HH bug got me ... Part One!

[David Mitchell]

Rik, and your point is???  

Originally posted by David Mitchell:
Rik, and your point is???    

:p

[Benny Nganabbarru]

In the throbbing silence of the midday heat, as you rest in the shade having a drink and perhaps a snooze, if you hold your Hill longbow up to your ear and listen real carefully, you'll hear it whisper to you about what arrow material it wants to shoot: "Timber," it whispers.

Just stirring, lads, just stirring.

For a few pictures of my hike with my Hill longbow and a few friends today, click on this link:

 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=103590

[Buckhorn47]

Quote from David et al
 
"Rik, and your point is?"


Don't say it, Rik! I know what you're thinking!

Ben, Howard would be proud!

HH enthusiasts, I had no intention of pooh-poohing carbon shafts and as I already stated, I know nothing about carbon, but I see bowhunters, archers, putting on nocks that turn, inserting nails, weights, inserts of one kind or another, this weight or that, pieces of rope, water to tweak their arrow which shoots great for them until it requires changing again - just seemed like a lot of unnatural modular construction which would be more conducive to what I referred to earlier as the " wheelie" crowd.
Please understand that I acknowledge that carbon is traditional  by our modern standards and I shoot side by side with those that fling arrows, no matter what. I just like wood. I love the quietness, making them, losing them, breaking them, and even hitting some targets every now and then.This has been my personal choice during my evolution with Archery. I do not and will never condemn any other facet of Archery, even the "wheelie" guys.

And, Ben, thank you for allowing us to go along with you on your hike - beautiful country and great photos.

Frank

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Buckhorn47:
... HH enthusiasts, I had no intention of pooh-poohing carbon shafts and as I already stated, I know nothing about carbon, but I see bowhunters, archers, putting on nocks that turn, inserting nails, weights, inserts of one kind or another, this weight or that, pieces of rope, water to tweak their arrow which shoots great for them until it requires changing again - just seemed like a lot of unnatural modular construction which would be more conducive to what I referred to earlier as the " wheelie" crowd.
...

the same could be said for those that go the extra miles and foot woodies both externally (now THAT'S work!) and internally (nail footing).

the point is, all manner of shaft material can be tweaked in some fashion, but carbs and alums can be an easier tweak of the front end due to screw-in points and the fact the shaft is a hollow tube.  it's a plus to hunt with screw-in points that can be changed in seconds right in the field.

good luck with yer woodies - no question they're a fun arrow shaft material, i build 'em more than carbons ('cause woodies just don't last!  hah!).

[Buckhorn47]

Well said, Rob. "Woodies" do  give us a reason to build more.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Buckhorn47:
Well said, Rob. "Woodies" do  give us a reason to build more.

+1  

[longbowray]

It a art from and if give a good feeling that you work on them and adding you personal touch and them hunt with them . I love wood arrow and that my 2 cent  . Here some hot off jig

[stabow]

Not changing the subject but I am. Recently on the classifieds a fellow posted he wanted to buy any left handed Hill bows in his stated range. Hee hee hee he needed to keep a closer look out on the ads, I have a Big 5 on the way to my house.....stabow

[Rik]

With the weatherman saying today might be our first day of the year to reach the 70-degree mark, I knew it would be a good day to limber up a Hill bow and get in a bow hike to see if I could arrow a wascally wock chuck.

Well, the Rock Chucks beat me, but MAN did I make a great 40 yard shot on one. Only missed the rascal by three inches to the left---the wind it was a blowin').

The tufts of grass and small lumps of dirt didn't fare as well though, and I made many a fine shot on them at between 50 and 60 yards. I carried a range finder to check the yardage and practice accuracy at long range. My bow is point-on at 40 yards, I just hold a tad high at 50 (and yes, a "tad" is an official archery measurement).  

Here is what Idaho Rock Chuck country looks like. As you can see, it's arrow-breaking country to the extreme. Still, I took only my best arrows. To break them on a rock whist aiming for a Rock Chuck is a good death for a carefully handcrafted hunting arrow. After all, these wascally wock chucks are just a bit harder to kill with a longbow than mule deer. Derned things have a sixth sense, and eyesight every bit as good as mule deer. It was nice to feel some sunshine again though. It's been a cold, wet end of winter here in Idaho. Still too much snow in the high country to to after bear. Soon though. . . soon. . .

