I have been thinking lately a lot about why I always want to shoot one bow - as opposed to some of the other awesome bows that I have. I will explain.
My new Bob Lee Elite L/B just arrived. I sold my standard Signature recently to fund one in the Elite version. It is a great bow - looks truly awesome. It is faster than all my other bows (I think, have no way of testing it) and cost the most.
My new Fox Royal is truly the most amazing bow that I could ever imagine. The finish is second to none, it so quiet and smooth and I absolutely drive tacks with that baby. I am not sounding smug but just cannot miss with this bow. Ron did something very very special here and it will never be sold.
However - enter my Turkey Creek. I ordered it last year off Doug but sold it earlier this year because the grip was not quite perfect for me.
I immediately knew I had done the wrong thing. Fortunately for me my friend who bought it is still having trouble with his shoulder (not meaning to sound flippant about his injury), and was unable to shoot it, so I bought it back.
I just can't keep my hands off that bow. It is just in old Plain-Jane woods and looks nothing spectacular like my Fox or Lee.
On paper the Fox is the best bow by far, the Lee looks gorgeous and is very accurate and should be my main bow becuase I don't have to lump a big tube around everywhere I go - it is a t/d - the T/C is not.
However notwithstanding all of that - I just love shooting the T/C more than anything. I often sit under the light at night and just admire its lines and the way Doug has designed it - just to feel the texture of the wood and dream of hunts to come. There is a real mystique about this little bow - maybe the others don't have that!
The Fox is faster - both it and the Lee have grips that fit me perfectly therefore are more accurate - but I am never happier than when shooting my T/C. The others sit in the cupboard not getting used.
My question is: I would like to hear from others who have this quandry. What is that undefinable thing in a bow that you just have to shoot it and shoot it - even though some others in your rack are 'better'?
I am going back home to New Zealand shortly for a big hunt - I should take the Lee travelling. However I know I am crazy but am going to suffer the inconvenience of lugging a big PVC tube around at the airports, just so I can hunt with the T/C.
Sorry this turned out so long-winded, but would love to hear from others.
Sutto
I am close in your dilema too!! I bounce back and forth between a T/D recurve (for travel and speed reasons) and a 1 piece longbow (lighter in the hand and I'm more accurate in weird shot positions).
What I find most desireable is a quiet, stable, bow that will let me shoot both small game and big game. Enough thump to take down a deer or hog, but forgiving enough on the shoulders to shoot at squirrels in a tree or shoot 100 stumps in an afternoon. I don't like a bow that is too heavy to stalk with or carry. I'm not really a speed freak and I shoot a mid-heavy arrow(600 grains). I find that my brain is in tune with bows that are in the 51-55# range at my draw. Any lighter or heavier and my aim is way off. The grip definitly has to be there also. I'm ultra picky about that more than anything.
The best bow I have is my "off the shelf" Mahantango. It is smooth, fast, all around nice bow. The bowyer, Jim martin has the magic touch. Now, I have ordered one that will be more custom to me. I'm sure it will be a dream.
Arwin - I am so with you man - especially on the grip. That is why I am totally bamboozled - the T/C has a grip that does not really suit me well at all, not like the Lee and Fox.
However after I managed to buy the T/C back with a great sigh of relief - I forgot about the issues with the grip and just started to enjoy shooting it. I am actually getting really acurate now and nearly as good as the other two bows.
I also agree with you Arwin about the T/D. I like aspects of the three piece T/D for stability and travel, but seem to prefer the look and feel of the one piece.
I may curb my bow purchasing desires for a while and just enjoy the bows I have. I cancelled my Centaur when I was six months into the wait - for financials and also it may end up being a very expensive hunk of wood sitting in the cupboard with the others - whilst I am out partying with the Turkey.
Sutto
Mines easy, of all my bows, Morrison is the #1!
Which Morrison is the only question as all my bows are Morrisons. They are fast,grip is excellent, they are real purty and they shoot where I look. Last but not least, Mr. Morrison is one fine guy to deal with!
The grip has to be right, med to low, checkered if possible, everything else seems to fall into place. It starts with the grip
Bill
My shrew I got used felt like it was made just for me. I don't feel a stack that others feel with it. That bow picked me when I was looking for a new to me bow at the time My 3pc blow up on me at full draw on a nice 10 pointer. Came close to falling out the tree.
I'm really liking my Red Oak Pyramid board bow ,too... Draws nice and can fling a 60-65# 27"BOP arrow to show slightly over spine.
It feels like a part of me.
ChuckC
No idea. It's undefinable ;) :D
Too logical for THIS crowd, Rob! :biglaugh:
The bow cast a silent spell on me, and I had to pick it up. There was no end to my hand and beginning of grip, it all just merged. The tentacles reached up through my arm, wrapped around my heart and followed the nerve paths throughout my body. It's a symbiote.
