To you fellas that are serious hunters who, when they see an animal they want, within their range,
expect to make a killing shot everytime, I pose this question.. Are you a better, more confident hunter with your favorite recurve or your favorite longbow.. This is about hunters choices.
If you have reasons, other than I like it, would you please elaborate..

If I have done my prep-work well( ie. cleared shooting lanes, got the wind advantage, have the spot picked), then I know that my longbow will deliver the package with frightening efficiency.

I know the ins and outs of my fave longbow, where it will shoot out to 50 yards, as long as I am calm and reach a good anchor; the rest is cake.           When I shot a recurve, I was never as confident when it came to crunch-time, they were a bit too twitchy to my "sometimes" crappy release.    
BD

Longbow,
It just seems less touchy when I don't think about anything but my intended target...Doc.

I am more confident because of my favorite bow.

I don`t even notice the draw weight, it shoots extremely quiet, and has plenty of power to crush bone if need be.

When a deer gets within range, I have learned to just concentrate on the spot I want to hit. Practice has made the shot process automatic.

I shoot carbon arrows now, but regardless of the arrow material, heavy has always been the key.
I can see my arrows fly, and they fly like a lazer
beam. When they hit, they penetrate. This I believe is my confidence crutch. I can see the path of my arrow before I shoot, especially when I`m hunting. When I draw down on a game animal, I see this flight path, and KNOW I`m gonna hit.
Hope this answers your question.

I tend to hunt with longbows 90 percent of the time, but don't feel as if I'm giving up anything on the few occasions when I do hunt with a recurve.  Been at it about 45 plus years now.

Longbow

I have always struggled with my recurves and had pretty much sworn them off.  That was until I started shooting the 50's Bear recurves.  I seem to be shooting these very well.  I suspect this is due to the smaller grips as well as the longer, more slender limbs on these recurves.

Dan

Guys, I've been hunting with recurves since the mid 70's so while not an oldtimer at this sport I've enjoyed it for a while.

I hunted a time or two with longbows or flatbows but always found my way back to recurves. This year is going to be different though as I've been shooting a longbow quite a bit and am seeing some of the attributes spoken about.. In my opening comments I mentioned being able to take the animal when the opportunity arrises. To me that is the most important thing I can achieve.. When the right buck appears under me I have to KNOW that I can take him, absolutely without fail, at least in my mind. I think I'm there with this longbow, come on October !

Rick Welch makes a dakota recurve and longbow , its a real bowhunters bow!!!either one shoots where ya look!!! 2nd Black Widow , or Massie longbow!!    ..              

Hey Pat,
       I shoot recurves. I have never owned a longbow. Right now, finances won't allow it but I would love to have a long bow in the future. My problem is I only shoot a bow well that I am familiar with. I have seen guys who can pick up someone elses bow and shoot amazingly well. I aint one of them. I love my recurve and have total confidence in it if I do my job.If I were to go longbow, it would be the only bow that I would be shooting in preperation for the hunting season and I certainly wouldn't be switching during the season.

                Good huntin,
                            Ed    
         

I have a longbow that makes me a much better shot than I really am so the answer is longbow.

I purchased a Dan Quillian last year, because I decided to shoot trad, had tried recurves, and am now a firm believer in the long bow. When I was young and in my prime, I used to practice all the time. now that I'm older and have more sense, I use the hole in the backyaerd fence

Funny you bring this up.  I have two longbows that I really enjoy shooting and most days, shoot fairly well.  However, I also have an old Bear Black Bear Hunter that I bought new in the mid 80's.  I have yet to take a big game animal as I just got "back" into traditional archery but it has seen its' share of rabbits and more fish than I would ever care to count.  It is like an old friend.  I just had it re-finished and I can't go more than a couple of days without shooting it.  Although I bought both of my longbows to hunt with, and fully plan to do just that....I feel obligated to get my recurve in the woods and truth be told, I am probably more confident with it just because I have had it so long.

I shot the same recurve for 7 years. Loved that bow and killed a ton of game with it all over the country, but after seven years it became like a compound to me. I needed more of a challenge. Now I have always shot longbows and it didn't take long before I was shooting a laminated longbow nearly as well as the recurve so I again needed more challenge. Selfbows have provided that challenge lately, but I still had to add more challenge..cane arrows, trade points, flint heads, no camo, taking game off the ground. I've about challenged myself about as much as I can handle now I think  

Good piece of osage and a true heart. Like Mickey said, got to get right in there on the same level as our prey to make it real.