Good day to all. I just found and joined the "gang". Looks like a good place to visit. I live on my boat in the Harbor at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island in WA state. Lots of places to shoot around here and there is an active club with a very nice 36 target walking range. I seem to be the only one with trad equipment so getting answers can be met with lot's of "I dunno's".
I shoot my old 55# Bear Grizzly which I have had since 1967 and it is as smooth as cream cheeze and very quick. but I have always had an interest in getting a long bow. Since I can thank Howard Hill for my interest in archery way back when, I ordered a "Big Five" 70" 55# Long Bow from the company.
I have had it now for a while and while it is fun to shoot, it is not very comfortable to shoot. By that I mean it liereraly bruises my bow hand after about 50 pulls. It seems I can shoot the Bear recurve until I can't pull it any more and come away with my bow hand in tack. The long bow is quite jarring at release. So I guess I'm asking if there is a technique that I don't know about that will gentle this thing out, or is that the price you pay to be medieval?
Looking forward to meeting and chatting with you
Bish
Hi Bish,
1. Make sure you have some heel into your grip. Do not shoot it like a recurve.
2. Try some heavier shafts to absorb the shock. Our Hills do not have as much riser mass as most of these recurves and hybrids.
As Butkus said and make sure you have a firm grip (but dont strangle it) and balanced 50/50 push/pull at anchor, when you have a good balance like this the bow tends not to kick so much and hurt your hand.
Good luck.
A fast flite string will reduce hand shock a lot, and newer Hills with the wedge in the limb tip can handle it nicely. Likewise a heavier arrow. The firmer your grip, the more the bow's excess energy will be transmitted to your bow arm as hand shock. You do want to be pushing slightly at full draw, but don't grip the bow hard. If you grip it lightly/gently, it will stay in your hand at the shot and almost all the hand shock will dissipate within the bow, not your hand/arm.
Get a copy of G. Fred Asbell's "Instinctive Shooting II". It has the best description I know of how to hold and shoot the longbow. I currently own 3 HH longbows with another on the way. None of the bows I own kick in any way. They are smooth to draw and easy on release. With that said you must shoot these bows with the heel of your bow hand down to prevent the bow from recoiling at release. My Hill's by the way are: Wesley Special(Carbon backed)55@28, 66";
Wild Boar(Special Edition) 57@28, 66"; and Longbowman's Choice (Special Edition) 57@28, 68". :archer2:
G'day and welcome to TradGang!
I don't know if this photo will be of use to you, but it is how I hold my 75# HH Wesley Special:
(http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/b_kleinig/Archery%20Practice/IMG_0278-Copy.jpg)
I really like this bow, and haven't encountered what you are experiencing, although there is more of a "bump" than from a recurve. Keep at it, as they really are classics. I'm no Hill expert, but have killed three billy goats, two boars and one sow with the two that I have.
Thanks gents. I will change the left hand position and try a 600 gram arrow. I have been holding the bow like the recurve and never gave it a thought other than it hurt.
Bish
In addition to the 600 GRAIN arrows and firm heel down grip, you may find that you need some weaker spined arrows, since the Hill is not center shot.
You will come to love the bow, but there's a learning curve.
You live in a beautiful place, I was there a few years ago.
Good luck, and welcome to the forum!
Almost forgot, there's a wealth of info here on Howard Hill bows.http://www.howardhillshooters.com/
good advice up above! just keep at it and remember that it wil shoot differentlt to a recurve or "hybrid" longbow.
Just use a bit of heel and keep a good firm grip, make sure tou shoot at least 10gpp and have patience !
still the best hunting bow I've shot .
Any queries just Pm me
Ben
Bish, I can only add that I made a commitment to mastering a pair of straight gripped Wesley Specials after 40 years of recurves. For me, at least, the challenge has been the very different grip required of a very different type of bow. If I grip the bow as Ben does, I get some arrow slap on the riser. My bow is a lot quieter when the knuckle at the base of my thumb is at the very back of the handle. I have also had to reduce the spine of my arrows from an equivalent weight in a recurve. Going from a high wrist to a low wrist has also reduced my draw length. G. Fred's book was useful, as was the "Hitting 'em Like Howard Hill" DVD. That said, forums such as this one has helped me the most. Just stay with it, everyone wants you to succeed. Don't hesitate to PM. --Bob Wilson
Bish... You're living in my country! I have many fond memories of Friday Harbor from my years of living/cruising under sail. If you get down to Seattle, please look me up. I have had over 30 Hills, still have five, and am currently building Hill styles. I'd be glad to help you with any discussion/pointers I can. If you're into 3D and are coming to either the Western States Rendezvous over Memorial Day Weekend or the Traditional Bowhunters of WA Rendezvous Aug. 6 - 8 you can look me up there. Look for the Howard Hill Longbowmen poster/banner on my camp.
If you want to get in touch direct: rwightman@mindspring.com
I would contact Dick and ask him any questions you may have. He does know Hill style bows.
I agree with owlmagnet, that pic looked like he is "getting into the grip" too much.