Disdain for the recurve

[PennDude]

I'm reading Howard Hill's Hunting the Hard way and really enjoying it so far.  I don't know much about the man but so far I've picked up that he really had no love for recurve bows.  I haven't shot too many different bows but I've found that my Grizzly and Montana shoot pretty equally in terms of my ability to shoot them accurately.  Why did Hill have such a strong distaste for recurves or short bows?

[Car54]

If I shot a longbow like him,  I don't think I would shoot a curve either...lol.  Sorry, don't know why.

[Possumjon]

I think something to do with it may be because of the materials of his day plus he was a big guy, maybe draw length issues?

[Bobaru]

I probably shouldn't post on this.  Others have better insight.  I've read all that but simply can't remember the particulars.

Anyway, don't compare a modern recurve with the Hill ear recurve - it's apples and oranges.  

That said, wait for some knowledgeable folks to post up on the subject.  

Hope that helps some.

[Horserod]

It wasn't because he couldn't shoot the recurve. I believe it had to do with the lack of stability and his style of shooting. There certainly are others on here that have more knowledge about Howard and his shooting abilities. Hopefully, they will chime in and set us straight......Horserod

I don't know about Howard Hill, But I hate recurves for 2 reasons:

1. Longbows go "thud" and recurves go "twang". I like the thud of a longbow better!

2. You really should use a stringer with a recurve, and I hate stringers!!!

Bisch

[Pointer]

I read something in Robert Hardy's book about that. He wrote that Hill said recurves were too sensitive for him. If I remember it correctly, he just found longbows to be more forgiving of his errors. I don't know how Hardy came across that information but I'm pretty sure that was in the section that covered Hill and his bows.

[bucknut]

What I got out of reading his books and watching his videos was he didn't get the forgiveness in hunting situations with the recurve that he got with the longbow.  "they were fine for targets not for the woods."

[M60gunner]

Mr. Hill makes mention of this in his book "Hunting the Hard Way". Basically what bucknut wrote.

[ChuckC]

I am guessing because he sold his skill with the longbow, and incidentally he sold longbows too.  

Reading what some said in interviews, Hill shot recurves very well, when he shot them, then he complained that he wasn't good enough.

ChuckC

[McDave]

I'm sure Howard both made and shot longbows because they worked best for him.  

I've been fortunate enough to have met and had classes from some of the more successful and well known archery instructors teaching today.  Back in my golf days, I had lessons from my share of well known teaching professionals.  Most, but not all of them, are very adamant about their own particular methods, as different as they are from each other.  As a CPA, I have met some very successful businessmen, and most of them have been very adamant about their methods too.  It seems to be a common trait among successful people from many different disciplines that when they find a formula that works for them, they cling to it.  And if they're very successful, it's hard to argue with that.  I've wondered at times why they won't be more openminded about things, because they're not stupid and must know there are other ways that work, but I guess they look at life as having thousands of ways to fail, and they were fortunate enough to stumble across one way that works, and they're not about to let loose of that.

I suspect Howard had a little of that in his personality.  Just my guess, of course.

[Bud B.]

How ironic a recurve is carved into Mr. Hill's tombstone.

[Bill Carlsen]

For a while he actually made and sold recurves under his name. I grew up reading him and trying to copy his style of shooting. As time has gone on bow materials, designs and arrow materials have changed for the better. Shooting technique has also evolved into numerous different styles. I am sure that many of today's longbows are much better performers than were Hill's longbows. I can remember reading about how excited he was when he added fiberglass to one of his bows claiming it added more "cast" to his arrows. Both recurves and longbows have evolved since his heyday and I bet he would still be critical of some the bows today that we all see as classics of our time.

[JR Williams]

I think part of it was that he sold longbows. He may not have liked recurves but I bet he shot them pretty well when he did shoot them......just a guess.

[Jakeemt]

You also have to remember that the recurves a hill was talking about were very different from the modern recurves today. They were basically recurved long bows. No pistol grips or heavy risers. Rather straight grips, super light weight, self bows or just with a bamboo backing. A bow like that would be very finicky indeed so it's understandable why he never cared for them.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Jake those bows you mentioned are not finicky at all. Howard was simply making money on long bows.

[Jakeemt]

Lol finicky for me since I can't shoot them worth a darn!!  

[Bowwild]

I have nothing constructive to add here.

It is very rare I will even open a longbow thread. I was curious about this one though.  

I have the opposite bias and mine is entirely aesthetic, because both launch broadhead-tipped arrows.

[Sam McMichael]

I always got the impression that Hill did not feel disdain for the recurve. Rather, the longbow suited his shooting style better, making him more proficient with it; consequently, that is what he chose to shoot and to sell.

I have no rational reason why I prefer the longbow. I just like it better. I haven't shot the recurve much in a very long time, so I don't really know if I can be accurate with it or not.

[Stumpkiller]

Originally posted by Bisch:
I don't know about Howard Hill, But I hate recurves for 2 reasons:

1. Longbows go "thud" and recurves go "twang". I like the thud of a longbow better!

2. You really should use a stringer with a recurve, and I hate stringers!!!

My hunting recurves go "thut".  With a "proper" 600 to 620 gr Douglas fir arrow.  The noise of the arrow hitting the deer's chest is louder.

But a stringer is a very good idea if you unstring.  Though for MANY years I just did a step-through.  My daily shooting & hunting recurve has been strung a few years and I walk out the back door to hunt and stump shoot.


Perhaps if Hill had the jigs to make resurves he'd have caught on.  But as he sold longbows . . .