Let's talk about the short bows (very short ones)

[dan d]

I love the short recurves, I drooled over a Two Tracks Ambush for 2 years before I got one ( I love it ) that led to my cravings for a 1960's Bear Super Mag as I love vintage bows.  I have been doing a lot of research on Bear bows & the majority of what I find on the supermag 48 is not rave reviews, I understand the finger pinch, but I don't even draw a full 27 inch so it's not an issue for me. I read a lot of replies on the supermag 48 that it's very unforgiving to poor form / release.

I am a touch better shot with the two tracks longbow, but I shoot the shorty's ok as my rule is the arrows must hit vitals on my 3D target & that's my yardage for hunting.

I would limit myself to about 18 yards with the shortys, and probably a touch over 20 with the longwalker, not much difference as my blind is set up for a 15 yard shot where 2 trails meet going into a hayfield.

I question if I'm being unethical by using the short bow as I am a touch better with the longbow, I would never exceed my 18 yard rule as that's where I'm at this year for accuracy. I'm thinking about getting some more bows & I love the shortys, but am I headed in the wrong direction with my short bow infatuation ?

I think if I practiced more I could become proficient to 22 - 25 yards with the shortys, or am I kidding myself ? Or is all the posts I'm finding on people bashing the short bows just typical Internet BS ? I don't mind limiting my yards, that's why I'm shooting trad in the first place !

All thoughts are appreciated as I need to get my head screwed on straight with these short bows, or are they like the cute girls in our school years that you should just flirt with & not bring home to mama ?

Dan

[Friend]

May wish to reference recent thread titled

" Warning to Archers in the Eastern USA!"

[dan d]

Originally posted by Friend:
May wish to reference recent thread titled

" Warning to Archers in the Eastern USA!"

I will go find it right now,
Dan

Edit:  found it !
 
 Thanks for posting that Friend !

[iohkus]

I have leaned towards short bows all my life, being my draw length is about 26", but have never become a "really good" shot. Not blaming the short bows, but I'm going with longer bows lately. Still too early to say they are making a difference but WILL say they are easier to shoot(for myself). BTW, I had the Bear Super Mag when they first came out (shows my age) and, again, I didn't shoot it very well. The upper limb folded up at full draw. Talk about rapid heart beat. Bear replaced it free of charge, but I didn't keep it very long afterward!    :D

[Jake Fr]

I believe that the longer the bow the easier it is to be more accurate. They are more forgiving to form and such issues. That being said I really do think that it is possable to be accurate with a short bow out to 25 30yds. Get good with a longer bow and progress down a lil at a time till you are where you wanna be as for ethics on shooting I belive that is difernt for everyone as no two people are the same in their thoughts on that

[DannyBows]

I got a 3pc 44" Little Suckling this last summer. I haven't spent a lot of time with it as I prefer my longer longbows, but I believe I could easily get confident with it out to my max of 20 yards.

The Little Suckling has a very stable feel, the riser being solid Phenolic/Micarta, which gives it a good bit of weight and is dead in hand.

[dan d]

Originally posted by DannyBows:
I got a 3pc 44" Little Suckling this last summer.

44"    :eek:   now you have me all excited ! I didn't know there was such a thing !  Have I said I love short bows    

Dan

[JimB]

I love short bows but I'm just not good with the real short ones.I shoot best with 56" and up but am doing OK with a 54" one that I'm hunting right now.

Don't worry too much what other people think.It sounds like you have a responsible approach to the subject.You will know what shots you can or can't make with it.If it makes it fun for you,go for it.

[Steelhead]

I think some designs are better than others.I think a forward set handle with good deflex and a limb designed to minimize finger pinch and a shorter riser for more working limb are desirable traits in a short bow.I have a longer 29.5 inch draw and have found a few 56 inch bows that work pretty well because of thier special design features that enhance thier shootablity.

[Austin]

Accuracy shouldnt be an issue, if you practice with it youll shoot it great. Finger pinch caused me to shoot 3 under on short bows but i love 'em. Shortest ive gone was 52 (browning nomad stalker), and its hard to find one that doesnt stack bad at 30".  Keep thinking about picking up a samick mind 50 as its one of the few super short factory bow designed for a long draw. As for accuracy, i never had a problem.  I was dead accurate under 30 yards. However, i noticed the bow was noticeably slower than similar longer recurves of the same poundage.  That may be something to consider.  More drop and less power.  I love short bows if i could find one that didnt feel like it was gonna blow up at my draw.

