Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: xtrema312 on January 30, 2009, 04:37:00 PM
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I am easing back into trad bow shooting and I hope hunting. When I was last shooting long bow and recurve I was not tree hunting much and when I did they were larger platform stands and I had a 52" bow. Now I wonder how long a bow is too long for reasonable tree stand hunting. I know at some angles for shots a very long bow will work fine, but how about for good coverage and near the tree shots. I shoot some cant and hunt from hang on stands with good clearance. I also like branchy trees for cover when possible. I would like to maybe hunt from a blind for turkeys if possible, but that is not a priority. I know there are a lot of variable, but I would like to get some feel for what others have found from first had experience. I am thinking something in the 56-58” range would be good, but I am not sure.
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This last season I hunted from my tree stand and saddle with a 62" recurve. Some shots were awkward, but on the whole it was managable. In a blind it would be nicer to shoot a smaller bow, but it completely depends on if you've got an enclosed blind or a natural blind with an open top.
I wouldn't worry about the bow length unless you're really trying to put a square peg in a round hole - shoot what works best for you first, and adapt to what you need.
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I love my 58" Kanati's for tree stands and blinds. They are smooth and forgiving as well.
I have also killed deer with my 62" Mahaska longbow, but some angles were more limited. I wouldn't say you can't do it, but the 58" just works better.
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I hunted all season with a 64" Longbow from my Lone Wolf treestand without any problems whatsoever.... well there were the missed deer but that was the archers fault... :D :help: :D
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I killed 5 deer this year out of a tree stand, all with my 62" Sarrels recurve. I never had any problems and the stand I got 4 of them from was about 20ft from the ground to the base.
Bisch
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The 60 seemed to shot real good for me so far, but maybe a 58 would be good also. I have only shot a couple in the 54-56” range and didn’t like them as well.
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Just got a 56' pas widow for blinds and stands- shoots very well with authority.
Bill
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I've been hunting out of tree stands with 64-inch longbows for years. Can't say as bow length ever cost me a shot opportunity. If I'm real careful, I can also shoot a 64-inch longbow out of a standard Double Bull blind, but there I prefer a 60-inch longbow or recurve for a little more mobility.
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I'm 5 ft 6 (I guess I'm a 66 incher) in my hunting boots and I've shot a 64 inch recurve out of treestands for 20 years. Never had a problem. Two words.....pruning saw!
Ryan
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60 inches is a good all around length for most people.I have used bows from 58 to 64 inches over the years from trees.
some of the enclosed blinds require a shorter bow because they are not very tall and dont give good limb clearance if you shoot a longer bow.Some are taller like double bull recurve model and would make a longer bow more easy to shoot.depends on how high your blind is really.
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I have shot several deer from stands with my 60" Zipper extreme (55#@28)... no problem at all. However, it's a different story from my turkey blind (doghouse blind). I have shot out of it, but I am severly limited to where I can shoot with the Zip.
I just picked up a 48" Ben Pearson Equalizer (50#@28... I draw 27) for future turkey hunts, but have already figured I will be limiting my shots to 15 yards (tougher to be consistent beyond that for me).
I understand some blinds have much more space.. another option I guess.
Good luck!
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I hunt everything and averywhere with 64"blind or tree's.
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A 64" bow will work fine in most situations, but a 54" or 56" bow is fantastic. Check out this thread: http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=070069
Allan
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Originally posted by amar911:
A 64" bow will work fine in most situations, but a 54" or 56" bow is fantastic. Check out this thread: http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=070069
Allan
I shot a bunch of the Shrews. I liked the 58" SS a lot. The 54" CH was nice, but I think I would like the 56" CH a little better. I don't think they had a 56" RH CH in the weight I would shoot the best to try. Maybe next time. I have tried nothing shorter then 58" that I liked any better. The scout curve was ok, but I liked the SS and CH better. I couldn't get my hands on a LiL favorite.
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After having experimented with recurves from 52"-62", I came to the following ground blind conclusions.
If there is a place for bows under 58", the ground blind is it. The only trouble is I found those shortys much more difficult to shoot well. I like to "grab & go" with the bow I feel best suits the situation on that particular hunt, and found for me it was very difficult to transition day to day between my longer bows and the short ones. The handling & shooting characteristics were that different...
