HH bug got me ... Part One!

[Steve Clandinin]

This Hill thread has cost me more than I'll ever tell my wife,now new fishin'poles ! just spend two hours reading about Tenkara,hooked again!

[30coupe]

Well, guys, I'm kind of out of the Hill bow fraternity, temporarily I imagine. I loved the smooth draw and quiet nature of the Shelton, but I just couldn't seem to get consistent with it. After reading this thread, I think I probably need a deeper grip even though my fingers are short. I traded the Shelton on a Black Creek Banshee r/d bow. It is 60" and 50# @ 28". Even though the grip is a bit large for my hands, I seem to shoot it much more consistently than I did the Shelton. I hope I get somewhere where I can try a Hill style with a deeper grip sometime, but for now, I have to stick with my r/d bows or recurve for hunting.

[LongStick64]

30Coupe,

I have small hands myself and find the grip on the Shrew Hill to be perfect. It has a narrow wedge grip that makes it very pleasurable to shoot. It might be the most natural grip I've shot. The hand holds the bow comfortably.

[centaur]

The workup to a heavier bow has started. Got a Big River in the mail today, and grunted it back to about 26" (my normal draw is 28). I shot a few arrows, although I couldn't get to full draw happily, and man, does that thing spit out an arrow! But, I'm currently overbowed with it, so I will start getting it to where I can shoot it comfortably. I have been shooting my Wesley that is supposed to be 55@28, but after seeing the difference, I took the two bows to the local sporting goods and weighed them; the Wesley is 50@28, and the Big River is 65@28. So, I have some building up to do, but that is one of the reasons I got the BR to begin with. When I am comfortable with it, I should be able to barely feel the Wesley, at least that is my theory. Anybody have any idea as to how long it should take to work up to the heavier weight? Here's what the BR looks like. It appears like new in my eyes.
 

[Bud B.]

I went from my 50lb bow(s) to a 64lb longbow and was shooting the 64 comfortably in about two weeks, but, I shoot ALOT of arrows, so the workout/workup was short. It has helped me with my release woes, even with the lighter bows. But it has not solved them to my liking, but I do see an improvement.

Take it as slow as your body wants to take it.

That Big River looks like my old bow. I believe that I can see that it is marked at 26&1/4"? I remember my reshaping of the grip.  I shot 6 deer with it in three seasons.

[Bob B.]

LongStick64

How do you like your Shrew Hill?  I love mine and find the more I shoot it, the more I want to shoot more!

I do not know if it is the grip or those sexy skinny limbs, but it has a different feel to it.  I really like shooting mine.

Bob.

[30coupe]

Originally posted by LongStick64:
30Coupe,

I have small hands myself and find the grip on the Shrew Hill to be perfect. It has a narrow wedge grip that makes it very pleasurable to shoot. It might be the most natural grip I've shot. The hand holds the bow comfortably.

I have read in a number of posts that the wedge grip works well. I think I need a deeper grip from back to belly so I can take Hill's suitcase grip. With the Shelton, my hand pretty much wrapped around the grip.

[Ron LaClair]

Russ, the standard grip depth of the Shrew Hill is 2". I like a deep grip so my new bow Red Wolf has a grip that's 2 1/4" deep which is quite a difference.

   

   

[30coupe]

Thanks, Ron. I think the Shelton was 1 7/8" or thereabouts. I know I could touch my index fingertip with my thumb. I just couldn't get a repeatable grip, which meant I couldn't get repeatable groups. I could stack three arrows with fletches touching, pull my arrows, walk back and spread arrows all over a 9" paper plate. I finally got frustrated and gave up. Eventually, I'd like to try one with a deep grip to see if that makes the difference. I like the look of the wedge grip on your bow.

[cahaba]

I also like a 2 1/4" grip. This depth naturally sets my hand so that when I grip the bow the front center of the handle lays on center between my first and second nuckles of my first 3 fingers and the pinky just touches on the finger pad. Grip thickness is a very important component in shooting for me.

[Nate Steen .]

Grip circumference is very important...like cahaba said the back of the grip should line up with the fingerpads between the first and second joints but different depths of handles can achieve this even though the circumference is the same.

[LongStick64]

Bob B,
 I love shooting the Shrew Hill, I agree it does have a different feel, those narrow limbs feel light and quick very unHill like, lol. It does have a snappy feel, which is fine by me because I believe I'm getting very decent performance matched with solid accuracy, which proves to me that the bow is working with me not against me.
If I was in the market to have a bow built for me I would love to get another one. For years I shot a Howard Hill longbow and I just never seemed to shoot them as well a I would of liked. Now armed with a Shrew Hill and my Shultz Old Fav, I am having a great time at the range.

[Bob B.]

LongStick64,

Too bad you live so far away, I would love to shoot with you and compare our Shrew's side by side.  My bow, named Old Fox, is so super quiet, yet with heavier arrows still has good cast.  My bow seems to shoot best with 10.5 to 11.5 gpp arrows.  I am really hoping to get a deer with her this year.  Good luck with your hunting ... I hope to see your bow in a hero shot this season.

Bob.

[centaur]

Pavan,
Yep, that is your old bow. Hope there is still some mojo left in it; it still looks like new!

[TommyBoy]

Quick question for the group that I was thinking about the other night over a bourbon: Has anyone here ever had a Hill bow break?  

I can't say I've ever seen or heard of that happening...

[Nate Steen .]

here's some pics to show level form....

first, this is what I see alot, from guys who are used to shooting in the backyard at a target close to the ground...

 

notice the higher drawing elbow, and shoulders not aligned...difficult to adjust for a shot at deer height at 30 yards based on muscle memory for a downward shot.

now notice a level form:
 

here's a level form shooting downward, as if you were shooting out of a treestand...you bend at the waist...
 

the idea is to keep a 'constant' in your form, so adjustments for long shots, short shots, uphill and downhill are made with small adjustments...the level shooting form is the 'constant'....and repetition of the level form at 10 yards will ingrain the muscle memory for the next lesson in shooting......

[MikeNova]

Nate good pics? Are you wearing a suit? I had a little buck come out on me yesterday but he came in reeeal wary. He offered me a broadside shot at 13-14 yards but as I pulled back he busted me and dropped down as if ducking the string turned tail and got outta there sounding off that alarm shreik...I was bent at the waist had him dead to rights. Oh well there will be next time...Yes I  have been stacking them in at 10 yards Puttin your lesson in into practice.

[Nate Steen .]

Quotes from Hill:

"if your form is right, you won't be too far off at 50 yards..."

"what's your arrow doing at 30 yards?"

why did he specify those distances? not some other distances?  Remember, he was shooting bows with speeds around 180 fps...as was most shooters back then and now as well.  He was used to shooting at target faces up off the gound around 48" to 56" (level form).....we shall see how this all works together to make you a better field shot, better game shot, and have more fun at long ranges.....

[Nate Steen .]

Mike,

that Filson vest has good deer mojo...and the new hat is going to get some.....