Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Maclean on February 09, 2023, 01:13:04 PM
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I'd like to get your thoughts on longbows vs recurves in hunting situations.
A little background first. I hunt with longbows, always have. As a matter of fact, the only bows I've ever shot have been longbows. Never shot a recurve, I know, I know, but that's why I'm here asking these questions.
Also, I mainly hunt elk and deer in the mountains of central Idaho, from the ground - no tree stand hunting.
I know a lot of you hunt with both types of bows, and some hunt with recurves only. I've been thinking a lot about getting a new bow lately, and wondering why I don't have a recurve.
So, for those of you who use recurves or both types of bows, for hunting, what's the reasoning behind your choice? :campfire:
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I prefer a longbow. For me, a longbow is more accurate and easier to shoot. :saywhat: I'm sure others will disagree.
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I love them both and hunt with both. If, however, I were to select only one to hunt with, it would be a recurve. For me, they are easier to move in tight quarters and shoot a tad faster. And although it doesn't matter, I'll also add that I think they just look cool too!
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I have a number of each. When I was young I used a recurve til iI was about 20. then i had a compound for 3 years and sold it and started shooting a longbow. I will use a recurve for bowfishing, but other than that I've shot a longbow for the last 42 years. It's what I prefer. Ease of use.
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I love them both and hunt with both. If, however, I were to select only one to hunt with, it would be a recurve. For me, they are easier to move in tight quarters and shoot a tad faster. And although it doesn't matter, I'll also add that I think they just look cool too!
If it's strictly maneuverability I can always get a short longbow i.e. Pika or Elkheart.
Is there a notable difference in performance when comparing the two styles at the same draw weight?
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Not sure that it is a significant difference but in the bows I've used, it is there. That being said, I'm sure the highly RD longbows like those you mentioned, are right up there in speed. If you've never shot a recurve, you owe it to yourself to shoot a couple . . . can't hurt, right?
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Absolutely. I just don't have any left handed trad archer friends. And there's no big events around here like ETAR or Compton where bowyers bring lots of bows to try. Sure would like to try some.
What about string noise on the limb tips?
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That's a good question. I've owned and shot a lot of recurves and generally, a longbow will be more quiet. I do, however, have a couple of curves that are as quiet as my longbows. Not sure why but they are. As for taking a bow out for a test drive, I noticed that you are in Idaho. Have you reached out to anyone in the Idaho Traditional association? Looks like they are fairly active: https://www.idahotraditionalbowhunters.com/ Might be worth an email to see if there is anyone in your neighborhood who has a left-handed bow to try.
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I'm a member of Idaho Traditional Bowhunters. Actually heading down to Nampa this weekend for the annual Trad Day meeting and banquet. Hopefully someone will have a lefty recurve to try. I'm bringing the 2 longbows I have for sale here to see if someone wants to shoot them and possibly buy them.
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There is no 'vs'.
Both are what you prefer and what type of terrain you will be using it in. Consider the length based on that as well. And which design best matches your style. And which one you are most
accurate with.
Accuracy 1st, then 2nd length for terrain
Best of luck. :campfire:
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I hunt with both. I tend to take a recurve on my Western hunts because pound for pound, they're a bit flatter shooting than my ASLs. Thus, they extend my effective range 5 yards or so. If your idea of a longbow is a hybrid (pistol grip, extreme r/d limbs), there there's little difference between a longbow and a recurve in terms of performance. I've always found a longbow easier to maneuver when hunting from the ground. Much less likely to get brush caught between the string and the limb. They're also quite a bit lighter, so easier to carry all day.
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We'll get your limb tips/string slap tended to. Just email me if you need to quiet them
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I typically hunt with a 72” English longbow down to a 56” bendy handle be. Other than that I can’t easily take a squatting shot with the 72” the lengths havnt mattered to me much. I’ve hunted with recurves some but I prefer my longbows for 2 reasons. When walking around I get a lot more branches and weeds pinching under the string. The second, building a recurve from a stave can be a royal PITA so I typically stick to longbows.
Kyle
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I have both and shoot and hunt with both.
