Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: MnFn on June 07, 2022, 09:10:57 AM
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I’ve been reading a few threads today. On one of them, somebody commented that with a long bow the string was pulling into the body, so they prefer shorter bows. So how many people here prefer to hunt with a 66” or longer longbow? And, is this a significant problem?
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I have been shooting a longbow less than many but for about 28 years. I played with R/D but a ASL is for me and have hunted with one of those for about 22 years. the shortest one I have used was 66" but the vast majority has been 68". I am only 5'6" tall, but feel the longer length limbs gives me more of a power stroke, and makes for smoother shot. You do have to consider the limbs for a shot when hunting, but you have to for any bow. I never felt that is caused me any issue, nor was there any place that I could not hunt with it. I never liked using "pop-up" blinds, just because I like to be in nature, but I think this is the only real place that can cause an issue. Other than that, I have hunted from ground and tree's with no issue with any of my longbows.
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I prefer longer bows. All of mine range from 64”-66”. In my opinion they are smoother to shoot. The length has never been a problem for me
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This year I am planning on hunting with my 66" Heritage from JD Berry. I'm very concerned with this as I'm also using a saddle and feel as though it's going to be difficult. I'm also considering sitting on the ground or just a few feet up a tree to clear the brush. But, like mentioned above, I'll just have to make sure of my limb clearance and plan accordingly. I know there are many here who are successful every year. So, it can be done!
-Jeremy :coffee:
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I think that the length of a hunting bow has 2 factors to ponder. What can you shoot accurate, and what are the conditions you hunt in?
Longer bows in general, tend to be more accurate and forgiving of shooter errors in form. Hunting from a tree stand, or any downhill shooting can have some issues with the bowstring and heavy clothing with longer bows.
I have shot a 70" longbow out of a tree, but that would not be my preference if tree stands are the prime method of hunting. You have to be aware of your set up and "dry run", so there are no surprises when opportunity presents itself.
When still hunting in heavy cover many prefer a shorter bow. Ground blinds, especially tent blinds, tend to need a shorter bow.
Can you shoot the bow accurately under the adrenaline of a hunting shot? This is the 2nd consideration. Some people can shoot great with shorter bows. Some cannot when under adrenaline. Howard Hill could not shoot a short recurved bow well enough under hunting conditions, and returned to a longbow of ASL design. There are much better designed shorter bows today and the options are many. Overall mass weight of the bow can be helpful with shorter bows and increased forgiveness.
Some bowhunters prefer a longer bow. While a shorter bow is very nice to maneuver in cover, you will not know until you try one on a hunting shot. Experience shooting at game will give you insight into the criticalness of the set up and functionality as a hunting weapon.
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All my bows are 66" longbows, 1 ASL and 4 R/D. Never have had a clearance issue in any hunting scenario. I do not hunt out of a tent or a tree stand rather a make-up ground blind and a ghillie suit.
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I prefer longbows, not as fragile as recurves in the field and don't need to keep up with a stringer. Although I do have my eye on a particular one. :saywhat:
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My bows are mostly 60-62" recurve, longbow and Hybrid. The 62" Kota LB is more a spot-n-stalk bow, for me.
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2:
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ASls. Simple, no stringer and more fun (for me).
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ASls. Simple, no stringer and more fun (for me).
I'm sorry. What does asl mean?
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Hil-style Jim. American Semi.............
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My greatest joy is hunting and shooting self bows and I just got an Eric Krewson Osage self bow in a trade, 66" long and 56@28. There is not doubt it will find it's way drifting in the woods next October with me.
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I love em all but I absolutely shoot a recurve better. I've killed more stuff with a longbow but the past couple years I've hunted with the recurve. But Terry's right, they're a bit more fragile.
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Hill style longbow as it is more accurate / forgiving for me. I had an issue with string chest clearance but discovered it was a form issue. Lean into it and the issue goes away. I just bought a bigger blind for turkey and have no issues from the stand if you bend at the waist and lean into it. You get accustomed to the length just figure out what you like better and use it.
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Well, I prefer a 58 or 60 inch R/D. Owned an ASL, HH Big 5 once, and once was enough. At hunting distances under 30 yards I find the light and quiet long bow just perfect. I have killed dozens of deer with recurves, but my go to bow is an A&H one piece. :thumbsup:
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Only have 66" longbows, and once I learned how to shoot them, I've had zero issues with the 66" length, neither with the string on my clothes, nor with the 66" bow in the bush. Granted you have to be aware of the bow length in the bush when making a shot, but after lots of years doing it, it's pretty much a subconscious thing now, I don't even think about bow clearance, it just happens.
I really like hunting with my longbows.
Best
Lex
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I hunt and shoot almost all the times with a 62" the string on a 64" pulls into my chest and clothes and a 62 is still to long for a ground blind then i use my 60" or 56".
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Yeah, I've tossed many a longbow out of trees before climbing down.... but not 1 recurve.
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Me.
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I hunt almost exclusively from elevated stands. I have 7 Hill style and 3 R/D bows that I have used for the last 31 years. All of them are 68" long. It is not difficult to make the adjustments to prevent the bottom limb from hitting the stand.
