HH BUG GOT ME - Part Two!

[sou-pawbowhunter]

The bow does not have a name on it, other than the fellow it was built for. The upper limb has Big Horn Longbow written on it, and the specs are on the riser. The craftsmanship is as good as any I have seen, so I am thinking it may be one of Ron's bows. But, I would love to know.

[Charlie Lamb]

Im sure what you have is a Maulding. Ron was a very good friend when I lived in wyoming. His early bows were maple cored and typically had a reddish brown glass face and back. Later he used Tamarack cores and I've seen bamboo cored bows made by him.
His bows were quick and smooth shooting.


He lived in Casper, Wyoming when he started building bows in ernest. I lost track of Ron in the 80's.

He was a good man.

[sou-pawbowhunter]

Thanks Charlie. I was able to trade a bow that I didn't shoot at all once I was bitten by this bug, and I feel like I won the "Hill lottery". It is a beauty. I will try to get some pictures up later today.

[MikeNova]

Yes Charlie looking forward to some wisdom being passed on!

[Green]

I'm really glad you went Charlie.  Several members here have texted me how cool it was to visit with you.

[cmh]

What I would if given to have been a fly on the wall.... Alot of bow building knowledge right there  

[Charlie Lamb]

Here is one of John's favorite Hill hunting stories... It seems Howard was hunting with Rory Calhoun and Dick Garver in Utah.

They were riding along down the road when a nice buck was spotted about 40 yards away in the trees. It was decided that Dick would take the shot so he nocked an arrow and squared away to take the shot.

In his target style Dick came to full draw, lined up on the buck and steadied his aim. Before he could release the buck moved a few steps and Dick let the bow down.

Starting over Dick repeated the deliberate process only to have the buck move again.

Since the muley hadn't gone anywhere Dick came to anchor a third time with similar results to the first two attempts.

Exasperated Howard exclaimed, "I can't take it anymore!" and swinging his bow up in that famous casual style shot the buck right through the ribs.

With the story finished John added in an emotion filled husky voice, "that was my friend Howard Hill".

[two4hooking]

Great Story Charlie.  Thanks!

[MikeNova]

I just received a Tom parsons traditionalist on a trade. This bow is top of the line a really good shooter and very quite also. Seems to really throw a fast arrow. I can't post pics on here but I would if I could.

[ScouterMike]

Thanks for sharing that great story Charlie!

[two4hooking]

I can't wait to hear more stories and tidbits from John's class!  I hope you all took notes :-)

[Charlie Lamb]

Here's one.  Howard liked big white Lincoln Continentals.

John said that Howard really stressed knowing what your "point on" distance is. John said it puts everything else in perspective... and no he wasn't talking about a point of aim system of shooting.

It is John's opinion that Howard used the split vision system early on but quit due to shooting a lot of archery golf, where that system was of little use.

[two4hooking]

I wondered what John would say about aiming since it was not discussed much in Hitting 'em like Howard Hill.

[Charlie Lamb]

John said that Howard never discussed aiming with him and his brother Dan.

Since I mentioned Dan... John said that had Dan not put his eye out in a bowstringing accident his own career in archery might have been much different.
He said Dan was a much better shot than he was.

Hill Archery released the pamphlet that Hill wrote about aiming after they moved to Montana.  Whether Hill mechanically aimed with split vision or intuitively aimed with a mental history of split vision ingrained, is something that I am curious about. Either way, it probably is what happens with experience and perhaps the article can be an aid to someone new to this and on how to get things programmed sooner when the hand/eye coordination has no previous experience with aiming an arrow. Finding that point on is important for me, that is a form of split vision aiming.  My point on is quite far, but after shooting at a deer target that is point on, going down to 40 yards is easier than shooting for extended periods at less than 20 and then trying to go back to 40 yards.  I believe that there is a visual familiarity when practicing longer shots that cannot be learned as easily practicing only short shots.  Whether it is split vision aiming or not, I guess, is a matter of conscious acknowledgement  or intuitive experience.

[Charlie Lamb]

Well put Pavan. I agree completely. John was quite adamant that Howard used no system of aiming during his association with him.

For the new guy having some sort of reference can greatly accelerate the process of learning instinctive memory.

One more thing... just to put the rumors to rest. According to John, Howard was left eye dominant. I would never have believed it.

[two4hooking]

What's your point on Charlie?

I just went out and did some shooting to figure out mine as I never really paid attention to the point of my arrow in aiming.  I placed my aiming point and walked back aways about where I thought I would be in the ballpark.  Shot 4 arrows and damned if they didn't all land closely around my spot.  Amazing what the brain will do once conditioned.  The second end confirmed my results.

One of Howard Hill's absolute fundamentalisms, 'Do not look at the arrow.'  I shoot both left and right handed, it makes no difference. However, when I even shift my eyes for an instant to the tip of the arrow and away from the target, the shot falls apart.  The off eye has a better perspective on the tip of the arrow and it will take over the shot and can misalign your aim. So if you ever shoot at a deer with your right hand bow, check your draw by glancing at the point and then miss the deer two feet to the left, you know what happened. It took me a couple of deer to figure that out.  Now all of my broadhead arrows are cut so the blade lightly tags my finger at full draw and I no longer feel the need to look at it.  One of the pluses of shooting wood arrows out of longbows, they do not need to be longer than necessary.

[Charlie Lamb]

40 yds

I wish mine was 40 yards. With my neck in a comfortable neutral and slightly forward position, mine runs from 52 with a 54 pound yew longbow and 530 grain 1918 and surewood arrows to over 60 yards with cedar arrows and my faster longbows.  The combination of 27"bop broadheads and the distance from the even with and behind the corner of my mouth anchor to my eye, must make the long point on. That point aim can vary with the perception difference of net length arrows to broadheads.  When finding it with my broadheads, I mark an arrow to emulate the visual length of my net blunts to make an accurate comparison. The blunts always have a bit shorter point on than the broadheads, I would like to believe that it is close enough that it is nothing to think about when shooting a broadhead at game, but I may be wrong.