Longbow or recurve?

[Dryfirepete]

Thanks again, guys! You gave me lots of valuable insight and a lot to think about and consider!

 

[Beendare]

Dryfire,
If my posts convey a negative attitude towards Longbows, thatis not my intent. One thing not mentioned; longbows are almost silent.

They are an amazing weapon…and when they become an extension of your arm as with the guys that shoot them well……its a beautiful thing.

.

 

[mthompson3300]

personel preference i shoot both recurve and longbow like the both would problaby prefer recurve alittle bit more though

 

[TradArcher]

I shoot both. Love both but love my longbow more. What am I more accurate with? Depends on which bow I've been shooting more lately.

Find a shop/club/shoot and go shoot/try a bunch of different tradbows....find out what you fall in love with and go shoot that.

Following your heart is always easier (and much more rewarding) than following anybody else's theory.

 

[GLB]

Even though I shoot both, I much prefer the longbow. To be more specific the mild reflex deflex LB that is D shaped when strung. Me being different than most the recurves are harder to shoot for me and I definitely shoot the LB much better under stress.

The RC will usually have a performance advantage and comes in a smaller package and most will prefer them over the LB. However you never know until you spend some time with them both.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Some amateur thoughts. Doesn't matter if your bow breaks down or not...when hunting it's still a big azz stick.



When hunting you want the bow you shoot best in your hands, with sufficient DW and an arrow heavy enough for a pass thru. Accuracy and performance = ethics. You get far fewer shot opportunities with a stickbow than you do with a compound.

Sometimes you choose the bow, sometimes the bow chooses you. The latter is better IMHO. Regardless what you end up with, shoot it a lot, every day. It's not like shooting a CB, especially for hunting. You cannot rely on anything but your ability to become one with the bow. For it to become an extension of your body. That only happens after taking thousands of shots.

 

[jog]

There is only one way to know what you like and thats to find out 1st hand. However, life is too short to hunt with ugly equipment.
I prefer 1950's styling, smaller mass risers, and low string angle at full draw. Quiet at the shot. Here is my Toelke SS, "Elkmaster".



Proof

 

[WyoArk]

I have own and hunt with both. I feel that my long bow is a bit more forgiving than my recurves. I think starting out with a longbow is a good choice. My longbow is hybrid.

Although I have taken more game with a long bow, I switched over to recurves exclusively 5 or 6 years ago and I don’t see me going back. With my 62# @ 28 bob lee I am able to shoot relatively flatly out to 35 yards. Not having to change my sight picture helps a ton when I am in hunting scenarios.

I shoot victory Vap 400 spine arrows, left wing fletched 4 inch shield cut with 80 grain steel outserts and 160 grain Simmons heads.

 

[Bama Creek Bum]

I have a Bear TD recurve that I bought around 1990.
I have an ILF recurve that I bought 2 years ago.

I have a Black Hunter hybrid longbow that I bought in March of this year.

I shoot the longbow better than the recurves.

I have a Toelke Whistler on order, it should be delivered in the next 10 days.

I like the hybrid longbows. Light, quiet, I have a 30” draw and my longbows are 58” and 60”.

I got into traditional archery because I like the simplicity and I feel more ”connected” with a lightweight stick and string. Unlike my compound that are heavy, covered with gadgets and are basically cumbersome machines.

 

[Dryfirepete]

Ok, so I finally pulled the trigger and payed my deposit for a............. St. Patrick Lake Yukon Styk. So, as you can see, I took a different route than originally planned. Already look forward to getting the bow next year, hoping it was the right decision. You all gave me great input! Thanks again!

 

[Wilderlife]

Oh, nice one, bloke.

Those bows look incredible. I've even been considering selling my Pacific Styk to fund a Yukon Styk. Not likely I'll go down that road, however.

Post plenty of pics when you get it, and enjoy the wild ride that is an ASL.

 

[Dryfirepete]

Oh, nice one, bloke.

Those bows look incredible. I've even been considering selling my Pacific Styk to fund a Yukon Styk. Not likely I'll go down that road, however.

Post plenty of pics when you get it, and enjoy the wild ride that is an ASL.

Thanks, mate, I will! I watched your videos and understand you have one with a locator grip and one with a dished grip. I'm still struggling between a straight grip and a dished grip. If you got yourself a Yukon Styk, which grip would you take? Dished grip again or rather straight grip?

Cheers!

 

[Wilderlife]

Probably the dished grip I guess mate, but I'd be happy with a straight grip.

My Aussie-built longbow with the locator grip is also fantastic and I'd potentially even go that way. I find it easy to shoot but it doesn't look as much like an ASL as a straight or dished so I tend to like the idea of a different grip for that sake.

 

[Te Hopo]

I started with a Black Hunter recurve and have to say, I love it.
Great grip, nice short length and it fair zips the arrows along compared to my Bear Montana longbow.
What I do love about the Bear is its shallow grip and its ease of grip repeability, combined with that classic D shape

 

[mattflint]

Ive gone back and forth from longbow to recurve a couple times in my short journey.
While I currently shoot a metal riser recurve. I think Ill be going with a wood longbow next year. No matter how well I get an ilf system dialed it does not have that mellow “thunk” of a longbow. Idk that this riser limb combo is going anywhere though as Ive never had such a consistent set up as this tempest/kteenos grip. I will try and bring some of that to the table with a taller longbow with bigger riser ie 66” 10x whip.
Something of note. I ran my limb over this early elk season. Was able to be back in the woods the next weekend thanks to John sending me new limbs. I imagine Id be screwed with a 1or 2 pc longbow

 

[Newtosavage]

Idk if the Olympic analogy comes into play here. Punching paper w light arrows at long distances and shooting heavy arrows close range at animals are 2 dif things. Some of the best shooters in the world are longbow guys.
Fred Bear God bless him was a businessman. If recurves were cutting edge and that’s where the money was or he felt it was that could be why he concentrated there. Than too he might have just liked recurves himself better.
Also add to the Olympic thing, they shoot very differently, they anchor differently, hold the bow upright, recurve windows lend themselves more toward that.
Now the accuracy thing is a big one, imo longbows are far superior here. They’re def more point and shoot, def more accurate. Speed would be negligible but I’ve got a couple shoot by eye, cause I’ve never run em through a chrono , but they seem as fast or faster. Point being if speed really was the only reason we’d not be shooting any trad bows. It’s the love of watching an arrow fly, being 100 percent of the reason it flew that way, recurve, hybrid or longbow doesn’t matter all that much at that point.
To the op, go to a rendezvous, lots of makers will let you try their offerings. Chose what suits you.

The Olympics used to be contested with longbows, believe it or not.

You can have the opinion that longbows are more accurate. You're entitled to that opinion. But if it were true, Olympic archers would be using longbow limbs. However, they don't.

The idea that longbows are superior is strictly a romantic notion not supported by facts.

 

[oldgoat]

The Olympics used to be contested with longbows, believe it or not.

You can have the opinion that longbows are more accurate. You're entitled to that opinion. But if it were true, Olympic archers would be using longbow limbs. However, they don't.

The idea that longbows are superior is strictly a romantic notion not supported by facts.

But they are quieter and look way sexier!

 

[Newtosavage]

But they are quieter and look way sexier!

I'll give you that.

 

[Wilderlife]

I hate the fact that I'm a better shot with my recurves but I feel cooler because I look cooler when I'm walking around with an ASL.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

I hate the fact that I'm a better shot with my recurves but I feel cooler because I look cooler when I'm walking around with an ASL.

You and me both brother