But like a longbow better.
Just a personal preference.
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I prefer a longbow but I shoot and hunt with both.
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I like to shoot and hunt with both, the interesting thing is my recurves are longer than my longbows, go figure.
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I think the thing that got me thinking about it in the first place is that I have found myself in situations where I felt like I needed a shorter bow. Currently I have 3 r/d longbows at 3 different lengths, 66" 64" & 62".
I found that I could get a longbow in the 52 to 56" range which would be perfect in certain situations. And then I thought, well that's recurve lengths, maybe there's a reason I'm missing as to why so many people hunt with them.
Ultimately I think that with today's r/d short longbows there's less of a difference between the two.
I've never been drawn to the heavy deeply sculpted risers on a lot of the recurves I've seen. I like the more slender risers of longbows along with a less extreme grip. My favorite grips are the Black Widow PL standard and the the Toelke classic. Both the BW PSR and the Chinook have the same grip as the PL and the Pika.
If there's not a notable performance difference I'll most likely stick with a longbow, even if it is short. Though given the chance I would like to shoot a recurve just to see what it feels like.
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I use both. Prefer Reflex/Deflex longbows for most hunting as I just find them to be quieter, however I like short recurves for hunting from ground blinds.
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give black widow a call for a test bow :archer2:
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I've owned and shot both types of bows but I prefer recurves. They offer more variances in design, riser shape, grip style, overall length and they are generally faster than longbows and with a little effort they can be as quiet as any longbow. For instance, I own a DH High Speed that I simply cannot hear when I drop the string.
I have never been a big fan of very long bows and I enjoy shorter longbows, i.e. < 62". I would love to try one of Great Northern's 58" Lil' Creeps or one of Mike Dunnaway's Wild Horse Creek Destiny LBs at 58". I can get away with shooting shorter bows because my draw length is 26.5" and I may ask Mike to create one for me. Soon as he's completed the Wisp (like the Mariah, a recurve with a longbow style grip) that I ordered recently.
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I’ve used both, but hunted mostly with recurves earlier in my life. I have gravitated more to R/D lately. Just seem to like the draw cycle (or lower brace height) better on longbows.
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Like others here, I go back and forth. A little range time and I can shoot either well enough. With that in mind, I don't shoot past 25yds.
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I started out with a recurve but later moved to longbows. That was back in the 80's.
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I think of all the replies Terry nailed it…. There really is no RC vs Longbow.
There are many different types of bows and different lengths available out there to look at and possibly try if you can.
I’d like to offer another option to look into. I came up with a limb design I call a Hybrid long bow that has been very popular over the years. This unique limb design has a very smooth draw cycle much like the recurve limbs do, and delivers very nice performance. It can be built from 58” to 62” lengths and accommodate even the longest draw lengths out there. I have many of these in 60” lengths that are being drawn to 32”-33” that have been going strong after many years.
The grip shape can be done at any wrist angle you desire too…. Please give this one a look. This is the Sasquatch Hybrid.
The last link has a riser shape with a low wrist grip, and has both RC limbs and the hybrid long bow limbs….
https://photos.app.goo.gl/pSje89n6bQGaJTbE7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fsyti1qR41SFbVNj6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/af496SGEZNL6tJTs6
Here is one more album of the “Bare Foot” riser with hybrid limbs. I build a lot of these for the TD Bear fans out there….
https://photos.app.goo.gl/scEiShF9j2gmqR139
Kirk
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I thoroughly enjoy my recurve, anytime I shoot one of my buddies longbow I wind up with a big ole welt on my arm. My ole girl hasn't bit once me in over 20 years.
I don't know if this is still the case today but I also feel like a recurve spits an arrow much faster, not that I'm relatively worried about speed shooting a 679gr arrow.
In the end though you need to pick the tool that you are comfortable with and shoot extremely well. Just my 2 pennies
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Shoot them both, but there’s something about longbows that I’m levitating towards more and more these days.
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I've hunted with both for the last 35 years. To me, longbows have many advantages, recurves have none. Hybrid longbows probably suit me best for a hunting bow.
