Morrell Center Punch 35” & Delta McKenzie Predator 36” Targets

by Jace Bauserman

In 2020, my wife and I pooled every dime we had and bought our little slice of Colorado heaven. Two years later, I started building my outdoor archery range. Today, the 120-yard range has 14 3-D targets, one bag target, and several foam targets. I love it.

Lucky for me, I get to add to my range each year. A huge chunk of my job is testing gear, and archery targets are a must-have for every archer, whether you have a full range or a short 20-yard backyard range, as I did for most of my life.

Several targets caught my eye this year, but two in particular stood out: Morrell’s Center Punch 35” With High Roller and Delta McKenzie’s Predator 36” Technical Target With Removable Core.

If I had to choose one target for the rest of my life, it would be a 3-D target. However, larger range-style targets are excellent for precision practice at longer ranges.

World Champion archer Levi Morgan once told me, “Every bowhunter or archer who wants to increase their accuracy and shooting confidence should integrate double-distance practice into their daily routine.”

Double-distance practice is practicing twice as far as your maximum kill distance. Kill distance is the maximum distance you feel comfortable taking an ethical bow shot on an animal. My maximum shot distance is 60 yards. I won’t lie. I have killed animals at longer ranges, but I work tirelessly to get inside of 60 yards whenever possible. For this reason, I practice regularly at 120 yards.

Arrows are expensive. The further you move back from a target, the smaller your margin of error. Have a breakdown in form from 40 yards, and you might miss your mark by four inches. Have a breakdown in form from 80 yards, and you’ll miss your mark by more than a foot. Larger targets boost confidence and allow archers to practice at longer ranges without the worry of losing a 1/2-dozen arrows.

There is also something to be said about shooting smaller targets at longer distances. However, this should only be done after you feel extremely comfortable shooting at longer distances. Bigger targets are the answer to begin the road to being a long-range tack driver with archery tackle.

Both the Morrell Center Punch 35” with High Roller and the Delta McKenzie 36” Technical Target with Removable Core give you plenty of room for error. Both targets feature a replaceable inner core that fits into the pre-cut square in the surrounding foam. The orange and black 13” x 13” x 13” Delta McKenzie replaceable core target allows six-sided shooting. Each side of the target features various circular aiming points. There is also a side with a black aiming point inside a crosshair design. This is an ideal choice for dialing in windage and elevation. The replaceable core for Morrell’s Center Punch 35” is its tried-and-true six-sided dice pattern, High Roller Foam Target. I love that both targets feature a large black outer core with a smaller replaceable core with defined aiming points.

Both targets use a black outer core and a bright replaceable inner core. A black outer core with a bright inner core allows the archer to focus on the defined aiming points of the inner core.

Six-sided shooting allows the internal High Roller and internal Predator to last. I will note that you’ll need a rubber mallet to pound both interanl core targets out. This is a good thing. You don’t want slop. I’ve shot range targets that let the inertia of an arrow push the inner core totally out of the outer core. That won’t happen with either of these targets. They are extremely well built. Sadly, I used a metal hammer and damaged the foam. If you take your time and use a rubber mallet, you won’t crack or cut the inner core foam.

Morrell Center Punch 35” with High Roller

Both of these targets make excellent range targets. Both are well built and boost confidence during extended-range practice sessions. Each lets you remove the inner target and take that target to elk camp, etc.

After one week of testing, shooting only the single-dot face on both targets with field points and mechanical broadheads, both targets are holding up well. I prefer the single, smaller white aiming point on the High Roller to the single, larger black aiming point on the Predator. Both targets are equal in terms of arrow removal. A slight tug is all you need, and your shaft will slide out. Even high-speed carbon arrows don’t melt the foam and cause the arrow to bond to the target.

The outer foam of Delta McKenzie’s 36” Technical Target With Removable Core is much better than the outer foam of the Center Punch 35”. The first time I missed the 13” x 13” x 13” High Roller from 80 yards, my Easton 4MM Parallell Pro burried almost to the nock. There was fletch damage after arrow removal. The outer foam of the DM’s 36” Technical Target with Removable Core stops arrows almost as well as the higher-density inner foam target. This is definitely something to keep in mind.

Both targets are worth their price tags and make excellent additions to any outdoor range. Honestly, it’s a toss-up as to which target is better. I liked certain things about both, so you can’t go wrong with your choice. Neither requires a forklift to move. I can easily lift both, and if you need to, the rectangular base of each target lets you wiggle it where you want around your range. The bottom line: If you’ve got $400 burning a hole in your pocket, both of these targets will make a great addition to any range.