A Hill style bow ......

LookMomNoSights · June 03, 2026, 10:08:02 AM

***Be forewarned: This is a somewhat long winded post involving a Hill style bow***

I don't post much and certainly have not been lately but wanted to now, as there's been a big change for me in my archery life so I figured I'd drop a quick line about it. Now I know this is not everyone's cup of tea and that I am only a drop in the sea among folks who have traveled this path before, are on it now or go there from time to time .......
For many years, I had been intrigued by the Hill style bow. It's history, it's elegance, it's "simplicity" and all the things that make it what it is. Even with that, all those years, I had never even held one in my hand, never mind shoot one and shoot it enough to get a sense of what it's about.
Back a few months ago now, I decided to take the step.....figuring worst case I'm sure I'd have no issues selling the bow should it not be for me. I placed an order for a bow after briefly handling it and shooting it at last July's ETAR. Shooting the bow at that time, did not do a whole lot for me, with the arrows I had with me for the bow I was shooting for the outing, as you'd expect from arrows of a totally wrong configuration for the Hill style bow. Even still, I was taken by how the bow felt in my hand. I could go on and on there, but all I'll say is it felt kind of special and like it was telling me, son you can do something with this and you'll be happy about it.
I ordered a bow to my liking: Bivouac Hill Jack, 66", 53# @ 28", very slight dish to the grip, curly maple belly, dark brown glass back. While I was waiting for this bow, I was doing some brushing up on the history and the in's and out's of the Hill style of shooting and the whole ball of wax with this new to me thing. I purchased a back quiver, I purchased a new glove (I had been shooting a tab past several years, although I was a glove shooter all the way up until then). I received those items and brushed up further on information and was just now waiting for my bow to arrive.
My bow showed up a couple weeks ago now ....... First off I got to enjoy the feeling of the long box showing up to the house, we know what that is like!!!! I open the box, pull the bow out of the bow sock and there she is, in my hand. Long and lean, light as a feather.....Wow! Thinking Ok, I'm here and I'm giving this a go, let's get after it ........
I tie on a single nock point with some .030 Halo serving, 5/8" high (as of now, I am still nocking underneath the nock point, a deviation from the true Hill style .... I do hunt a lot in tree stands still and I think this will help me at this point) I ended up having to raise the nock point just a tad.
I begin to shoot this bow. Although the first many shots felt kinda funny as I am used to shooting much shorter R/D hybrid longbows with the contoured grips, string silencers ..... there was something there. I could hit what I was concentrating on, if I kept my concentration and made the effort to work with the bow in a way that was different than what I was used to. You hear about Hill style bows and hand shock and the picture painted like you're gonna dislocate your shoulder and have to cast your wrist. I'm not even gonna go there.
And drawing arrows from my back quiver .... new to me.... kind of a pain in the butt at first, the little nuances required to make that possible. I had read about how to do it, but putting it to practice was the thing. I was/am determined. I shot that bow and used that back quiver for a solid 2 hours that day, taking a few minutes in between for this or that.
Back at it the next day. That day was even better. Better feeling, better accuracy, getting a better feel for the back quiver. Ended up taking 1.5 inches off my wood arrows to tighten the screws a bit on the whole system. I have been shooting this bow nearly every day since I received it, thinking there was 2 days it wasn't possible with the business of family and life in general.
I am saying to myself at this point ...... I have missed this all these years! But maybe that was for a reason, who knows, but I am here now. As I shoot this new bow, it's as if I am re designing my archery brain. And I am having so much fun with this, it is insane! Looking forward, I feel like I am doing what I've been trying to get after this whole time, I just didn't know til now. I feel like this is what archery and BOWHUNTING is going to be for me going forward. Just wanted to share my experience (and satisfaction) with my endeavor .....

Burnsie · June 03, 2026, 10:34:38 AM

Sounds like you have the "BUG"!
Have fun - you picked a good example of an ASL with your Hill Jack.

Orion · June 03, 2026, 10:39:40 AM

He hee. Yeah, most folks do discover a Hill style bow after a while. Enjoy.

Phil Magistro · June 03, 2026, 10:48:23 AM

Congratulations on finding something so rewarding. While I started with recurves over sixty years ago it didn't take long for me to become interested in longbows. After all, I grew up watching Robin Hood on TV.

I shot an Ekin made Hill for a while before I went through "phases" that included many well known longbows but most were reflex/deflex. Even though I spent years getting lost in ILF land I always had a Howard Hill longbow around.

