Your Favourite Bow

[Terry Green]

Sentimental? My TD Sparrow Hawk Longbow that was a gift from Rob.  It has an inscription on the upper limb 'Best Friend'.  I have killed hogs, javies, pheasants, quail, and an Impala in Africa. It also came with a knife from Doug Campbell with the wood left over from the riser that I have skinned numerous animals with. VERY special bow....

It always goes with me when I fly as again, it is a TD.

[Terry Green]

[Even]

Thats awesome, Terry, thanks for the pics!

I really like the leftover riser wood knife handle idea... a matched set. 

Guys, don't let the "There can be only one!" idea in the first post stop you.  If you have a bow that is very special to you, and you feel like sharing why, by all means do!   

Bows are special for a lot of reasons, and friendship or companionship are the best of reasons. 

[Wudstix]

Dave;
In that case there are my Big River bows.  They are special to me, as John has passed on.  I have both a Radical D/R and mild D/R longbow, plus a Kodiak clone recurve.  The curve was my first custom bow in 1996.  The mild D/R longbow 54# has not been shot allot, due to recent acquisition, but it shows promise with heavy arrows in excess of 700 grains.
 

[Even]

I've only ever seen good things about Big River bows.   So many great bowyers are gone, or retired :/ 

[Terry Green]

Thats awesome, Terry, thanks for the pics!

I really like the leftover riser wood knife handle idea... a matched set. 

You bet, here's another Rob DiStefano Sparrow Hawk pic. I'm still about a buck 85. HUGE sow.

[Tim Reese]

Man I hate these threads. lol. That is so hard atleast for me as all mine are extremely similar. But I still maintained the HH cheetah is my number one. One it’s the sexiest. Two it was my first ASL and third it just shoots where I point. But I could easily pic any one of these and be just as happy.

[Even]

Yeepers, Terry!  That is a LARGE pig. 

Those Cheetahs are gorgeous, Tim.   They make my HH Big five look drab.

[charles m]

Rob,

What about that pic of that big hog you killed where you were standing by it hanging in the dark. You still got that pic and was it killed with a Sparrow Hawk also?

[dnovo]

Man this is a tough one. I dearly love my Wild Horse Creek Destiny longbow that I've been shooting for several years. But I won't ever give up my MOAB. Surely wish I had Jim make another for me while he was still building. And then there is my Mohawk or actually several Mohawks tha are special to me.  Any of which I would hunt with forever if that was to be.

[Even]

Haha, yeah, I thought it would be an interesting question, and decision.   For some folks, pretty easy, for others... very, very hard.   I think too, some of it is a function of TIME.  Many of us just love bows, and are always looking for that one magical bow, so when we can afford it, we add to the collection...

Then you have a new bow, and you spend time learning it, and tuning arrows, and your prior favourite sits on the rack.  But then, months, weeks, or days later, after time has passed, you pull out that older bow you love, and compare! 

Then, sometimes (as in my case!) that new bow grabs you and won't let go, and the prior favourite goes back on the rack.  OR, you shoot your old favourite, and the magic hits again, and you can't put it down.  Its still the ONE.

But then you think about PURPOSE, and that short bow you like for deep cover, or a tree stand.  But that long, string-follow ASL of yours is SO smooth, and fun to rove with, or that light-ish recurve you love for 3D courses...

Its never easy picking just one, that for sure.

I wonder if bows are like women?   Some guys have a high-school sweetheart they never stray from, forsaking all others, where as other people play the field, and weigh... options.  Be interesting research

[Sant-Ravenhill]

Purely sentimental...a yellow glass and zebra wood Bear Polar that is 66" and 44 lbs. that my dad bought new in 1961. He bought it while serving in the Army at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.

[Gordon Jabben]

I've actually had two.  A 21st Century 64# Nova and a Jerry Hill 55#longbow.  They both came apart after I'm sure, thousands of shots.  I've owned so many bows but these were my favorites.  21st Century with some squirrels.

[Even]

Great Pic, Gordon... love the fall colours.

I've looked at several Jerry Hill bows, but never pulled the trigger.   I've been so tempted, but they seem polarizing, more than most bows.  Some guys seem to love them, and some hate them.

What was it about yours that made it your go-to bow?

[Gordon Jabben]

Evan that's kind of a hard question to answer.  Big Jim had the Jerry Hill bow for sale cheap at one of the shoots I went to so I bought it.  It shot high for me so I lowered the shelf a little.  After that it seemed to be the most accurate bow I had.  It's the only ASL that I thought I shot better than any of my r/d bows. It was pretty center shot and shot a wide range of spines.   I ended up really liking the dished handle and if it had a hand shock, I never noticed it.  Pretty quickly, I took some nice deer and did well on the squirrels also and it just became my go to bow.

[Even]

Thanks for your answer, I think it explains it well    I've never tried a fully dished handle, just a mild locator, or straight.  I'll have to give that a shot.

That deer was in beautiful condition.  Thanks for the picture!

[toddster]

For me my Sunset Hill was my all around favorite, killed a lot of animals with it, sweet draw, quiet and points when I aim.  Right under it, with nose in butt is my Norther Mist American.  I love this bow, grip fits me littler better, has to me more cast, and throws a heavy arrow with authority, and quiet.

[Al Dente]

For me, it's my first real investment traditional bow, a 58# Wes Wallace Mentor, aptly named after his mentor Jim Brackenbury.  I've had/have other recurves, long bows, and self bows, but that is my go-to.   

[Michael Guran]

I have a few favorites and can’t pick just one.  This JD Berry Morning Star is one of them.  Riser looks to be rifle stock grade walnut.  I’ve had some shoulder issues the last couple of years and had to drop weight, but I’m feeling stronger and got it back out this week.  Still shoots where I’m looking and has some great mojo.

[Even]

Some beautiful figure in that walnut.   Mr. Berry seems to have a lot of fans!