equipment thoughts

[Dave Lay]

I may be way over thinking this or something. I kinda switch back and forth between a recurve and a longbow, woodies and aluminum arrows, i am pretty firm on my broadhead, which is a zwickey delta.  I shoot a recurve more consistant and probably overall better than a longbow, due to mass weight and such, over all i feel the aluminum arrows are more consistant ( theres that word again)than my woodies. My total reason for shoting a bow is to bow hunt, although i enjoy archery in the off season, shooting a little 3-d and stumping, which is all for practice and to stay in shape for hunting... my issue is that i would love to be a traditional styled longbow and wood arrow guy, ive killed several deer and small game with this set up, but ive also made some less than perfect shots as well, my recurve and aluminums have a good record of really good shots on game with a very few that would be considered off the mark. this is maybe 100 deer and alot of pigs and small game in almost 40 years of bowhunting with trad gear. I have friends that say to put down the recurve totally and just shoot the longbow if thats what i want to use and it will come, I dont know about that, i feel we should hunt with what we shoot best, it would be unethical in my mind not to do so, or to risk a bad shot on a critter just because i want to shoot equipment that may not work as well for me as other would. I guess my question is how do you guys select your hunting gear ( target archery doesnt even come into this, other than practice) is it based on what you shoot best? or what you want to shoot?

[NBK]

I'm with your buddies and shoot what I want to.  I just plain love the lines of a one piece longbow so that's what I have, and all the practice towards being proficient with it.
I was encouraged when I saw Schlaggerman shooting his recurve loaded with quiver and arrows grouping tight, then picking up my longbow and after a couple of arrows start to group just as tight!
It's the shooter, not the bow so pick the one you WANT.
Good luck!

[Orion]

Hmmmmm.  Did you analyze the type of shots taken with each type of bow, i.e., distance, angle, obstructions, etc.  It's possible your shot selection was just better with the recurve.  Regardless, if you shoot the recurve better, but want to hunt with a longbow, the answer is simple.  Get closer, as close as you would need to get to be as deadly as you are with a recurve. It works the opposite, too, of course, if one shoots the longbow better but wants to hunt with a recurve.

Your dilemma is an old one.  Folks shooting wheelie bows who are considering switching to stickbows go through the same soul searching.  Basically, they find it hard to give up the precise accuracy and greater distances they can shoot accurately, vis-a-vis a stickbow.  

As I've said quite a few times before, when how one does it becomes more important than how big or how many, the answer becomes self evident.  Good luck.

[ChuckC]

Well,  yes... but, I shoot my .270 a lot better than I do my recurve, especially after 100 yards.

If it makes you happier, and you are OK with the work it will take, maybe a longbow is in your future.  

I myself shoot the recurve a bit better than my longbows, but I love the longbow.  That is what I usually use to hunt.  Get em close, shoot em right.  or.....don't

ChuckC

[Dave Lay]

my shot selection is pretty consistant, 10-20 yards and nothing but good shot angle's etc. i just dont want to risk a bad shot on a animal due to my hard head and pride. it might be 1 animal out of a hundred, but that 1 is too many....

[damascusdave]

The way you worded your question/s defines the answer for me...what I want to hunt with is what I shoot best...I reserve my other bows for shooting non living things for the ethical reason you allude to

DDave

[m midd]

I hunt with what i shoot best but i also love a straight end longbow with wood arrows. I shoot 3d with that set up and hunt with it some but when it comes down to it 99% of the time i grab my mild r/d longbow and 2020s and hunt

I hunt with my longbow 95% of the time because that is the bow I am best with!

Bisch

[dnovo]

I strictly hunt with my longbow. I'm not the greatest shot in the world but I do ok. I like the look and feel of the longbow more than the recurve, although I own more recurves than longbows.
I simply work to be good with it. I think if you want to make the switch, now is a good time. Start shooting the longbow and nothing but, it will soon feel like part of you. Maybe a bow quiver on it qould help the trabsition with having the little bit extra weight.
I have aluminum and wood but havent shot any aluminum in years. I love the woodies. A quality set of wood arrows will prove to be every bit as good as the aluminum and when you have that confidence in them then mentally you are prepared. Good luck and happy shooting.

