can not decide which to hunt with.need some info.long bow seems more traditional to me an more challenging to me.to you personally which bow do you choose.i personally love to shoot both.i do not have a bamboo backed longbow does it really help reduce hand shock.if it does i would rather hunt with it.do heavier arrows shoot better in longbows.do longbows have the same speed as a recurve.i want to buy a new boy an stick with it.i have 3 old longbows an 3 old recurves.i have killed deer with both.please help me to decide.joe

What's more traditional is a tough question, I think that's really up to you.  Both types have been around for a long time.  As for hand shock being less with bamboo backing, it's the design of the longbow that is related to hand shock more than the materials although construction design being equal, a bow backed with bamboo has the potential for increased performance. As for me, I have some recurves, but I hunt with my self bows or composite bows that I make.

Mods will be watching this one closely.

Personal choice there brother, but don't think for a minute that a longbow doesn't perform as well as a recurve. I use to believe that but that's simply not true. I have two longbows right now that perform as good or better than any of my recurves.

it is a personal choice, each has there advantages and disadvantages.

Length is going to be the biggest factor.
if you hunting out of a tree stand a Recurve may be easier. If your hunting from a blind a recurve may also be easier.

like i said it is going to be a personal choice.

Which ever you like Best use it.

joe,

as the replies have already suggested, this is all about personal choices and there is no substitute for trying out as many different bows as possible.

opinions of others are just that - you need to make up yer own mind, hopefully after doing your bow shooting homework.

good luck and do enjoy the journey!