HH bug got me ... Part One!

[nineworlds9]

6 1/8- 6 5/8 for me

[nineworlds9]

Originally posted by typical2:
A buddy wanted me to make his wife a bow.  Made a texas ebony and juniper Hill style with a stingray wrap.  It is 62" and 24@25.

     

     


     

That stingray wrap is SOOO cool!  I'd get that on all my bows if I could.  WOW.

[Brianlocal3]

Nine,
You CAN get it on all your bows. It is expensive though but Mike at 7 lakes has it

[Shinken]

DANG!!!

That is one incredible stingray wrap!

I have never seen anything like that!

Simply beautiful!

Enjoy!

Shoot straight, Shinken

   

[Brianlocal3]

Well, its official. I think I am the polar opposite of "Hill Style"  I love my american semi-longbows.  Heck, its all i shoot unless bow fishing, BUT.  I shoot 3 under, have a static bow arm/draw style, I do cant the bow though.  I prefer my brace heights higher than most, I shoot carbons mostly although I do have a couple doz woodies.  I bought a back quiver from HHA, and all i use it for is an arrow holder in the closet, I use a plains style quiver and my new Sidestalker 99% of the time.  

And today....... I bought a tab to try, and I am really liking it.  So I am here to admit that I am in love with the straight limbed longbows, but other than that I'm a whole different breed.  

Just thought the Hill thread needed to be brought up top.  And here is everyones opportunity to come clean, how Hill style are you?

(note: this is a fun topic to just get some conversation brewing again)

[akbowbender]

OK, Brian. I'll get it going....

I have 5-bows that I shoot: 2-Hill Style, 2-R/D and a Groves Spitfire Mag II.

I mostly shoot my Hill Style bows. I only occasionally shoot the others, mostly the 3-piece R/D since it is my travel bow. I'm going to offer it, and the other R/D bow for trade for a TD Hill Style. The Groves I'll keep for sentimental reasons (see my profile photo.)

I only shoot wood arrows with my Hill Style bows (aluminum from the others) pulled from my HHA back quiver that I got this past Christmas. I now shoot with the nock under the arrow, and without thinking, the quiver "bump" and nocking without looking just happen, though I may still hunt with my Arrowmaster at times.

I shoot split using a Duraglove. I still have a Saunders tab when I hunt in case of rain.

So, I'm not 100% Hill Style, but when I get rid of the R/D's, I'll be fairly close!

[Brianlocal3]

You are molding along nicely Chuck!! I would love to get a TD

[Green]

As one of the more recent Hill converts, I've gotta admit..the Hill and Hill style bows I have, and my woodies shot from them is about as far as things go at the moment on the Hill side.  As for the non-Hill side....3 Under, Jenkins tab and Jenkins taught shooting form, bow quiver or side quiver depending on situation, and a home made D10 padded loop strings.  I sent my Jerry Hill off this morning to a friend to add tip overlays to make it FF compatible after I took a chance to see how much difference swapping the string on this bow would make.....a ton!

However....I am deeply in love with these bows for their classic beauty and eye appeal, performance, light physical weight, and all their history.  I also have to admit that I've been through every HH thread via the search function, and over the course of the last six weeks, have digested almost all 900+ pages of this thread.  Even been thinking of buying a used, or building a back quiver....and am watching Bud B's thread in PW on the St Jude's quivers he's building as motivation to build one for 3D shoots.

[akbowbender]

I forgot one detail: I have the brace height on both my NM Classic and JD Berry Misty Dawn set at 6 1/8". Unless I'm shooting with a jacket on, I don't need an arm guard. The only time the string hits my arm is if I have a really sloppy release. This usually happens after I've shot a lot of arrows.

[bulldog18]

After a short absence from hill style bows, I got in a new to me Hill Redman 68" 54@28. Was glad to read the discussion about brace height. I strung it and it shot it and it had a terrible vibe to it. Not what I remembered from past hill bows. I checked the brace height and it was just under 7 inches. I untwisted the string and got it down to 6 1/4 and no more vibe. Started shooting again and in no time was back to stacking arrows. Feels like I am back in the saddle again.

