What makes a hunting bow for you?

[ron w]

Everybody likes something different        

[Stumpkiller]

It can throw a properly heavy arrow far enough that it will reliably kill a deer at 20 yards.  Is quiet, is or can be dulled down to blend in with surroundings.

That about covers it.  The bow is just the mechanism to get the arrow to where it will do the most harm.

 

[dbd870]

Great answer Stumpkiller.

[Butchie]

Originally posted by dbd870:
Great answer Stumpkiller.

x2...Quiet above all else for me!

[nineworlds9]

I have tried a mess of bows in the last couple years.  I would say #1 to me is it needs to have the satisfactory tone/ level of quietness on the shot as perceived by me.  This is easier to achieve in a longbow, hence I gravitate toward longbows/ hybrids.  However, I have discovered that this can also be achieved in a recurve bow with minimal intervention/ add ons if said bow is well designed/tillered, and also the recipe often involves static tips.  Also tied in with quietness is the requisite limb stability to prevent or minimize any undue limb oscillation/ resonance...which contributes to a reactive shot and or perception of handshock.  Second I would say I would like the bow to be outstanding in cast or dynamic efficiency for its given weight- I.e. a bow that has very little arrow drop at 10gpp within 30 yds or less.  That is why I also tend to favor r/d or hybrid longbows, or a well designed recurve.  To me, Hill styles have a certain simplicity and romance to them, however I do not find myself satisfied with their cast/trajectory unless I am shooting a higher draw weight than I otherwise would.  Thirdly, I care about the grip.  I favor at minimum some type of locator.  I like low or medium wrist and I like a grip, even if low wrist, that has a nice palm swell or shape that allows the force of the draw to be focused on the strongest/most stable part of the hand.  The throat of the grip should be large enough that my hand can wrap around comfortably without my fingers overlapping or interfering with each other.  Fourth I would consider length.  This though is heavily tied into overall design and function..I enjoy bows from 70" to 56" but each bow must be optimized for its given length.  I have discovered that the rare 'short bow' may perform admirably if the recipe is correct.  But yes length does help with stability/smoothness so I do tend to favor bows 60-64".  The rest largely involves aesthetics.  I went through a phase of enjoying metal riser/ILF bows.  While they are highly functional/durable, such as for bow fishing or rough hunting conditions, and some top performers are to be found among the adjustable/ factory style bows, I find them too impersonal and so I favor handmade 1pc or bolt down wood/boo/glass (or carbon) or selfbows for hunting purposes.  To me the Stickbow is more than a tool, it is an embodiment of our primitive roots and a love of simplicity and an ethic that values the challenges in life and not merely contemporary instant gratification.

Bow choice is highly individual.  One man's go to may be the last thing the next guy wants to shoot.  I will say that the cream rises to the surface out there in bowyer-land LOL.  Some are better bow-chefs than others    

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I think a 60" hybrid long bow has gotta be my first choice.  Reasons?   Narrow deep core limbs, push pull stringing capability, the design allows a smooth draw to longer draw lengths with a good string angle & reasonably compact length. The long bow shape with the tips pointed straight seems to slip through the brush much easier than a recurve for me..... and last but not least.... they are quiet when you drop the string.

BTW.... I GOTTA have purple cat whiskers too...

   

[kill shot]

I shot several bows of the same make and poundage. None are exactly the same. I guess when you try a bow you can just tell.

[DaveT1963]

For me, the number one thing I look for is does it cast an arrow where I naturally look.  Yes I can manipulate rest material, nock point and brace height, but there are jsut some bows that I pick up and no matter what arrow I put on the string (within reason) what rest material I use, what brace height, it just seems to work with my vision/face/anchor and puts the arrow where I look.  I can't define what it is that makes this happen, probably a combination of things, but I know it when I shoot it.

After that I want a bow that is quiet, stable (I hate vibration in the limbs)and can cast a heavy hunting arrow with at least 175 fps (10-12 grains per inch).

For me this seems to be JD Berry Bows, my Thunderhorn 3 piece, and my Bruin Recurve.

[Ryan Sanpei]

Quiet, Compact, Durable & Dependable...

[Frank V]

I shoot several bows, the one I take the most is a Howard Hill Big5, I like recurves too & hunt with several, Blacktail Elite, Fox High Sierra, Bear Grizzly, Bear Kodiak Hunter.
   I can't restrict mysel to one bow, I like several.       I hunt with bows in the 50-60lb range.

[riverrat 2]

A quiet bow that has a flat shooting trajectory.
A bow that I am absolutely confident shooting.
A durable bow,with a weatherproof finish.
A bow that packs a punch,and likes a heavy arrow.
A bow that can shoot very fast,and remain stable.

[NBK]

It has to be pretty.
I spend too much time sitting in a tree to be staring at an ugly bow all day.
Oh yeah, quiet, durable, yada, yada...

I'm so shallow.

Seriously though, I've come to prefer a mild r/d longbow close to a d shape when strung.  62" or longer, about 55 lbs with a slight locator grip, one or two piece for light carrying, narrow thick core that's subdued in color.  It can be fancy in appearance but very simple in design.

[ron w]

Good answers so far.....some long, some short, just like our bows.....  

[longbow fanatic 1]

This year, my choice is my 64" Stewart LS.  Great shooter. For me, I don't want to hunt with a bow that has fancy wood. This way, I won't feel bad should the bow get dinged.

[Red Beastmaster]

Light in hand ranks pretty high with me. I love my takedown recurve with bowquiver but it's a load to carry stillhunting all day. I'd much rather hunt with a longbow or hybrid with bowquiver.

[Roger Norris]

Light in the hand...I like a longbow rather than a full size riserd recurve.

Dull. I have no use for a shiny, beautiful bow. Sorry. Flat green or brown.

Easy to shoot....this has a lot to do with the grip. If the grip doesn't fit me, the finest bow in the world is lost on me.

Quiet. It has to have that dull "thump" that you feel more than hear...

My Northern Mist Baraga fills that bill

[ron w]

"Sorry, flat green or brown" . No need to apologize, I painted mine camo.....lol!

[hawkeye n pa]

A easy shooting bow thats quiet and smooth, usually in a 60" length for me.   175 fps has put alot of meat in the freezer.  BTW my bows are also painted.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Originally posted by Roger Norris:
Light in the hand...I like a longbow rather than a full size riserd recurve.

Dull. I have no use for a shiny, beautiful bow. Sorry. Flat green or brown.

Easy to shoot....this has a lot to do with the grip. If the grip doesn't fit me, the finest bow in the world is lost on me.

Quiet. It has to have that dull "thump" that you feel more than hear...

X2


My Northern Mist Baraga fills that bill

[awbowman]

Light longbow that's quiet and capable of decent trajectory up to 25 yards.  Likes 10-11 GPP arrows.

Sounds like my Super D