Why a longbow?

[Pinelander]

I don't believe it is simply the way you hold the bow.

I've owned many straight-limbed bows that produced plenty of handshock, no matter how they were "gripped".

- Dave

[GreyGoose]

I like the look of a longbow more; like the smaller riser in my hand, and figured if I was coming back to traditional gear after compounding, I might as well go farther back than where I started.

[fmscan]

Dooo, I just like to carry a longbow more than a recurve. 99% of the time you are just having it in your hand. I also like the little additional challenge, which I have yet to master. Also many longbows do not have handshock.

[Scoobiedooo]

Thanks all! It seems like the current consensus - and rightly so - is that longbows are so much lighter in weight and easier to carry per se than recurve bows....

[sawtoothscream]

i just like how longbows look.  i love my hunter bow longbow.

I would like another recurve though and a recurve will be my next bow puchase. when I can afford to buy another

[Scoobiedooo]

Yeah I hear ya! I just bought a Predator bow 3 wks ago and that cost me a chunk of change was well.

Ahh - I see you heave some Bear bows! I always liked the Kodiak Mags and the Kodiak Hunters. Great bows. In retrospect I could have prob found a nice 70's bear Kodiak Hunter, green Futurewood with white laminations on the back (front) of the bow, and the classic blue stripe down the riser, prob in EC, for around $200+ and bought a longbow too for what the Predator cost me! The Bear Kodiak's are my most fav bow!

[Pointer]

I love my longbows but a chronic elbow problem has caused me to switch to recurves exclusively for over a year. I've been selling the longbows because, although a good longbow won't have much hand shock, the recurves have less. It seems the heavier the riser the more comfortable I am shooting the bow. Actually looking into some metal risers for recurves now..

[Joshua Grimshaw]

My longbow has made me a better shot. It shoots good with a properly tuned arrow. If you try to shoot an arrow that is not spined exactly right or your form is not up to par, errors will show up. A recurve cut past center makes it harder to discover your errors because it is more forgiving with alot of different spined arrows.

[Smithhammer]

There are all kinds of great reasons stated here for shooting longbows, and I enjoy shooting them myself. That said, when I'm in the mood to shoot my recurve, my favorite one weighs 1lb, 14oz. While my longbow is certainly lighter, a difference of 12 ounces or so in bow weight is far from my list of concerns.

After all, if I'm not carrying a bow in the field, I'm probably carrying a 6lb. shotgun...

[stujay]

I use have and use both. Reasons for the longbow...like looks better, and it's quiet.

[alaninoz]

For me it's part of getting rid of "stuff" - both physical stuff and mental stuff. The longbow suits my minimalist tendencies. As part of this when shooting competitively I've gone from a hip quiver to a back quiver and now to a pocket quiver.

[TRADSTYK]

Began shooting a longbow last spring and thought it would be tough going from curve to longbow. Much to my suprise I shot that savannah much better than the curves. The small grip feels very good and no real shock. Still looking for first longbow kill but am sure it will happen some day. Everyone is different and like different things. Shoot what you like and have a blast doing it!

[Scoobiedooo]

Yup....

[DeerSpotter]

I shot my first deer with a longbow 37 years. it was a borrowed longbow and arrows, I did like some others went to the compound for a few years, came back and went to recurve, couldn't use to the noise.  I move back to the longbow, and I shoot better with it.  I think it doesn't matter what bow, it's all what you are comfortable with and most of all confident with.  But having said that, there's just something about the longbow that just feels better.

Besides, " everybody " knows the first bow was a longbow ! RIGHT !!!


Carl

[Scoobiedooo]

No...my first bow has always been a recurve....never really liked the looks of a longbow or the American Indian style of bows...just me I guess ... A longbow just reminds me a stick from a tree and a string.....

[RM81]

b/c all the cool kids are doing it.

Personally, I like the lighter riser, narrower grip, and quietness.  All  my LB's are highly R/D, and I don't feel any noticable handshock and the speed is on par with most recurves.  The R/D design also allows for a shorter bow.  My draw length is just under 28", and I like my R/D longbows 58-60".