Just read the post on the bloke looking for a short longbow. I bought a 68"longbow, never really thought about the length as I thought longbows were....well,just long!
Now I see them talking about 58"bows I'm thinking mine is too long to hunt with. I"m sure someone has some experience with this.
Please help.
PS Most hunting here takes place on foot, not in stands.
Nope. My favorite bow is a 66" longbow, and Howard Hill and others used bows 70" and over. There are very few situations where a shorter bow would have been of more value than more practice, in my experience.
Another: nope! :D
hnh
nope
Nope. And the longbow I hunt with is taller than me! Like Kevin said, I can't think of a time I wished it was shorter, except when I was putting in the back seat of my car:-)
Ron
Have used 64 to 68 inch bows hunting alot and it never hindered me.I do trim branches and such for clearance when necessary and practice shooting with alot of cant to the bow in case I need to do that .Will not work out of some portable blinds though.
Another NOPE!! I started with 68" over 20 yrs ago. I've owned two 62" longbows and a 60" takedown recurve. I currently own a 66" and 68" longbow. Should never have left the longer bows. Should have spent the $1000.00 plus dollars else where. That's not to say that shorter bows don't work for others but they are just not for me.
Yet another nope. Just need to learn to hunt with it.
Good to hear, just when you read of guys saying they could feel the difference of a couple of inches, I got a bit worried.
Nope
I also Hunt with a 68" HH longbow and I also Hunt Beaver out of a boat with it....
no way!!!!!!!!
I'm 5'10" and shoot 62" Harrisons. I often wish I had a shorter bow, but just cant, sometimes clear to horizontal and let fly. You just get used to the length and I only lost one elk because of the bows length. That one the upper limb was the problem.
Well another Nope. 68" and 66" and 70" and handling these long bows, No Problem.
Nope.....68" 21st Century
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/whoffman1955/Whitetails/157iowa.jpg)
8 of my 10 Hills are 68".I did'nt know they could be a problem.
I am 5'9'' and shrinking, I use 68'' Hillstyle, 66'' Schluz, 65'' pig nut hickory, 62'' Robertson, and 66'' yew. they all work.
I hunted last year with 66" Longbow, and sat on a stool in a brush blind.
My bows range from 54" to 68" and the main ones I hunt with are in the 68" range. The only drawback for me is when I'm in a blind.
Dennis
All my bows are 68" long and I am leary about any shorter. Long bow length is not a problem you can't adjust to quickly enough.
I've got to go a bit against the grain on this one guys. Personally, I prefer a bow 66" or shorter, going with around 62-64 ideal for my tastes and draw length(27"). To me those extra 2" just seems too much and I find myself needing to trim too much in blinds and concentrate too much on snagging and knocking limbs through the thick brush and swamp that I hunt. I like to be as stealthy as possible and this helps(I need all the help I can get!). Also, when I do finally get a shot while still hunting it may be in thicker brush not allowing a longer bow to be drawn without hitting something. I can see why some guys prefer the longer limbs(stability, smoothness of draw, etc.), and if that works for them that's fine by me, but give me a bit shorter bow and I'm a happy camper. Less wasted concentration lost on knocking limbs=more concentration on my shot process. Just my 2 cents! God bless, Matt
I have killed a lot of game with a 70 inch longbow and I hunt with a 68 inch.
I will note that it is harder to hunt with a long longbow; than a short bow. You find this out when your in a ground blind; and try to manuver for a shot; or if your in a treestand and try to make a shot.
Sit in a chair and try to draw back a 68 inch bow; it is harder to get to a complete draw without hitting your leg.
For stalking and still hunting it is not a factor in most cases. I like shooting my long longbows; and will 'stick' with them :D
Nope 70" 21st Century.
No. Shot my 68" out of a DB blind last fall. Missed the turkeys, but it wasn't because of the length of the bow :knothead:
Nope here also!The small bows are great if you like them,but they seem to pinch my fingers too much!I have Viper 68" and Rudderbows English longbow of 72".You just have tobe careful of your surroundings.Brian.
Nope! I'm 5'7" and build all my selfbows to those specs. I hunt out of stands and on the ground with 67" bows all the time. I made a 74" selfbow for a 6'2" gentleman in MN. He loves it!
-Brett
Yep, anything over 64" is too long for my taste. I shoot 60" and 62" bows and that's with a 30" draw. If I had a shorter draw I'd probley go shorter.
I just like the shorter bows. :D I feel more manuverable with them.
Mike :campfire:
I just received my PLV Widow at 66in long,I absolutely love it!
thats all i own,and hunt with, i spend alot of time still hunting and you learn to move thru the woods like a huge rack buck whos horns are still growing, never had any problems shooting!when i'm up a tree, like everone,i clear limbs and such! go out and stump shoot in the types of areas you will hunt in and you'll see!! happy shooting and happy hunting!
