Ever shoot a Hill style and say "no thanks"?

[Mudd]

Years ago I shot the most punishing Hill style longbow of any bow I had ever shot and thought it was the design that was so terrible.

Over the years I searched relentlessly for the bow that was going to take me to "Sherwood".

I think I've owned and shot almost every bow offered on the market at that time and my search wasn't over.

I shot some of them very well and with great ease but nothing was "melding" with my spirit until I convinced myself to try another true American style longbow.

I came across a HH Big5 at a reasonable price and a lifelong love affair began.

My search narrowed considerably.

Now I seek the creme de la creme....... and I think I am close for me.

Having said all that..... it doesn't really matter what "does it" for me as far as you are concerned. What matters is what's gonna "do it" for you.

Good luck and have fun in your quest!

God bless,Mudd

[hybridbow hunter]

I draw 31+" and for me Hill style bows are a punishment: too slow, too long for hunting (72") , not sweet at all for me on the draw even in 72" length, too much kick and for bows under 60# i can't find a shaft weak enough in 32"+ lenght to fly properly.
Good looking bow though

[northener]

yes ----- love the history and romance of the longbow but am and probably always will be more accurate and comfortable with recurves.

Howard Hill was an exceptional talent with a longbow but worked very diligently with it as well.

[buckeye_hunter]

I'm not saying they are bad bows, but I don't like them at all.

[Roadkill]

Just a diffetent arrow launcher that often requires patience to shoot well.  I guess I failed as I do not shoot them after trying one.

[Thumper Dunker]

I like all bows. Some times I feel like a long bow some times feel like a recurve.  What's hand shock?

[Cavscout9753]

Dunker, there you are. Was looking at coyote skin quivers on here last night and got to thinking I hadn't seen tradgang's greatest coyote killer in a while. Perhaps I missed some of your traffic. Either way, hope you're well. I'm not sure what hand shock is either, I shoot a JD Berry.

[Overspined]

I'll shoot any style bow.

There are crappy builds in every style. Trying one bow from a category is a naive way to make decisions about bow styles.

I've shot plenty of terrible recurves and R/D bows, as well as Hill style ASL's.

I've shot plenty of good ones of each style too. I can say pretty surely that I am not a recurve guy for hunting.  Love em for shooting.

[Steve O]

Whoops; I just typed in a long answer to another thread by mistake here     :D  

I'll just reiterate...Hill style--every time I shoot one!

[Brad Arnett]

I've only shot a handful of hill style bows but I am not a fan.

[GingivitisKahn]

Ever shoot a Hill style and say "no thanks"?

Nope.

 

p.s. Hand shock just means you are holding it incorrectly.

[akbowbender]

I posted to this thread early on, but never answered the question: count me as a no! Love 'em!

[Dan bree]

I got half way thru this post and I just got to put my two cents in.   Hand shook?  You have a poorly made not timed long bow. I have only 20longbows and the only one that shocked me was a Robertson stybow but that was with locust core and Osage riser. Depends on what it's built with I think . Yew or bamboo core now on most  . NM. Tolke. Miller. Jet. . Shew hill. Ect all are great . Fast . No hand shock  .no neck pain ?  . Love my long bows.

[highlow]

Gin givitisKahn. Have two HH blanks. One a friend of mine finished and another I did. Both turned out really well. Nice looking bows but lots of hand shock. You say that's because of the way one holds a Hill style bow. What is the right way?

[lbshooter]

To the contrary.  The first time I shot a Hill bow it was the only bow I shot for over 15 years.  Loved shooting that bow!  A reduction in draw weight due to an arm injury resuted in my eventual return to a recurve.

[Dan bree]

Go to Howard hill longbowmen. Com.   Good stuff.

[GingivitisKahn]

Originally posted by highlow:
Gin givitisKahn. Have two HH blanks. One a friend of mine finished and another I did. Both turned out really well. Nice looking bows but lots of hand shock. You say that's because of the way one holds a Hill style bow. What is the right way?

I grip mine "like you're holding a suitcase" very firmly with a very slightly bent bow arm.  If I'm holding it a bit low or a bit light, it starts to get squirrely.  They let you know what they like and what they don't.

dickwightman dot com has an article re: Proper Grip of a Hill Bow

Have a look at that.

[jsparky93]

Nope! I love mine. Like others have stated it's all in how you hold it. This is how Howard Hill described how he held a bow: "I simply hold the bow handle the same as I would the handle of a suitcase. With the bowstring up & the arms hanging down at the sides. Grasp bow handle as on a suitcase, easily, you will note your thumb joint will be directly out from the center of the belly of the bow"

[LongStick64]

Yes I have actually. A Martin ML-10, what a thump on the shot and awful to draw. At first I thought I must be doing something wrong but nope it's the bow. I did after a while tolerate it but gave it away first chance I had. Now compare it to my Northern Mist retro Classic and it's like comparing a Yugo to a Ferrari. The NM Classic is a peach of a bow to shoot. I wouldn't trade/sell it for anyone's bow or pennies.

[Moots]

I've owned four or five American Semi-longbows, thought I was through with them in favor of r/d longbows that seem faster with less hand shock.  But then I bought a JET longbow.  Love the way that bow shoots and it rekindled my love for the American Semi-longbow.

Since then, I have a JET on order, bought a James Berry Vixen, and am considering buying a Dave Miller Old Tom.