hi All i just thought i would make a little post about my Howard Hill Longbow,,
so i got this Bow of Dick Wightman's ,,Howard Hill Longbowmen's Web Site off his Classified Ad Page,, i allways keep an eye on this web site beacuse iv allways like those bow,, and its a great web site full of use full trational information,, and after reading ,, Hunting the Hard Way,,, i had a great interest in Howard Hill and his bows ect,,,
so Because i live in England,, all my bows have to be take down,, and i try and keep away from the buying and selling sections,, beacuse i got more than enought bows,, and not enought money,
and i saw a take down on the web site,, not only was it a take down,, it was one of Jose Dominguez' Bows, 70" and 65#s,, right handed ,, cheeta,, with silver inlay of a lion,,
to cut a long story short,, this bow was made for me,, so i collected in my debts and told Dick ill buy it,,
So i got it posted to Price George ( Canada, ) where my brother is a Forester,, and when he flew home for Xmas, ( England) be brougth it with him,,
I ordered a Bow Sock From the Howard Hill Website,, for a take down,, and it cost
$20 i think,, but man,, that was money well spent,, that bow sock is awsome for $20 i did not expect much,, but it perfet,,
so any way Im studying Forestry In Finland at the momnet,, so when i flew home for Xmas,, i dumped the rucksack of dirty clothes ,in the laundry room,, ( where my mum soon got me by the ear and told me that those clothes are not going to wash them sleves)
I had been not stop thinkng about this bow,, all the time,, wondering what it would be like,,
i had read lots of different opinions about howard hill longbows,, iv read that these bows kick like a mule,, and iv read that these bows are the last bow people will ever shoot,, and obviously read about Howard Hills adventures and well he dident seem to have to much of a problems with the bows,,,
the bow is 70" and i really did not now what to expet,, i had spoken a lot with my Trad Brother Andy ( Tradtusker ) i think )thats what he calls him slef,, and we had come to a decision,, after looking at his 2 shrews that a 70" bow,, is going to be interesting,, to be honnest i was expecting a broom stick with a string,, i thouhgt i would be big,, clumbsy,, kiking like a mule and was impossible to shoot accuralty,, i thought the handle would be like wraping my hand around a beer can, and a twang that would make sure every one in the nabouhood would now im out with the bow,, and i was expecting big problem with arrow tuning,,
so any way,, my brother was out for a walk,, so i could not wait for him to come home and get me my bow,, so it litterally took me 2 seconds to find the bow in amonst his stuff, and about anothr 2 seconds to inpack it,,
and that was when i realised what i had just waited 2 months to wrap my hand around,,
im my imagination i was expecting a big bow,, but when i unwarped it,, i was amazed at the size of the bow,, the the risor was about 1/4 of the mass i was expectin ,,, the limbs were so slim, and yet all perfectly probortioned,, it was light, the craftman ship was out standing, and yes its 70" but sure dose not look and feel like that,,
i guess you could say i was expectin a big rought tought man of a bow,, but i was amazed at i had a beautifull, smooth,, curvey perfectly propotioned silent lady of a bow,,, definalty capable of being a hart braker,, when armed with a sharp broard head,
so any way,,,, after being bowled over with the beauty of this bow,, it was time to sting it, ( the take down,, was perfect,, smoth,, snug,, perfect and not to heavy, but a nice weight to it,, id probly find the bow to litte with out the take down,, but with it,, its PERFECT, ) so once string,, this bow was looking NICE,,, but i was still concerened about the grip,, and kik,, ( this is my first longbow,, and i have height expectations after shooting SilverTips, and
Shrews,, )
and well my hand just sat around the grip perfectly and i did notice a little bit of a movment in the first few shots,, but i certanyl would not call it a kik,, and after shooting it few doz,, arrows,, i dont now if its gone,, or i just dont notice it,, but it not a concern of mine, this bow is completly silent,,
i can shoot this bow as good as my SilverTip,, with out any problem to about 20yards,, then things start to get a little hazy,, but thats not the bow,, its just me,,
ive started to try gap shooting,,, i just shoot completly instinctivle,, but now im trying to gap shoot,, with a little instinctive
if you understand, and there is definalty potenshall there,, it just going to take some practice,,
i started by shooting carbons,, but that was just till i got my woodies ready,, i was not sure what spine to go for,, beacuse it is 65# at 28,, and i draw just over that,, and i read that if the bow is not center shot you should spine a little low,,, so the arrow shaft is more flexible to go around the shelf,, so i got 29" 60/65 and 65/70,, and stared with making up 6 of the 65/70,, shafts,, the shafts im using are Boyton Pine shafts, ( an English guy,, making them,, i think,, and im not sure you get them in the US,, but any way thats not important,,
This is the first time i used these pine shafts,, iv heard alot about them,,, and they seem to be very popular,, and so i got a dz of each of my spine,, and when these shafts arrive,, i was over the moon with these shafts,, they were the straightest, straighest grain,, toughest,, best quality shafts iv ever had,, im definalty geting them again,, these shafts are leages ahead of the quality of the ceder shafts, iv been getting,,
iv been cuting my 5.5 in banna feathers,, with a 170 grain tip,, and these arrows fly perfectly,, i was very happy to see that my set up worked,, first time,,
170 grain,,, beacuse i want to use Hill BoradHeads ,, ( when i go on my hunting trips) but im stuck,, beacuse if i want to gap shoot,, should i be practicing with broard head all the time,, ????
any way ,, so im totally hooked on the HillBows,, i just cant put it down,, i love shooting it,, i love looking at it,, and i just love the trad/simplicity of this bow,, for me,, its the simbol of traitinal archery,,
so id just like to say thanks to Dick for spending the time to make such a Great Website for all the Howard Hill shooters,,
and to Jose Dominguez' for not just leting this bow sit on his bow rack,, and passing on some thing great, ,,
I got my Howard Hill Longbowmen, patch and all be going on my rucksach with pride,
iv got some pictures of the bow if you would like to see them,, give me a little while to get them sorted,,
James
Topic: Hill Bow Gose To Europe,,,,, + Pics (Read 941 times)
