Howard Hill "Swing Draw"

Zach, the point with John's teaching is that he was teaching how Howard Hill shot a longbow and the advantages of that method with a longbow.  I like John's chapter in his book, 'HOLD IT, you're wrong'.  When one shoots longbows with that method for enough years, it makes sense and it works. If your crunch time method is static and straight back and straight up, a nice long stable recurve shooting split finger and possibly bow sights would be a better option and leave the swing draw fast stuff alone.

[stiknstringer]

It depends on the situation. Howard Hill describes in his book Hunting the Hard Way about one situation when he was sneaking up on a ground squirrel and he drew his bow first while he was behind the tree and then stepped out to take the shot.

[ChuckC]

Bakes... I agree with your assessment.  Many of us  believe there is only one correct way to shoot....the way WE do it.

Do it the way you need to, there are certain factors that come together to help one shoot / aim better, but there are usually many ways to achieve that .

Worried about that doe ?  When you pick your spot make certain that there are "things" out there that obstruct her vision temporarily and make use of them.  Trees, leafed out branches and similar.   For turkeys, heck try even making obstructions.

[two4hooking]

Your right.  It just doesn't work.

 

See Greg there you go.  Those all white bows need an awful lot of silencers on them.  I really would look for another way to tie them on.

That'd be a big picture.

[ChuckC]

Nobody said it doesn't work.  What is being said is it is not for everybody.

Hill style longbows are not for everybody either. Nothing wrong with that, certain bows are simply better with different techniques.

[Bakes168]

I never said it doesn't work    

[Terry Green]

I swing draw when the shot calls for it....

I mostly pre raise my bow about 90% of the way on hunting shots, but it I wouldn't have taken the time to learn to swing draw I would have missed out on many kills.

It helps the bowhunter to learn to shoot both ways to capitalize on the opportunity of choice when the window opens.

[Stumpkiller]

Exactly.  Have "several arrows in your quiver" when it comes to draw styles.  Options are a great thing.

There are times a "snap-shot" all at once may be the shot you have and you only have a half-second to act.  Also good for running bunnies.


Not the time to be raising and locking your bow arm before drawing.

Practice all three: locked arm, push-pull, swing arm.

[YosemiteSam]

Don't forget that guys like Schultz & Hill are already exceptional shooters.  While it may work for them, it may also work in spite of them.  The problem with copying the methods of those who are exceptional is that it may not work for the average Joe.  The average Joe (or the multitudes of average Joes) may expose the flaw that the exceptional shooter may work through without noticing.  I like ideas that work for Joe Sixpack, not Hill, Schultz, etc.  Those methods are harder to screw up.

But methods aside, you'd be hard-pressed to tell me that there's only one way to do anything.  There's only what works for you and what doesn't work for you.  Trial and error are the best ways to learn anything.

[Orion]

If you view some old videos of Howard Hill shooting, you'll notice that he didn't always use the swing draw.  Sometimes he used more of a push/pull like Fred Bear.  

Swing draw, push/pull, static arm.  They're all good.  I practice and use all of them depending on the circumstances.

In the current 'push  podcast', they speak of focus speed.  Some are wired, fast others are wired slower.  Certain levels of arm strength come into play as well, with how one draws a bow into action.  One tall skinny kid noticed that Hill had a dogleg in his bow arm.  He was about the same length as Hill.  He could easily do it to get a 28" draw with my training bow, but could not begin to do that with a 45 or 55 pound bow, he either had to goose neck or he simply collapsed.  When someone argues the straight arm with a straight grip longbow being universally superior and the only way, they may be defending their own lack of arm strength.  In such situations exact emulating of Hill's shooting may not be the best way to go.  Fortunately, there are other bows that are better for that shooting style.  Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[Terry Green]

Whether I pre point, push pull, or swing I still snap shoot.  How or when I draw the bow doesn't have anything to do with my final execution form...all roads lead me to the same destination at release.

Good thread BTW.

[toddster]

The aspect I see, my opinion and am just as guilty, is most do not put the time in to become great shots.  Yes we shoot and put them all in a pie plate, and run good scores on 3D shoots and harvest animals.  But to really master the "swing draw" takes dedication and a whole lot of time.  That many of us do not have.  Most of us come to this later in life, instead of learning much younger and evolve.

If done properly the swing draw is a smooth ergonomic way of getting the bow into action.  The last six inches of straight draw, whether the bow is half swing and half spread or all spread, is where the shot is at.  Personally, I find doing a total straight draw causes issues that need correction when I shoot, but sometimes it is the right thing to do when hunting in tick stuff. Drag up draw action and the grip and rip it does not work so good, the aim has to settle before release, even if just for an instant.