Hi gang,
I have been looking around for some time now to find a new hunting bow. I currently shoot a Mongolian horse bow made by Toth Istvan that is 45# at 28". I'm thinking of switching over to longbow, but I have yet to find one that feels right.
What's most important to me is that the bow be made here in America by a bowyer, not a factory.
Next most important is design. I'm looking for a reflex-deflex longbow with a decent sized riser and not much handshock. I have a short draw length, 26.5", so the bow must be tillered for that. I don't want to get a bow made for tall people that won't give me all the potential energy it can generate. Length of bow I would prefer to be as short as possible for easy use in brushy terrain, but I leave that up to the bowyer.
Next up is materials. I want American woods. The best bow I've ever had was made by a fellow named Hank Pruitt, and it was a hickory selfbow. Extra points for those willing to work with hickory. I like Osage and walnut too. I also want antler tips.
Another important thing is handgrip fit. As you might guess from my handle, I'm a lady bowhunter. I have large hands for a woman, but they're still smaller than nearly all men. That means I need a scaled down grip. Sadly I don't have any preferred dimensions to give you. I just know that some bows I've handled are fine, and others are too big (for example the Diamond Woodland Hunter by Tomahawk).
As for the draw weight, I'd like to move up a bit from what I currently have. I once measured my bow and I pull about 38#. I'd like to get up to at least 45#, perhaps 50#. I can pull bows rated up to 60# at 28" with relative ease.
Basically, I need good speed and power for hunting. I primarily hunt eastern whitetail. I plan to hunt elk, turkey and wild boar. Maybe some other birds if I get hungry. I use wooden arrows that I make myself, and have no plans to switch to aluminum or carbon.
If all this sounds pretty specific, it's because I'm just like most of you on this forum. I've been shooting all my life and I know what I like in a bow.
If you're a bowyer, or you know of one that makes what I'm looking for, please reply with your thoughts. I'd appreciate any input!