Unlikely praise for the Martin Stick, Hill style bows and other rants

[nineworlds9]

So, since I've been back into trad over the last couple months I've built myself a nice little collection of bows (9!!!) that keeps growing (but also need to get rid of the non-keepers!...ok I'll admit it I've become a trad bow addict in short time.)
Anyway, I recently received a Martin "The Stick" in the mail..I've been wanting a Hill style bow for a while and I came upon a crazy deal on this so-called Stick (people apparently hate them!) and couldn't pass it up...plus I figured, with all the bad reviews (including the nomer of 'worst bow') and wanting a Hill style bow I might as well try the 'worst' one first and work my way up from there, plus since I got it cheap I can resell it cheap...
Anyway, I shot the thing.  You know what, not bad I say!  The darn thing shoots where you point it, quite well actually.  Yeah the shelf is tiny, gotta really cant that #$%@er, haha.  Ok, sure the grip is small, I even read someone call it "for a child", but I'm 6'2' big fella and I thought it was enough.  Ok, it has handshock...it's certainly not unbearable by any stretch and none of my other bows (rec/ R/D) have any so it was the first handshock bow I've had and I could take it...but think about it, The Stick is smallllll and liiiiight...I mean SUPER light...it's actually one of the best features of this bow IMHO...it truly and genuinely is A STICK.  Why wouldn't it have handshock????  I'm just thinking of that from an engineering type standpoint.  Who knows, maybe a better design could solve that, but who'm I to say?  Well, there it is, thought I would add a positive review to the gaggle of reviews, MOSTLY negative, for the proverbial STICK.  LOL.  First Hill style bow, not all that bad, pretty good in some ways, and will keep me on the path to more Hill style bows, no doubt about it.      

Edit/addition:  also, since taking up trad again after so many years, I've been really excited how accurate I'm getting...15-20 yds is becoming "easy" with bullseye groups becoming commonplace and the ability to walk around the target at varying distances within a 20-25 yd range and put arrows center target...I still get fliers and sometimes scattered groups if I'm not feeling "on" but I'm really really starting to think about ditching my wh$^*%& bow for hunting purposes and going 100% trad and nothing else, I went hunting day before yesterday with the wh@#%%## bow and was disgusted by how heavy it was, how much gear I was hauling, having that damn release practically taped to my wrist, uughh...when is it a good time to ditch the 'training wheels', in other words when should I feel qualified to go hunt something with one of my now many stickbows??? should I try for Squirrel first?  Should I work on getting in range of deer first sans bow...thoughts? hopes/dreams, advice?  

[30coupe]

I bought one for my son several years ago. I shot it quite a bit and I agree with you. I didn't notice any hand shock to speak of. It is a bit short as Hill style bows go though at 62". Certainly not the worst bow by any means.

[nineworlds9]

Yeah, I do need to get something 64"+.  I have that Greatree Solo I'm trying to sell in the classifieds, 68", but it's not a true Hill, more like an almost-Hill or flatbow style.

[SCATTERSHOT]

I don't think the Stick is a bad bow, by any means. The one I had shot well, I just couldn't get used to the skinny grip. Welcome back to the addiction.

[Paul/KS]

I picked one up recently and enjoy shooting it. It's a lightweight at 30# so on days when my shoulder acts up it is a good one to "play" with.
I am thinking of sewing some leather to add to the shelf and grip tho...

[nineworlds9]

Cool.  Mine is 50#.  I too am considering adding a leather grip and perhaps improving the shelf so I don't have to cant it so much.

[cahaba]

IMO you should have no problem hunting deer. Just know your effective range and go for it. If you hunt out of a stand shoot out of it some if you haven't did that yet. Have fun!

If the hand shock is tolerable and you like the way it shoots I see no problem. Nothing wrong with the Stick. most Hill style bows have a narrow rest. You can take a wedge of leather and slip it under the grip material about middle of the rest and leave it sticking up about a 1/16th to an 1/8th inch.

[mark stella]

I had one also. Great little light weight bow. Shot it quite well after getting use to the straight grip. I added a Big Jim Quiver to mine.

[nineworlds9]

Originally posted by cahaba:
IMO you should have no problem hunting deer. Just know your effective range and go for it. If you hunt out of a stand shoot out of it some if you haven't did that yet. Have fun!

If the hand shock is tolerable and you like the way it shoots I see no problem. Nothing wrong with the Stick. most Hill style bows have a narrow rest. You can take a wedge of leather and slip it under the grip material about middle of the rest and leave it sticking up about a 1/16th to an 1/8th inch.

Yeah after thinking about it and reading your response I think you're right, my next hunting day will be with one of my longbows.  Spot and stalk would be fun but I may try practicing from my climber and maybe try that.  If I get a deer with it that will be all I need to go over the edge completely and put the wheelie up for sale.   Good to see some others coming out in praise of the Martin.