QuoteOriginally posted by Red Tailed Hawk:
Guys ive been following along with this thread for quite some time and am starting to feel the fever for a hill bow.
What length bow do you figure would be smooth for a 31.5" draw?

Are you for sure you draw that much with this style of bow?  A straight grip with the heel down can shorten a draw in relation to a recurve draw length.

Well I got my new to me Hill today. I shot this bow a year ago and I guess my memory is not what it used to be...lol!I thought it was a Redman...it's a Halhbreed, I thought it was 68" it's 66", And when I went to make a new string for it it appears to be string follow. I have no problem with that but I have a question. Can you order any model with string follow? I guess I never really thought about it before. Some bowyers have certain models that are string follow, I guess I was surpised the this Half breed was. It's 45# @ 28" and smooth as silk!

David Miller did learn the art from Schulz. Ron you are going to love your Concave/Convex model. Shoots with authority and no one is making them. Only a few people still know the process as well. Alot of extra work goes into these models. That is why the command the price they do. Make sure and post some pictures of it when it arrives. I have had the pleasure of shooting the first one he built all by hand and also his first replica. SWEET. Flint

Dragonheart i am not 100% sure about my draw with a hill bow. I do draw that with my bw psa and lost creek, but both do have a recurve style med. high wrist grip.I also draw my selfbow with a straight grip just a tad less "around 31".
I do know that I would probably want to favor towards a longer bow with no stack than a shorter bow that might stack at the end draw.

RTH,  read what Dragonheart wrote a few pages ago about measuring your draw when shooting naturally,  not just drawing.  That is the draw length to make your bow for.

Yep i draw 27.5 when posing for measurement but actual shooting its an inch less.

I had a RH David Miller Old Tom string follow that was sooooo sweeeeet!

I passed it on when I switched to LH shooting, but have yet to find a replacement.

Shoot straight, Shinken

 

Been looking at the Old Tom's lately... veeeery niiiiice...

Maybe I'm just odd, but for me the 66" Hill bows seem smoother and quicker than the longer bows. I draw 28.5" and I have two 70" Hills that I'm going to trade or sell soon just because I don't think they handle as well as the 66". Like I said though, maybe I'm just odd.  

at  my 29" of draw (bop to the front of most any hill longbow arrow shelf), i can feel the "wall" when at full draw on a 68" hill longbow.  with a 66" hill, i can feel the stack before hitting anchor.  i guess to each their own, and that's ok, too!  

QuoteOriginally posted by ChrisM:
Yep i draw 27.5 when posing for measurement but actual shooting its an inch less.

When I am shooting (actual draw) is right at 26" to the back of the bow.  I have cut an arrow at 26 1/2" (Back of point, not net arrow length)  and I really like the feel of the shorter arrow.  

I have been rebuilding my form over the summer with video and research into video and written information by Hill, Schulz, and all of the help here at the TG.

My self critque was that for hunting my form was too static style in the past.  I have missed opportunities in the field due to the nature of my form.  Holding too long, extened arm, and too high of a bow shoulder, low bow weight, etc.  

I working to rebuild, and watching Hill in slow mo, you can see that he spread or swings up on the draw to get on target, but then draws straight back to his anchor. He is even above the target some and then down.  Olympic archers shoot a similiar sequence with there shot, the sight picture going up the side then slightly above then down in to the spot.      

This is an area I have struggled with.  I used to swing and never have any pause through the sequence.  Now, I bring the bow up "on target" then straight back to anchor.  I like it!

The other thing that has helped me alot in a very a short time is eliminating any distance markers from the backyard range and shooting at longer shots.  I had markers on the range left over from shooting field and I knew the distance.  Got rid of them!!  This is another Sunset Hill tip.  Thanks Nate!  

I am practicing at multiple distances, and much longer distance and my confidence in shooting is growing the less I think in terms of distance, and the more I think in terms of form, and concentration, and belief in allowing the shot to unfold.  

Forget how far, just shoot well executed shots with confidence and allow the bow to shoot.

The 66" HalfBreed I just got is smooth all the way to 29", maybe because it's string follow. But it does shoot real nice! Seems kind'a quick for what it is.......shooting 575 GR cedars.

if the riser is shorter than "standard", the added limb bend can help with a short longbow length and a longer draw length.  

there are other things that can help with a shorter bow and longer draw that nate has some good scoop on ...

ROB, from the thinnest part of the fade to the  thinnest part of the fade, my riser on my HalfBreed is 14".....would that be short or long.......? Just curious!

QuoteOriginally posted by ron w:
ROB, from the thinnest part of the fade to the  thinnest part of the fade, my riser on my HalfBreed is 14".....would that be short or long.......? Just curious!

all the hills i've had used 16" risers, fade-to-fade, so yers is short and that's gotta work the limbs more.

Thanks, never knew that there were long and short risers for the Hills. There is an amazing amount of info on this post.......all 284 pages.......lol! Thanks again!!      

Some great info on here guys. I didnt realize a shorter riser was an option. Will a string follow bow be smoother out to the longer draw?

QuoteOriginally posted by Red Tailed Hawk:
...Will a string follow bow be smoother out to the longer draw?

i find that string follow is smoother on the release and has little to do with the draw itself.

you can definitely work with craig and jason on the bow spex - lotsa mods are available ....

Went out today after work and hung a stand on a trail and climbed up and shot some arrows with my 68" Wesly.  I have been worried about clearance.  The results are to my right its just as clear as with my recurve standing or seated.  To my left I have a few degrees restrictions.  What I noticed is that shots closer than 10 yards I had some truble with the string getting into my shirt.  Will have to work on keeping the T a little bit better by bending at my waist.  May not seem like a big deal but I shot a buck at 5 yards from a stand last year.  All in all I see no problem with it as I prefer more brush behind me and in front instead of above me.