A Case for a Longer Bow

[fedora]

I recently read the articles by Mr. Asbel in Traditional Bowhunter Magazine on the benefits to longer bows and lower poundage.  I wanted to share my experience with the group here.  I have been shooting a recurve that is 56" 54#@27 inches for a couple years and prided myself on being a pretty good shot after much coaching from this site.  Unfortunetly my back was injured and pulling that weight has become somewhat of an issue.  So, I began looking for a bow in lower poundage.  I even thought about ordering new limbs in a lower poundage for my recurve.  Fortune struck when a trade became available for a 62" recurve at 51#@29".  When I began shooting this bow it was amazing how I could consentrate on form, I gained a half inch in draw length and my accuracy increased considerably.  Additionally, I do not notice the finger pinch or have sore fingers after shooting.  If any of you are experiancing these issues I would suggest you take Mr. Asbel up on his advice. You may be suprised!

[rnharris]

longer is better with fingers guys that have really clean releases don't really notice that much but for the average archer imo longer bows really help with accuracy one of the most accurate bows i have shot to date was a 70" hill bow slow but i stacked arrows with that bow!

[Ben Maher]

Every day of the week and twice on Sunday's I'd take a longer bow over a shorter one ... even at my 27" draw....
62" for Curves
66" longbows

[Mudd]

I read the article by Mr. Asbel and  found myself in agreement with almost everything he said.

At 62", you've got some length you can move out to and gain a little more sweetness.

God bless,Mudd

[Rob DiStefano]

add me in to that "longer is better" camp, too.

however, there are times when "shorter is better" - like perhaps in a double bull blind, set up on a wyoming prairie, and a nice fat doe wanders within 20 yards, and yer at full draw and looking down the shaft at a tuft of hair over the vitals, and ya release only to hear "WHAP!!!" as the top limb tip of yer 62" longbow smacks the blind's roof.  ask me how i know this ...    

[Whip]

I learned that lesson myself Rob!  Not once, but twice, on the same turkey!     Didn't figure it out until after he left and I looked up to see two nice tears in the top of the blind.

But instead of a shorter bow I solved the problem by getting the Double Bull recurve model blind, which added 6" in height to the blind.    :cool:

[Ryan Rothhaar]

If you think the 62 inch recurve is nice to shoot, try a true longer recurve.  In my opinion anything 62 inches and under is a "SHORT" recurve, 64 is medium, and over 64 is truly a "LONG" recurve bow.  There is a reason the old target recurves from the 60's and 70's were virtually all 66 and more inches long.

I'm 5ft 6in tall (on a good day), I'm pretty broad thru the beam and draw a true 29 1/2 inches with a recurve, though.  I shot 64 inch recurves for years, but I went to an old Jack Howard Jet this fall at 66 inches and it is a beauty!  For the record, I've NEVER had a problem hunting with longer recurves from treestands (95% of my hunting) and in ground blinds I just make sure I have the room (like Joe said, get the "recurve model").

Ryan

[JRY309]

I have always liked a longer bow.

[Rob DiStefano]

i once hunted whitetail with my 69" 44# hoyt pro medalist target recurve (white limbs covered in olive drab tape) - man, was that a sweet shootin' recurve!!!!  old earl built 'em right!

[dad]

I went from a 60" 28.5 draw and when I switched limbs to 64" I gained 2" of draw which is now 30.5 and that added a extra 6# to the bow. My limbs are 64" @ 28 and 38# are now 44# at 30.5

[straitera]

Since switching to the longer LB's its all I've used for over 3 decades. Prefer 70". Never shot from an enclosed blind. No problem shooting from trees or on the ground. 31" draw.

[Roy Steele]

You fine out you just plain enjoy shooting ALOT more.

  Dead is dead no matter how fast your arrow gets there.

[hvyhitter]

Longer works better for me.....Have fat/damaged fingers so a sloppy release. Long and heavy bows cure alot of my issues and have learned to hunt with those bows with no problems. I cant shoot anything less than 58 with any kind of consistancy so I dont even go there.........

[dad]

I have also found that I'm not all tensed up after I shoot. Also my fingers don"t swell or hurt as much.

[wapiti792]

I have a 30 inch draw and have found what you gents have except...I have a nice, "short" Stalker recurve at 58in. It is my treestand/ground blind bow because it is shorter than my longbows (all 64 inches) and I don't notice ANY finger pinch with it. My ground-pounder, elk-hunter, non-blind/treestand bow is still a nice LONGbow with wood arras though, mainly 'cause life is too SHORT to shoot one bow  

[Blackhawk]

Here's another fan of the joys of shooting longer bows, but like others have mentioned, it has its problems in some hunting situations.

I notice heavier weight bows seem to pull easier with longer bows and my accuracy improves.  Yep, 60"-62" recurve and 64-66" longbows work just, however, there are some quality short sticks out there that works just fine also.

[Ricoh]

I have always shot 64" Widows. Have shot lots of other shorter bows but nothing like a sweet 64 incher.

Rick

[Larry m]

As I have grown in age my bows have gotten longer and lbs have gone lower. I prefer recurves at 66" and longbows at 68" and both in the low 40 lbs. Matched up with the right arrows you still get excellent cast and penetration.

[Wannabe1]

I prefer them longer also. Like Rob, I have a 29" draw. My Hills are 68" 68" and 70". I have no issues shooting them.

[Hopewell Tom]

I wouldn't believe it until I tried it. Always thought of myself as a short bow guy, but got a real good deal here on a 66" Mowhawk, 54#@28". I like everything about that bow. Also read BOTH of Fred Asbells articles on the advantages of the short and long bow. Liked the talk about improved accuracy with the longer bow (ala Olympic archers).