Howard Hill Longbows

[Ron Nepini]

I would like some thoughts of what people thing of the Howard Hill longbows. I am thinking of buying one and just get some opions. Workmanship, quality, shootability, re sale value and warranty.

Thanks
Ron

[DannyBows]

Well, you might start here:

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=098600

There's some serious Hill bow Lovin' going on in that thread. I shoot Hill style bows, but not Hills, yet.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Ron Nepini:
I would like some thoughts of what people thing of the Howard Hill longbows. I am thinking of buying one and just get some opions. Workmanship, quality, shootability, re sale value and warranty.

Thanks
Ron

like danny sez, you NEED to get on that big hh thread! pronto!   :D

as to the rest, they're all good and you need to try out as many as you can, if you can - go to a shoot, event, rendezvous, club, store.  if not, you'll hafta take a gamble of sorts, but there'll always be a demand for howard hill bows.

[David Mitchell]

What do I think??? I love mine--all 4 of them.

I will answer from my own experiences with shooters that want to try them.  If you have been shooting a recurve, chances are that you will like r/d bows better at first. There are differences on how old time longbow shooters react to the bows energy/hand shock. What can be alarming to a static straight armed recurve shooter, is that reassuring thump felt by more flexible longtime longbow shooters. Although Hill longbows can be shot a variety of ways, I always try to get new comers to study what the experts did with them, like Howard Hill and John Schulz. Just like anything else, it pays to understand what those that designed the system did to make their system work for them. When I shoot a recurve, I do not try to make it work like my longbows and I adjust my form to match the bow, it is a minor thing and not hard to do.

[Ground Hunter]

I have three - I'm still waiting for the "hand shock." LOL  

[sweeney3]

I haven't had a Hill yet, though I really enjoy the style.  You don't have to worry about resale.  They pretty much hold or increase, hence why I haven't had one yet.  Longer, narrower bows are typically more accurate, all else equal.  They handle heavy hunting weight arrows very well.  They are quiet.  My long, straight stave bows have almost no handshock, and they are much better bowyers than I am, so I imagine theirs are even better.  Give it a try.

I have had a couple that kicked pretty hard, fast flight strings eliminate most of it even out of harsher bows. I have had recurves that kicked as much as my longbows that I have. The longbows I had that kicked the most were the reflexed ones made in the late 70s. My last Hill was a relfexed model and it did not have a fast flight, I did not think I needed it. Another shooter that tried it thought it kicked pretty hard compared to his. Imagine what he would have thought of the ones that I thought actually had handshock issues. It is possible to get them in the reflex model that do not have all that much shock and that can shoot nice with B50 flemish strings. I still prefer the life in the reflexed bows to the string follows, but I can see why lots  of shooters like the string follow models.  Traverse from Hill archery says there is about a 6 fps on average difference. That is not not a lot, but if we are talking shorter draws and lighter poundages, every little bit helps. I have noticed that I can shoot a higher spine out of mine than the string follow bows that I compared mine to.

[Stone Knife]

Money well spent  

[Rob DiStefano]

like soooo many things in life, each of us will experience these things in varied fashions.  

do not believe anyone's opinions on gear, keep an open mind and ... find out for yourself.  

the easy way to "find out" is to try out other folk's gear, the hard way is via your bank account.  

choose wisely in all instances.

or, don't believe me at all - your call.  

[Rossco7002]

I bought one last month and I'm putting in an order for another as we speak. I don't feel handshock to be an issue and was totally sold by the smoothness and stability of these long limbed bows. Nice workmanship too.

[Jayb]

I'm dying to try one so If any Hill shooters near Frisco please PM so we can meet up.  My house always has cold beer especially for trad hunters!

[Ron Nepini]

Thanks for all the help guys

[Bill Turner]

Some folks love'um, some folks don't. I happen to think they are great. I only hunt with mine when I want to kill something.