A few years ago, because of age and health, I came back to shooting ASLs full time. There are many choices when it comes to longbows and most of them are well made and great shooters. But in looking for an ASL that incorporates many of the characteristics Hill used Jim Belcher stood out. He learned bow making from his father and has been building bows for decades. He and Georgia make one of the finest ASLs available today. His bows unlike most of the more well-known longbows use deep core limbs trapped to the belly where most others use a rectangular limb, more of a flatbow style.

It is enjoyable shooting a longbow. Especially getting away from much of the technology and just enjoying watching the arrows fly while not giving up anything on accuracy.

Ray Lyon · June 03, 2026, 07:00:18 PM

That's awesome!!!

Hope to get my new HillJack in a month or two. 52#@27" and rosewood handle, bamboo limb cores, brown glass back and Osage veneer/clear glass belly.

In the meantime I'm shooting my Jim Belcher reworked Hill Tembo and using my Nate Steen/Sunset Hill custom back quiver with cedar arrows

Phil Magistro · June 03, 2026, 09:56:14 PM

I sure hope these next couple months go quickly for you Ray. It will be like Christmas in July and you will be thrilled with the bow.

Gordon Jabben · June 03, 2026, 10:36:22 PM

thanks for posting. Hill style bows are so much fun.. I never have tired of shooting them and I got my first one in 1983. I would love to see some updates.

Ray Lyon · June 04, 2026, 06:48:16 AM

1978 and 1986 with the Hill Tembo and a much younger version of me (17 in 1978). My first whitetail and first black bear.

Ray Lyon · June 04, 2026, 06:52:53 AM

Circa 1988. Crested Butte Colorado. 86 pound Hill Big 5. Ah, youth and muscles that recovered quickly!!!!

Tim Reese · June 04, 2026, 08:54:40 AM

Nothing like asl style bows!!

Here is a NM Shelton I been shooting.

Hud · June 04, 2026, 06:20:28 PM

Congrats on your Hill-Jack ASL. Sounds like it is all coming together, good luck.

shick · June 05, 2026, 06:22:48 AM

Thanks for the pictures fellas'; Ray, you are lookin' good. ASL's, a prime example of 'less is more'.

Shick

LookMomNoSights · June 05, 2026, 08:24:54 AM

Oh boy, There's a downside to these bows I guess........ it's darn near impossible to get all that bow into a good picture

I tried my best, anyhow, Here's my stuff. My beautiful Sunset Hill Old Timer quiver, matching guard, American Leathers kangaroo crossover, arrows by me with Surewood Shafts, and of course the new Hill Jack. I did call Jim after a couple days with the bow to personally thank him and Georgia and we talked for a bit.
Some images that depict how things look going forward, or forward into the past, depending on how you want to look at it. And thanks everyone for listening and the reply

Phil Magistro · June 05, 2026, 09:00:26 PM

That's a beautiful bow. Enjoy it and good luck!

Ray Lyon · June 06, 2026, 04:07:31 AM

Looks great Eric!! Hope you didn't take up too much time from Jim and Georgia

LookMomNoSights · June 06, 2026, 08:24:35 AM

Quote from: Ray Lyon on June 06, 2026, 04:07:31 AMLooks great Eric!! Hope you didn't take up too much time from Jim and Georgia

Well Jim seems to be a really easy going guy and willing to shoot the breeze with ya and offer insight, great guy to talk with...... he may have fallen behind a bit now, no clue

I do know I'm going to have to order another one of these. Always need a back up!!!!!

Bogle · June 06, 2026, 09:23:06 AM

Great looking set up

LookMomNoSights · June 06, 2026, 01:04:53 PM

Thanks!!!!

M60gunner · June 07, 2026, 02:35:39 PM

What are the bow's specs and material makeup please. I like it's makeup, pleasing to my old eyes.

LookMomNoSights · June 07, 2026, 06:49:04 PM

The bow is a 66" Hill Jack that pulls 53# at 28. Dark brown glass back, curly maple belly under clear glass, I believe the riser is ebony, though not 100% sure as I asked Jim to do something dark like Zircote...... at which time he said he had some ebony. I've had Zircote risers before on other bows and you usually see some grain variations, but not on this riser..... which makes me think he used the Ebony. I shot the bow again today with my son for about an hour and a half. It's a fantastic bow and I'm ultra pleased with it. Can't wait to take it to the woods come September!!!