HH bug got me ... Part One!

[Brianlocal3]

Gentleman, thanks for everyone's answers so far.  I expected as much with the nod going to split. Just getting a feel of everyone's preferences.

[normf]

I shot split when I started on a compound in the days before releases were common. Switched to trad split then shot 2 under and 3 under. Last winter I was thinking about the swing draw method of shooting and dug out my old tape by John Shulz "Hitting Them Like Howard Hill". I was shooting consistently high for a while and did a lot of blank bale shooting at  10 ft. in the basement. All but 1 of my bows are tillered for split and they just shoot better without the artificially high nocking point I needed for 3 under. When my form is good I don't miss by much.

[kestimator]

Originally posted by Goshawkin:
Split here also.I guess mainly for nostalgia,it's the way Howard shot.For me,three under,gun barreling,upright target stance,locator grips,aluminum/carbon arrows,etc.....just don't go with Hill style bows.

I hear ya on having fun with the nostalgia thing    
However....didn't Howard say something about "not being married to something so much....that it would keep you from changing if you found a better way"....

[Overspined]

Howard showed us how well split will work, I don't think I've ever tried 3U.  I have heard the noise most bows put out that way and was never interested.  I would think split would work equally well if the shooter took some time to learn to aim equally well.  That said, I've seen some really solid 3U shooters that would whip my pants. I like the control of the arrow I have with split and feel I'd give that up.

[Knawbone]

Originally posted by kestimator:
 

Originally posted by Goshawkin:
Split here also.I guess mainly for nostalgia,it's the way Howard shot.For me,three under,gun barreling,upright target stance,locator grips,aluminum/carbon arrows,etc.....just don't go with Hill style bows.

I hear ya on having fun with the nostalgia thing    
However....didn't Howard say something about "not being married to something so much....that it would keep you from changing if you found a better way".... [/b]

Your probably right Kevin, but I suppose better is not always what satisfies for some of us.Or your better may not be my better! It's all what makes shooting traditional, fun and relevant on an individual basis.

[kestimator]

I totally agree with you Knawbone!!!

I interpret what I've read in Mr. Hill's writings as suggestions on how to shoot accurately based on his techniques and personal experience.  He was obviously awesome shooting split!!!  Even those that want to nit-pick about whether he was "the world's greatest archer"...cannot say with any validity that he was not an exceptional archer and bowhunter.  

Again...my interpretation of Mr. Hill's beliefs on shooting a bow...lead me to think that he would be very supportive of all of the archers/bowhunters shooting 3U too.  

BTW...at this time..I'm shooting most of my recurves and longbows split....though if a certain bow "tells me that I need to be shooting it 3U"...I will do so.      

I do prefer the "feel" of the release when shooting split vs. 3 under and this does impact my enjoyment!

Man!!!  I've got to quit looking at this thread!  I'm going to end up getting another HH if I'm not careful  

[Goshawkin]

Kestimator,
Howard said that the new arrow materials were probably better than wood.He went on to say that he still shot wood for the nostaligia and that was real archery to him. When I can match Howard's shooting,I'll move onto some new "improvements". Until then I'll just keep trying with what he used.   :D

My idea of archery is how Howard shot.The equipment and methods. Three under with recurves and a target stance or really radical R/D longbows just aren't the same to me. I've had plenty of recurves and R/d longbows.Great bows,but I just have way more fun with the Hill style bows and shooting methods.

[Brianlocal3]

Well as i suspected, and have noticed before.  I re tuned my Morningstar for split finger and guess what..... I still shoot it good HA.  Thats what kills me shooting split, out roving or in the yard I hit really well with it, but on a 3D range I suck it up hard core, which to me tells me that I will mess it up on a live animal. Now 3U I'm comfortable shooting out to 35 yds alive or foam. Im going to keep the morningstar tuned for split and work it out.

[Mudd]

I'm with you on this one Goshawkin.

