Shortest effective Long bow at 24" draw

[RT]

Hi,

I would like to get some input from the Bowyers our there on their views if I was trying to built a "short" long bow and the criteria are append.

1)base on 24" draw length what is the possible short/long bow to be built for a wood bow back with Boo.
2)Achieve a draw weight of 40lbs
3)using the bow for hog hunting,yes the BH will be razor sharp.
4) The Important critera here is to able to built it as short as possible.

Cheers, thanks for the inputs. RT

[Dave2old]

The general rule for a straight longbow (as opposed to reflex-deflex) is twice the draw length. That would be 48" in your case. Beyond twice draw length, the string is perpendicular to the bow and you "hit the wall" with stack. Yet I doubt you can go that short, or would want to. Your short draw length is a big bonus, but that's still mighty short for an all-wood bow. I'd try something in the high 50s for starters. You can always work it down shorter. Sounds like a fun experimental project.

[RT]

Dave,
I suppose in order to over come "fingers squeeze" with such a light bow at 40lbs, I could learn to shoot it with just 2 fingers instead of three. Some have advise to do a bending handle so that there are more "working limbs" area due to such a short bow. I have no experience on this bending handle at all.

Yes, it will be a great experimental project for me as i have never built such a short one myself, cheers

[robslifts]

try a super shrew or a whisperstik

here are there websites

 http://whisperstikbows.com/  

 http://www.shrewbows.com/

they make short bows and can achieve what you have specified

[the Ferret]

No problem..only forget the boo. 48" sinew backed osage d bow 1" wide, will easily pull 24" and you could get basically whatever poundage you wanted out of it.

Here's "Countin Coup" a 52" osage d bow that isn't even sinew backed that I draw 27" (length is less than 2x draw length), 42#@27. This one is 7 years old and I would hunt with it tomorrow if I hadn't recently given it away to a good friend.

 

[Chortdraw]

Great picture Mickey. Thats a nice looking bird and a good looking bow. Your friend should enjoy his new toy.

Chort

[Jason Lester]

I second Mickey suggestion. I have a 52 inch sliver of a piece of osage (came off a stave) it was to much wood to just toss so I made a bendy handled bow that shoots pretty nice for how basic it is. One day I may actualy put a finish on it. It is fun to shoot being so short.

Osage is tough and with sinew its tougher.