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Which longbow
- Thread starter bungiex88
- Start date
bamaranger
New member
advice
Sorry, can't advise you on this.......but I have mentally toyed with the idea of hunting a longbow for some time. Lost arrow rest parts, loose sights, pulley axles bad......compounds are complex
Good luck with your effort and let us know what bow you choose.
Sorry, can't advise you on this.......but I have mentally toyed with the idea of hunting a longbow for some time. Lost arrow rest parts, loose sights, pulley axles bad......compounds are complex
Good luck with your effort and let us know what bow you choose.
Gunplummer
New member
Get on line (Ebay). There are hundreds of bows out there. I still use a recurve and rarely take out the long bow anymore. I have two short self bows and they are still difficult in the brushy areas. A true "English longbow" will be about six feet long, or more. I would suggest a recurve.
Might as well do some more research. I did experimenting, and found an awful lot of traditionalists have to practice a lot more, and achieve less accuracy than mostl other archers. It may not bother you, unless you're very talented and and accurate but it did bother me. I was happy to get one small buck, and injured another. I won't hamper myself again. Great for technique and fun, but I go back to my compound for when I am seriously hunting.
http://www.3riversarchery.com This is where I got most of my stuff. I do hunt small game, fish and birds with my re curves and longbows.
http://www.3riversarchery.com This is where I got most of my stuff. I do hunt small game, fish and birds with my re curves and longbows.
g.willikers
New member
Like anything else, it all depends on the effort one is willing to put into it.
But do get a copy of expert longbowman Byron Ferguson's book "Become the Arrow."
The very best ten bucks you could spend:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/09...son&qid=1444145464&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1
But do get a copy of expert longbowman Byron Ferguson's book "Become the Arrow."
The very best ten bucks you could spend:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/09...son&qid=1444145464&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1
As with everything, decide on your budget first. Long bows can run to $500 and up. Not that a decent hunting bow has to be that pricey. Look at Cabela's or Midway's site. Then go to a local archery shop(not a shop that sells bows) to get fitted.
It(and the arrows) does have to fit you and be of PA legal draw weight(35 pounds). If you can't easily lift a 35 pound box, you'll hurt yourself.
http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/058/chapter141/s141.43.html
https://www.bowhunter-ed.com/pennsylvania/hunting_law.html
And you will have to be able to draw the bow and hold it long enough to aim. That uses muscles you use for nothing else. Requires upper body tone and lots of practice. A recurve is a lot easier to draw too.
And the English Longbow is Welsh. snicker.
It(and the arrows) does have to fit you and be of PA legal draw weight(35 pounds). If you can't easily lift a 35 pound box, you'll hurt yourself.
http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/058/chapter141/s141.43.html
https://www.bowhunter-ed.com/pennsylvania/hunting_law.html
And you will have to be able to draw the bow and hold it long enough to aim. That uses muscles you use for nothing else. Requires upper body tone and lots of practice. A recurve is a lot easier to draw too.
And the English Longbow is Welsh. snicker.
Gunplummer
New member
Dr. A, Time for more research. I never saw so many wounded and lost dead deer until the compound became popular. I hear a lot of guys talk, and it is easy to estimate that for every deer hit and drug out with a compound, there is also one hit and lost.
bamaranger
New member
50/50
A fifty percent loss/success rate, that's absurd, and insulting to any bowhunter irregardless of tackle. Such estimation is only "guesstimation" and inflamatory. Such commentary only divides our sport.
I hear guys talk too, and nothing irks me more than when somebody proudly announces, "I stuck one". Typically that's blurted by a "sport" low on experience and high on machismo, who equates getting a deer in range and getting a hit as some sort of success.......I guess. As responsible bowhunters we owe it to that "sport", and our sport, and the critters we hunt, to correct that mentality, politely and intelligently, whenever we can. "Sticking one" and losing it, is nothing to be proud of, and the only positive aspect to the whole business is determining your mistake, and determining and working to avoid it next time.
