Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Longbow or Recurve? opinions please

I haven't touched archery since I was a teenager with a 20 lb fiberglass recurve.

Kind of have the itch to get back into it. Looking at the Bear Grizzly, and Bear Montana Longbow. Probably 45 lb, give or take 5 lbs.

I'd like to hear any input, advice, opinions, experience you all may have to share.

Thanks, Shane

I have the Montana longbow. Mine shoots pretty smoothly. I mostly backyard shoot with it and it’s only been on a few hunts with me so I haven’t killed anything with it yet. I think it’s a great introductory longbow. I shoot home built cedar arrows and 150gr cut to the point broadheads. Plenty of penetration on a block target so I think it’ll blow right thru a deer. Mine is 50lbs. I found mine at a cabelas a few years back. I got to test fire it in the store do it made my decision easier. Good luck and have fun with it.

That sounds good. I'm kind of leaning toward the longbow. My use will be mostly backyard practice, but I'd like it to have enough azz to hunt with also.

Mostly I just want to enjoy working on mastering the discipline and technique with one bow.

Shane, I prefer recurves. Got any shops over there you can shoot both a bit?

Longbow is much more challenging and fun to hunt with IMO.
With today’s technology, I feel like I’m almost cheating when hunting with a modern compound.

And as far as the longbow being enough to do the job properly, it’s been killing stuff for centuries. From bison to rabbits.

I will add that if I’m bow hunting any where, I’m packing a pistol for backup. And if I’m in black bear country, it’s a Glock 20 in 10mm. 🤠. I’d pack it just about anywhere except Alaska.

I think Capital Sports in Helena has a pretty good archery lineup, and an indoor range.

I bet there is a local trad club. It would be great to get to shoot some different bows before spending much. I hate straight limbed longbows but like RD longbows and recurves.

I have hunted and killed deer with a recurve bow. Never shot a longbow. I have heard they are harder to master. I did enjoy shooting my recurves when I did it.

I have a #45 vintage Bear Grizzly, that's quite nice. You may want to get a #35-#40 bow to start out with, though.

Lots of good info here. Another option... I sent some Purple Heart and wenge to Omega Longbows. I had him make me an Imperial. 50# @28”. He makes a hell of a product for not much money. He built it within his stated timeframe and it’s flawless. I don’t have any photo sharing apps or I’d post a couple pics. Turned out really nice.


https://omegalongbows.webs.com/bowsandotherproducts.htm

longbow all the way. your draw will be cut several inches, think glove or 3 finger glove. G. Fred Asbell book on instinctive shooting is a outstanding !! have fun and don't shoot too much each day till you get built up to drawing the bow. you are going to have so much fun!!

Great info, I was looking at Omega earlier. His bows look like art. Really nice.

I have good upper body strength. Do a lot of pullups and bench press, and other upper body workout. I'm expecting the bow draw to be something my body will still need to build muscle memory with though.

Go recurve, as the cut past center riser does greatly aid in getting cleaner flight while building your skill.
Getting the right arrows/tip weight/spine/length is VERY important. Poundage is WAY secondary. Stay light!

Your pull up and bench muscles might help, but don't count on it.
I suck at both yet have shot 60# recurves and 80# compounds, for decades.

My buddy loves longbows.
I hate them.

Recurve all the way (as far as trad goes) and Blackwidow since '87.

My draw dropped from a max of 28.5" w fingers and wheels, to 28" w trad.
Less than an inch change.

Not inches.

But I shoot the same stance, kinda open.

If trad makes somebody's draw change over an inch, they were doing something funky.

Well I made a choice. Bear Montana Longbow is in the pipeline. I went 50 lb.

Thanks for all your input.

Nice, now your loggin!!!! The seasons you got over there, you'll have some fun!!

You're only an hour away from Bozeman. Next time you're down there, look up the fellas at RER bows. They build a static tipped Arroyo recurve that shoots fantastic. Here's mine when I first got it...(a while ago when I was shooting split finger)


If you are set on a longbow, I can't recommend a finer bow than Allen Boice's Liberty Contender SE (get the yew cores). By far, the easiest and most comfortable shooting longbow I've ever shot.

If ya haven't shot in a while and you really want to get your form down, start with 30-35lbs and master technique. Then you can bump up the poundage. I'd also recommend getting a copy of Rick Welch's "Accuracy Factory" DVD and/or the "Masters of the Barebow" series (They all have great info, but Rick's style is more like mine and I have used it to win some local 3D shoots). If you can swing it, any instruction by top shooters is worth the time and money.

Glad you're coming back to the stick-n-string, it's a LOT of FUN!!!

Stump buster, those look really nice. I've got a Bear Montana Longbow ordered. I think that is a good starting point for me right now.

I'm going to put in some time with it before even thinking about a custom bow. I'm at the stage right now where I don't even know what I don't know. So I've jumped in and will start knocking the rust off my technique, and looking at a lot of tutorial resources.

When I was a teenager with my old fiberglass bow, that was a while ago, like in the 1970's....grin. Anyways, I'm pretty excited about getting back into archery.

Enjoy the ride!!!!!

Best tip I ever got...

"A little each day beats a lot by a mile! Keep sessions short, and when you can feel it, STOP!"