HH bug got me ... Part One!

[nineworlds9]

Originally posted by Overspined:
Reading those period books by the guys actually making up the rules as the went was a passion of mine a few years ago.  The Witchery of Archery was another good one.  Pope's book amazed me when they went on safari in Africa.  Wow, what they went through to kill the King (lion).  Those guys had GUTS.  

One thing that changed was a lot more respect for game and the ethics of hunting in general since their time.  Those guys shot at anything and everything.  150 yds to an elk, why not?

I think it was Hill that said something like "son, if you want to kill an animal you've got to put some wood in the air".  

It's true of course, but not put quite like that anymore.

I totally agree!  Sometimes lately when I read their accounts I imagine Don Quixote with a bow and arrow blindly going up to anything that moved and sticking an arrow in it, hahaha...Hill's accounts are really entertaining and filled with plenty of drama, no doubt he's being truthful I'm sure, bless him, but I laugh when I'm reading cause he makes some of the animals out to be so ferocious, I'm sure they are, but today in the Croc Hunter/Discovery channel era I chuckle at some of his accounts.  Absolutely a blast reading these books.  Makes the time at the fire station waiting for calls pass wonderfully!

Yeah I was practicing yesterday and 50 yds seemed so dang far I was like "he shot an elk at 180!! WTH!  haha"    

[akbowbender]

I called James Berry today about the upcoming build of my Misty Dawn. During the course of the conversation, we got sidetracked a bit, and he mentioned that TBM had interviewed him in 1993. I dig thru my stack of back issues and found it:  

I haven't read it yet, but it should be an interesting read about the man and his bows back in 1993. You gotta love the cover photo too!

[tg2nd]

Originally posted by swampthing:
It is a hard wood that is not brittle. Important for the thin fade outs, especially on all natural bows, and it does not transmit as much vibration due to it's resiliency. It's those little things that add up to the whole.

Dito that

[Shawn Rackley]

Chuck i have always wanted to read that article.  Tell me how it is

[mikebiz]

Originally posted by Mississippi bow hunter:
Hey guys how about some Howard Hill bow kill pictures.

Here's my first longbow kill.  Thanksgiving Day rabbit on a local farm.  I've posted it before, but I'm quite proud of it.  

   

[mikebiz]

We sure have moved forward in our thinking when it comes to hunting ethics.  I think we can all agree that there is no lower feeling in hunting than wounding an animal.  I'm not sure why there's been a shift in ethics, but it's a good thing.  150 yards is ridiculous.  I'm not even sure if my heavy 41 pounder can throw an arrow that far    :D   I'm sticking with short shots for now.  I think 20 yards is far for most under true hunting conditions.  

As for Mr. Hill's writing it is entertaining to say the least.  He was a true showman and could seriously spin a yarn.  We should all take what he says with a medium sized grain of salt.  He certainly embellishes those stories quite a bit, but he "recounts" them as though they actually occurred that way.  I'm sure he dreamed they would every night until the hunt began.  Now I'm not going to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read "Hunting the Hard Way", but it's fairly well known that some of those hunts didn't exactly happen the way Howard says they did.  The book is a thriller regardless of fact.  Great book.  I'm getting close to finishing it.  Wild Adventure is next.  

As I've said before I haven't read all of the classic archery books, but "Sagittarius" by Bob Swinehart is my favorite.  It's a hard book to find and often expensive as it only had one printing.  However if you can find a copy pick it up.  Awesome read.

I've been emailing with Dave Johnson recently about a bow build.  He says that he prefers to use Oregon Myrtle as a riser material because:

"IT IS A HARDWOOD THAT IS JUST A LITTLE BIT SPONGY AND ABSORBS SOME OF THE RECOIL OF THE BOW.  THIS HELPS MAKE A BOW THAT HAS VERY LITTLE OR NO HAND SHOCK."

[Goshawkin]

Originally posted by Shawn Rackley:
Chuck i have always wanted to read that article.  Tell me how it is

It's pretty cool.Reading it was what got me to order a bow from him back then. Very glad I did!

[mikebiz]

Good morning Nick.  I see we're both hooked on this Hill thread.  Nothing better than coffee and a good read about Semi-longbows    

[Goshawkin]

While I'm pretty sure alot of Howard's tales were embellished,I don't think they are really that unbelievable. Back in the day those guys practiced a lot and I'm sure some was at very long range. Also they weren't afraid to "get some wood in the air"! I have a video of Howard with,I believe,Ben Pearson and Skeet Moore Hunting goats on Catalina island. They take some LONG shots and lots of them! Missed.hit a few bad,but nailed others.
When I was younger I used to shoot at a 100 yard target with my friends.It was a 2'X3' bag target.After a few shots it wasn't really all that hard to hit.I'd aim at something over the top and then adjust the following shots aiming point up or down.If you think standing 3' from a target and shooting arrows over and over for form practice helps,try some 100 yard shots.You'll see if your form is consistant or not!We'd take looong shots at woodchucks too. I'd bet some were over 125 yards.Never hit one,but came VERY close.

[mikebiz]

I'm sure there are quite a few archers out there skilled enough to consistently hit both targets and game at long distances.  But during hunting situations there are so many variables that can throw an arrow off just enough to produce a bad hit.    However, on a calm day in an open field I might give a 100 yard groundhog a shot.  I agree that it would let you know a lot about your form and would give one quite a rush.  

