When you choose to go hunting, you can greatly increase your success by practicing with a life-size 3D target. Shooting 3D archery targets helps you to know the exact location you need to hit and you can try as many shots that you can think of to make your chance of a successful hunt much higher.
All that being said, 3D targets are considerably more expensive than a block target. When I joined an archery club, I was able to shoot all their 3D targets and that gave me a chance to try out several different ones and see what I liked about them. Most of these aren’t shipped in packaging so if it’s a long delivery, they can get the paint rubbed pretty good.
All the 3D targets are made from foam. They are made to be destroyed, seriously, you’re going to shoot at it until it falls apart. They are also not as strong and as big most of the time as you think. You can still have a great experience with them, they just are normally more fragile on the legs. They are only made to be shot at in the core areas, not thrown or dragged around. Take care of your target so that it lasts longer and makes the experience more enjoyable.
 The best 3D archery targets
– The Glendel buck is a monster. A huge, sturdy version of a 250+ pound buck. You get a big foam target that has a huge replaceable vital area. What’s neat about the vital area is that it is both removable and multi-sided. This means you can shoot several sides of the foam core before you have to replace it. There have been shipping issues so just make sure to check the contents once they arrive. Priced around $190 for the target and a replacement core costs about $45. You shouldn’t need a replacement for a long time though.
– This is the best less expensive 3D target. For $90 you get a good smaller size deer that stands up to plenty of use and has the great feature of a replaceable vital core area. The replacement core is $30 so you can buy a few of these for the cost of the best archery targets. This is a great deer to shoot and works for most people if they just need a good deer to shoot at.
– There’s more to hunt than deer. This tom turkey isn’t strutting around, but the size is good and with multiple angle vital markings, you can practice all the different shots you’ll need to successfully harvest a turkey. This is a good value and very helpful if you’ll be doing any small game animal hunting. Priced around $130 and worth checking out.
-Shooting feral hogs and wild boars can easily be tested with this target. This Delta target is heavy-duty and definitely worth the price. It will hold up for a long time and take a lot of shots. There are no replaceable parts, but it will hold up to plenty of shooting. Priced around $450, it will be a good investment.
– This is a small bear target, but it will really help you get set up for a real one. The vitals blend into the target helping you prepare for the real things. It’s a great price if you’re looking for a large target and not animal specific. The “self-healing” foam helps the target look nicer for a longer time. Priced around $180, it’s a great value, plus it has a replaceable insert if you need it.
Shooting a 3D target is a huge benefit and definitely worth looking into. If you don’t try them for hunting, you will definitely see them in many archery competitions.