It channels long-dead archers, good ones, who cannot resist taking a shot now and then. I guess it functions as an interdimensional portal of sorts. Sort of an arcade for the Robin Hoods, Howard Hills, Fred Bears and countless, nameless brothers and sisters of the bow. They see the opportunity, belly up to the portal, and take a shot. They let me hold the bow when they do this (not that they could pry it away, anyhow!) and I get to see the magical flight of a correct arrow. Then they go do something else and I try to learn to do the same shot.
I know it isn't ME that did that, it was a REAL shooter, just for a lark. I don't understand it completely, and I am sure that a lot of you are scratching your heads, but I have tried to explain it as best as I can. It is a Magic Bow. Who can define exactly how that works?
Killdeer~God is alive, magic is afoot!
Wow - Killy!! Which bow - pray tell - are we waxing lyrically about??
sutto
When I carry it to shoots, lovely women follow me around like puppy dogs. Without it, they treat me like the old houndog I am. :biglaugh: dave
No doubt she is talking of her beloved Centaur.
True love.
Oberon
i think mabey her morrison.
oh yeah my longbow named wolfspirit was made for me by a brother on here and thats its undefinable quality.
jeff
To me it all boils down to the grip. I need a large throat to shoot well, my RER Arroyo fits me perfect and also happens to be very quick and quiet so really no dilemma, it is all the best for me! I have a one of their new recurves on order and Kevin is gonna do the same grip for me. Shawn
Grip ,length and large sight widow for shooting with a vertical bow if I want to are things that attract me to a bow.My rebuilt 21st Century has all the good things and would be hard to replace when it comes to shooting enjoyment.:)I have not found anything better for me yet.
Don't know why, but I really enjoy shooting my Hills over my generally faster moderate r/d longbows. Seem to be equally accurate with all of them, but just seem to take a Hill off the rack more often than any other. Maybe it's their simplicity of form. Like the way they look and feel when I shoot them. Feel a bit more an extension of me than some of the others.
You got any fillings left in your teeth Orion?
sutto
My ancient Colt's "Woods Master" and I have a cantankerous "OH YEAH?!" relationship.
When I don't listen to her, she launches arrows into various stationary objects that are beyond my line-of-sight. She thinks I like hunting squirrels a lot.
When I do listen to her, she & I dance like our feet are on fire (you're still reading this? :eek: ) and I hit darn near everything within 20 yards. Or so it seems.
Suttoman - I'm with Orion and fillings are for sissies. :-D
To me the bow just has to 'be right'. It has to feel right and look right and has to speak to that bit of your soul that hears such things. I shoot much better with my DH Hunter (for now anyway) but today when I went out looking to bother groundhogs and stumps, it was the HH Halfbreed that went with me.
I guess the same holds true in other areas as well - any flyrod would probably do just fine, but I *really* like my Sage. Motorcycle guys know that model that just works for them (I'd love a classic Indian or my old BMW back) and the same goes for the gun folks (Italian double with a splinter fore-end anyone?).
my bow is all determined by the smoothness of the draw!!!The grip would follow a very close 2nd medium or a low grip suit me fine
Grip
Small Sight Window
Smoothness
Pointable
Speed...in the above order. All my personal bows offer all the above. Yes, you can adjust to other bows with different grips and learn to shoot them well BUT...you'll know when that certain bow is right for you and it starts with the grip.
My Maulding Hill style with the reverse trapezoid limbs. 68" - 67@28 Bamboo. Smooth, fast and a tack driver. Best bow I've ever shot. Thanks again Scotty and George.
I like a bow that is really quiet and quick enough with a 10 gpp arrow so that out to 25 yards it hits where you look with little/no compensating for arrow trajectory. I have tried a number of bows and have best found these qualities in some of the R/D longbows. Right now I'm shooting a Big River at 56# and a RER Vortex at 55#.
While your waxing, Killy, my Silverado could use some spicin' up 8^). It's called "fit." Relatively simple, but everytime I start to wax philosophically, the dang phone rings 8^).
Joe Skipp hit it right on the nose !!!
In addition to his comments I might add that I can learn to get along with most any bow.. But many require that I adapt to them in some way or another. When you find one that everything just falls in place, like Joe describes, they are much, much easier to shoot well and consistently.
JMO..
Yep Joe Skipp nailed it! I just want to add: It's a bow no matter how many times you put it down whenever you pick it up it feels good in your hand draws,points, and shoots like it's a part of you.
My Northern Mist Reverse handle Whisper Longbow. It has all Bamboo Limbs.. and super smooth to the draw. Perhaps more of sentiment, but it has been a companion for many season and 1000's of miles. Next would be my Howard Hill Halfbreed, Bamboo core with Yew on the back & belly, it is a beautiful bow, at 66" is another super smooth drawing bow and more forgiving than any other bow I own. It is named "Autumn's Whisper" another favorite of mine!
Suttoman: My Hills don't kick any more than several of my big name mild R/D bows. String, grip, arrow weight and a bunch of other things contribute to or subtract from hand shock.
Gingivitis: Same can be said for my Harley Softail Classic, Winston fly rods and old Parker side-by-sides. Hmmmm. Seems to be a pattern here. I seem to be drawn to classic equipment, regardless of the activity.
I'm right there with ya, Orion. :-)