What do you guys prefer for you hunting? As much as I love my recurve ive really taken a liking to my longbow. I like the thin grip and its a little lighter and much more quite. I feel I could get a more quicker shot off with my longbow if need be. So for me if im stalking or ground hunting id take the longbow for a tree id use the recurve. Anyone else have a reason why they like one more then the other?

I have always found that i could get a Hill style longbow into accurate action with less thought and in more varied situations than my Super Kodiak.  Although most people use a more target friendly form with recurves, they find that same form is not compatible with low wrist longbows.

Me and my HH Longbow bow love those Beaver on the move....

Choose which ever you shoot the best and feel most confident with.  Many an animal has fallen to each in the past and more will in the future.  Personally, I gravitate more towards a recurve.  I shoot pretty decent with a longbow, but I get better overall results with a recurve.

A hybrid longbow is pretty tough to beat for hunting in my opinion.  Recurve like speed, longbow quite, light weight, etc.  60-62" is a nice length as well.  They sure have gotten popular in the last 10 years.  Chad

I prefer the longbow...but I killed 3 deer this year with recurves. I just like shootin arras. Doesnt really matter to me....but I like the longbow....and recurves sometimes. Longbows rule! So do recurves.  

I like take down recurves,I'm more accurate with them and can change the limbs for different wheights an lengths while still shooting the same familar riser.
I do also hunt with my longbow as well,but the recurve gets the slight edge.

Stay away from longbows, they're no good !

I flip flop between the two, and have good results with both.  I could never choose one over the other, I just love to shoot both.

>DEERSLAYER---->

The tuffest choice for me is which longbow. The Super Shrew or the Horne's Traditionalist.I guess it's what you feel most confident with.  Accuracy and confidence in a particular bow = success.

Not hard a hard choice for me. A Hill style longbow and back quiver with a wood arrows.

Recurve: I have a high wrist grip that "forces" a consistant hand position. Greater striking power or greater speed for the same striking power as the LB. (not talking hybrids here).  More physical weight in the riser for better control during the shot (that's why I like long risers-I think shorter risers are just trendy).  


Pre-horse the Indians used long longbows- 6 ft, no? Once the horse came into it the need for shorter bows drove bow design into short, highly reflexed, even recurved designs. Recurving is the only real solution to short bows (short relative to long draw-lengths). I know I am going to get flak for this!  

The only bow I own is a DH Hunter recurve so by golly, I hunt with it.  :-D  

One of these days I'll replace it and I have no idea what to change to.  Longbows are beautiful and are supposed to be quieter and lighter and all but recurves are shorter (more maneuverable) and I like them quite a lot.  Maybe by then, the great debate over which is better will have been settled.  Heh.

Since I read here somewhere that you're still struggling with your shooting. I would get the thought of a "quicker shot" out of your head.

For the most part the heavier mass wt. of most recurves makes them a little "easier" to shoot accurately. And as mentioned earlier, a more positive grip. I would stick with a recurve and shoot the living heck out of it! No need to switch back and forth. Just makes it harder to "groove your shot".

After 22yrs behind a trad bow I still only own 3 recurves. On the last 2('97 KS,'07 KS), the grips were made as close as humanly possible to the first('86 Silvertip). That gives me the ability to shoot any of these bows any given day. I go sometimes as long as a few years without shooting the 'Tip, but because the grip is the same, can just put it together and hit what I want.....

Just my thoughts....good luck!

I'm with curt on the Idea of shooting the heck out of the same bow. I own three hills all are very similar in design and weight during hunting season I only use the one and shoot every day! I Love the Hill style grip!

You are right on target Curt. Should stick with one style/type bow to be the best ya can be with it. That dosen't mean you shouldn't own lots bows. I started out with Martin then BW recurves but now have "this thing" for Griffin/Shrew/Vortex style longbows. And I shoot them well.

Sooooo.... My two cents is: I like the fact that a longbow is QUIET when shot. Great for close in hunting on the ground.

... mike ...    ...

Yep, Guru is right  

2blade:

After shooting a recurve exclusively for the past twenty years, I purchased a longbow this past year and I'm absolutely addicted. It's light, manueverable, quiet, and can be shot accurately from very unorthodox positions (due to less sting torque). It's a JOY to carry in the woods and a pleasure to shoot. It also seems to be a little kinder to my bow arm elbow.

the one thing I have noticed is that the recurve grip is easier on some folk's wrist.  While the Hill form is quite often easier on the shoulders and dorsal cervical joint, providing the low wrist grip is used.

Whichever is most comfortable.