With the help of Centershot I've gotten into recurve bows. The ILF I purchased from him encouraged me to shop for additional bows since I knew I was giving the ILF to my son and grandsons, they love it. Three sets of limbs with the heaviest being 34#, perfect to learn on after compound bows. So, I needed something to practice with and also to hunt whitetail/pigs. Being new to this I picked up a Ben Pearson Colt (1966) that draws 35#. Love it. Then found a Darton Ranger 41#, fantastic (1974). Kept looking, picked up a Wing Gull from 1967 45# and this will be my go to hunting bow. All that to get to this, don't be afraid of those traditional bows, not much to tuning them either. And they're gorgeous!

Yep-like an old wood canvas Old Town canoe...art form!

Yep

I'm creeping back into trad. Hunted with a recurve for a decade or so and enjoyed every minute of it. Got too busy for awhile and had to use compound for this last decade.

I've shot recurves and longbows since I was a kid and long before someone decided archery needed to be defined as 'traditional'. I do dabble with compounds/sights/releases and but they don't do anything for me. I started making all my own equipment 35 years ago and that is where I get the most satisfaction from archery. I shoot recurves better than longbows but have more fun with longbows. I've been building what's referred to as a 'hybrid' that is quieter than a recurve and performs as well or better. The more recurve style grip enables me to shoot more consistently, similar to how I shoot a recurve:

The style of bow I've made and shot for the past 10+ years:




Wood arrow shafts hand planed from boards:



Grandsons get into it as well - vintage Howatt Hunter (I can't convince him it's a little big for him yet :

Tried traditional years ago. Made the mistake of getting to much draw weight.
Glad you and grandson like it. I’ll stay with my wheel bow.

I got tired of archery early in HS. Mostly due to the bows of the day being big heavy magnesium and fiberglass beasts that were expensive and weighed a ton. I didn’t have the money to upgrade when I’d outgrown my bow since I’d have been looking at not only a bow but sights, rest, release and all that other stuff.

My best friend came to show me his new bow and said that I should give it a try. He’d been hanging around with some guys who attended the Macalister rendezvous every year and had picked up a recurve. I shot it a little and kinda liked it so had my dad take me to the city so I could spend some plowing money on a new Martin recurve.

I immediately loved the simplicity. Ended up even deciding I liked the extra challenge of hunting off the ground. It all seems so much more raw and real to me. I’ve still not shot a deer with any other type of archery tackle, nor from a stand though I do have one I hunted out of last winter. I don’t see myself ever going to modern archery, just isn’t something that interests me.

Nothing wrong with that! I also went down the path of trying to shoot heavier draw weights and developed shoulder issues and bad shooting habits. Fortunately, I was able to work through it. Anymore, for me it's all about fun and making my own gear is what I'm passionate about. If my main priority was filling tags, I'd be hunting with my compound.

Beautiful work JGray!!

As to draw weight, I'm using a 45# for hunting and I'm easing into that.

JGray that is a nice design and bow looks really good. I have been looking at some of the "hybrids" lately.

Stan V, you've got it bad. lol. A great addiction to have. Glad you are enjoying it.

Yea, and I'm spreading it around.

I started with recurve, went to compound, now backed up to primitive long bow. Nothing plastic, linen Flemish twist string, cedar shaft arrows with cut nocks. The only "modern" things are field points or Zwickey No Mercy broad heads. Range is more limited but it's a lot of fun.

Our bow season is through the month of October and I'm looking forward to the season. Of course, we can hog hunt year round but not many do that in our heat.

Come on cooler weather and October.

45 lbs is plenty and arrow weight is more important for penetration than speed. I used to think I needed to shoot 60-65 lbs but have learned my lesson. The above bow came in heavier than I wanted (57@28) so I've since sanded the limbs a bit and it's around 55 lbs now. It needs to be refinished and I'll sand another couple lbs out of it then. If I haven't shot for a while, I start around 50 lbs and 52-53 lbs is a sweet spot for me when I'm shooting regularly.

Tell me more about your primitive longbow - any pics?. The first bows I made were selfbows carved out of Yew and Osage. I still have a Yew bow from 30-35 years ago that I need to rework, and I have pair of Yew billets that I'll make an English style longbow with horn nocks one of these days.

