Are there any Shrew Hill owners here? I kinda have an itch for a hill style bow. I have been looking at the Shrew Hill and the Hill Crocodile.
I am completely new to Hill style bows. Any thoughts on either of the bows mentioned? How long of a bow would I need for a 30.5" draw?
Would anyone suggest a different maker?
Thanks for any input
Ray
How 'bout Northern Mist!!! Steve makes amazing bows. Make sure you check them out.
Are they making the Shrew Hill again?
Your draw with a Hill bow might be a bit less as you grip them with more heel. At that length, you'll want a bow 68-70", though. Lot of great Hill, and Hill style bows up for sale in the classified's right now too.
QuoteOriginally posted by Goshawkin:
Are they making the Shrew Hill again?
Dont know to be honest. I was looking thru the sponsors pages and found the Shrew Hill on Ron's site.
Two Tracks is a sponsor here and Chuck Deschler builds the Echo which is a mighty fine Hill style. He also builds the Shrew bows now.
Thanks Green for the heads up on the classifieds. I ended up picking up the HH Big Five from Tippit. That was perfect timing, the listing was about a hour old.
Me!! LOVE mine. Best shooting Hill bow I've tried. Super slender limbs and tiny tips. The wedge grip is the first straight grip I've tried that I actually shoot well. I learned that they were a PITA to build. The story behind the design is special, John Lee helped design them according to the last bows Howard shot. Awesome Hill bow period. The real deal.
Modled after the "Blue Duck" bow I think. I almost ordered one when Greg was building them for Ron,wish I did! :banghead:
Have to see if Chuck will be building them the same.
Getting a Shrew Hill will be a tough chore ... But if you can score one do it!!!
I love mine, it is natural to shoot. 68 inches should do your draw length fine. This bow is very smooth, incredibly smooth on draw and release, even for a string follow, it is delightfully smooth. It is also one of the most "intuitive" bows I have ever shot. Lastly mine weighs about 16 ounces, yet yields surprising performance. I have shot through a buck @ 17 yards, as well as a 250 pound wild boar, clean through both with woodies.
The Shrew Hill is a magnificent bow.
Bob.
I love mine as well, it has a real nice manner to it.
Old thread, I know, but I'd love to learn more about Blue Duck and whether these bows are still available.
QuoteOriginally posted by evgb127:
Old thread, I know, but I'd love to learn more about Blue Duck and whether these bows are still available.
Gregg Coffey was building them. They were very difficult to build (super slender deep core limbs) and eventually he stopped. Gregg has since moved on from building for Ron and now offers a Hill-style bow called the American under his Java Man line. While not quite as radical as the Shrew Hill bows, it is still a fine example of a Hill style bow and no doubt uses a few tricks Gregg learned building the Shrew Hills. I think they are somewhat rare as I don't think he built all that many. I had a superb right handed one that I should have never sold. Honestly the best part of them for me aside from the slender limbs was the grip, which could be duplicated in my opinion. It was well over 2 1/4" deep, and very narrow across the belly, so you were forced to hold it a certain way. Good luck in your search for one on the used market.
I thought chuck developed the shrew hill with help from john lee and blue duck?
Chucks New shrew style bow 58" Ogemaw is as nice a bow as you ever could shoot.Its really quiet stable and fast too.
I have owned many "Hill style" longbows including a Shrew Hill which didn't stay on my rack long. The Two tracks Echo is a fine example of that style, but you absolutely can't go wrong with a Hill from Howard Hill Archery or Jim Belcher's American model.
QuoteOriginally posted by Ari_Bonn:
I thought chuck developed the shrew hill with help from john lee and blue duck?
Nope that would be Gregg. Chuck took over for Ron after that.
It seems lots of times when someone is either positive or critical of Hill style bow, they are mostly influenced by the grip. It can lead to disinformation, because not all shooters have the same form, the same hand size, or even the same approach to the grip. If someone shoots a Hill style bow with straight arm hard lock up form, they are going to feel a completely different bow than Howard Hill would.
I doubt that I'll ever have the pleasure to shoot one, but does anyone know the measurements of the grip? Or how about the origin of the name Blue Duck?
That's Blue Duck on the left. Made by John Lee, he named it after the half breed Renegade in the movie Lonesome Dove.
(http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii31/mikebiz/John%20Lee%20Chickadee/blueduck.jpg)
I had a sneaking suspicion that's where the name came from. It looks more like a McCrae to me though... Great book/movie. Any chance that the bow is still in production? Also, what the heck is that riser made of?
The Blue Duck has very similar look and grip as the Hill money bow, was it called White Eagle? I have a dual shooter prototype from JD Berry with a similar grip as the White Eagle, the arrow shelves are about 3/8" outside of center. She is a deadly thing and no, I don't let just anybody shoot it or touch it, just like my Sunset duo shooter, I have let two people shoot that one, that is enough no one else from now on. That lack of center shot makes no negative difference for how these two amazing bows shoot. The lack of center shot never kept Hill off target either.
I have a lefty Shrew Hill made by Chuck and it is a very good bow. Light weight, easy to shoot, and smooth with very little hand shock. Very well made.....Chuck Deschler is a top notch bowyer. If you have a chance....shoot one and you will want one ! Horserod
QuoteOriginally posted by Ari_Bonn:
I thought chuck developed the shrew hill with help from john lee and blue duck?
Ari, When I was building the Shrew bows I did have Blue Duck at my shop to inspect and model. That was the bow Ron wanted replicated. I also had John Lee and Ron to "coach" me. When John looked at the bows I was making, he could see some of what I had done, he asked some questions, then, he looked at me and said "You figured it out", That was fun to set and talk with John and Ron that day,
I'll add that Gregg and I have been friends for many years, we talk often, He indeed makes a fine bow. I would be remiss, not to say he has had influence on my Bow making.
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