 

 

[MT Longbow]

Ok , since Im having a deal with carbon MFX's right now what would be the recommended place to start with if I was going to get "into woodies" I like a hunting weight arrow in the 550-625 or so range for my draw weight....I draw 29 inches and would need an arrow 30 inches at least.  My HH is a 52# @ 29.  and I shoot 1 over 2 under standard.

Thanks Guys

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Rik:
 

rik, you shoot 3 under???

[Benny Nganabbarru]

For shooting termite mounds here, carbon simply can't take what the Douglas fir can.

I see Rik shoots three-under; so do I. How many other Hill shooters do?

[MT Longbow]

Makes me wonder if the HH lower limb would be more correctly flexed with 3 under??

Is doug fir the strongest of the natural wood?  if so how come evrybody(most?) talk about cedars?

thanks HH guys!

[sou-pawbowhunter]

Stabow,
Congrats on the acquisition of the Big 5, if it were a tad heavier I'd be positively green with envy.

[Steve Clandinin]

Ben,I shot 3 under for a while but went back to split and developed it,wouldn't go back it just feels and works so natural with instinctive shooting.
Since were talking woodies.Why would anybody shoot them when carbons and Aluminum are straighter,easier to work with,easier to weight and easier to change pionts?
Lets take alook at this thread on HH bows,171 pages of interest in shooting a bow that really doesn't compare to the masses on the market today.Compounds are so much faster and even the other Recurves and RD longbows in most all categories have them beat.
Our society and lives today are instant this and Fast that,everything today is made for us with the least amount of work possible.Kids walk down the street with there Ipods and Blackberrys and Modern hunters shooting guns and Compounds have every gadget Imagineable with them to ensure success and complete comfort for any weather condition.
Its 2011,yes 2011 in a strip of jungle that encompasses Peru and Brazil ,A small group of hunters slowly sneak down a gametrail ,silently watching the treetops and jungle armed only with a homemade bow and selfmade arrows.Theres and there familys survival totally relies on how well they can hunt and shoot.They do not know the civilized world and have had no contact with it .There weapons are made exactly like there forefathers taught them thousands of years before.The tribe are the Fleicheros (People of the arrow)The modern neighbouring tribes keep their distance.
From the beginning of time man has faught wars and fed his family only armed with the bow and built his own equipment.
In recent years Howard Hill and all our earlier modern pioneers did the same.
For me the Hill Style bow is the simplist bow their is yet the hardest to master and to me thats what this is all about .I have spent many years and dollars on all the items needed to make good wood arrows Fletchers,Burners,Spinetesters,grain scales,crestors etc. etc.
Building and shooting Wood arrows is a labour of love and takes me back into the history of our forefathers and I think of this so often during the building process.Many may scoff at this,BUT just remember we do this just as a hobby ,but even as you read this there are those that still do this to survive and exist.
I thank all who have contributed to this thread and brought back the Lure of the longbow,many knowledgable people who have shared their expertise for the betterment of Hill style bow and wooden arrows ,I applaud you.

[Ben Maher]

Great Pics Rik !

lokks like a an awesome place to fling Doug Firs !

[Rob DiStefano]

yessir, steve - aesthetics are the only reason why i shoot woodies, and not cause they're more consistent/accurate than carbs or alums, cause they sure as heck ain't over the long haul (and the short one, too).  and as we all know too well, in any archery game it ain't the bow that matters, it's ALL about the arrow.  

in no short order, as history has proven time and time again, you introduce a primitive indigenous man to the ways of the modern world and they'll bite hook, line and sinker sooner or later.  just review the history of the native american indian and how they adapted to the spanish horse, trade steel and black powder ... and those are the good things!

[Montauks]

Rik, I like your pics, it was many moons ago since I was in Idaho but I'll never forget the welcoming sign on the highway   "Free Taters For Out of Staters"  Well I finally got to give my Big 5 (that I got from Mudd...BTW a great guy to deal with) a good workout at a popular 3D shoot around here
 
 
Shooting over the hedgerow in archery golf
 
11 year old nephew, he really likes the FluFlu arras
 
 
It was a great shoot overall with good weather

[3Under]

Ben,
My handle gives it away but never-the-less I shoot 3under and my two Hill style Northern Mist Sheltons are tillered for 3under!
Larry