The more you read accounts about Howard's hunting trips you do begin to realize that all these guys did was hunt.  And when they hunted they shot A LOT of arrows.  Yeah, Nick they got plenty of "wood in the air".  I would have loved to have been on some of those hunts.  I wish I had the crazy cash to go on a Bighorn Sheep hunt.

[Goshawkin]

Hi Mike ,Sorry about the delayed response,my cup of coffee was at Dunkin donoughts and I just got back!

I wasn't trying to say that I was a great shot,I'm far from that! Just that alot of practice helps. We shot that 100 yard target alot and learned where "the spot" was on the trees behind it.

The other thing about Howard's stories is you don't ever really hear about the missed shots.There had to be quite a few,even if they were very close misses.

I think long practice shooting really helps.When I first started shooting almost all my buddies shot compounds.None of them wanted to shoot at 10 or 15 yards.Our close shots started at 20.Most of our shooting was 35-50 yards.It made the 20 yard shots slam dunks.I only shot one deer over 18 yards.It was a 35 yard shot,but I was shooting a lot then and I just knew I could make it.If you even think there's a chance you're going to miss,you will. I'm pretty sure Howard,the Wilhelm brothers,Skeet Moore,Ben Pearson,etc, "knew" they could make any shot they tried.Atleast that's what they were thinking and that's alot of the battle.

Put a gallon milk jug out in an open field for a long shot,say 75 yards. You'll really be able to concentrate on it and I think you'll be suprised how quickly you start coming very close to or hit it.I think concentration and confidence are atleast 50% of this game.

[Brianlocal3]

Nick I'm with you I those long shots. I have a tendency to shoot 15yds a lot. It's a confidence thing. But when I shoot my 50-75 yard stuff alot then move up its amazing.  

And mike you should be proud of that rabbit. Good job buddy.

[Overspined]

I'm lucky to have a yard I can shoot in, and shoot to 35 yds.  Some days are great, and others I am really working.  It paid off this year with the 27 yd rush shot I made on a whitetail on the move.

By rush i mean going from sleeping in my climber, to grabbing my hanging bow, arrow from quiver, nocking, drawing, and release on a buck in a steady seeking mode.  I remember raising the bow arm and the arrow hitting.  To gap or split vision that seems like an impossible task.

Seems I say. To be seeing the deer, figuring out when he hits the clearing in the branches, guessing on the distance, picking 2 spots, and leading him by a bit...CEREBRAL OVERLOAD for me.  I'm not saying it couldn't be done.  

My friend asked me if I used split vision because I had been working on it all summer.  In a situation like that, I think it's tough to use, but the experience practicing that way probably helped. The more familiarity shooting the better.

Those old legends probably shot so much they could make a lot of shots we typically couldn't.  Like when Pope and his partner shot ducks in the middle of the lake, both scoring first shot...almost seems impossible.

[Brianlocal3]

Sorry to break up the rythmn here ya'll, but my 2117s showed up yesterday.  They were already cut to 30 1/4" so I knew they would be too stiff to shoot with my standard 125-145 that I prefer to shoot and they are just a little stiff right now.
I cooked most of yesterday for a Christmas party, and I have been cooking and cleaning since 6:30am today so tuning is out today. BUT I did sneak in  a few shots while the kids were eating breakfast and they fly decent. I don't think ill have to do much.

Im going to start walking up the point weight and I am HOPING that 175gr brings me in. IF it does I am ordering 50gr brass inserts then I should still be able to use my 125 BH that I already have.  FUN FUN!!

[Brianlocal3]

Originally posted by akbowbender:
I called James Berry today about the upcoming build of my Misty Dawn. During the course of the conversation, we got sidetracked a bit, and he mentioned that TBM had interviewed him in 1993. I dig thru my stack of back issues and found it:  

I haven't read it yet, but it should be an interesting read about the man and his bows back in 1993. You gotta love the cover photo too!

I wanted to read that also.  They have them on back issue for order, ill probably get one sent to me.

[Rossco7002]

Lets see some pics of that new Jerry Hill Brian! ;-)

[Goshawkin]

[/qb][/QUOTE]I wanted to read that also.  They have them on back issue for order, ill probably get one sent to me. [/QB][/QUOTE]

Talking about long practice shots,wait until you read about James shooting at the 50 yard 3-d elk target. There's a little "twist" to the shot!  

[Nate Steen .]

Plenty of good long range longbow shooters...include Louie Armbruster and Jerry Gentalli as well....longer range shooting has it's benefits, if you practice such.

In today's control happy, PC, overly protective world,  we are conditioned to minimize mistakes and hurt by limiting the boundaries of our hunting situation to what we can control...which is usually distance.  But I read plenty of hunting stories in which a relatively short shot was messed up by the shooter or by an uncontrollable  interference and the animal was wounded...so it happens even with 20 yard shots....

[Overspined]

You know, picture after picture, Ron LaClair has some awesome photos in his Rolodex.  They are so classic looking, Awe inspiring if you ask me.  They say ADVENTURE.  That longbow just completes the vision. Imagine wheels in that pic...ugh, ok delete that image.

[Brianlocal3]

Originally posted by Overspined:
You know, picture after picture, Ron LaClair has some awesome photos in his Rolodex.  They are so classic looking, Awe inspiring if you ask me.  They say ADVENTURE.  That longbow just completes the vision. Imagine wheels in that pic...ugh, ok delete that image.

I couldn't have said it better!!!!!

And the Jerry Hill has been held up in the mail system. It was to arrive yesterday, but it is still in Nashville TN.  I leave for KY tomorrow morning so Ill have  yellow slip waiting when I get back.. Pic will follow for sure.