I love getting the feel of "Sherwood" when I grab my bow with a quiver full of woodies. (some of which somehow get returned to the wild or their remains get planted in my arrow memorial)...lol

God bless,Mudd

[Goshawkin]

Originally posted by Mudd:
some of which somehow get returned to the wild

Mudd,after all the years of shooting with my friends at my house,there's probably enough cedar buried in the back yard to qualify it as an old growth forest!   :D   (thought I saw a spotted owl in the tree by the garage the other day)  

[Goshawkin]

Had a really nice Dave Johnson bow show up in today's mail.
 

[Brianlocal3]

Oh my!!!!!!!! We need more

I showed this Johnson pic to my wife and she said, 'nice bow, how long does it take to get one?'.  Then we went out to shoot a few, me with my yew/bamboo and newly redone 1918s and her Lost creek. In two groups I was down to 4 arrows, the next group I was down to two working arrows. I went in the house and got my yew and some cedar shafts.  I split an arrow with the first group and my wife said, "forget it, you are not getting a new bow."  Even when I win, I lose.

[Knawbone]

Wow Nick, that looks outstanding, need to see a full pic or two. Congrats on another nice one.  

[jsweka]

It's not nice to tease with only one pic.    

We need more!!!

[Goshawkin]

LOL! Sorry guys. I posted more in another thread,here's the link to it.
 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=127826;p=6

[Green]

Please, show us more of that bow would ya?  Glad she shoots well for ya!

[nineworlds9]

That Dave Johnson is awesome, but I had a bow show up in the mail today myself...

 
 
 
 
 
 

'mikenova' commissioned her with Dave Miller last year. She is a one-off.  I snapped her up off the classifieds this past week.  She is a replacement for my Old Tom.  In a fit of temporary insanity I sold my Old Tom cheap and fast because I spent a few dollars buying my younger brother a Toelke Whip as an early birthday gift..I felt like one of the bows I have for myself had to go to offset the expense, and the OT, lovely as it was, was just not getting the shoot time it deserved.  I just never took to the straight grip.  I love the romance and simplicity of a Hill bow, but the OT would too often get left on the rack in favor of one of my r/d's.  Anyway, after the Old Tom sold, I regretted it sorely, and quickly anticipating wanting a replacement I went crazy and sold all my ILF gear.  Too fiddly is what I decided in the end, that helped get it gone.  That and I said to myself that I had to have another Hill bow, but maybe this time with a locator grip and maybe something 68+, the OT was 66.  In the meantime I got to shoot my brother's new Toelke, which is right handed.  I'm a lefty.  To my huge amazement, I could actually shoot righty pretty decently!!  I was thrilled with this new knowledge and said to myself, well now if I see a righty bow I wish was lefty, well no problem!  This was an experiment waiting to happen.

Well hardly three days ago I spied mikenova's ad for 'David Miller longbow, one of a kind', it was a very simple ad, but the description seemed familiar (turns out he had listed it a month prior with no sale). I asked for pics and was hugely intrigued by this oddball of a bow...locator grip, forward handle, 69"...this sounds like a double play- a Hill to have again and maybe something forgiving to shoot righty with!?  I went for it.  The price was more than right and it was soon a done deal.

So three days later, today, I received David Miller's 'copy'/homage? of a Schulz Cheetah.  She is 69", 53@28, gorgeous bubinga riser, 4 laminations of tempered bamboo, and brown glass both sides.  The coolest part is the bow is marked June 2012 and my birthday is tomorrow.

I shot her and I am in love.  I can shoot righty!!  It's blowing my mind.  I'm cross dominant so I wonder if that has anything to do with it.  I did some work with my bag target and very quickly I was able to do some decent shooting at 15 yards.  I can't wait to try shooting at a small target.  I have always shot lefty up to this point.  I work out so strength shooting righty is a non-issue, I'm just amazed that I'm keeping both eyes open and 'picking a spot' and generally its working.  I even nailed a couple bulls on the bag, haha.  Can't wait to try shooting at my 9" ball target.  I'm real stoked how that will turn out.  Maybe I opened a can of worms!?!  God forbid if it turns out after all this time that I'm a better righty than a lefty!?!

[Brianlocal3]

Good on ya bud!!!  Mike is first class too

[JDBerry]

Bud B.,4-5 mo. went shooting with elk77 and jwhitetail, got my butt kicked by both of them.HA win a few,lose a few.