Short bows? really? don't you want more?

[Sixby]

Rat:I offer a 68 in String follow. Sold one and it was then promptly compared to the speed of the gentlemans 64 inch bows.
I still build the bow if ordered and it is a wonderful shooting bow. The answer to you question from this bowyer is that selling one bow in two years of offering a model is not profitable. It seems that there is lots of talk about liking long bows but my experience is that it seems to be just that and when push comes to shove most of my longbows are ordered as 64 and 62 inch models.
God bless, Steve

[Stump73]

Rolltide, I thought I was the shortest on tradgang at 5' 6". But I have a whopping 24 3/4" draw. Im right there with you not being able to shoot longer longbows. My 56" thunderchild fits me fine. If shot very much longer I would have to stand on concrete blocks.

[Mike Mecredy]

I make them long and short

[Mike Mecredy]

yep 48" - 70"

[Yellow Dog]

Rat, I take it you're still liking that Cocobolo and Tamo Ash Griffin since it still resides in your stable of "long" bows. Don't see those 64 inchers very often.

   

[Flingblade]

Howard Hill states in his book "Hunting the Hard Way" on page 99 a 28 inch arrow requires a six foot bow.  That is 72".  When I ordered my Wesley Special I ordered it at 70" as that was the longest that HH Archery offered although my draw length is 28 1/2".  My preferred arrow length is 30" which according to Howard Hill would require a 76" bow.  Not sure why the move to shorter longbows although I would guess the R/D design has had something to do with it.  I defer to the master; string follow and long.

[Tim]

Hey Rat.....just having some morning coffee enjoying your rant!!!    

[Rob DiStefano]

rat, you must never have hunted in really thick south carolina or georgia brush, or up a texas tree stand covered in limbs, or in a short wyoming double bull antelope blind.  i did 'em all with a 64" longbow and all were, er, very, um - "challenging"   :D    but for some folks, that just makes for a more interesting hunt.    

there's a viable reason for a "short longbow", i'd never knock it.      

they're all tools, they're all good, they're all very very personal - pick the one that makes ya most happiest and try to kill something for suppers.    

[Sam McMichael]

I prefer longer bows as well. Most of my longbows are 68". A couple are 66". The length has never been a problem in the Georgia woods, but you do have to get used to handling the length in thick places. Also, I feel that, over the whole, they draw more smoothly than my recurves, which are all 58" or shorter. I guess its really just a matter of personal choice. Would some of the shorter models perform the same if made a few inches longer? That would make a great study. If some of these bowyers would build some longer bows, they may open a whole new customer base. Either way, long or short, they are all good bows.

[LongStick64]

Being on the short side of height, I'll argue that a longer bow does not work for me at all. I even make my self bows short. It all depends on your draw length, for me with a 26 inch draw length a longer bow does not really help much. Also there are some awesome short bows that draw extremely smooth, my Big Jim TC is as smooth to draw as my 68inch longbow.

[ron w]

quote:Originally posted by riverrat 2:
Cyclic-Rivers,I'm a truck guy. So don't care about who makes what in a car. BUT...if I'm spending my money from here on out on one... I KNOW what works. I like the models a lot are building but I prefer a Longer bow than they offer. If you were buying a Corvette,would you get a 6-cylinder?         I also like longer bows[66"-70"] but have a fantastic 62" Holm Osprey that is on of the best shooters I have had.

[kadbow]

My longest longbow is 58", love em short.

[randy grider]

I shoot as practice for hunting, and to me a 56" or 58" Reflex deflex longbow is the best hunting weapon. Speed of a recurve, does not get hung in brush like a recurve, quick handling, easy to string and unstring, Its all good !

[Bladepeek]

Hey Rat. Missed seeing you at the last shoot I attended.

I hear what you're saying, but my comment would have to be "You like long bows? Then buy long bows". They are out there.

I think bowyers are building what we are asking for. There's a 62" RER Arroyo in the classifieds right now begging for a buyer. It would certainly not stack or pinch your fingers. I bet Kevin would tell you most of the static tip bows he built were shorter because that's what people want. I have one of his LXRs; a 58" static tip 'curve and a set of 62" longbow limbs for the same riser. I prefer the 58". I bet you if I blindfolded you, you would have trouble telling which set is on the bow.

I also have a 66" longbow that really does stiffen fast at my 28" draw.

Different strokes ......

[cacciatore]

I am glad you love longer bows and you enjoy them,
For me a too long bow is a nightmare to carry in the woods,where the limbs hit every bush every limbs,make noise and slow down my climb in the mountains,making them dangerous too. How much more flexible I am with a short bow in my hands where a 25 yards shot is my max imposed distance. Maybe in the open range at much longer targets I can see some utility,but like South Cox was used to say: I am deathly at 7 yards.lol

[Ron LaClair]

I use to hunt out of a tree with a 70" 80# Zebra longbow. By the time I got through trimming limbs to get clearance to shoot it looked like I was on a telephone pole...     :D  

Who started this short bow craze anyway? I remember an ad in TB magazine 20 some years ago advertizing "The World's shortest longbow"...    

[Diamond Paul]

Short bows are like short, lightweight rifles:  great fun to carry through the woods, super cool-looking, and neat as anything, until it comes time to shoot them.

[pbr]

Totally agree with all of Randy's points about reasons for D/R 56-58" longbow. Also the size of the hunter is a factor in bow length, swinging around a 64" bow is a whole different story if your 5'8" vs. 6'3". I am 5'10" and 56" bow feels about right for my tree stand.

[ghall80]

I am with you my man 6'3" 30" draw I love a longer  bow

[tippit]

I'm 6'1" and I much prefer a short bow 54-56".  I have long bows (actually way too many bows ) but I don't think I've ever hunted one over 60".  Go figure everyone has different preferences...tippit

PS:  Maybe that's why I prefer short hunting knives as apposed to long bowies