Pros and Cons of Hill Style longbow?

[Justin Falon]

Well said Ron.  Once you've shot a Hill, you will want to buy one.  Once you've bought one, you will want to buy another. Then you will want to build one.  Then another. Then another.  You can never go wrong with a Hill longbow.

justin

[Aussie Stickbow Hunter]

Question 1: I think Kentucky Jeff has answered your first question pretty well. I changed from shooting a bare bow machine to a Hill style longbow back in 1984 and have shot them ever since along with some self bows.

For me it was most definitely a learning curve because the longbow needed to be shoot in a different manner to what I was used to. Once I did that my shooting improved very quickly and later on I found I could shoot my longbow just as well as the machine and my field archery scores averaged about the same.

To me you have to WANT to shoot a Hill style bow and be willing to accept that they are just a different type of bow and shoot them accordingly.

Question 2: What Mudd said. I think one of the fallacies around today is that all Hill style bows are slow when this is in fact not true. I have seen many times where a well designed Hill style bow has out performed a semi-recurve (I don’t consider them longbows).

One last thing; your Tolke Whip is of deflex/reflex design and not reflex/deflex. I know the Bowyer himself incorrectly calls them reflex/deflex as do most people on this forum. However, a bows limb design is described by what the limbs do when leaving the handle of the bow. Deflex/reflex and reflex/deflex are opposites and can not be used to describe the same thing. If people have a flat tyre they don’t say they are going to deflate it when they mean they are going inflate it, do they? I wasn’t having a dig at you with these comments mate; it is just one of my pet peeves because it has led to a lot of confusion in the Trad scene.

All the best with your decision making and I hope you give a Hill style bow a go.  

if you are shooting your Whips with a fairly straight arm, you may find that you will like a shorter draw on a saddle or straight gripped Hill. I am not so sure that a lighter bow than what you already have will fill the job you would want it to do to your satisfaction. Even though they don't loose as much of a percentage of their cast with a heavy arrow, they tend to be slower and if your draw with one is shorter that will reduce your cast as well. While some advocate super heavy arrows to reduce hand shock, I am suspect of the bow or how they are using it, if that is what is needed to make it work for them. 9 or 10 grain per pound should be good enough. I find that the average cedar shaft is, most of the time, adequate. I have only once gotten a set of arrows that was so light that I felt compelled to do a partial soaking in Watco oil to up the weight a little.  There is nothing wrong with having a lighter Hill style bow, but you will be soon enough be getting a heavier one. The Hill spread or swing draw form allows for a very strong draw. The difference for the leverage would be similar to picking up a bucket of water close to your side versus with an outstretched arm. Most people develop some form of a spread leverage sooner or later, it the natural thing to do with a low grip. Even the rotational draw is a form of it, but I my opinion, probably better for a fixed target.
Perhaps you should find someone that has a bow that would fit your draw length requirements and borrow it to give it a try in a calm environment.
Going to shoots to try bows can be good, but it may be more difficult with sales pressure and lots of folks around, for you make a clear headed and careful analysis of the bow and how you are shooting it.

[BowHunterGA]

Just my 2 cents:

I switched from Recurves to Hill Style longbows this August and the switch was relatively quick and easy. At the same time I made a faily large step up in draw weight of around 10 pounds (55 to 65+). I bought my first Hill longbow in late July and was shooting accurately enough for hunting within an hour. I admit, that was close, as the range got a little longer it took a bit more practice. Regarding hand shock, I barely notice it at all. The one difference I would say is that when shooting my recurves I hold the riser VERY loosely. With just my index finger lightly around the grip. That doesn't work so well with the longbows as it will try to jump out of your hand. Still is it anything that rattles fillings from your teeth. Absolutely not! Shooting my Schulz at around 66# and a 650 grain arrow and the "hand shock" is negligible.

I also have one other "opinion" and you know what they say about opinions!    
A quieter bow will have less "hand shock" than a noisy bow. Perhaps this is just me but it is sort of like shooting loud firearms, some of the felt recoil is between your ears. To me a quieter longbow just feels smoother on the shot to me than a noisy one.

[Bill Turner]

Regarding the question about shooting a Hill style bow and moving back to your Tolke Whip R/D bow, I bounce from my Hill's to my  Massey "Longhorns" without a problem. Once you learn the technique of shooting a Hill style long bow(heel of bow hand down) you should be able to bounce back and forth without problem. I'm actually hunting with a "Longhorn" this season with my Hill "RedMan" as my backup. Same arrows with the same point of impact. Practice and you'll be just fine.

[Rob DiStefano]

i have no problem going back and forth 'tween hill's 'n' 'hawks with nary an issue.  then again, i shoot them all the same way.  

[cahaba]

Rather than using the word thump to describe the sensation of a loosed arrow from a Hill I think all would agree that the feeling of "the bow feels alive" would describe it in more detail.. The only thing I don't like about the Hill experience is that I haven't saved enough money to get another. Someday soon, someday soon.

[Mr.Magoo]

A pro is if you have one, you can take pics like this ....