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Guys n Gals, when you click onto Kirks links, give it a few seconds to clear up the pics.
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Fred Asbell wrote about the differences, and the most obvious was the grip and switching back and forth for some could be a challenge. I believe it was in his first book, where he devoted more time to the differences.
The American Semi-Longbow that is under 6 ft. and different from the English Longbow over 6 ft in limb design and length. The reflex-deflex longbow and hybrids are shorter under 5'6" and generally faster than the first two. Although, there were exceptions recorded in Dan's two books, below.
Dan Bertalan wrote in "Traditional Bowyers of America" in 1989 and in his updated "Traditional Bowyers Encyclopedia" in 2007 about the bows of different bowyers of the time. I recall that Dick Robinson's Mystical (R&D) was as fast his two recurves the Peregrine, and Falcon T/D.
The difference between my Bear T/D, and ASL, reflex-deflex and hybids was the height of the arrow shelf above the hand. I prefer a low rest, and ended up lowering the shelf so the arrow is not above the hand and index finger. It is easer to shoot, and is like pointing a finger at the intended target. The other objections IMO is the added weight of a recurve with bow quiver (5 lbs +/- vs 1.2
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Nice Hud. :campfire:
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I prefer a longbow. For me, a longbow is more accurate and easier to shoot. :saywhat: I'm sure others will disagree.
This ........ and I'm not a disagreer. I own both, have shot recurves plenty, learned to shoot on them. All being said, there is just something about the long bow for me that makes it my go to %100 of the time and it ain't worth trying to explain at this point I suppose ...... those who know, know. And so many feel the same about the recurve.....and it's all good :thumbsup:
Makes for a good back and forth though and it's cool to see what folks think and why. One thing I know for sure is when I'm planning on shootin' something with an arrow and I grab one of my long bows, I never stop to think and wish or wonder how a recurve would feel in its place. :archer2:
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Bow choice, whether it be recurve vs longbow, or brand x vs brand y is a "feel" thing for me. I shot longbows for several years. A Widow LAG was my go-to bow for years, then a MOAB and finally a Widow PL. Picked up an older Widow TF recurve with a low wrist grip and it just "felt" right. Purchased a new Widow PTF with a low wrist grip and it has become my favorite bow of all time.
Most all of the quality recurve bows are extremely rugged and can stand up to the rigors of hunting. The R/D longbows perform on par with the recurves and are most likely less susceptible to limb twist or severe damage from a drop from a treestand or a fall on the rocks.
Main advantage to me of a longbow over for me is that I can get a longbow a bit quieter than a recurve, but with a good set of wool silencers and a bit of tinkering and tuning, I can get a recurve pretty quiet.
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Good stuff Mike, one advantage of a longbow most don't know....
Would you toss your recurve out of your treestand? :goldtooth:
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Thanks Mike.
I really appreciate your input. :campfire:
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I'll add my 2 cents, first off most recurves have a higher grip than a longbow and that can cause you to get too much heal pressure on the grip causing you to shoot high.
And here's something interesting that I learned years ago, you can shoot a recurve like a longbow but you can't shoot a longbow like a recurve.
Meaning, a longbow shoots better with your bow arm slightly bent and the bow canted over.
A recurve can be shot vertically and a more inline body stance toward the target ( Olympic target shooting ) but that doesn't work well for hunting.
So bottom line, for hunting, do what you like the most.
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Good stuff Pine! :campfire:
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I have both but switched to a RD longbow about 10 years ago and haven't looked back. As mentioned above it all boils down to preference, terrain, treestand or ground, etc.
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People have said it's hard to switch from a recurve to a longbow because of the grip but I switch back and forth all the time. To me it's kind of a day to day decision on which bow to use, my first deer this year was with one of my Bear T/D's, the second and third were with my Toelke Whip. The bows pull basically the same 53#. In 1977 I shot my first deer with a Joh Schutz longbow which was a mule deer doe in No.Dak., my second in MN, a whitetail doe with PSE Compound and my third , a whitetail doe with my Bear T/D. I do shoot a couple judos every time I go into hunt for practice.