I like that , a simple solution. It is artwork and has been for centuries.

My bow is 78 inches long, draws 60 lbs at 30 inches, Osage-Orange with a bamboo back. Nocks are reinforced with antelope bone. It is a self bow. String is linen Flemish twist. Silencers are beaver fur. Of course there are no sight devices, strictly instinctive shooting.

A friend built the bow, I make my arrows. Those are 32 inch long Port Orford cedar 11/32 shafts. I prefer a 32 inch arrow, I do not want a sharp broadhead any closer to my hand.

Towards the end of this video (around 4:25) I am shooting it.

Prairie Dog Shooter, nice!! I'm not ready for 60#'s

Yes...great video...Stan- I wasn't ready for 60# trad when in my 20's!

I hear you. I turned my compound down to 50 last year, I'd laid off archery for 10 yrs or so. Rebuilding muscles now and this trad stuff is different.

Don't worry too much about poundage Stan. This bow is about 40-41 at my draw. Bear razor went top to bottom and came out under the armpit.


Oh and BTW - welcome to the dark side. {grin}

Welcome, enjoy the journey.

I have been "hooked" on trad for going on 30 years now. I like it all, primitive to modern.

There's a lot to be done for me to improve, working on draw and release, building arrows, tuning, etc. Loving all of it. I much prefer the older traditional bows over the ILF platform but that could change due to convenience of ILF.

bbassi, getting close makes it real doesn't it?

It sure does. I call it putting the bow back into bowhunting. I don't have any issue with modern bows or even crossbows for that matter, but they just don't speak to me like a traditional bow does.

I have never gotten into ILF systems, my most modern set up is a hybrid with carbon limbs.

Getting close is what it is all about!

Bowhunting-how close you can get before you shoot.
Archery- how far you can be from your target and still hit it.

My closest shot on deer is three yards, give or take a foot or so.
I was able to touch an elk last fall while helping a friend with his tag.

I had a yearling doe within 5 yds of me last year and thought I had arrived. She never knew I was there.

Yep, really cool experience to be that close and undetected.

My current setup before and after the snakeskin backing. Just finished that a few weeks ago.

at my age of 69 years now we also never heard the name traditional because i only had an old long bow at 8 years old , got a Ben Pearson recurve bow when i was 12 thought i really had something special , then in 1973 i got a Allen compound bow , and few years later i guess that is when we found out about the words traditional bows . and now its a bigger deal for traditional archers for many and i wish them great joy ! my shoulders and back are now worn out so i try to use a x-bow some .if i was healthy yet i would use my newer recurve bow again. so good luck too Traditional archers this fall and as a old bowhunter told me always shoot to kill , Pete53

I'm 72 and if lucky I can keep trucking. But I don't plan on drawing 50# nor do I need that much for whitetails up close. Limiting myself to 20 yds and under. 25 for pigs.

Keeps me in the woods with grand kids and they learn early about traditional bows.

i don`t think age always means you can still draw a bow and shoot well ,kinda depends on the job or jobs you did in your life time or accidents. my job for 35 years was hard dangerous work i climb poles and worked on high voltages those years sometimes many hours , in my lifetime we had very few bucket trucks ever ,many times we carried everything out to our work area then climbed poles in all weather conditions in northern Minnesota day and night. we never had regular family times some Easters or Christmas`s were with storm conditions snow ,cold ,rain ,heat ,wind whatever ,swamps ,hills and huge woods places no way could you ever get a vehicle in there it was all hand ,muscle ,leg ,arms ,,shoulders work which ruins a body over many years of hard work most people have never done.

Sounds like you picked the wrong job.

being a lineman pays very well and my babies needed milk and a new pair of shoes so i worked hard all my life so my family would have a much better life, daughter is a doctor , son is an engineer . normal white kids get no help from the government if parents work for a living and stay together.

I've been hunting with bows for 50 years.

I don't think there was any obsession or anything like that. It was just cheap, fun and offered additional opportunities.

I still shoot a longbow, but have a compound too.

I tell people that I carry my longbow when I want to HUNT, my compound when I want to eat.

