Why do you shoot what you shoot?

[paperenginner]

I have been shooting a recurve for a couple of years.  Last season was my first season without the wheels.  I would like to sell my current bow and upgrade to a nicer bow.  I really like the Striker bows but I am partial as I am only a few minutes away from Minster.  I have only shot a few recurves in my short past but the longbow interests me.  My question for everyone is why do you shoot either one?  I am looking for why you like what you shoot.  I am sure I can shoot either one before choosing but I am looking for shooting/hunting advantages.  The stuff that one doesn't get to understand until they shoot for a while.

Thanks.

[BowMIke]

Papa,
I like recurves, but have really transitioned to longbows the last year. They are very smooth and also quieter. The newer longbows hang right with the fast recurves. My favorites are the Morrison Shawnee with carbon/foam limbs and I also like my two Centaurs.
Try shooting a friends longbow. Every one has their own favorites and a longbow may become yours or you just may shoot recurves better. Whichever, enjoy yourself and have fun with Trad!

[2 Barrels]

Recently i've started shooting metal riserd ILF bow's.I came to the realization that it's the only thing i can make fit me.Instead of me trying to fit the bow.I've also dropped a little weight.Due to some joint pain issues.

[Shedrock]

I shoot Pronghorn longbows because they are quiet, quick, smooth, hit where I'm looking, and Herb lives in Wyoming. (I like to stimulate Wyoming's economy)  

[Javi]

Choosing between the two is more a mindset than any real advantage. Today’s R/D longbows and nearly as fast as the recurve pound for pound..  I chose the longbow for my return to what is now known as traditional archery for the simplicity of the bow.

My favorite Bowyer is Bob Sarrels.. my favorite bow is his Blackhills II

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I shoot a long bow. I have 3, 2 by the same maker.

They all have a locator grip and if you put them all side by side couldn't tell the grips apart.

When my head is in the game, I shoot them all dead nuts! why mess with the bows when I know they all work well.

Instead, I work on the shooter.

[GRINCH]

I shoot strictley long bows now simply because I find I'm more accurate with them.

[jsweka]

I shoot a longbow because I wanted to build a bow and figured a longbow would be easier starting out with than a recurve.  Well, you can't build just one, so I built another, and then another...I got so use to longbows that recurves just feel weird to me now.  I did build a take down recurve, but didn't like it and it ended up with a friend of a friend.

[owlbait]

I shoot both. I find bows that are made by bowyers that will stand by their work, that shoot very well and look great. I shoot bows with personality from bowyers with personality, and I enjoy building relationships with my bows and my bowyers.

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

I like Black Widow recurves for most of my hunting , I like the mass weight of the bow and with a quiver full of arrows it is a chunk , it shoots a heavy arrow very well and is very quiet , I like the look of a Widow , the company has been around a long time with great customer service , I have never had a Widow let me down rain , snow , heat ,12000 ft , they always shoot great , they are very dead in the hand after the shot , just a great all around bow.

[Gator1]

I agree with Owlbait, I'm forutnate to have a Static Tip Recurve and a fantastic little 56" longbow.

I agree that I enjoy shooting bows built by guys with Character, and a long tradition of building bows, and all around good people.  The two I have now I will keep and have a couple on order from these two gentleman. Different bows, but both very interesting bowyers..

 

[bgbuck153]

I like shooting both styles ! You need to shoot what feels best in your hands . When you release that arrow you will know , trust me ! Good luck !

[J. Holden]

I started out with a take-down recurve.  Shot it for over a decade (I'm no that old yet).  I love it.  I shot my one and only deer and turkey with it.  It has some thing's that bother me though.  It was made by an amateur bowyer so one limb is a little sloppy where it lines up.  Nothing big about it but I'm constantly wondering that bad shot was me or the bow.  Because it's a take down recurve it's also a little heavier in the hands.  Not by much but I've held some bows that seem so much lighter.

Now I'm shooting a red oak board bow I made myself.  I've put away my recurve to focus on and eventually hunt with my longbow.  I've found though that length is a concern.  But, I'm learning to work with it.

I will tell you I lay awake at night sometimes feeling like I'm cheating on my first love.  I'm slowly going nuts...

Good luck!

-Jeremy  

[seabass]

i have 12 dirrerent bows.mostly longbows.i am shooting primitive longbows mostly.i guess i just like the way they shoot.alot of my bows are one of a kind.don't get me wrong,i also like my recurves.the thing is,you don't have to limit yourself to one kind of bow.shoot them all.they all have their advantages.i am sure that you will like shooting them all,steve

[Sixby]

I shoot both and some that are not quite sure what they are.Recurves definately pull smoother. The statics especially have a super even draw force curve. Speed ect is pretty much the same in the better made bows D and r and recurve. No real noticable differences other than that.
God bless you and good luck on your choice, Steve

[bigugly1]

I'm shooting a Hoyt Buffalo and it's my only bow now. I admire all you guys who can shoot numerous bow types but I'm striveing to be as good as I can be with just one. Right now I'm shooting with 40# limbs but after the first tournament I will be going to the 50"s. I really just got into this and I wanted to work on form and I think I'm getting there so it's almost time to move up. I have no complaints at all with this bow and have no desire to get another.

[Blackstick]

I quit the wheel bow over twenty years ago, just so I could watch a slow arrow lob into the target. I love it.

[Bjorn]

I started out with recurves and fell in with LB's a few years ago and never looked back-it felt so 'free'.
Shoot lots of bows and be ready to follow whatever style you choose they are all great. It is all preferences-there is no 'better' or 'worse'.

[Dick in Seattle]

I build and shoot the straight longbows I do because to me, tradition is duplicating the equipment of a previous age and seeing what you could do with it.  The basic fiberglassed longbows of Hill, Armbruster, Quillian, etc. were the cat's pajama's back when I was young (and that phrase tells you when that was).  Those are what I try to duplicate.  There's nothing wrong with development, in fact, it's great, but I cringe every time I hear someone talk about "improving" a traditional design.  You may have made it better and more people will like it, but you ruined it's traditional aspect. It is no longer an example of what was traditional. It kind of sort of maybe resembles what was traditional.   I'm getting to be quite a pill about this as I get older, but I'm as tough on myself as I am on others.  More and more, I'm finding it actually painful to put a shelf on a bow... they didn't have them when I learned.  Friday I ordered a couple of tee shirts made.  One says, "We don' need no stinking shelfses..." and the other, "Real men don't shoot off a shelf!"   Should be good for some fun at the shoots  :^)

[Brently]

Any more I find that I always shoot a D shaped longbow 66-70" long. There is just something about a narrow limb longbow that makes it a pleasure to shoot. Maybe it is like Dick said, just feels more traditional.