Any Hill shooters in central Tx ?

RaybowTx · November 21, 2012, 02:57:00 PM

Are there any English/Hill style longbow shooters in central tx.? R/D shooters are everywhere. But Hardcore 68"er's are few.

Ray.................

RecurveRookie · November 21, 2012, 06:44:00 PM

Sorry brother, 62" recurve is as close as I can get. Why do you prefer longbow over recurve? I've never shot one. Happy Thanksgiving!

RaybowTx · November 21, 2012, 07:26:00 PM

I've got em all, shot em all, built em all and hunted with em all.
Twenty three years ago I made my first longbow. At that time I had no input except from out of state bowyers on what a longbow was.
At the range one day I ran into an old man that took intrest in what I was doing and he invited me to his house. Long story short he showed me what a longbow was and how they should be made. So I did. He showed me bows by Hill, Shultz, Loui Armbruister(sp), Strunk and some of the prettiest cedar arrows I have ever seen. His ratio of the bow was 68" 60 pounds with a 600 grain arrow. Since then I have experimented with different bows and still go back to my roots. Their not the fastest and neither is alot of recurve and R/D bows either. But they are plesent to shoot. So us old longbow shooters are not many anymore as technology again has pushed the longbow aside. My intrest in others that share that passion is alot of fun. You ought to grab one of those hardcore english longbow shooters and tell him you want to shoot it. You may never forget it.

Ray........

Brazos · November 21, 2012, 08:06:00 PM

I shoot Hill longbows and live in Granbury, TX

RecurveRookie · November 21, 2012, 09:04:00 PM

If Howard Hill and Byron Furgeson like them, there has to be a good reason. I will try one out first chance I get. I'm guessing stability and accuracy are better. I've also heard they are not as loud as recurves. Cheers

William Penn · November 22, 2012, 12:32:00 AM

Yep, Kestimator here on TG is a diyed in the wool HH shooter.

He may have just picked up a Dave Johnson Hill Style here recently. I have a Dave Johnson Hill Style. So, we started talking.

Anyway, Send him a PM. I think he hunts in an around the Granger area. I think he goes after hogs.

Bill

RaybowTx · November 23, 2012, 08:06:00 PM

Thanx Bill. I might of run accross him sometime in the past. Dave Johnson builds a pretty bow. Glad to hear he's still building.

Ray..................

November 23, 2012, 09:21:00 PM

I don't shoot Hill bows but I think I know you! Did you used to live right by Lake Georgetown?
If so, how is it going Ray? I don't know if you remember me but this is Bisch. We have shot a few 3D shoots together way back.

Bisch

RaybowTx · November 23, 2012, 11:58:00 PM

Ya Bisch thats me. Hadn't been in the 3d community in a long time. Hope your well and don't breath smoke no more. Did you ever meet Joe, the old man I spoke about above? He was the old hardcore HH bow man. Limph cancer took him a few years ago. He ran with Becker alot.

Ray.................

kestimator · November 26, 2012, 11:45:00 AM

Ray,

I responded to your email this morning. Sorry that it took me a few days. Sometimes I'm a little slow

LOL!

Yes!! Bill is correct. I do have a thing for HH bows. I actually shoot recurves 3 under much better...but I enjoy trying to "master" HHs split-finger more....go figure

Trying to follow the advice of several really great shots...I've repeatedly sold off my HHs to focus on 3 under..but I always keep aquiring a "new" one. ....I'm evidently not quite right in the head

LOL!!!

If it ever cools off...a couple of my friends and I are going to be chasing pigs over in your neck of the woods. A couple of us may be sporting HH bows. Lake Granger is one of my favorite places!!! You should join us!!!

I'm also going to be taking my 9 year old squirrel hunting in January at the WMA with his .410.

Russ Clagett · November 26, 2012, 02:01:00 PM

I shoot a Dave Johnson red cedar longbow and live out on a farm east of Pflugerville....no idea where Granger is....

kestimator · November 26, 2012, 02:15:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Russ Clagett:
I shoot a Dave Johnson red cedar longbow and live out on a farm east of Pflugerville....no idea where Granger is....

