Archery Greats longbows

[crandog]

I've always wondered why most of the best archery shots mostly shoot longbows.  Howard Hill, Byron Fergeuson, Ron LaClair, Byron Tabor, etc.  I can only think of Stacy Grosscup who was a truely phenomenal shot with a recurve.  
I know there are a lot of great target recurve shooters out there, but I'm talking about reactive type gifted pure shooters.  
Seems like most shoot a longbow.  Is this purely from a forgiving aspect?
Seems like most of the concensus is shooting a longbow is harder.  That's why I don't understand why Howard Hill is quoted for saying he's not good enough to shoot a recurve.  

[Hornseeker]

Its cause Longbows Rule....

:0)

[joekeith]

Know what ya mean.  I always was a recurve guy, but it seemed like most of the best end up shootin' a longbow. Some say ya gotta grow into one, I dunno.  But after giving them a real chance, shooting a few different ones.....
..I think I'm turnin' longbow.  When ya get one that fits ya they truly are forgiving on the shot.  Give 'em a real try and ya might be surprised.....................but Hornseekers still right.  

[toddster]

A very true evaluation, if you just stick with trick shooting.  I agree and no doubt that the longbow is more forgiving, once you mastered it.  The Recurve is to sensitive for trick shooting.  Now I said recurve not a hybrid with lateral stability.

[TheFatboy]

Without being a master archer, i find that shorter bows may be more powerful, but longbows are - as Toddster states above me - more forgiving once you've mastered it. A tiny little mistake with a recurve, and you may fail.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Don't fool yourself, the image of the longbow plays a big part in this as well.  Robin Hood never carried a recurve, and Joe Public probably doesn't know who Papa Bear is.

[TheFatboy]

Genghis Khan carried a recurve/composite though, and he's my idol <3  

[Curveman]

After being a recurve shooter for a number of years and swearing by it, I decided to buy a longbow more "just to have one" than anything else. Once I started shooting it however, the whole "legend and romance of the longbow" thing must've of taken hold as I haven't gone back to the recurve at all for nearly a year now! I love my recurve so this was quite a surprise for me. It's my belief that the greats would be great with any bow so I wonder whether this wasn't a part of the appeal for them as well under the surface. It very well may be in our genes for all I know!

[SourOwl]

perhaps we all have a need for "simplicity" in our lives, and clean, long lines without distractions in these chaotic times.  we humans tend to "make better" things that don't need fixin.  I shoot most kinds of bows, enjoy em for what they do, but go back to a long bow as my companion in the woods, like a trusted friend.

sourowl

[Ron LaClair]

The longbow has a romantic history and some feel a familiar  pull towards  the longbow, almost like they knew it from another life.

  Dreams from another life,  by Ron LaClair:  


I dream of days so long ago  when a mans companion was his bow  

Then men and bow would act as one  sending clouds of arrows that blocked the sun  

The iron tipped shafts piercing mail of chain  making horses scream from the arrows pain  

The broad heavy points of the clothyard shaft  spilled rivers of blood in the wheat fields chaff    

Gallant French Knights to war  would go  seeking glory in battle with their foe  

Expecting a fight that was toe to toe  they were killed from afar by the mighty Longbow  

These dreams are clear as they can be,  5000 archers including me  

stood side by side with deadly retort  that day at the battle of Agincourt

[NW Jamie]

Originally posted by SourOwl:
perhaps we all have a need for "simplicity" in our lives, and clean, long lines without distractions in these chaotic times.  we humans tend to "make better" things that don't need fixin.  I shoot most kinds of bows, enjoy em for what they do, but go back to a long bow as my companion in the woods, like a trusted friend.

sourowl

For me Sour Owl expressed the long bow elegance perfectly; the feel and simplicity just pleases me. I am not saying that any one bow or type of bow is it; it is just where you want to be and with what. I am choosing to strive to simply be in the natural outdoors that I love and taking in as much of it as I can. One way that you can look at it is:
Shoot the bow that you have.
Walk in the desert and the woodlands.
Hunt where you are.
Refurbish what you have.
If you don’t have it, go with out or make it.
When you do get something new, get it from craftsmen that take pride in what they make.
Pack light.
Sleep under the stars
Enjoy, that is what it is about.

[goodolboy94]

and i also dont think you have to grow into a longbow. pretty much all i have ever shot was a long bow i had a brief romance with a recurve but that fling is over and im back to my longbows and will never stray again

[ron w]

Long bows ,for some reason just seem nicer to carry. I don't know why and I guess I don't really care why. But I still shoot both..lol...

[Curveman]

Well done Ron!  

[Bill Turner]

Right on brothers. The longbow rules. At least until I get tired of seeing my BW PMA-V collecting dust on my bow rack.  

[TheFatboy]

I wanted to write a comment. Then i saw SourOwl's comment, and i did not have to write my comment. SourOwl was too quick.

Jamie, your sight on simplicity and 'make-do-with-what-you-got' attitude, is right on  

[GingivitisKahn]

Originally posted by TheFatboy:
Genghis Khan carried a recurve/composite though, and he's my idol <3      

Thanks man!   Oh Ghengis... Never mind.

   

[bayoulongbowman]

Ron , that was cool....someone said it ...Longbows Rule!!!!!!!!!!!!! mark#78

[Autumnarcher]

I will not venture to say why the great archers are longbow shooters,but will add my personal thoughts.

I am a relative newbie to traditional archery, having been hooked for about 7 years now. I started out with recurves, a Red Wing Hunter, then several different Bear bows. I love the history of Bear Archery, and the looks of Bear bows. I own several of them, and am always looking for a deal on a good one.

That said, I have 2 bows on my rack that are the ones I truly love to shoot. When my Thunderstick longbow is in my hand, it is part of me.

I love the feel of the grip in my hand, and the smell of the leather grip. It is feather light, whisper quiet, and smooth to shoot. It is simplistic archery. Stick and string, hand and eye.

I still shoot most of my recurves, but I do not truly lock on with anything but my longbow.

[otis.drum]

ron i love good poetry..., that was great. and what a story it told.

i love longbows for their simplicity and the enjoyment they give.