Hunting from elevated blinds I don't find any particular need to go shorter than 58". Even if you are shooting from sitting down, the advantages of a 58" bow outweigh the maneuverability of a shorty.
So being, I gave up on my shortys and own only 58"-62" recurves. I do 95% of my shooting/hunting with one of my 58" bows, which I feel is the best all around recurve length...
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Out of 2 of my pop-ups, easton pro 360 and Primos ground max, a 58" bow works great, I can shoot a 64" in there, but have to pay real close attention to bow angle. I also have an Ameristep clubhouse. I can shoot my 70" longbows easily in there, even if my daughter comes along to sit with me.
For tree stands and tripods I like my 68 and 70" longbows
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Todd,
I assume since you are from Kalamazoo that you went to the expo and shot the Shrews there. My foam core 56" Classic Hunter (the first one Gregg built, which is only a few months old) was there for people to look at and try out. It is a 54#@28 bow. Did you get a chance to shoot it? I think if you had tried it and it had been at the weight you like to shoot you would have found it to shoot as well as any 58" Super Shrew. I agree with you that you would have liked it better than a 54" CH, although I have both lengths and think they are both great. Ron LaClair recommends the 56" for those with longer draw lengths and shoots a 56" CH himself, so that probably tells you more than hearing my opinion. I wish you could have tried a Lil Favorite because they are a really special little bow. I have two in 54". They are very fast and smooth. I can't say I like them better than a CH, but I do like them as much. I talked Ron and Gregg into building a 56" Lil Favorite when I ordered one last July. After he agreed to build one for me, Gregg has built at least one, and I think he had one at the Expo. I haven't shot a 56" LF yet, but I am eager to get mine this coming July. It will have foam cores and a Bow Bolt. I also have a 56" CH on order for July that will have foam cores, carbon backing and a Bow Bolt. With the shorter riser, the CH and LF have longer working limbs and actually draw smoother to a longer draw than even a 60" SS. I think you would like a 56" LF much better than a Scout, and it would be handier in a pop up blind.
I also have a 56" Morrison ILF with a Mini-14 riser and C longbow limbs. I am maxing out the draw length of that bow at my 29 1/2" (going to a D limb for a 58" bow would work for longer draws), but it is a fantastic bow too in my opinion. It is a very different bow compared to a Shrew CH. I actually shoot the Morrison consistently a little better (probably because of the additional weight), but the CH is lots lighter and easier to carry around all day. They are both great bows and perfect for tight quarters -- and for places where you have plenty of room too!
Allan
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I shoot a 62" longbow with considerable cant. If your trees were cut based on compound use changes will likely be necessary. Shooting options for me reduced from 180 to 90 degrees.
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Honestly, I think bow length is more a factor of draw length than room to shoot. At least for guys like me who draw 31-32 inches. Just can't go short with a draw like that. That said, I shoot a 66" hybrid longbow that works just fine out of both treestands and my double bull ground blind.
I'm not sure what the big deal is about short bows. When I hang a stand I practice draw everywhere I think I might get a shot and make note of any obstructions ahead of time. Honestly, most obsructions in a tree stand could be handled by either a little triming or some advanced planning. As in, "if I need to shoot that way I'm gonna have to lean out and hold the bow 'this' way." Sure I guess it's possible to screw up in the heat of the moment and have a limb tip hit a tree or something but that's (to me) just part of hunting.
Shoot the length bow that you shoot best and then plan accordingly when hunting from a treestand or ground blind. Jumping back and forth from long bow to short bow just because you are hunting out of a different stand has probably led to more misses than have been caused by limb tips bumping trees. You just need a little "situational awareness" when shooting from cramped or crowded stands.
