short draw longbow hunters

[sawtoothscream]

how many guys on here have a short dl around the 26" range and hunt with a long bow?

what wieght, design, size, arrow wieght ect...  and what animals have you taken with your set up.


im selling off one of my bows and buying a new one but i have a short armed guy sadly.  i really like shooting the hybrid longbow designs but wonder if a recurve might be better for me to hunt with do to my little arms. just to get a little extra speed.  

just thought i would see what other short draw people think.  pics are very welcome

thanks

[Spectre]

 

 This is a Solstice hybrid. 54", 47@28". I draw about 27.5"
 She is a shooter, and I have killed a GRUNDLE of small game with her, no big stuff---yet. This bow would get the job done, though.
 Built by Mike Miller---Elk Ninja here on the board.

[ishoot4thrills]

I had a Beeler hybrid LB and I have a rather short draw length(about 26.75"). I didn't need silencers on it and it was still the quietest bow I've ever owned. It is a very hard hitting bow. I loosed one arrow at a deer with it at 23 yards and got complete penetration through both lungs and she went 40 yards and piled up. You asked for pics so here goes:

 

 

My arrow specs are in my signature below, just disregard the speed and bow specs though as they're for my Predator.

I say you'll be fine. Just use sharp broadheads and don't go light on the arrow weight and put the arrow in the rib cage and you should be following short blood trails.

I wish you well.

[kawika b]

I'm leaning towards a 58" MOAB for my stubby draw... having changed my anchor I've gone up an inch from 25" to 26".

[awbowman]

There are a lot of good short hybrids on the market today.  In fact too many! LOL

I'm in the same situation as you.  I want a hybrid, but can't make up my mind what to get.  I am however leaning towards a Shrew Classic at 54".

I currently shoot a 58" Black Widow Recurve and have a Bear T/D on order because I thought it was hopeless to find the performance I wanted in a longbow.  But things have changed.  I draw 25.5"

Good luck.

[LongStick64]

60" Great Northern Critter 63@28, only hunt Whitetails, never a problem with this bow.

[sawtoothscream]

i have one bow i know for sure would kill without a issue (first one listed in sig) but the other one doesnt seems to deliver nearly have much power which is kinda sad because its a great shooter and with its specs i thought it would have had more power then my other hybrid thats rated 7 pounds less.  going to sell the beeler to fund the new one.

2 main bows im looking hard into is a custom hybrid by idahocurtis on here. love the design of his bows and the grip looks perfect think 58" 48 or 49# at 26.5" with carbon core limbs   or a hoyt buffalo ( ya i know complete opposites) 60" 50# at 28"

hard choice.

leaning toward the custom hybrid

[LKH]

I'm about 26.  Maybe a bit more.  It kind of depends on how excited I am.

I use Harrison's.  I have them (at my draw) from 49, 52, 57, and 63 pounds.  Use Gold tips and Carbon Express Terminator hunters.  Put either 50 or 100 grain brass inserts.

I think the performance of the Harrison's makes a bit of a difference.

[AdamH]

Chad Holm, "Osprey" ....

[crotch horn]

I have a 54" Lost Creek NAT hybrid that will shoot with anything out there. Chad is a sponsor on here & you can't beat him or his bows. My NAT is 51# @ 26". I shoot 26.25" draw. My arrows are CX Maxima Hunter 250s cut @ 29.25". BH are 2 blade Phat heads 225 grain with 100 grain brass inserts. Arrow weight of 585 grains. Pass through shots on my black bear & deer. Great bow & will kill whatever you hunt. Will be goiing after elk with it next yr if my luck is good drawing a Wy elk tag.

[Prairie Drifter]

I draw 26". I have several Maddog Mid-sized longbows from 51"- 52" . I have taken Mulies, a 375lb boar and several turkeys w/ mine.In fact the biggest deer and boar were taken w/ my lightest weight(44lb) bow. Mike's bows are great!

 

 

[michigan bill]

they tell me that Howard Hill was 6'3" tall and had a 27" draw.  i don't know what that says but it must say somethin'.

check out  www.stikbowsbydondow.com  [stik bows made by don dow] - best $310 you'll ever spend!  

bill

[RonD]

I shoot a Beeler Tracker longbow that is 56" in length,41#@24" and I draw a little over 25" which makes the draw weight somewhere around 44 1/2#. I fine tune the bow and am shooting a 26" Easton XX75 Camo Hunter arrow, with three 3" feathers, and a 250 grain Tusker broadhead. Overall the arrow weighs 570 grains and flys true. I switched from 4" feathers to 3" because it cut down on drag. I have killed hogs with this bow with no problem and intend to kill plenty more.

[sawtoothscream]

well it sounds like everything i have will take a deer at this point.  my arrows are a little over 600gr and i have another set thats at around 560gr.   with 20yds being the max ill shot at a animal with trad gear at this point im guessing ethier one of my hybrids will get enough penetration if shoulder isnt hit.

i want both the above listed bows so bad. think ill end up buying the custom hydrid cause i cant stop looking at it.  then maybe down the road ill buy a metal riser bow. maybe do a hoyt excel with black max limbs or find a used dorado


thanks guys for the help.   post pics of game taken if you have them.

[Wannabe1]

Man, there are so many bows out there now a days with everyone going to short bows. You literally have your choice of picks.

Now, with that being said, I have a 29" draw and shot a 58" Beeler real well. Those bows are fast and hit hard! Yours will definitely get the job done.  

[sawtoothscream]

decided not to sell the beeler.  just shot my new arrow i set up out of it and it just hits right where you look and the fletched and bare shafts are hitting together at 20 yds.  i would regret selling this bow. seeing how guys are shooting lighter set ups then this and killing, this bow shouldnt have a issue with good broadheads.

still going to buy one of the 2 bows anyways

[Smallwood]

55#@26" Black Widow PLV Longbow
I have shot several whitetails, mule deer, and a 1000# bison with bows in the 50-55# range and had nothing but passthrus most of the time, including on the bison.
I don't think your going to gain anything by going to a recurve, most of todays longbows are spitting arrows just as fast and effecient as recurves are.

[excelpoint]

58" Jim Jones Firefly. 57#@26.5" Extremely quite and forgiving.

[Crooked Stic]

A well designed R/D longbow now days will shoot in the 180s with 10 grns. per # of arrow weight. At 26 in. a bit slower but still good enough to do the job well. If speed is what you want then ask for the stats on that.
Personally a well mannered quite bow is my pick. If its fast that is a plus.

[lucky strike]

I have a 26.5 draw-and shoot a 58"  7 lakes short knight 51# @28.I'm drawing 45#
Arrows are 3 fletch 2016's with 125's cut 27.5"
At 10 yds ,I put an arrow through a warn out target bag and it went about 6" through the METAL basement back door 3 yds behind the target.
Hope my gal doesn't notice the patch job!
I don't know how Mike Ballinger does it but there's no hand shock,no pinch, no stacking and has excellent cast.
That 1st shot and possibly only shot on a cold morning is important to me and this bow does it.