I still love the challenge bow hunting gives and it allows me to better scout out the woods I'm hunting. In these thickets it's easy to pass up lanes that are perfect for bow hunting close.

I have bowhunted since 1986. I bought a recurve around 1990 just to plink around with, never got serious with it until now.

I purchased a longbow in March and then I ordered a custom longbow that should be here in the middle of the month. I don’t see me ever going back to compounds.

Lonster

I use both the compound and recurve. Picked up a Bob Lee from the classifieds 3 years ago. It’s become my favorite whitetail weapon. Put her to work this past Monday.

Shot my first deer, with a bow, back in 85.
Have owned dozens of compounds and dozens of recurves.
Got my first Blackwidow built in 87.
Got my 4th build this yr. Last one for me.
Still got my metal riser HS too.
3rd one of that model, all bought used.

Prefer recurve but w shoulder snd spine issues ( now wrist ) I might have tk use wheels. Got a Hoyt Torrex last yr for backup.

Got a pack of the new Bear razorheads w screw in ferrules of diff weights to try. Looks like 3R and Lancaster sold out but a shop near me has a few packs left.

I made the switch to recurves about 20 years ago. For me it's just a lot funner.

Finally shot my new Blackwidow PSA2.
46#@28 is way easier than 54 LOL
Shoulder and spine complained some, but i shot it enough to twist it up on brace and try diff spine arrows.

Had some leftover GT 35/55 from my old B50 HF1225 a while back. They flew like lasers. Kinda light as they run a 125gr tip and reg alum insert.

Have some 55/75 that I can drop a 100gr insert into.
Will bare shaft and chrono this weekend at a buds house

Will admit, less than 2 dozen shots and i was sore the next day. Impinged shoulder and arthritis in spine.

But if thats all the worse itd be, hell its doable 👍

Nobody bought my 54# HS ( FF rated ) so its packed in my PSAs box. Cool bow, kinda glad it didnt sell.

Been a lurker on traditional since I was a kid. Along the way listened to a lot of stories, and read a few issues of Traditional Bowhunter. But I fell down the hole when a good friend showed me his custom bow collection and Rob Patuto started the Stick Bow Chronicles podcast. Devoured those episodes and went looking for affordable bows on eBay. Found a Martin Jaguar and some ILF longbow limbs @30lbs. Bought a Black Hunter with 45lb limbs.
Still working on the “Custom Bow Budget Envelope”. My friend sold his Big Jim at Etar after I passed on it. I really am sweet on the Java Man or Tolke Whip. With the wait times that will be a spring project at this point.
Last night in the woods for the first sit of the year was amazing. Turkeys on the walk in. Two different doe encounters. And an amazing sunset. Only shot was for practice with the judo point before climbing down. One of the best nights I’ve had in the tree.
Last year I put 35 hunts into the journal with the stick and string. Best year yet
As was said above Trad to me is about the Hunt, the other tools in the barn are for empty freezer filling.

I just decided to get back into the traditional game myself and jumped in both feet first.

Decided I wanted a Black Widow, but couldn't decide on a recurve or longbow.

So, I bought both - a SAX and a 2 piece PLX.

A Black widow will be my next bow. I wish there was a shop full of them nearby, so I could shoot a few before I bought. Of the two which do you like best?

Haven't gotten 'em yet, brotha.'

Until I do and shoot around with 'em, I'll just keep hunting with my Mathews VXR.

I hunted with an old timey Bear recurve before, and even managed to arrow a few deer with it, so hopefully it'll come back pretty quickly to me.

The wait is worth it !


Ordered my first Widow back in 87. Just a standard MA2.
This last one (my 4th order) took about 6 months for the limbs (ordered riser first, then limbs).
Just another greybark w standard grip, my 3rd SA/PSA.

But this time I had the major red stripe in riser changed to black.
Dunno if I should have, bow looks "dull" but I figured its my last build so make it a little different.

I have had 3 Widow HS models and two HF1225.
Love the grip of the HS.
Cold mofo come late season, and wrapping the grip w something to insulate, would change the feel.

Its 54# and I dunno if I'll heal up enough to use it.

My new one is 46#, figure tree stand use, maybe 3D w buds.

Got my Kydex to make an adapter for my quiver (lengthen span). Been fuggin w Jeep wheel n tire crap. Sore back n shoulder.
Beer time.

