What's your favorite Howard Hill model

[Bob B.]

Eric, a Cheetah with Yew cores ... oh my that sounds like a winner!  I am a Yew fanatic.  In fact I am recently on Dave Millers list to have built his all wood bow called favorite all yew lams and riser with a bamboo back.  It is going to be a long year!

Bob.

I have heard of more cases where a longbow had a few pounds taken off with improved shooting qualities as a result. I have done it myself. Craig told me when reducing poundage in bows built by one of the Hill earlier bowyers, "I can get five pounds just taking off the corners."  While most bows may have a few pounds of draw weight material extra in them. I wonder where that tipping point is at. I wondered about that and tinkered with a string follow I built in the late 70s, until wrecked it.

[Steve Clandinin]

Erik,That bow you had was a Beauty,I ordered that from Craig thinking how smooth it would shoot with a touch of string follow,I wasn't dissapionted,like you I sure wish I had her back.I don't know how to post pics but I can Email to someone if they want to post.

[Knawbone]

I would like to here from anyone shooting a Hill Cougar or Rhino. Interested in the qualities of Honey Locust.

[TSP]

Aside from having a bow that you can draw comfortably (which goes to poundage and bow length), for Hills I think the grip shape and grip dimensions are by far the biggest shootability factors.  There's just not that much difference between the models, at least for those I've had (Big Fives, Wesleys, Redman, Ruffed Grouse).  I'd be very surprised if the lesser-known Hill models didn't conform to the same basic recipe.

[Ben Maher]

Knawbone,
I have a honey locust Hill that is a real dandy to shoot !

[toddster]

I love the color of my Redman, but the "Scirocco" is to me the prettiest all around.  yes I shot it and it is so sweeet.  I love the stringray wrap.

[Kevin L.]

I've owned and shot Halfbreeds, Rhinos, Owls, Crocodiles, Cheetahs and Wesleys. I have to say the Cheetahs are my favorite for looks and shootability combined, with the Wesley taking a very slight edge in pure smoothness of draw. May just be my imagination, but that's how it feels to me.

[HARL]

I have 6 and they all shoot great !! I don't have any 2 the same , all close in #'s but not woods .

[khardrunner]

My customized Schulz is my favorite (avatar :-)). Of the HH models I like the shootability of the Tembo and the looks of the cheetah.

[Achilles1]

Any words on the HH "Wasp" model,
would be appreciated.
Unable to find online reviews.

From layup to layup it all really depends on the individual bow. The best shooting standard Hill bow that I have ever seen was a Wesley that looked like it had been glued up to be a heavier bow than what was intended and then taken down to meet the ordered draw. It had a different feel than another Wesley of the same poundage. My favorite from Hill Archery, by far, is my five lam yew/bamboo from a blank. I would recommend getting the extra bamboo lam for a Wasp as well.

[centaur]

When this thread started, I had a Wesley. Still do, but I have added the Redman and a t/d Cheetah (the bow in my avatar). The Cheetah is seeing the most use now, but who knows how long that will last. I love the juniper limbs, but the Redman is a looker, too. I don't feel any difference in smoothness between any of the bows, but the Redman is a 64", and just a hair short for my 28" draw. The Cheetah is 66", and the Wesley is 68", and both are perfect for my draw length.

[ron w]

I happened to pick up an Owl.......boo and Osage, brown glass on the back......nice bow!

[Duncan]

OK, so I'm new to the HH thing. Just got a HH used that is bamboo, clear glass and looks like bocote or maybe walnut riser. Grip is slightly indexed. But there is no model name just a serial number that begins with BC. Anybody know what model this is?

[centaur]

I think a Big 5. The B would be Big 5, the C would be for Craig, who made it. The next 2 numbers should be the bow length.

[Sam McMichael]

I have 2 Wesley Specials, 2 Cheetahs, and a Big Five and like them all equally well. Unfortunately, I don't have experience with the specific bows you mentioned.

[Duncan]

Thanks Centaur. I searched around and came up with the same thing you said. So I have a Big 5 48# @ 29". Just got it today. Hope to get to shoot it tomorrow!

[treepasser]

My 70 inch Redman seems to be older and is sleeker with a narrow long grip, the fit and finish is flawless. The feel and balance of this bow is superior although a newer hills with the
wider rounder grip are easier on the bow hand.

[Stone Knife]

I have had two Big Fives and one Redman that being said if I ever ordered another Hill it would be a Halfbreed, best of both worlds in one of them.