[Friend]

Selecting either a recurve or longbow, for me, is not determined based on which one I may shoot more proficiently. Acquired competency and confidence levels well within my intended hunting and effective range predicates that decision. Knowing, recognizing altering conditions and adhering to your limitations remains paramount.

[old_goat2]

I started with a one piece longbow and shot a recurve one day and was stacking arrows in a group and a short time later I bought a recurve and put the longbow on the block to sale. Fast forward a few years and I get a hybrid longbow, recurve style riser and longbow limbs and I'm shooting it as good or better than my recurves. Maybe that would for you too, best of both worlds in myopinion

[KeganM]

I agree with old_goat2, it's more about the particular bow design rather than longbow vs. recurve. I can't shoot a light-in-the-hand one piece longbow anywhere nearly as well as a three piece longbow, which I shoot just as well, if not better, than a recurve.

[cahaba]

I shoot my longbow best only because that's what I prefer. With the right form any archer can shoot
either one if they spend enough time behind the string.

[Bowwild]

I'm sure I select the bow on appearance and feel first. This is why I am drawn to recurves because I love their grace and the promise of action in their bent tips.  I'm then drawn to recurves that would seem to me easier for me to shoot accurately. Too me that means a bow that is 58-62" long and with mass in the riser.

If I wasn't satisfied with my ability to accurately and comfortably shoot recurves I would try longbows. Of course I don't ever expect to be without room for improvement in my shooting. Thank goodness I enjoy shooting (practice) almost as much as I enjoy the hunt.

Lately I've been intrigued with some of the smaller, lighter recurves I've seen in the Classifieds (Toelke Kestrel, Fox Breed, et.). However, I can't bring my self to buy one for fear I won't like the feel of shooting it and the way things don't sell these days, I'd take a beating trying to move it again. I'm ignorant about these bows because I have no experience with them. It is difficult to believe they won't feel as smooth or dead in the hand as my heavier curves such as Tips, TT Titan, Sasquatch, Habu, etc.)

I've dabbled with wood (made em), aluminum and carbon for arrows. I like the consistency and lack of metal sound with carbons. In fact, my arrow choice is the item of archery gear that I'm the most committed too.

The broadhead I use is made by and of course endorsed by a good friend. While I have many other great broadheads (Silver Flame, VAP, etc.) I wouldn't feel right if I reported to my friend having killed something with someone else's broadhead. Of course if I didn't have confidence in this head and good experience with it I'd just have to tell my friend and use something else. That isn't the case though.

[maineac]

I am with the shoot what you want crowd, and practice as much as possible to be as good as possible with that bow.  A compound with peep and pins would guarantee even more precision in your shooting.  But you choose trad for your bow. Every choice has its merits.  Your choice should be about what gives you the greatest pleasure while practicing and hunting.  If that is a long bow go for that choice.

[EHK]

I'm with you, Dave.  I love the lines of a one piece longbow, but I'm a better shot with a recurve.  I still shoot both for practice, but when it comes time to hunt, 8 times out of ten I grab my recurve.  I agree with Friend's statement that knowing one's limitations is paramount.  I'll take the 20 yard shot when hunting with the recurve, but won't go beyond 15 with the longbow.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

When a man puts away his rife, and decides to take up archery. He devotes himself to perfecting his skill level until he becomes confident enough to hunt with it...

Confidence is a huge part of instinctive archery. If you decide to take up a long bow you need to dedicate yourself to shooting it well. The confidence that follows will become the fruit of your efforts.

If it's the mass weight of your recurve bows that you attribute to being more consistant with, you can have a long bow built with more mass weight in the riser that looks just as traditional as the feather weight bows.... food for thought... Kirk

[Rob W.]

Well said Kirk.

[Keb]

I just had a Dan Toelke build me a longbow with micarta in the riser to give it the weight I wanted. So its longbow and woodies for me.

But seems you have done well with your recurve, I bet you will do well with the longbow to.