Is 68 inches too long. Definitely not, particularly for stalking and stillhunting from the ground. My preference though is for 66 inches in a Hill. Just seems to balance better for me. Not much to worry about either way.
It seems like I've shot them all from 54-66". What am I shooting now? A 66" Hill Owl, and loving it.
Yes - the correct answer is 66" (like my HH) - no more no less! Hrmph! Hrmph! Hrmph!
Ok - I guess 68 is fine.
:-D
I'm a sky scraper at 5ft8 LOL!! I had no problems with this 68 inch Mountaineer.
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g128/ad2877/Harvests/Picture091.jpg)
I'm 5' 10" and mostly use my Hill style bows 65 -70" to hunt with and mostly with my 68" of which I have several. Have never found that to be a hinderance and when the longer shot presents itself am glad I have one of them. Forgot to add, I hunt mostly from a short 3 legged stool sitting under mesquite bushes and love to shoot sitting with my bow horizontal. Can hardly remember when I've arrowed a deer standing.
QuoteOriginally posted by nyamazan:
Now I see them talking about 58"bows I'm thinking mine is too long to hunt with.
No, yours is not too long to hunt with. Especially if you shoot it well and it is functional in your hunting situations. Personally I hunt with 58-60" bows but you should see where some of my stands and blinds are located. I like the manueverability of the short bows but it is not always neccessary and sometimes I would be better served with a longer bow (increased accuracy).
there is hardly such thing as bow that is too long. Within reason of course. Just keep it under eighty inches
68" is my favorite length to hunt with. That is the exact height I need to balance my binocs on right at my eyes when standing. 66" I have to stoop a bit, 64, 62, 58, yikes I'd need to be halfway on my knees..... :knothead:
I have a 68" Belcher Longhorn hybrid longbow. I love it's smooth draw with my 30" draw length.
Some very reassuring answers, seems like it's a case of addapting to the situation, and learning to shoot at all angles of cant.
Thanks guys.
Quillian's Gull was 72", and all of his bows were made for hunting. I've use a 68" Longhunter for most of my hunting years. Lately I've used a 64, and I can't tell much difference in handling.
I think that the width of my bow is more important that length when going through the woods. I'll use a long bow, but I won't put a bow quiver on it. My arrows are out of the way, down my back.
I love the 68" bows and think they are just about perfect for a longbow. I have 66's and 68's. If they are shorter than 64 then they are not longbows in my estimation....only in terminology. I can get into a shot quicker with a 68" longbow than a 58" recurve, so I don't see a problem.
Another nope, use 68" selfbows just learn to cant when shooting. Only time I have trouble is when the wheelie guys at the club wine because I need two lanes to shoot (^8.
Hunted with a 70" Howard Hill Big Five for years. No problems.
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/Ahundredsquirrels.jpg)
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/squatdraw1.jpg)
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/corralljack1.jpg)
Still use 67-68" longbows of my own manufacture.
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/JCmeandhog.jpg) (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/illinoisbunny1.jpg)
Only time I have trouble is when the wheelie guys at the club wine because I need two lanes to shoot :clapper:
I love my long bows but you do have to trim more if you in a stand. I have had no problems out of a blind. I will say I learned the hard way about trimming, Take the time and do it right.
Tracy
Dang Charlie.. that hog shot with the young feller... are you using exploding heads or chain-saw heads? ewwww..... new idea !
You learn to hunt with and use what you got. If you want to hunt out of a 4' cube ground blind... well, maybe not so much. But most of us don't do that. Go for it !
ChuckC
You say you are hunting on foot. The only time I have had problems with my 70 inch Longbow on foot was when I was standing in tall grass or weeds. If the ground is relatively clear then you will have no problems at all. I could also see a problem if you are trying to do alot of shooting beneath low hanging branches. Good Luck.
You can learn to work think ahead and tree branches are not a big problem - unless you like to climb up in trees or hide under low branches.
If you like to shoot sitting down youll have to experiment with what gets in your way. I shoot off m knees often and find Im ok with most bows.
there is a misconception going around that bows of more traditional length are now too long and will get in the way when hunting. Was there no trees and brush in the old days?
I guess you can blame the more recent popularity of shorter bows and them being marketed as a good blind bow, or this one works great in a treestand.
Truth is there is nos such thing as too long of a bow within reason of course.
Chuck... just my usual Magnus I w/bleeder. Chainsaw? Would that be left or right bevel? :D
I have been hunting wit a 64" and have just ordered a 70".
Not in the last 18 years it hasn't been. 68" is my preferred length, I shoot Hill-style longbows exclusively.
Amen! Hunt the long ones! :thumbsup:
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