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I'll add my 2 cents, first off most recurves have a higher grip than a longbow and that can cause you to get too much heal pressure on the grip causing you to shoot high.
And here's something interesting that I learned years ago, you can shoot a recurve like a longbow but you can't shoot a longbow like a recurve.
Meaning, a longbow shoots better with your bow arm slightly bent and the bow canted over.
A recurve can be shot vertically and a more inline body stance toward the target ( Olympic target shooting ) but that doesn't work well for hunting.
So bottom line, for hunting, do what you like the most.
Oh boy.... I could sure debate the generalities part of your post here .... But..... I wont.
All long bows and recurves are not created equally..... Grip shape, and grip angle, shelf height, and how far to, or past center cut the riser is, are all determining factors in how they shoot. Where you apply the pressure on the grip and wrist rotation are other factors on whether they can be shot vertically and canted both..... I shoot my own long bows exactly like i do my recurves..... I love em both .....
But...... like Terry said..... I don't throw my recurve out of a tree stand. :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
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I don't agree that recurve aren't as good for hunting because I can disprove that. I can shoot a recurve anyway I want just like a longbow. I've kill a bunch of stuff with a recurve and I never said 'I wish I had a longbow. Recurves have never been any kind of hindrance in shooting or hunting.
2 things about grips, .... recurves can have custom grips, and I can shoot a bow by holding the bottom fade out. My hand yields to the grip, so no worrying about it to me. Now I do know what is comfortable, not too big, not to small, no palm swell, and what I like, but in the end I can shoot any grip pretty well.
:campfire:
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I have always shot a longbow because I prefer the slimmer grip of most longbows. I have smaller hands, so they just fit me better.
I did want to try something shorter for turkeys this year, so a call to Mike at Wild Horse Creek bows and there will be one of his Mariah Recurves headed my way early next week. It maintains the slim grip very similar to his Kestrel longbow I have. I am super excited to hunt with it and will let you know if I can tell any major differences between my longbow and recurve.
I really think its whatever you get used to and enjoy shooting.
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I shoot and hunt with both. In fact I just ordered another longbow because my other one piece longbows are a bit heavy for me these days. I think my longbows are nicer to carry, especially, in thick thorny cover. For some reason I never tried brush buttons but I probably should.
As far as shooting I can go back and forth without any problems.
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Unfortunately, today's differences between modern trad bows and especially re 'What's a longbow?' (which is a necessary place to start if trying to answer the OP's question sensibly) have been lost in technical and ideologic design/re-designs over the decades. What once was a recurve is now a hybrid or a longbow/recurve combo or even a compound dressed up to look like one of the others by borrowing parts/shapes/materials. In the practical sense, tradbows have become kind of an omnipotent generality...limbs, strings, and fill in the blank with what you want other than cams. In a nutshell there are so many differences between 'longbow' and 'recurve' designs now, that picking between them is like trying to decide what your favorite color is on Tuesday compared to Thursday. You might come up with some answers but all of them will have mitigating circumstances as to their fit or sensibility.
In the end it's mostly about fit, feel, and use conditions. Pretty much a personal choice thing.
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I love them both. My main recurve is much heavier than my longbow so I feel like I hold it steady fairly well. I've made some good shots on game and it's been great fun. it's a beautiful work of art. I've also had some limited success with ASL's and I actually prefer them for ease of carrying around and looking cool, but I need to work on shooting them more as I'm nowhere near as confident. I've got a new one on the way soon and it may be here in time for the fallow deer rut so we will see what happens.
At the end of the day I go between lots of bows because they are all fun but I would definitely benefit from focusing on just one for a while. That'll likely be the case with the new longbow on the way as it'll be in a draw weight I can handle a little easier.
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The first 25 years of my archery and bowhunting journey were spent with a recurve in hand— But the last 15 have all been with an ASL longbow. AND they have been by far the most successful and satisfying. One of my favorite attributes (beyond overall shootability) is durability over all other bow designs for those moments when Uncle Murphy shows up.
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I hunt with both! No paticular favorite.