long bow

[highmuley]

Does anyone hunt with a long bow? Do you like it (why)? Hate it (why)? Just askin. Thanks

[carpsniperg2]

There is more then a couple of guys on here that go into the field with a long bow in hand. I love all sides of archery trad and modern. I am waiting for a long bow right now and dream about it more then any bow I have ever owned. I own a lot! for that fact

If bone comes in maybe he can share some of his trad animals. He has killed some great critters with his.

[hillbilli]

I hunt some, but not exclusively, with the recurve bow, does that count?

[npaull]

I hunt big game with nothing but a longbow. Wes Wallace Royal, 55# @ 28" (I draw about 30").

I absolutely love it. Light, elegant, deadly, simple. No range-finding BS, no mechanics to fail on me. An extra string is about all I ever need to have in the field. I limit my shots on game to about 20 yards, but if you can't get close, you shouldn't be bowhunting...

Go for it, traditional bows are so much fun.

[RG]

I hunted with a longbow for a long time, they are so light and nice to carry.  You have to shoot a lot to be good but that's the essence of the sport.  I made my own cedar arrows for a while but eventually went to aluminum.  I wrecked the rotator cuff in my shoulder so bowhunting is off my list these days.  My son-in-law hunts with the longbow now.  I had a recurve too which was a little easier to shoot well but I still loved the longbow.  Go for it.  PS:  I owned an archery shop for 7 years and went through PSE's dealer tech school.  I spent those years fixing, shooting, and tuning compounds so when it came time for my own hunting I went back to simple.

[ribka]

Hunted many years with long bow and recurve before moving out West. Shot many deer, bear, cariboo. Bought a compound because of longer shots out here.

Slowly getting back to trad shooting again. Compounds are a pain because of rests, sites, tuning, weight  etc etc.

[boneaddict]

Yes, frantically getting ready to go out right now.  Couple years ago.

[ribka]

Takedown long bows do not count

[quadrafire]

I am hunting with a longbow this year (If I get a chance to get out) Took a lot of work to get proficient. Tuning is a bit different than a compound. You tune the arrow to the bow not the other way around. I'm learning by the school of hard knocks, asking alot of questions, and reading as much as I can. As well as shooting every day. I figure I will only be confident 20 yrds and under. I have shot several animals with a compound, and wanted to try something different.
It is different all right. The things I love about it...... Super light, no timing, sights, rest, release to mess with. Mine is a bit complicated as it is a 3 piece takedown, but I have never taken it down. All you need is a string/silencers,  knockpoint,  tuned arrow/broadhead and you are ready to go.

[RG]

G. Fred Asbell (sp?) wrote several books on instinctive shooting that are excellent works on the art of shooting traditional bows.  The grip and followthrough are critical and different from compound shooting.  I highly recommend the books, they made a big difference for me.

[jstone]

I have an entiat doe tag for the late season. I will try to get a buck in another area first but if not i will be chasing does with my long bow.

[highmuley]

Mixed reviews so far. I'm still leaning towards the recurve. I post a question on another topic (carbon Vs. Aluminum) about arrow shaft choices. What do you folks think for traditional bows? I know if I go full on traditional, people will be hatin about ONLY using wood. But for real, performance wise, what do you folks prefer?

[boneaddict]

carbon

[boneaddict]

I am working on wood arrows and maybe even stone points, but I am not that good at making them yet.

[highmuley]

That "wood" be cool. I'm not sure I have the patients (or time) to get that deep into traditional bow hunting. I would love to do it though. I was thinkin the carbon arrows would be the correct choice (a lot lighter than my aluminum arrows too).

[highmuley]

I am working on wood arrows and maybe even stone points, but I am not that good at making them yet.

What wood are you using for the shafts?

[Snapshot]

Takedown long bows do not count

That is not a REAL longbow...

[Snapshot]

I switched from recurve to longbow about fifteen years ago. Besides what has been said thusfar, I really like that a 68" bow is great for steadying the binoculars. Try that with a compound and you'll be picking cactus out of your knees...

That said, this Spring I bought a 48" recurve for future treestand late hunts, because my 68" longbow isn't ideal when the deer walk almost directly underneath the stand.

[boneaddict]

Recurve or longbow.......I doubt I could pick one over the other, other than my bowyer made a gorgeous longbow so thats what I shoot.  I liked it so much and I have such a love for quality wood, I had him make me another and its nothing short of amazing.   Maybe if I spent more time watching the woods and less time admiring the beauty of it, I might actually see and shoot something.    

Recurve over compound.   I like simple, I like wood.  I like feeling I am depending on me more than gadgets.  I like that its lighter.  I like that its wood against wood when I smack a limb.   It feels pretty good to instinctively kncock down a record book critter.   

[boneaddict]

[RG]

I like your bow and your buck!

[Bean Counter]

I'll get there... someday 

[boneaddict]

Thanks RG.   Thats my original bow.   

[flinter]

I shoot a 68" takedown R/D longbow, 59 lbs.@ 31" and love it. Smooth drawing and hard hitting. Last season I shot thru an elk at about 30 yards with a full length 2219, tipped with a 200 gr. Woodsman Elite, recovery distance about 30 yards. Once you get proficient with it you will never fill handicapped. I would much rather carry my light and long bow thru the brush than a short heavy wheely bow that has all those places to catch sticks with.

[highmuley]

Hey BONE....is that buck this year?

[boneaddict]

No, a couple years ago.....Idaho I think.  I had three tags one year, montana, Idaho and drew washington of course finally.     That was an outstanding year.  I did the same damn thing with elk the following year.