HH bug got me ... Part One!

[Jacquesbonin]

After reading John Gilbert thread, in the past I had a lot of Native American style bows, they are shot differently. 1st. the fingers of the draw hand are place against the center of the chest. 2nd.  the bow arm pushes away and constantly pushes away, through the whole shot sequence. The drawing fingers just slip the release with out any extra effort or unnecessary movement. the bow arm while in a different shooting position than the Hill form is dynamic, not static, the release is effortless and doesn't fly away. If you try this at the next practice you will feel the same feeling in both hands required to shoot the Hill form. i am talking about the way the fingers should slip the string almost unconciously and the slightly bent elbow the correct form used in th Hill shooting style. Just some things to try and a little more food for thought. Remember Native Americans made their living with all the primitive tools at hand. You wouldn't see them walsing through the woodlands with their bows held static,static means locked-up! The ability to move and follow the target cannot be done in the static form. The ability to move and correct for the changing movements of the target are so easily and effortless with the Hill shooting form, regardless of how wellwe execute the method, it will make a better shooter, hunter! later,Jacques

[Ron LaClair]

 Quick question I have seen alot of talk about grip but what I have not seen that I need info on is what to do with the bottom lobe of the heel of the hand. The lower part of your hand has a lobe that connects to the thumb and one that is on the pinkie side. The latter is what I am talking about. Where should this be in relation to the handle?  

There may be other theorys but this is how I've always done it. The "lobe" on the pinkie side should not be on the handle at all. If you put too much of that pinkie side lobe on the handle you will pressure the bow to turn INTO the arrow and the arrow will have to pass around the riser that is blocking it. The life line between the two "lobes" should be centered on the grip and pressure should be on that point only. If the pressure is more on the thumb lobe then the bow will stay in line or if it does turn it will turn AWAY from the arrow allowing it to pass cleanly.  

John Lee told me the reason Howard liked the narrow wedge handle was because it was easier to get a consistent grip, the narrow wedge seated it's self in the same place in his hand and he could "control" the bow better with this style grip.  

 
I've always kept a fairly loose grip on the bow, so loose in fact that sometimes after the shot the bow will drop through my hand and I have to close my hand to keep the bow from hitting the ground. There's a film of Howards bow doing exactly that after one of his shots.

 http://shrewbows.com/shrewhill.html

[ChrisM]

Thanks ron that helps alot.  I'm gonna head out into the heat and try that now.

[tomwatson]

Nate, the friend that Howard told that to was John Lee. He spoke about this in his presentation at the Traditional Bowhunters Expo in K-Zoo, MI.

Tom

[Nate Steen .]

Tom...that is correct.  I have that dvd of John's talk.

From what I understand from observation and Jacques' comments...Hill raises and lowered his arms during the draw very much like the old time archers did with the English longbows to " put their body into the bow".....Hill just did this on a smaller scale.  I did not realize that I also draw this way until I saw video of myself.  It is a very strong and stable way to draw the bow.

See how we learn through talking about it? I asked a long time back why Hill had that down and left thing in his draw.I used to think that it helped with aiming and it maybe does. That is, if the bow crosses the point of point on and then comes down that is smaller math than coming up from the bottom and stopping at the secondary aiming point. I did it when I shot super heavy bows because I needed the strength boost.  I developed form problems when I dropped my bow weight down after a gravity related injury, I no longer needed to do much to draw my bow, 50 pounds was wet noodle stuff to me and my muscle memory did not understand what to do with the light stuff.

Originally posted by WESTBROOK:
Hey Tony...when did you move up to Petosky??

Eric, been up here almost exactly one year.  Thinking I'll make it to GLLI for the first time - you going?

Originally posted by Ron LaClair:
 

 

.....the "lobe" on the pinkie side should not be on the handle at all. If you put too much of that pinkie side lobe on the handle you will pressure the bow to turn INTO the arrow and the arrow will have to pass around the riser that is blocking it. The life line between the two "lobes" should be centered on the grip and pressure should be on that point only. If the pressure is more on the thumb lobe then the bow will stay in line or if it does turn it will turn AWAY from the arrow allowing it to pass cleanly.   [/b]

LOL Ron!  

Try as I might, I cannot connect the dots. The lobes escape me.    

[Blaino]

Ok I have been hangin out in the shadows of the Hill thread for about 300 pages..... Now I'm all in on this hill bow stuff.  I am making a back quiver right now and maybe a matching Armgard also. Oh and I just got off the phone with Craig at HHA and a Wesley Special that stretches 70" with bacote for a riser and overlays will be mine when they get done.

I'll report back with pics when the bow arrives. Let the journey begin!!!

[WESTBROOK]

Tony, probably only be there Sunday, I have a wedding to attend Saturday. Why that weekend...  

[xbmedic]

Nate, Jacques, and Ron - you guys are a wealth of shooting information and instruction. Thank you guys so much. I have been practicing applying your insights to my shooting, and it's starting to pay off. Here is a pic from week 6 of the Tradgang Fun Shoot. My latest build, a Mauna Kea 68" 52@28" 3 bamboo lams with a koa riser and koa tip overlays. Brown glass on the back and white glass on the belly. She is called Pu'u Ke'oke'o, Hawaiian for "White Hill."

   

[Ron Roehrick]

This Hill thread continues to entertain and educate and thanks to all who contribute. I am constantly learning and implementing techniques that improve my shooting. Thanks to Nate, Ron,Jacques, and all that keep this thread going. Ron.

[Bud B.]

Nice bow and shooting Al. I noticed it's a lefty  

[xbmedic]

Thanks, Bud! I started building bows because I'm a lefty!

[Brianlocal3]

Great looking bow medic. I wish I had the talent to build my own bow

[rushlush]

Nice bow!

[Charlie Lamb]

Centaur... it's an infectious little thing isn't it? I'm sure your time with the Hill this go round will be much more rewarding.

[Brazos]

Blaino,  I received an almost identical bow from Craig about 4 weeks ago.  Bocate riser and limb veneers.  Turn out great.  I love wood with lots of contrast and that is what I got.  I am sure you will like yours.

[centaur]

Charlie,
Every day above ground is a bonus, and getting a Hill just adds to the fun. Now, if I can just make it shoot where I  point it, all will be good.  Since I have been currently shooting a Big Jim TC 54", it will be a bit different for a while to convert to a 68" Hill. It's all part of the continuing challenge that is traditional archery. I love it!

[john gilbert]

Xbmedic, love the name Mauna Kea. I was on a AE, ammo ship, named the Haleakala. Nice names for ammo ships, named after volcanoes.