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I’ve been shooting longbows for 42 years now. I’ve settled on my favorite length for a mild r/d longbow to be 64” and 66 for an ASL. I’ve never had problems from any of those from a stand or from a saddle
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I’ve been shooting Hill-style longbows, both standard and reverse handle, exclusively for 37 years. I make my own so can have any length I want. I like a 63-64” bow for some ground blinds. Other than that, my bows are all 66-69”. The only time that is a problem is putting them into the truck.
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I have become more and more of a longbow fan over the years. Recurves treated me well but there is something about a longbow that I prefer. They feel and shoot better for me.
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My Big River Kodiak clone is getting some love this year, in honor of John. It also is longbow light. Next year I'll move back to Big River, MOAB and/or Kota longbows. They all shoot hunting weight arrows faster than recurves. Hope I have a few years left in me.
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :goldtooth:
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I haven't killed many animals with each but I feel like I like my longbows more. I can shoot my recurve better and it feels more stable but I enjoy carrying the longbow around the bush more.
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I am definitely a long bow fan myself. Push pull stringing, and slides threw the underbrush much easier.
But.... i prefer a short hybrid long bow from 60-62" lengths. I have a 30" draw and have no issues with string angle or finger pinch on my Sasquatch design....You don't really need a 66" or 68" length to shoot well. but they sure look cool.
Look at the string angle of this Hybrid at 32" draw.
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I have shot most my game with a 64 inch longbow.
But thier are situations where I prefer a shorter bow for thier compactness in specific places,scenarios and the hunting techniques I will be employing.
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I hunted with recurves for about 20 years before buying a longbow in 1992. Since then I've stuck with longbows. I've shot 64", 66",68", and now have a 62" bow. Shooting Black Widow bows, Northern Mist, Howard Hill, and self bows that I have made. I still own several recurves also. Every once in a while I'll get out a recurve to shoot, and they are so much noisier than any of my longbows, that I hang them back on the rack. I think I can shoot the recurves better, but at hunting distances I'm plenty accurate with the longbows, and the quietness of the longbow more than makes up the difference.
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I just recently started hunting with a longbow this year. I started hunting with traditional gear a couple years ago. I definitely can see myself hunting more with the longbow than my recurves.
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I first hunted traditionally with a recurve, took few deer with it. One day was hunting from tree stand, had the bow hanging on a notch. I was glassing the other way for game, when the strong breeze came in, heard a noise of something hitting the ground. I looked down and there was my recurve. I got down and strung it up and one of the limbs was slightly twisted, that ended the life of that bow.
Few years later after hunting with a longbow for while, I was walking next to a deep drainage and slipped in hole. As I caught myself from falling on my face with a heavy pack on, the bow got tossed. I looked down and had flashback, the bow was down in the drainage unstrung, my heart sank. I worked my way down, got it looked it over, strung it and with exception of a few scratches bow was fine, matter of fact, shot a deer that evening with it.
My opinion is a longbow is a tank, it will take a lot of abuse and keep working fine. Which is what I need because I hunt hard and deep and do not want to have to baby my equipment.
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I prefer which ever one I pick up for the day. I started with 60" recurves, Bear Kodiak and Black Widow in the sixties and from 1980 -1992 shot 70" ASL's, Schultz, Armbrusters(zebra), Maulding bighorn and Ken Becks bows. A couple times the length messed me up by catching the lower limb when not being careful where I was. The last 30 years have found me shooting Bear T/D's 62" but 58" in ground blinds for antelope and turkey where my shots are 15yds or less. I tried 64 limbs on my T/d but they always felt awkward for some reason. I bought a 62" Toelke Whip and really like shooting it, Guess it will be my goto again this year. It shoots out of blinds and trees equally well.
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Last buck I got was with a Bob Lee Stick longbow; very quiet but not a speed queen. Would like to use my Widow PL longbow, but it is much louder than my PSR recurve. I am not sure why. Need to work with it some more. I prefer a longbow style handle even on a recurve.
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"The last 30 years have found me shooting Bear T/D's 62" but 58" in ground blinds for antelope and turkey where my shots are 15yds or less. I tried 64 limbs on my T/d but they always felt awkward for some reason."
I'm curious what length riser you use on your TD Bear? I build some aftermarket "Bare" limbs in both RC and Hybrid long bow that you may like a lot.... Kirk
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I have killed around 50 deer and 14 black bear with longbows.
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I have both A&B risers, A primarily for blind hunting and B for everything else. I really like #2 limbs that make a 62" bow.
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MSU, where to you hunt black bears?
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I have both A&B risers, A primarily for blind hunting and B for everything else. I really like #2 limbs that make a 62" bow.
Do you think you would like a Bare riser that was between an A & B ? 17.5" with the same #2 limbs that make a 60" bow....... I know where you can get one. :saywhat: Kirk
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64”-68” I have no trouble hunting with. I even end up using my bow as a walking stick sometimes in the swamp. Not a normal Thing but I have had to before. Probably wouldn’t do that with a recurve and I feel more accurate at hunting distance too.