I have asked why people choose to hunt with long bows, but I have never asked why about recurves. I know it's a personal preference, and I want to hear why it's a preference? Faster?, More powerful? like the looks? Me? I just started with a recurve because I was told they were easier to learn on, but i have no evidence of that.

When I started, early 1960s the longbow was thought to be inferior to a recurve. Recurves were shorter, said to be faster, smoother etc.  The longbows back then were not anything like most of the ones we have today.  So if the marketing hype back then was correct it certainly doesn't apply today.

Being a Bear Archery fan and I started my hunting adventures years ago with a recurve I guess I am sentimentaly attracted to the curvey looks and feel of the recurve. However like Jess stated longbows of today are a lot different now than in the late 60's early 70's, as I own several longbow's now.

when i converted from compound to recurve in 1992..it was because that is all I knew, Mr Owen Jeffery was in the next town over and made great bows...and also the grip was MORE familiar to me coming from training wheels.

that being said I enjoy all trad bows...I have a small collection of longbows, recurves and selfbows...some new some vintage.  I love them all and just pick one for each major hunting season and rotate through some of them that way.  I do love the light in the hand feel of a nice self or longbow when stalking or humping a pack all day long...and love the feel of shooting a longbow more...but I could not choose between them if asked.  

Personally I like the extra weight in the handle I shoot better. With that being said the new takedown longbows have changed that, But for me their is something about the looks of a recurve I cant resist.

I started shooting bows, about the time I could walk. My Grandfather was a Penobscott Indian, and used to make my bows and arrows out of thin saplings found around the house. My 1st REAL Bow, was a Bear "Red Bear" recurve, that I got when I was around 6yrs old. When I was about 9yrs old, I saw Howard Hill on TV. The local Sports Store had a Ben Pearson Longbow "set" that I just HAD to have!!! I begged & pleaded with my Dad... Oh the promises I must have made!!!!! He talked to the owner... It had been around for a while... Nobody seemed interested... He gave Dad a deal!!! It was WAY too heavy for me, but I finally managed to get it to full draw and actually able to hit what I was shooting at!!!

About 1970, good laminated recurves were REALLY starting to hit the stores. I young boy with hard earned money, could finally own a REAL Bow!!!!! I started Bowhunting in 1976 with a 50# Bear Alaskan & cedar arrows, tipped with Bear Razorheads. I hunted with that bow,(although I had many others) until I bought my 1st compound in the early 1980's and I had ALOT of them!!! I had drank the Koolaid... But it left a bad taste in my mouth!!! I saw the writing on the wall... Newer, Better, Faster, Need a "New" bow every year...??? I could find LOTS of old recurves around, but I couldn't find strings for them..... So, I gave up Bowhunting.

About 1997, I met my Good Friend & Fellow TradGanger, Joe Skipp!!! I went over to Joe's shop & bought a 55# 1967 Kodiak Magnum..... Suddenly, I was 16yrs old again!!!!! The rest, is history...

Why do I shoot a recurve...??? It just feels RIGHT!!!!!

Grip is more consistent for me, also like a shorter bow for tree stand and still hunting, most recurves are cut past center allowing me to shoot a stiffer, heavier arrow, I like a little more mass weight in the bow and shoot with a bow quiver attached, just mostly preference I guess you get use to what you use the most.

You know Joe Skipp Woodchucker? I feel sorry for you.       Only kidding of course. Joe is a great guy. Met him a few years ago through a mutual friend, Bamboo, and have hunted with him a few times. Knows his stuff. As for why I shoot a recurve-I too like the looks of them. But I also shoot longbows. Haven't yet decided which I prefer. They're all fun to shoot.

It's what got me started shooting traditional.  I mainly shoot a longbow now but my favorite bow is a very hybrid take down longbow that the riser is more of a recurve riser which I like. I prefer more mass weight in the riser than most longbows have.

Gabe

I like the mass weight. I've owned Hills and R/D longbows, but the recurve just feels better in my hand.

I hunt with a recurve on the days I am not hunting with a longbow...I pretty much regard them as interchangeable, especially my RER LXR where all I have to do it swap limbs

DDave

I went with one instead of a longbow just because it is what I shot as a teen.

For me it was seeing those old Fred Bear movies as a kid. I had no mentors, so it was just natural for me to pick up a recurve bow like ol' Fred.
I like the lines of a recurve and the 1950's style bows carry and shoot like a dream.
To sum it up, nostalgia and looks.

I do love my Great Northern 50's style Super Ghost

Because I love my Silvertips. Used to shoot only longbows when I was younger at 72-80# but have dropped in weight,55-60#, can still pull 80 but do not want to at my age, and can control my shot better with a recurve, still have one longbow, a Cari-Bow Silver Fox that I also shoot and love.

Recurves always caught my eye. I just get that kid in a toy store feeling when I see one. Love shooting longbows ect, but the recurve has always been my favorite.

Recurves because they perform so well.  Shorter bow easy to hunt with.  They are just beautiful and curvy... Like a woman!

To me its all looks...I like the curves of a recurve. I started out with a longbow.  I think they are about comparable to a good reflex reflex longbow in shootability and speed. Longbows are generally quieter and can be smoother.

When I was a kid my uncle had a recurve in the rafters of my grandparents garage.  One day I talked my mom into letting me shoot it.  Never told my mom the arrows had broad heads, heck didn't even know what a broad head was back then.  Well I just pulled back and tried to see how far I could shoot it.  I was a kid after all.  Yea...well I shot it...ended up putting an arrow right between two parked cars, thank god I didn't hit one.  Been in love with them ever since.  Love the curves of a recurve they just have them in all the right places.  I will try a longbow but first I want to buy my dream recurve, time to start saving.

Aesthetics of curved limb tips anymore mass in the riser. Also, the reason I'm attracted to recurves (or longbows) at all is nostalgia -- it is how I started in the late 60's.

I won't even pick up a LB for fear I might like em.