LOL!!!

no idea where Granger is

Looks like some Hill folks are starting to crawl out from under the Central Texas caliche, limestone, and clay

LEWIS VADEN · November 26, 2012, 03:47:00 PM

I just got into HH style bows a couple weeks ago. Already have two.

Russ Clagett · November 26, 2012, 04:25:00 PM

SNAP....!!!!

Granger! It's right there...sorry bro, I didn't know...and you got 11,000 acres of public land to hunt right there too.......

Guess I have to get me one of those permits....that looks like maybe a half hour drive....

kestimator · November 26, 2012, 05:20:00 PM

Yes Russ. You are too close not to go out there

Respectfully, are you new to Central Texas?? Granger is super cool IMO...except for a few local "good ol' boys" that want to act like they "own" public land...leaving semi-permanent stands and feeders in place...
Not to hi-jack the thread....but Granger has good bowfishing, small game, migratory bird, pig, and deer (if drawn) hunting. There is also great birding opportunities. Last year nine Whooping Cranes spent the Winter on the lake...way cool!!

Back to Central Texas Howard Hill stuff...I'd say we should get together and shoot some foam...but several of my friends here know that I haven't really been making any time for that...been chasing my kids on the soccer and birthday party circuit

LOL!!

Lewis Vaden....sounds like you've been bitten by the HH Bug big time

LOL!!!
What two bows did you pick up??

LEWIS VADEN · November 26, 2012, 07:01:00 PM

Kestimator I looked for a year for a low poundage hill on the classifieds, couldn't find one so I ordered a Toelke Super D, not a true hill but close enough for me. One week after I ordered a 40# Tembo was on the classifieds so I bought it too. The Super D is really sweet, I don't have any arrows that work well with the Tembo, but I have some shafts on order that should work. I was worried about the handshock everyone talks about, but it hasn't bothered me with either of the bows. Having a blast so far. Love how quiet they shoot.

kestimator · November 26, 2012, 09:27:00 PM

The "hand shock" for me is really not an issue if you adjust the brace height properly, flex your bow arm just a tad, and use an appropriate weight arrow for the specific bow. The bow will tell you what it wants.

Regarding arrows for HH bows...I can recommend from experience that you call Jason at Howard Hill Archery. He is real good at matching arrows to your specs. His grandfather and Mr. Hill created a chart/formula that works real well in my experience. Anyway, I'm glad that you are enjoying your entry into the HH way of archery

As much of an impact as Mr. Hill had/has on archery...I think that all of us "Trad Buffs" should give his way a try...if for no other reason than honoring the history of "modern" archery...

Brazos · November 26, 2012, 10:17:00 PM

Anyone from the Granbury area? I guess that is a little more in the north central TX range. Vaden in FW is close. It would be nice to get some guys together after deer season and shoot a little. I know the Cowtown Longbowmen (think that is what it is called) have a trad range set up on the west side of FW. Figure if there are enough guys to have a club there must be a few around me.

LEWIS VADEN · November 27, 2012, 08:28:00 AM

Brazos I go to the range on the west of Ft. Worth 5 or 6 days a week, but I am the only one that shoots Hill bows at the moment. It is called the Texas State Longbow Assn. and the range is Sherwood. You can send me a PM when you would like to go shoot. We have a group of ten or so that shoots every Wednesday afternoon around 4 or so. More show up when we are on savings time. We have about 15 3D targets set up. We shoot a round, drink a few beverages if you want & sometimes we cook some wild game. I am retired so anytime you want to see & shoot the range will probably fit my schedule.

Russ Clagett · November 27, 2012, 09:28:00 AM

Kestimator...No worries bro....I've lived here 4 years now, but have been gone alot on big green airplanes...if you know what I mean. My family has lived here 4 years.......let's put it that way.

Is the wildlife area any good for spot and stalk hogs?