Had 9 widows, out of abouyt 3 dozen or so recurves (Since '85 ).
Yup, theyre my favorite.

Are they the best? Heck if I know. Ive shot a fair number of other customs buds have had.
Widows are good enough for me.

The folks that build em have been top notch, and I like supporting good folks that make good products.

Heck, hookeye, half the reason I went Black Widow was you evangelizing 'em - not just on this forum, but on other forums too, all over the 'net.

They have a test drive program, so you can try before you buy (if you have a credit card).

Blackwidow MA/SA series have quite a few laminations in the riser.
That makes em tough, and a little heavy.
I prefer some mass weight.

The bows, to me, have a slightly different feel on the draw. Maybe all bows w rear mount limbs feel that way?

I shot next to Ken Beck on the practice range one morning at Cloverdale in '88.
An absolute gentleman.

The rich history of the company, and the customer service I have had........you bet I'm a fanboy.

Have shot a lot of bows, and still prefer a Widow.
Must say my friends Chastain was pretty sweet.

And for a factory bow my Hoyt Dorado w Tradtech ILF limbs converted to direct bolt on, was probably a best bang for the buck rig.

I cant remember what yr exactly, but me and bowfishing bud went to local dam/levee and I saw one zoom out, from the elevated perch.
Trotted down the grassy hill to get to ledge and boogie down it for a shot.
Wet shoes from prev cement wall venture in containment area, on grassy slope...........I got to slippin n slidin and picked up speed.
Ended up bashing into a boulder. Tried to save the bow and sacrifice myself.
Blood was comin out pretty good, arm and leg. Bow took a nasty gash on limb, but stayed strung. I went home, proly shoulda got stitches but didn't go to ER.

Called BW and they said send it in. They fixed it and I took a deer w it that fall.
But the repair looked to crack. Hundred of shots on the repair.

Called again and Roger said it send it in for eval, later called and said it was toast and would I be cool w a new build for 165 bucks? (maybe was less than that).
Mine was last of handcrafted and the new ones precision crafted, and he apologized for the difference.
Uh, no reason to apologize man, and yeah build me one to same spec.

I killed a couple deer w that one but had some spine problems and went to wheels, which did not fix it.
So laid out of all indoor and 3D and barely shot enough w wheels n sights to hunt. Talking 200 arrows or less a yr.
Rebroke rib next to spine and my pain went away and started hunting w recurve and wheels again. Was maybe 5 yrs of laying out of archery.

Got a few used Widows, metal riser. Like the HS best.
Met some widow shooters over the years and all have been good dudes.

Ive had a widow around off and on since 87 and shot well enough some people remember me.
Shot Cloverdale and a yr or two later some dude to do plumbing work at a relatives 2 hrs away from that place.... pulls up as Im in the driveway working on a Jeep and goes "hey, youre that blackwidow guy" LMAO

FWIW Im just a nobody that got around to some local, semi local shoots. Hell the biggest deer Ive ever shot w a bow, was with a Widow.....first trad deer. And it might have gone 100" gross LMAO.

Not saying a widow is for everybody.
Have had folks slam em, even talk crap to me face to face at shoots.
Then I let em shoot mine.
It was tuned perfectly.

It wasnt too noisy, and it was quick enough.

Had more than one say "I cant see the arrow flying"......ya aint supposed to at 20 yards and in.
So.....that there told me what kind of experience and skill level my critics had.

A well tuned widow is a good hunting bow.
But some may not like certain aspects of em.

Thats why all those other guys make bows.

I wish I could hunt my 400 dollar used Widow HS. It aint about the money. Its a cool bow and I havent shot a deer with it yet.
But having spine and shoulder issues I figured lower # and one last build.

Worst case my son in law gets a slightly used plywood bow LOL

I wasn’t aware of the test drive program. I will look into it and most likely give it a shot. Thanks for the info.

It's that time of the year isn't it? After starting with an ILF I began looking around for traditional stuff and learned about the older bowyers. Bob Lee (Wing), Ben Pearson, Bear, Indian, Root etc. Have since picked up 5 older bows. A Wing, Indian, Pearson, Darton and have an American Archery coming this week. All are 50-65 yrs old. And shoot great. I haven't spent on these 5 combined for the cost of a new Bob Lee. Or a Widow. So, don't overlook these older bows, they have a lot of life left in them and make great gifts to sons/grandsons.