Between my work, and my own hunting, I can claim an inordinate amount of time in the woods, in areas that are heavily hunted, and I have never, ever, come across a dead or crippled deer with an arrow wound, unless it was one I was tracking myself, or with somebody else. Conversely, I have found or seen multiple dead and wounded "lost" animals with gunshot wounds. The big deer lease that I was in for about a decade, hit and lost more deer with rifles, ....than the bow hunters ever did, every year, annually. And I know of at least one buck , that I hit and lost (after much searching) , that survived, and was killed by a gunhunter nearly two months later....healthy and running a doe, with a dandy scar on the shoulder blade where my Razorhead glanced off. OK...rant over.
Despite my earlier post about interested in hunting a longbow, and some early years of my own with a recurve, my own experience mirrors Dr. A's comments.......compound tackle is easier to shoot, and shoot well, than the longbow or recurve. Anybody taking the latter path as a bowhunter needs to accept that they will not have as much range or accuracy as more modern tackle....and unless incredibly gifted, or driven,or both, they will need to shoot/practice....alot. And there are folks who embrace that sort of challenge and requirements....and more power to 'em.
All that said, my average kill shot with a bow has been pretty consistent over 30 years....14 yds, well within longbow/recuve range, so hunting with the simple bows is entirely feasible for those who want to.
A fifty percent loss/success rate, that's absurd, and insulting to any bowhunter irregardless of tackle. Such estimation is only "guesstimation" and inflamatory. Such commentary only divides our sport.
I hear guys talk too, and nothing irks me more than when somebody proudly announces, "I stuck one". Typically that's blurted by a "sport" low on experience and high on machismo, who equates getting a deer in range and getting a hit as some sort of success.......I guess. As responsible bowhunters we owe it to that "sport", and our sport, and the critters we hunt, to correct that mentality, politely and intelligently, whenever we can. "Sticking one" and losing it, is nothing to be proud of, and the only positive aspect to the whole business is determining your mistake, and determining and working to avoid it next time.
Between my work, and my own hunting, I can claim an inordinate amount of time in the woods, in areas that are heavily hunted, and I have never, ever, come across a dead or crippled deer with an arrow wound, unless it was one I was tracking myself, or with somebody else. Conversely, I have found or seen multiple dead and wounded "lost" animals with gunshot wounds. The big deer lease that I was in for about a decade, hit and lost more deer with rifles, ....than the bow hunters ever did, every year, annually. And I know of at least one buck , that I hit and lost (after much searching) , that survived, and was killed by a gunhunter nearly two months later....healthy and running a doe, with a dandy scar on the shoulder blade where my Razorhead glanced off. OK...rant over.
Despite my earlier post about interested in hunting a longbow, and some early years of my own with a recurve, my own experience mirrors Dr. A's comments.......compound tackle is easier to shoot, and shoot well, than the longbow or recurve. Anybody taking the latter path as a bowhunter needs to accept that they will not have as much range or accuracy as more modern tackle....and unless incredibly gifted, or driven,or both, they will need to shoot/practice....alot. And there are folks who embrace that sort of challenge and requirements....and more power to 'em.
All that said, my average kill shot with a bow has been pretty consistent over 30 years....14 yds, well within longbow/recuve range, so hunting with the simple bows is entirely feasible for those who want to.
Gunplummer
New member
The word "Lease" tells all. Try beating the brush behind and in housing developments. (I used to do logging and land clearing) Get out on public land and walk around. I used to bow hunt Maryland and saw guys sitting in one hedgerow and watching the other hedgerow across small fields that were 60-70 yards away. If you practice at 60 yards, you will eventually take a shot at 60 yards. I have nothing against compound hunters, I used to hunt with a couple of them, but don't paint them as lily white compared to stickbow hunters. As for rifle hunting, I have said for years more deer are hit and lost during rifle season. You want to find lost deer, do some landclearing in a shotgun area after the season is over. Who the heck are you people to preach to me? Bunch of Jonny-come-lately know nothings. I was out with a bow when mentioning you bowhunted in a rural bar would get you tarred and feathered. It was amazing to watch former bow haters embrace the compound when they found out it was easier to kill a buck (During the rut) with a bow than with a rifle. How is that for venting?
