Damon howatt hunter

[Vroomvroom]

I have a Savannah. Great bow. All good reviews. But I never seem to hear of Damon Howatts recurves.  Or very little.  I did hear the hunter is a really nice recurve.  Do any have experience with one of those?

[Wudstix]

I had a 1965 model 62" 65#@28" and hunted successfully with that bow many years.(1977-1999)  The Damon-Howatt Hunter was arguable the best factory bow made at the time.  The bow shot a heavy arrow very well.  At the time I had a 65# Big River recurve I was shooting and truly wish I had not though trading the Hunter for a longbow was a good idea.  Foolishness of youth.  The Hunter went to Idaho, and I wish it well.  It shoot as well as any recurve I have had since.
 

[doubleo]

I have a 1964 Howatt HI Speed which is similar to the Hunter. The Hunter was 62" and the Hi Speed was made in 54" or 58". Mine is 58 and a great shooter. Howatt made lots of other models and ill agree with Wudstix these bows were right up there with the other factory bow companies.

[Steelhead]

Damon Howatt produced many fine recurves for both their beauty and shooting qualities.

They are actually more renowned for thier recurves overall and overtime than their longbows.They had many models.The Hunter is a good.solid and fine shooting bow.They had many other models that were fine specimans in every regard.

[Hud]

Damon Howatt is under new ownership, and located in Walla Walla, WA.  They released some information in 2023 and here is a link to their new online catalog and sign up.

https://damonhowatt.com/

[Vroomvroom]

I don’t see the exact differences between the hunter vs conviction other than the hunter has a touch more mass and maybe wood choices. I thought I saw somewhere the hunter could be bought 64” but don’t see it here. Actually I do see it now. 64” amo option

[Steelhead]

Many so called factory bows shoot just as good as expensive customs.

[Vroomvroom]

I would think they would.  I never quite understood that really. I would assume the factory bows had a certain recipe that was perfected overtime and a great bow was being made from it.  Maybe things like a custom grip or something.  Wood choices or veneers. Or maybe a custom bowyer just makes a model you like.

[blacktailbob]

Had a Hunter back in 95 and with my 30.5" draw it stacked horribly for me. Sold it promptly.
Other than that it was ok.

[Vroomvroom]

I would have assumed it would handle a longer draw being in AMO lengths of 62-64”. Decent for recurves.    Not sure why I have such a short draw.  I believe mine is only 26.5-27” if I remember correctly. From nock groove to the back of the bow at the shelf.  I’m 5’9-5’10 about 195 lbs. 

[mjh]

I had a DH Hunter from about 1992 until I decided that I had too many bows in the same weight range.  My Hunter was my ONLY bow for 15 plus years.  Just didn't need anything else until I could afford something more custom.  I managed to pay off my student loans and my visa card after grad school so I started saving.  I fell in with a bad crowd and got introduced to Blacktail Bows.  Bought a one piece from Norm.   Sometime later a takedown.  Several longbows in and out in the interval years.  Eventually the DH Hunter was sold.  A solid as any bow as there ever was.

[Wudstix]

Mark;
That is right DHH was as good as most Customs I have shoot over the years.  Only plus the Big River Kodiak clone had was physically less weight.  Didn't shoot any better than the DHH, just felt like a longbow weight wise.  Still wake up at night sweating about the DHH!!! Finally picked up a 1965 in 75#, I just take it out and look at it!!!  Pretty bow.
 

[Vroomvroom]

Wish there was a trad bow shop around here for me to look at them. Or any for that matter.    I need a long and short version of every different bow type. ASL.   Bling and short hybrid.  Long and short recurve.   lol.
But I just wondered as don’t hear many talk of them.  The Savannah wince in a while I hear talk. But not as much as others.    When I do hear of the hunters. Always seem like everyone had them in high poundage’s too

[Vroomvroom]

We went on a cruise in 2018.  From Miami. Of course bass pro shop was just down the street so the joke was I was down looking at bows before we were heading to Caribbean

[Charlie Lamb]

I've put thousands of arrows through the Hunter. Damn hard to beat.

[Charlie Lamb]

The late great Jack Howard chose to include it in his line of hand made beauties as the Howard Hunter model. High praise indeed.

[Vroomvroom]

Nice

[Nomadstalker]

The hunter is a top notch bow. They are a great bargain in the used market. They are every bit as good as the bear super Kodiak.

[Wudstix]

I'll say it again, one of the best recurves I've shoot.  Jack Howard seemed to think so as well.
 

[ed lash]

The Howard Hunter is a really good bow. My first choice historically of non custom bows. However, as I've gotten older and dropped bow weight, I've changed shooting styles. I'm much more deliberate and my draw length has increased to 29." The Hunter doesn't seem to like drawing longer, so it's not as comfortable as it was with a shorter draw. This is a bummer because I have a lot of nostalgia for this model, and it really is a great shooter compared to almost all production bows.