HH bow length question

[Orion]

I'm thinking of moving to shorter HH bows.  Would like your experience with them.  I currently have a 66-inch, 54# Big Five and a 68-inch, 57# Black Bear (a Westley Special with carbon on the back)  My draw is 28 inches.  I had a lighter weight, 64-inch Hill, 48# Halfbreed I believe.  Didn't notice an increase in finger pinch or a tendency for that bow to stack, but the latter may be a function of the lower draw weight.  

Anyway, I'm thinking of trading mine for 64-inch bows.  Almost all of my other longbows, mostly mild reflex/deflex, are 64-inches.  Don't think I would go shorter than 64 inches with a Hill, though a lightweight 62- or 60-inch for hunting turkey out of a blind appeals to me.  What's your experience with shorter length Hills?  Thanks.

[Stone Knife]

I have a 64" redman, i shot a buck out of my DB blind this fall. I have no trouble with it in the blind and no noticeable difference from the draw on my 66" big five.

[killinstuff]

I have and had 60" hill style bows, pulling around 65# and they do stack a little pulling them to 28". I didn't mind the the stacking and didn't notice finger pinch but they were really lite and that hurt my elbow so much so I couldn't shoot for weeks. If you can try a 60" bow out for the day before you buy it, you can see if it's a bow for you.

[Orion]

Thanks fellas.  Anybody else want to weigh in?

[c ott]

I had Craig build a  62" Wesley Special for me last year. I did it mostly to satisfy my own curiosity about just how short I could go with a Hill. My draw length is just a shade under 28". My own personal conclusion after spending a good deal of time shooting it and hunting with it some last year, is that it is definitely a doable length, smoother at my draw than I expected, not as smooth as I like, stable enough, and worth having around for those times when a shorter length might serve you better. That being said, I MUCH prefer my 66" bows and really don't want to go any shorter for my daily shooting "go to" bow. How about cosidering what I'm planning, which is to have Craig build you one on the Badger form to hunt Turkeys out of a blind. I'm going to have him match my Halfbreed grip to make the transition easier.

[c ott]

That way you could go even shorter if you wanted or needed to.

[TSP]

Hi, Jerry.  Why not find a suitable-weight 64" bow to try out first?  It would be a shame to trade your 66"ers and then find out the shorter bow length doesn't quite work for you.  

I don't think I'll ever go shorter than 66" in a Hill (I draw around 27.5" with them).  The 66" or 68" versions just seem to be the right length for that kind of bow at that draw length.

[Orion]

C ott:  What's the weight of your 62-incher?  I'm thinking it wouldn't be too bad in a fairly light bow, say 50# or so.  I have thought about the Badger.  Would want to see one up close and shoot one before making a decision.  

TSP:  I did have a 64-inch Halfbreed at 47#.  I didn't notice any increase in finger pinch, and at 47# it didn't stack at my draw either.  Of course, another 3-5 pounds could change that.  That's what I'm trying to find out.  If that bow had been 3-5# heavier, I would have kept it.  It was a very nice shooter.

I've been shooting sticks for more than 45 years, and mostly longbows for the past 20 or so, but almost all of them have been mild R/D 64 inchers, with an occasional 66-incher thrown in.  I certainly like the way my Hills feel and shoot, and they're no more difficult to carry in the woods, though they're a tad more limiting out of a treestand.  Maybe 64 inches is so burned into my mind that I just feel a little out of sorts with a 66- or 68-inch bow in the woods.

[TSP]

I've got two Abbotts (D profile like a Hill but with mild RD) that feel fine at their 62" (52#) and 64" (47#) lengths, but the Hills I've had just seem 'comfortable' at the longer lengths.  Hills are alot of fun to shoot but I'll admit the shorter bows come in handy when brush/ branches/ tight spaces are a factor.  That's why a 58" Super Shrew is also pretty darned handy.  

Best to play it safe and have at least one of each kind and length to cover the bases.    

[c ott]

Orion, the draw weight on the Wesley is 53 @ 28. I think that bow at around 49 or 50 would be pretty nice.

[Rik]

Several mentions here of comfort and string pinch, but no mentions of differences in accuracy. I would happily hunt with 62-inch longbows if I could shoot them as accurately as a 66-inch longbow. I own several 62-inch longbows (not Hills), but their repeatable accuracy at longer western hunting distances doesn't compare with my 66-inch bows.

[Orion]

Good point, Rik.  I've always shot my 64-inch bows well.  I don't see any change in accuracy when I go to a 66-or 68-inch bow.  Could very possibly see a reduction in accuracy though if I went to a 62- or 60-inch bow.  Seems to work OK with a recurve or severe reflex/deflex like my Shawnee Dakota, but a straight bow at 62 or 60 inches might suffer.

[c ott]

Orion, I have to agree with the last point and what Rik said as well. That's why I said "stable enough" when describing the 62" Wesley. There is definitely a discernable difference between it and my 66" bows.

[Orion]

Thanks folks.  If I get the chance down the road, I might play around with a 62 or 64-inch bow, but think I'll stick with my 66-incher.  At my almost 28-inch draw, it feels more comfortable for me than my 68-incher, which I believe I'll be putting on the trade/sell board before too long, for another 66-incher, of course.

[c ott]

At one time I thought people were crazy for hunting with 66" bows, and just didn't understand how they could do it. That was before I figured out just how stable a 66" could be and comitted to it. Doesn't seem long at all these days. Ground blinds are a little different story though.