About to give up on my Hill...

[Daddy Bear]

Tom I, Great illustration.  I just thought about something to demonstrate the importance of the bone alignment of the wrist. Imagine if you took the riser section and handle of an HH bow and somehow mounted or affixed it so that it was fixed and stationary like a fence post. You then walk up behind it placing your bow hand on the grip and began pushing straight forward against the handle:

- if you rocked your hand up so that you placed most of the pressure on the web, your wrist would be wobbly without much support.

- if you rotate your hand around with the base knuckle of the thumb behind the handle with the heel along the side, your wrist would be wobbly without much support.

- if you rotate your hand too far the oposite way placing the center line of the handle close to the the base knuckles of your fingers, your wrist would be  wobbly without much support.

= BUT, if you place your hand just like Tom I describes, you will have maximum bone support within your wrist making for a solid hold behind the handle. On that imaginary affixed handle, you'd be able to lean very hard against it and will find no wobble in your wrist.

I'm of the opinion that this is the basis and foundation to shooting a straight handle bow as this is where the archer and the bow marries as a unit.

later,
Daddy Bear

[Ol'school]

Glad that the 2219's are showing improvment. I agree with the others, you were way underspined. I have shot Hill style bows for years, they love a heavy arrow. I shoot the 2219 in aluminum, and POC or fir when I can find good wood. If you want a carbon, I like the Carbon Express Heritage 250 with 200gr points and 5" sheild cut fletching. I draw 29.5" and my bowa range from 65# to 75#@29" I also like a low brace hieght, when nocked my fletch almost touches the bow

[Buckhorn47]

Hi! Brack

Just my two cents - my setup is a 70" Hill (Wesley Special), 64lbs @28", long 5" straight grip (personal preference). My arrows are heavy wood, 700 grains total setup, nothing special re: FOC - normal range, and 29 1/4" - 29 1/2 " long but I draw 27" - 28" and have to bend bow arm a bit to maintain that draw ( depends on distance and sight picture where I draw to but always within 27"-28").Spine weight for my setup is 70-75lbs. I like the grip as described by preceding more knowledgeable tipsters than me but I find the grip has to be firm in the whole hand and total concentration in keeping the bow solid upon arrow release. This release is totally different than the relaxed grip more common with a recurve. I have also bounced from recurve to longbow, back and forth for 40 years but since totally resigned to the longbow a steady improvement has been noted and I hope the instinct now is even more ingrained.
While I currently use a glove with a nylon insert from a popular supplier, I also find a SAM tab to be just as suitable to my setup and keep one as a backup. Brace height I keep at 6 1/2" and nock above the point. When I get an..  erratic arrow with this setup, I can usually guarantee it is the result of my hold at release or a "target panic" condition I seem to get from time to time, which causes an early release. Persevere and good luck.

[brackshooter]

Guys-
went out last night and shot, problem seems to be solved.  Arrow flight out to 40 yards looked solid,and I have moved my grip in a little, so that the spine of the grip is just to the inside of my large knuckle on my thumb.  Thanks for all the advice!  Now I can settle down, get broadheads sharpened, and prepare for elk season.

[cooncrazy]

heck i shoot 2317 out of my 73 lber and they shoot realy good 2512s shoot good also them hill bows like a big heavy arrow

[Nate Steen .]

Brackshooter,

another satisfied customer as a result of TradGang

[toddster]

Like you Brackshooter, When I got my first Hill, struggled a little.  And as others have stated, found that the bow's love lower finger pressure and thumb knuckle slightly to side.  I found that this posistion, puts the grip inline with the Ulna and Radius bones of the lower arm.  As all of us marksmand know, bone support is much better and stable than muscle.  This is an inherant reason to have the bow arm slightly bent, to act as shock absorber.  The bone is supporting the bow and means less twist, but with straight arm alot more handshock.  Takes a few days, (must be why Mr. Hill told people to practice nothing but form for two weeks).  But once mastered Bam!  Another Key is to ensure the Power T, is followed to allow a clean and straight release.  Straight back drawn elbow, will mean push/pull tension correct and bow push straight to the target and not flung off by string tension.

[dan ferguson]

Sunset Hill and Daddy Bear I feel nailed it. Was in the same boat as you are now, about the same poundage bow, same length etc, until I got that bowhand figured out I struggled, I finally called David Miller and he put me on the right path for me. Exactally what Sunset Hill said, just watch the clips of howard hill and just watch his bow hand, pressure on the bottom two fingers only, fixes alot of problems, at least for me.

[Night Wing]

Brackshooter,

Thirty years ago, there were no 2315, 2317, 2419, 2512, 2613 aluminum arrows. The 2219 was king for heavy 65-70 pound bows back then. If you ever decide to shoot some of those 190 grain and above broadheads, the 2419 would be a good choice for those heavy broadheads with your Hill.

[Rik]

Brackshooter,

You’re in the groove now.

I wish Sunset Hill had talked to me a long time ago when I bought my first Hill Bow. Instead of knowing what the perfect spine was for my 75-pound bow, I went to a traditional shoot in prime elk country in eastern Oregon and pulled an arrow out of every shooters’ quiver I could find.

I’d shoot the arrow, observe the flight, then ask the spine weight.

I finally found the perfect flying arrows, and have killed many, many bulls since.

There is nothing more accurate for killing game at two to thirty yards than a Hill bow, or a Sunset Hill bow.

There is also nothing more important in bowhunting than placing you arrows perfectly. Sounds like you’re getting there. . .

We expect a photo or two at the end of the season. Try not to grin too much.

P.S.  The only thing worse than an elk addict is a dadgummed elk addict that hunts with a Hill bow. Derned obsessed idiots with big giant grins, every one of ‘em!