I have done my own research in my own back yard. I don't have the timber most of you Eastern Hunters are used too. No acorns or success over a pile of corn other than if you were a night hunter. Right now we're competing with fields full of grain. Something exceedingly hard to bow hunt. In the West, (Western MidWest), we spot and stalk much of the time in an effort to find our deer holed up in grass. Much of the time the shots are 40 to 60 yards. I was spotting and stalking when I got my recurve buck, but at only 14 yards. That was fine. The one I nicked was at 20. Hard to get over the fact I was limiting myself so much. I work hard at it to get near 100 percent when I throw an arrow.
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Unlicensed Dremel
Moderator
Because those aren't the best. These are.
Blacktail Bows
However, since all your looking to do is kill deer with it I would suggest that you shoot several traditional style bows. I recently tested several makes/models at Scheels and was very surprised by the range in feel of the long bows and recurves. Some felt fine on the draw but had a lot vibration on the release and others stacked badly.
There are a lot of good traditional bows out there even if they aren't produced by a major manufacturer.
Blacktail Bows
However, since all your looking to do is kill deer with it I would suggest that you shoot several traditional style bows. I recently tested several makes/models at Scheels and was very surprised by the range in feel of the long bows and recurves. Some felt fine on the draw but had a lot vibration on the release and others stacked badly.
There are a lot of good traditional bows out there even if they aren't produced by a major manufacturer.
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Unlicensed Dremel
Moderator
OK, I can buy that - beautiful.
Gunplummer
New member
If you buy a used recurve, buy a bear. I used to collect old bows and the ones that seemed to stay in good hunting shape the most were Bear and Shakespeare (Yes the fishing company). I have bought Bear bows that were strung and standing in a closet corner for 30-40 years and they stayed straight. Many of the higher priced bows will twist even when stored properly. I never had a Bear with glue separation unless it had been stored in a flooded area. There are hundreds of used recurves with ugly color schemes that Bear made. They go cheap and are just as reliable as a beautiful bow. Put camo paint on it if it is too ugly.
bamaranger
New member
lease
A deer "lease" is a common expression here for "club". Surprised that there must not be any hunting clubs elsewhere. And I've walked a lot public land, for a living, and for my own hunting. And about half my deer hunting is done on a WMA near by, which is the same as Game Lands there in PA. And you need to be a bowhunter if you want any room, 'cause the amount of public land here is very small and crowded, on gun hunts.
Who am I? A guy annoyed that it was implied that because I hunt with a compound, I loose half the deer I hit.
How's that for a reply to a vent?
A deer "lease" is a common expression here for "club". Surprised that there must not be any hunting clubs elsewhere. And I've walked a lot public land, for a living, and for my own hunting. And about half my deer hunting is done on a WMA near by, which is the same as Game Lands there in PA. And you need to be a bowhunter if you want any room, 'cause the amount of public land here is very small and crowded, on gun hunts.
Who am I? A guy annoyed that it was implied that because I hunt with a compound, I loose half the deer I hit.
How's that for a reply to a vent?
Jack O'Conner
New member
Martin Archery still builds a quality long bow for a fair price.
Jack
Jack
Gunplummer
New member
I really don't care how many deer YOU lose or drag out, it is still a very close figure of deer lost with a compound. I have seen two deer running with arrows through the neck where they could not reach to pull them out. I worked with 3 guys that lost two buck a piece in one year. I think the one guy hit another deer and lost it but was getting so much flak that he did not say anything. I was at a camp in Maryland and the one guy said he had only lost 7 deer since he started bowhunting. He thought that was pretty good and he was just barely 21 years old. I can't even remember how many really mad gun hunters told me they had to toss a deer because it had a massive infection around an arrow head. It is what it is and you can't change the situation by "Sticking together"
bamaranger
New member
stunned
There certainly are some verifiable sources that agree with Gunplummer, the 50/50 loss rate, (just did some searching on line). There are sources, mostly anti-hunting, that use our own studies and material against us, to further their cause, all documented. I've got to admit, it appears I'm wrong,and I'm stunned.