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Originally posted by amar911:
Todd,
I assume since you are from Kalamazoo that you went to the expo and shot the Shrews there. My foam core 56" Classic Hunter (the first one Gregg built, which is only a few months old) was there for people to look at and try out. It is a 54#@28 bow. Did you get a chance to shoot it? I think if you had tried it and it had been at the weight you like to shoot you would have found it to shoot as well as any 58" Super Shrew. I agree with you that you would have liked it better than a 54" CH, although I have both lengths and think they are both great. Ron LaClair recommends the 56" for those with longer draw lengths and shoots a 56" CH himself, so that probably tells you more than hearing my opinion. I wish you could have tried a Lil Favorite because they are a really special little bow. I have two in 54". They are very fast and smooth. I can't say I like them better than a CH, but I do like them as much. I talked Ron and Gregg into building a 56" Lil Favorite when I ordered one last July. After he agreed to build one for me, Gregg has built at least one, and I think he had one at the Expo. I haven't shot a 56" LF yet, but I am eager to get mine this coming July. It will have foam cores and a Bow Bolt. I also have a 56" CH on order for July that will have foam cores, carbon backing and a Bow Bolt. With the shorter riser, the CH and LF have longer working limbs and actually draw smoother to a longer draw than even a 60" SS. I think you would like a 56" LF much better than a Scout, and it would be handier in a pop up blind.
I also have a 56" Morrison ILF with a Mini-14 riser and C longbow limbs. I am maxing out the draw length of that bow at my 29 1/2" (going to a D limb for a 58" bow would work for longer draws), but it is a fantastic bow too in my opinion. It is a very different bow compared to a Shrew CH. I actually shoot the Morrison consistently a little better (probably because of the additional weight), but the CH is lots lighter and easier to carry around all day. They are both great bows and perfect for tight quarters -- and for places where you have plenty of room too!
Allan
The first bow I shot Friday was a Shrew. I was back two more times Friday. I have not been shooting for a couple months and only shot my old curve a little this fall. I had to work on form and release a little so the first round of Shrew shooting was not my best of the weekend.
It was a little hard to compare the fine points of a bow model with limited bows of the same weight and just different limb materials and lengths. Some I shot were a little heavy for me starting out. I was able to draw, anchor, hold a couple seconds and release, but not with as much fine muscle control as I would like. The Shrews are stable, but light so the wiggles show a lot if you’re not stable.
I shot about everything under 60# and RH other than the LF. I know I shot your bow. I recall shooting the same model and length at about the same weight without the foam. I though the foam was nice but noticed more noise. When I took it back I realized it didn’t have any string silencers and the other one did.
I really liked the 50# SS at 58” and a low to mid 50’s 60” SS better than the same weight CH bows at 54”. I shot the 56” CH well with a weight around 50#. I didn’t like the scout because I didn’t hit near as good as other curves, the CH and SS. It was a fine bow, but I was all over the bag. I never got my hands on the LF because it was being shot all the time. I did see it shoot from behind the line and it looked smooth, fast, and quiet. It was hitting hard.
On Saturday I went back. I was settled down and shooting fairly decent. I really wanted to shot some Shrews again. I wanted to shoot a 56” CH, 58” SS, and 60” SS that I really liked and that were for sale. I also wanted to get my hands on the LF. Unfortunately they were gone. I think Gregg said the 60” I liked and probably shot the best the first day was a little heavier in the riser. I think he was saying it was something to do with the wood and not just the longer riser of the SS vs. the CH. I am sure the extra weight was a help for me with the higher draw weight.
I can’t wait until I can shoot some more Shrews. Right now I hope to track down a used model of one of the other bows I really liked in 58” or 60”to practice up and get steady until I can shoot more bows at Compton, Lord willing.
I shot a few bows I really liked in the 60” range, but nothing I think would touch a Shrew if it was cut down to 56”. I have no doubt the Shrew is a top bow at 54-56” and maybe one for me down the line as a tree stand and blind bow.
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Thanks for the info everyone. It all helps. I have some real productive stands in high pressure areas that only work in the areas they are located because of heavy tree cover and few other trees around my stand tree. The deer pass these trees because they are away from other people and very visible. On those stands I have to stop hunting them when the leaves drop because they are too exposed. I really can't thin them or they stop working. I have other stands that can be trimmed or are clean trees with under growth or screen trees that will work with longer bows. I hunt from a Double Bull T2 for turkey because it is light and fast to move around. I draw just a hair under 28” and 60” bows seem to shoot real well for me. I will probably get a 60” used bow to work with this winter and spring and see how that works in some of my stands with some practice shooting when I pull them down later this winter.