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I wouldn't call myself a traditional shooter. But, I have only been shooting a sight for the last 2 years. Because my job has me working too much to practice. For the first 20 years, I shot a compound with a flipper, no sights and a finger tab. Not enough practice time made me switch to a pendulum sight. I hunt a thicket and my farthest shot is only 20 yds. My last 4 deer were all shot under 10 yds. my 8 pointer in '07 was almost straight down. The arrow went through the heart vertically and came out the breat bone. Anyway, I'm trying to switch jobs, if so, I'm switching back to no sights. I tried a release to see what it felt like, no thanks, back to a finger tab. It just doesn't feel like hunting to me if I'm not touching the string or if I'm pointing a bright pin at a deer. But I like the advantages of compound bows. I'm currently trying to build a new set up. Long ATA compound bow with whisker biscuit. Thats it. Maybe switch to a 2 blade fixed broadhead too.

shoot, shoot more and shoot everything (firearms,bows,xbows,etc)

I've been shooting compounds for the last 32 years (most recently a 2007 Bowtech Allegiance) but decided to treat myself to something special for my 50th birthday which is coming up soon.

I could not make up my mind so I just ordered two custom made bows. One a recurve and the other a longbow. Each will be Kingswood on the outside, Cocobolo on the inside with Curly Maple accents and a strip of Curly Maple down the center. The limbs will be Bacote with antler tips.

The recurve specs are to be be as close to this as possible:

60 inches
55 pounds
30 inch draw


The long bow will be as close to this as possible:

68 inches
55 pounds
30 inch draw

You only live once.

I have hunted with recurves for the last 30+ years. Played with compounds off and on for @ 15 of those years. Never put the recurves down, they were just too much fun.
I shot Douglass Fir shafts with 5 1/2 " Trueflight banana fletching, Deer skin glove, and Zwickey Delta 4 blades for many years. I now alternate Carbon Express shafts with Three Rivers weighted inserts fletched with Bidelta synthetic feathers and topped with woodsman broadheads (bad weather), with; Port Oxford Cedar with the same 5 1/2" banana cut trueflight feathers as the douglas fir shafts, but switched to the three blade woodsman. Sharpens like a snuffer, penetrates like a 2 blade.

I marketed for Allegheny Mountain Archery bows for awhile. Still hunt with their Full Custom Take down recurve with carbon inner core lamination, 58", 62# at 28".

I also hunt with a custom Robertson Stykbow Peregrine one piece in Bacote with clear satin finish. 58", 55#, at 27".

For the ground blind I have a 1953 Bear Grizzly 50# at 28", black on what looks like Zebra wood riser.

Along the way, I tried and let go in no particular order: Bear Kodiak, Hoyt Huntmaster take down, Martin Savannah, Monarch longbow, Allegheny Mountain bow hybrid, various Pearsons, and a Black Widow Greybark take down. I also tried: Bear razorheads, the full sized Suffers, Wolverines, Zwickey Eskimo 4 blade, and Journeyman broadheads.

Yep, fyshbum, you're definitely part of the club.

I've been shooting my little Browning Nomad Stalker for a while, 52", 50#@28". It's a neat little finger-pincher that should workout well in a canvas blind or in a treestand. Been shooting 23/64" woodies with 5-1/2 feathers. I also shoot my 50# Bear Montana Longbow with woodies fletched with feathers from wild turkeys I have killed. It's a gas! I've used several broadheads including Bodkin MA3L (old), Bear Razorhead (old), Zwickey Eskimo, and others.

Hey Big Redhead,

I have thought about going back to try the long bow for a change of pace. I have heard from others how much they like that Bear. How does it compare to others you have tried? The price is certainly right.

I let the Monarch go because of the excessive hand shock and the riser never quite fit my hand very well. I had bought it second hand, so it was not made for me specifically, but it was close enough.

Andy G,

Be careful with the whisker biscuit. It works well for sights, but you cannot sight down the shaft very well, especially in low light. Even if you shoot instinctively, the biscuit blocks part of your vision. When I shot with no sights with fingers I used the Star Hunter rest. When set up correctly it hold the arrow well and won't block your view. Just a thought.

fyshbum,

I'm sure you could find a longbow that is a little faster than the Bear Montana, or one with a little less handshock. But the Bear does well enough for me in both departments and costs a lot less than most custom bows. I won a Michigan indoor 3D state championship with it and took second place a couple other times, so there's nothing wrong with the bow. Like Ishi said, "Any bow good bow, but good arrow is a lot of work." I think a lot of guys would be well served if they quit buying new bows looking for "magic" and just practice and focus on their own shortcomings. When guys ask me about handshock I usually tell them to forget about handshock and focus on shooting. If we focus on handshock, we are not focused on the right things. If you get a bow that dowesn't fit your hand, then grind the handle to fit. I've ground all mine, including the Bear. I prefer a "concave" shaped handle. The absolute most worthless longbow handle shape for me is called the "locator" handle.

Big Redhead,
Thanks for the reply.

LOL at the ISHI comment, I remember reading that. There is alot of truth to it. I don't get too hung up on handshock either, but having played with a few longbows with almost none, I was just curious as to how the Montana felt. As you said the price is right for a try.

Most of my stickbow time has been behind recurves. I do not necessarily like locator grips either, but I also do not like the ridge like back to some of the longbows out there, I tend to torque them. I never tried to concave them, might have to. Thanks again, Brian

hey guys, im just getting started in traditional, looking for a nice bow in the 2 to300 dollor range, any suggestions?

I've got a Bear Montana on its way. In another post I lament on how I let a Fred Anderson bow slip through my hands. I JUST finished Instinctive Archery Insights, by Jay Kidwell, today--a very good read.

I'm going to my first Traditional shoot in two weeks, and I'm really looking forward to it.

I have a Damon Howatt Hi Speed and a Hunter. The Hunter was my dad's bow. I got him into bow hunting back in '73.

Do you know if the Mamba is the replacement for the Hi Speed? Both are 58" and the Hi Speed is no longer made. I had a Hunter first, but it came apart on me one day while shooting fish. I got the Hi Speed as a replacement since it was 4" shorter and handier.

i shoot this Jeff Reid which is 56# at 28. have been shooting it for 5 yrs

When it comes to bow season.....yep, my bows are traditional.

1967 Super Kodiak 60 inch 55lbs
and
approx 1971 Pearson Mercury Hunter 53lbs.

I love shooting LR handguns but hunting with longbow and recurve has been a big part of my life for over 50 years now.