I use the word "appears" because that is not my ratio. Stunned because that is not my own experience, nor that of my small circle of acquaintances who bowhunt deer. Have I lost some deer over the years, yes, both with bow and rifle (in fact I lost one with a rifle last season). But my losses with a bow are FAR less than half. I'd rather not give my score on kills, but using the 50/50 formula, I would have shot at a whole bunch of, and lost a heck of, a lot of animals, and that is just not the case.
All of the above is as near as an apology as I can give for a rant.
As far as "sticking together goes", as a community, we need to work hard really to change the mentality of anybody who brags about "sticking one", and equating getting a shot and losing a deer as something to crow about.
Far better to pass the shot and brag about that. Passing more shots than one takes may well be the measure of a matured bowhunter. 'Plummers comments about the 21 yr old are a prime example of one who has not yet grown up in the sport, but it can contiue well into the latter years as well.
Finally, trying to get back on track, recovery rate has a lot to do, if not everything to do, with shot placement: which entails more than simple accuracy. Angles and timing, and range, all come into play. We can control a good portion of these things by working hard on our shooting and limiting our range (honestly, I think of 30 yds as a very long shot). Attempt only shots with good angles, and be cautious with any shot on an alert deer. Following the above, there is no reason that a longbow, or any bowhunter, can do better than 50/50.
There certainly are some verifiable sources that agree with Gunplummer, the 50/50 loss rate, (just did some searching on line). There are sources, mostly anti-hunting, that use our own studies and material against us, to further their cause, all documented. I've got to admit, it appears I'm wrong,and I'm stunned.
I use the word "appears" because that is not my ratio. Stunned because that is not my own experience, nor that of my small circle of acquaintances who bowhunt deer. Have I lost some deer over the years, yes, both with bow and rifle (in fact I lost one with a rifle last season). But my losses with a bow are FAR less than half. I'd rather not give my score on kills, but using the 50/50 formula, I would have shot at a whole bunch of, and lost a heck of, a lot of animals, and that is just not the case.
All of the above is as near as an apology as I can give for a rant.
As far as "sticking together goes", as a community, we need to work hard really to change the mentality of anybody who brags about "sticking one", and equating getting a shot and losing a deer as something to crow about.
Far better to pass the shot and brag about that. Passing more shots than one takes may well be the measure of a matured bowhunter. 'Plummers comments about the 21 yr old are a prime example of one who has not yet grown up in the sport, but it can contiue well into the latter years as well.
Finally, trying to get back on track, recovery rate has a lot to do, if not everything to do, with shot placement: which entails more than simple accuracy. Angles and timing, and range, all come into play. We can control a good portion of these things by working hard on our shooting and limiting our range (honestly, I think of 30 yds as a very long shot). Attempt only shots with good angles, and be cautious with any shot on an alert deer. Following the above, there is no reason that a longbow, or any bowhunter, can do better than 50/50.
g.willikers
New member
Like everything else in life, what happens in the field depends on the person's integrity and sense of responsibility.
At our archery club, when bow season came around, it was easy to know who the serious deer hunters were.
They were the folks practicing on the field courses just about every day and not being satisfied until each and every hit was acceptable.
And generally they also attended most of the field walk and 3D matches throughout the year.
Doubt if they left wounded game behind.
At our archery club, when bow season came around, it was easy to know who the serious deer hunters were.
They were the folks practicing on the field courses just about every day and not being satisfied until each and every hit was acceptable.
And generally they also attended most of the field walk and 3D matches throughout the year.
Doubt if they left wounded game behind.
Gunplummer
New member
That is all well and good. Before the compound, my cousin was in an archery league through a local gun club. These guys used to take on the pistol teams and beat the pants off them every year. My cousin tried deer hunting only one year. He told me he just got to rattled when he was close to a deer and would miss the whole deer. Back then nobody was afraid of deer and we hunted on the ground and up close. I have seen guys with rifles freeze up or flip out when they see a deer too. All the practice in the world will not help them. Maybe that is some of the problem.