Why a longbow?

[Scoobiedooo]

OK I have a question - and I am not asking this to raise any tail feathers or insult anyone! OK?

I am just curious - why some archers like and prefer a longbow to a recurve!

I have shot a couple of longbows and I felt that the hand shock was pretty high on them for my liking, and the arrow shelf a little 'small' - tho I had no issues with arrows falling off or anything.

Other then perhaps romantic lure of a bow of that design or era - are there any other real reasons why some guys like them? And also, isn't the length a problem in the field at all?

Just curious!

[lbows]

I just like how quit my longbows are. I may be shooting them wrong  but recurves seem loud to me. And for me the length is not an issue.

[joevan125]

Some men have a longer length than others.  

Sorry i just couldn't help myself.

[cbCrow]

I started out with recurves in my teenage years and then gravitated to compounds for afew years and missed traditional shooting so made decision to come back. I had a few friends that shot Hill bows and one asked if I like to use one of his one day. Found the bow quiet, and accurate,  and easy to shoot. I've been hooked since and that was 1982, you do have a few minor problems with the length but you learn to accommadate the bow and work as a team.

[Scoobiedooo]

I see....nice. Thanks for the feedback cbCrow!

[ripforce56]

For me very  Longbows are verylite in the hand, quiet needs very little string silencing if any, I personally like the smaller riser, Lots of variety as far as lengths go! as to handshock, that varies by the model and the bowyer! I have 2 straight limbed 66in BamaBows longbows and one Bama Reflex/Deflex 62in handshock is minimal on all 3 bows! Now I have  shot some other brands that had a little more thump but its never bothered me!

[LongStick64]

I shoot both and I don't really have too much of a preference. To me, they are both bows, and I shoot them the same way. Am I more accurate with a recurve, yes but not by too much. I will say that for the most part my longbows are quieter, lighter in weight and a pleasure to shoot. With the right longbow handshock has never been an issue for me.

[Scoobiedooo]

Thanks what I thought - that the hand shock factor was probably inherent to the design of the bow, etc. I know Asbell said in one of his books that because there is less string contact with the limbs during a shot a longbow is generally quieter than a recurve bow - which makes sense....

[Breakfast Boy]

I shoot my longbow better than I did my recurves, but I have to admit I had to practice a lot more with it before I got to that point.  But I too love how light in the hand my longbow is.  And it's very quiet.  The length is not a problem for me (64") whether I'm in the treestand or my Double Bull blind.  But yeah, there's a lot of romantic lure to shooting a traditionally designed longbow.

[Scoobiedooo]

Thanks BB - I thought that there would be/is a lot of 'romance' to shooting the longbow due to its rich history, etc.

[Mudd]

Originally posted by Scoobiedooo:
Thanks BB - I thought that there would be/is a lot of 'romance' to shooting the longbow due to its rich history, etc.

I have shot a whole host of both longbows and recurves on my journey and the straight limbed longbow is where I ended up.

I don't think I'm here but for one reason and that is "what the bow does for me".

I found that it's not so much how the bow feels as much as it is how the bow makes me feel.

With my longbow and back quiver full of arrows I am transported to romantic "Sherwood Forest" even standing in my driveway flinging arrows down range at stuffed animals...lol

God bless,Mudd

PS: Say goodbye to 2011 and welcome in 2012...Happy New Year!

[njloco]

When I came back to Trad. I decided to try a long bow, I now have both and shoot them equally as well, or is that equally as bad ?, can't remember due to age.  

[Scoobiedooo]

Good points Mudd! Yeah, that Robin Hood era certainly has a romantic side to it as does Sherwood Forest, etc!

[JCJ]

Because I see and kill more deer when I use one. They seem to bring me good luck.

[Scoobiedooo]

Originally posted by JCJ:
Because I see and kill more deer when I use one. They seem to bring me good luck.

Reason enuff for sure!

[jsweka]

A few years ago I wanted to make my own bow and a longbow seemed simpler than a recurve, so that's what I tried.  Looking at it now, it sure wasn't the prettiest thing, but it shot and I just kept building and shooting longbows.  Now a recurve just seems foreign to me.

[Hopewell Tom]

Ah yes, the "lucky" weapon, we probably all have one.
I think of myself as a "shorter recurve guy". Bow shorter - not me so much! But I have a 66" Mowhawk LB that is a thing of beauty. I've been ready to quit it on several occasions, but am now determined to get the hang of it. With my back quiver loaded up and that bow, it seems to demand that I smarten up! And the light and quiet part, so true.

[Scoobiedooo]

Even tho a compound - that I no longer choose to hunt with - my old Bear Whitetail bow took my first 8 pointer with the bow back in 2001. I had it set up to shoot off the shelf, fingers, etc. and for a bow that originally cost about $75 in K-Mart - it performed flawlessly on that buck at less than 20 yrs for me - which was kind of a 'statement' for ME to all my friends toting their $600+ Matthews and BowTech bows! LOL!.

[Ulysseys]

I switched because they are quieter, lighter, and your hero pics look waaay better  

[Scoobiedooo]

Originally posted by Ulysseys:
I switched because they are quieter, lighter, and your hero pics look waaay better      

LOL!