[Charlie Lamb]

Glad to see this thread back on track talking more technical stuff about Hill bows.
     

I like all of my Hill styles braced 5 7/8" or 6" and no more. Was taught and still believe in shooting the lowest brace that still gives good flight.

[beaver#1]

Got my jungle cat in the mail today.  Strung it up and first shot at 12 yards( which is about the shooting distance at all my blinds) and it was a dead bullseye. Sure am glad I got it.

[Rossco7002]

I do most things the 'Hill Way'. Swing draw, split finger, back quiver and wood arrows.

I do however shoot a tab and I have a considerable pause at full draw....

I've developed my own style that works for me - and I love making it work with an American semi- longbow!

[Rik]

Howard would just shake his head at me.

My bow arm is up before I shoot (elk style).

Three fingers are under the arrow.

AND I shoot bare fingered, with a triple-served string.

One of these days, 'Ol Nate's going to finally see the light and start shooting just like I do.

[Ben Maher]

Mmmmmm

I have Whippenstick's, Millers, Belchers, Hills, Turay's ... I tend to shoot them probably a bit more upright than many , and my canting is done at the waist ...

I love my back quivers , my lefty Nate Steen's most of all , but also use my Safaritiff a fair bit , along with my Bower Side stalker ... no bow quivers on my Hills though ,

I shoot tabs and gloves , liking thinner material ..... prefer tabs though

I am slowly starting to hold longer at anchor , shooting my Hill style bows split ... but that may change soon though ...

I prefer wood although often shoot alloys , disliking carbons out of my Hill style as to tune well I have to leave the arrows to long , or uber tip weigh them which i dislike ... preferring between 9-10 gns per pound .....


My brace heights tend to run 5 3/4 - 6 1/4" depending upon what the bow tells me

It is all a far cry from my ILF 'Curves tuned to 3under which, bow quiver attached shoot Blazer vaned carbons off a a Flipper !

Rik, I trust your good mate ... and reckon them elk willbe the first to complain about your "style" .......

[Nate Steen .]

What???  Hill technical talk?  He was all casual fluid poetry in motion....

Mr. Lamb....I too am glad for this turn and also to see my mates Ben and Rik again.

Rik...if you shot swing draw you'd be even a better shot.

[toddster]

lol no meant 6"

[Mudd]

Now just look at what you've gone and done!...lol

Someone is full of bravado poking a sleeping predator  with a pointy stick...lol

Hi Nate!

Good to see you pipping up buddy.

God bless,Mudd

[Charlie Lamb]

Yeah, it was a contradiction of terms for sure. But I think I got my point across.
                                                 

I like my aluminum arrows real well in my "Hill style" bows... I tend to make my own bows and I also like wooden arrows occasionally.

                                                  I quit trying to shoot like Howard because after almost 60 years at this stuff I'm kind of set in my ways. I've been strongly influenced by Howard anyway... how can you possibly watch him shoot and not be?  I finally decided that instead of trying to shoot a longbow like Howard I'd shoot a longbow like Charlie Lamb and it seems to work.

                                               When shooting in practice I'm very deliberate as I consider every shot that's not at an animal as a "form" shot. When shooting at critters I totally get in sync with the animal and the situation and let those factors determine speed,et al.

 
 I'll use a tab when shooting one of my recurves, but have to (preference)use a glove with my Hill bows. The American Leathers "Crossover" is my favorite of any glove I've ever used.

                                                 The Hill style quiver is great when I'm hunting small game, but I prefer an Asbell type quiver for big game.

                                       
I'm not a fan of narrow two blade broadheads but much prefer along the lines of a Magnus I or Zwickey Delta. I'm not afraid of bleeder blades either.

Right handed, I shoot tighter and my first arrow is more often dead on, if I shoot with one non stop spread/swing draw at a rather quick tempo. I tried holding for longer times, but shot no better and found that my body and my fingers do not like long holding. Left hand I do better if I slow things up a bit. Even left handed my groups are tighter if I do not anticipate holding the arrows back for more than just a deepening of my anchor.  When I shoot my recurve I need to sink that anchor for about a half second. The bulky riser and straighter arm forces me to slow it down a bit.