[flyne]

I to love short bows but I think I just love all bows I have a little suckling kt44 and I would love a 38 special  but I also have bows that are 54" 56" 60" 62" 68" and 70" long I love them all and to me they all have different uses mainly for diffrent terain all range from 60 to 100lb at my 29" draw and I don't shoot at game over 20m with any of them I find when I practice at 60m that the longer ones are more accurate but at 20 I can't tell the difference  in grouping size just my 2c
Jim

[Hopewell Tom]

Fred Asbell had an article in Tradbowhunter Mag on shorter and longer bows. Arguments both ways.
That video Friend referenced above IS impressive. As the guy says he believes the accuracy is there, you just have to get it out.

Fred A. says recurves are "long" at 62"+ and Longbows at 66"+. You're talking the low 50's and below.
 
I like a short bow as well. I have a 62" Blacktail Elite recurve and a 66" Mowhawk LB that are beautiful to shoot. So why would I want to sell them and go to the shorter bow? I wish I knew.

I think some of us are just plain and simple, better shooters than others. They can do it with whatever bow they pick up. That's not me. So what I do is know my limitations, stick to them and use equipment I like. You gotta like your gear or a certain amount of the fun is out of it.
The longer bows are going and I'm looking to the 52"-58" recurves.
Hopefully it'll work out... If not, the quest continues.

[trentm87]

i love my 2 short bows a supermag 48 and a kodiak magnum 52" i can shoot both really well pratice at 30 most of the time got a deer wednsday with my kodiak magnum at 22 yards double lung and heart shot i love them easy to get around in a blind or treestand it just takes alot of practice any issues with form becomes apparent

[Mike Vines]

Monday morning will find me in the swamp in a Ranch Safari ghillie and my Two Tracks Ambush.  Hopefully there will be some good stories to come out of it.

[MnFn]

I own 6 or 7 bows at the moment. I started in 1965 with a 60" recurve. Then I bought a supermag in the early 70's and used it for a short period of time before trying a compound for a couple of years. The compound was a short Martin that pinched my fingers worse than the Supermag. That phase did not last long, thank goodness. Trad is just more fun for me.  

I bought a 66" longbow (60#), and struggled with that weight for a while. Gravitated to a 60# recurve (64") and shot that for a few years and liked it a lot. Finally gave that one to my son and I tried a 68" longbow but did not like the length at all.

I have settled on a 60" 56# Pronghorn along with a 56" Shrew CH. I have used these two bows exclusively for about 3-4 years and see no reason to change. For me the 60" seems to be the best fit/feel. But really it is the grip more than the length that seems to make the difference to me, as long as they are under 66".

[AWPForester]

I have a 52 inch Kmag that I love.  When I set my other boows aside and shoot it excluseviley for a couple sessions I achieve very good accuracy to 40 yards.  It is there in the bow as georger states, it is just harder to get it out due to the inheriant nature of the shorter bow being much less forgiving.

But to guys that are drawing 26 inches it s the equivilent to a guy draing 28 or 29 on a 60 inch bow.  It really is based on your size a lot.  But the shorter bows for me are much more practical even though harder to shoot.  I draw 28 inches.  I tick the broadhead against the riser as a second anchor.  God Bless

[Rodney]

I shot a 150" whitetail with a KT 44 mag years ago. They work great, just have confidence!

[kestimator]

I've finally got a short bow that I'm shooting quite well for my present ability.  It's a 52" Cascade.  I've owned several superbly crafted "short" bows (a lovely Ambush and a Shrew) come to mind; that I just couldn't shoot as well as I wanted to.  I'm sure that it was me and not the bows.  I do think that on average "longer" bows are easier to shoot more consistantly and are more forgiving.  However, I think that guys like Steve Gorr have proven that in skilled hands a short bow is a great hunting companion.  I like all bows and am having fun mastering a "short" bow.  Short bows are great in blinds.  I like the maneuverability of a short bow.  They look really cool to me...really most all bows look great to me     I don't think that using a short bow is a bad decision if you can make lethal shots within your own effective range.

[Matty]

I have a Pearson  BPH 52.  Great out to 20 yds (what more do you need?)I love it. My dad bought it in 1967 and it still has the original string. I shot my bear with it on bear quest 2 years ago.  My problem with it. Is that it stacks. Or STOPS. Not the finger pinch.  And I draw 27".  
I called John at little suckling 3 times in the past 2 months to have a bow made cause I'm guessing it would be a nice 44"-er. But he hasn't returned my phone calls. Which is lame. And which means I won't be having one made.  Who else is making shorties? Pictures ? I'll post mine later.

[sticksnstones]

Originally posted by Mike Vines:
Monday morning will find me in the swamp in a Ranch Safari ghillie and my Two Tracks Ambush.  Hopefully there will be some good stories to come out of it.

Sounds like a winning combo! Good luck Mike!
Thom