a few old 3d targets for broadhead testing but you never know what foreign objects may have been left behind by others so there's always a risk of damaging broadheads.
The broadhead was a Simmons Treeshark.
I want to shoot my broadheads a lot before the season this year. It is a confidence builder for me and will give me comfort shooting at game while hunting. I have a close point on and shoot the point. The broadhead gives me a much different sight picture and is shorter since the shaft screws up to an inch from the tip.
I have Great Whites on the way also, they are a little wider and heavier, but are not vented so I don't think they will buzz. The Treeshark has a buzz to it from the vents. I don't think the buzz will matter since the deer will hear the bow before the buzz and by that time it will be too late.
I am going to use three heads for practice so my sight picture feels natural. Using a built up carboard deer silhouette set up 8" in front of the styrofoam block will work great. By the time the arrow gets through the cardboard it should slow down the arrow to where it doesn't penetrate far into the styrofoam. There shouldn't be much ware to the broadheads and the styrofoam will prevent pass thoughs screwing up the fletching.
The sand pit could be good from the ground. The styrofoam\cardboard I want to use to practice from a tree at different yardages. Especially since I will be using the tree saddle this year.
The styrofam is from the cheap youth targets. It isn't closed cell so the broadheads pull easy and come out straight without too much damage. I bought 4 new ones off Marketplace for $15. Dicks has them on sale for $14.
I shoot close and wanted a close point on distance. In the past I would have never tried a wide broadhead like this. I would have been afraid of wind planing. I always shot broadheads with a close 3 to 1 ratio.
I was pleasantly surprised how the wide heads shot. I won't take a shot past 20 at deer. My average shot is 13 yards at deer. I don't have anything to worry about in regard to penetration at my distances. I want the blood trail these heads provide.