Ive owned some old "classics" LOL

They are fun.

They are also obsolete and often even if minty, aint as great as folks claim.

I do think the rosewood DH Superdiablo to be quite the looker.
But my preference is for more center shot and a grip more like the standard Widow grip.

Have ground on a couple of Tradtech/Samicks to make em like that.

So......only real classic I'd be interested in.........is a Bear TD A riser w new limbs.
Not cheap.

Note:

On a couple of old Bear grizzly, had some noise.
No matter the tune or arrow weight.
Turns out it was limb resonance.
Slapped on some PSE/Vibracheck limb bands and solved it.
Looked like crap.

Don't like Sims mushrooms either.

I run flemish strings, and the bows were noisy until the bands on limbs.
Also, being old B50 rigs, none were fast.

Nostalgia is cool.
But I got out of that.
Saved a bunch of old bows and decided my time, effort and loss of money was done LOL

I’ve always been curious about the much storied Savage Deathmaster. We’re they as fast as guys claim, or rose colored glasses? I don’t think chronos were readily available back then so I don’t know how everyone knew they were fast other than reading the advertisements.

I think they were all pretty heavy draw weights so I’m out of the running anyway but I would like to see and handle one just for fun.

I’ve started getting rid of some of my old semi collectible Bears. Like Hookeye says, they more or less obsolete and weren’t that good to begin with. Probably keep my Howatt forever just because I saved up and bought it when I was 15 and have killed all but one of my archery deer with it. It’s my “big” bow now since it pulls a little over 50 at my draw and is the heaviest thing I like to shoot anymore.

Region, IDK where you are, but if you are near any of the big trad shoots in the summer there's a good chance BW will be there as a vendor and let you shoot whatever you want. I looked at them hard this summer at the ETAR event. Maybe give them a call and see what their schedule is for summer '23?

I always wanted a Superdiablo and seem to remember them having Purplheart in the riser. I've had several vintage Hunters when they still used nice wood vs plywood - Rosewood or Bubinga? Grandson thinks this one fits him



I have to agree these old bows don't seem to shoot as smooth and fast as I remembered now that I've been dabbling with more modern revurves - carbon, foam, ILF, etc.

My Howatt Hunter has some limb vibration I never remember it having when I shot it alot many years ago. I do believe it's resonance like you mentioned as it seems to continue after the shot.

The original Superdiablos were Brazilian Rosewood IIRC. Black glass. B50 string only.
They brought it back out w zebra wood and maybe purple heart stripe, clear glass, mid 80s? Dunno if FF rated
Then it was revamped in a brown wood, maybe clear glass, w a reddish wood stripe. Think these FF rated but not sure.

The Rosewood is the looker IMHO.

All three of my 2800/Hunters were the 80s/90s model. They were quiet enough but the grip i didn't like and they all felt shocky.
The Super D was smoother at the shot IIRC.
Buddy had a grey riser Mamba. It felt like a 2800 of same vintage to me.

Heartbreaker was my 1 owner Bear Kodiak Special? Factory camo.
Worst Bear I ever had. Worst bow period. It had horrible shock and noise.
Nothing helped.
Proly why it was like new come to think of it LOL

Got nothing against ILF.
But am a set and forget kinda guy, so changing limbs doesn't appeal to me, neither does changing tune.

Currently have:

'22 Blackwidow PSA2 46#@28, 58"
'91 Blackwidow HS 54#@28, 58"
? Hoyt Excel w Samick non carbon Mediums, think max at 42#

Am still not energetic enough to get out and practice. Go time is Halloween. So I should be fine.
If not, grab the Hoyt compound and Fletchunter release. Dang thing is a slam dunk IMHO.

I'm more of a set and forget type also and tend to prefer one piece bows to takedowns. I wanted to try carbon/foam limbs and Lancaster was closing out some Trad Tech ILF's at half price so ordered limbs. Then I had to find a riser - I wanted wood and found a Dryad ILF riser in Bocote. Made for a pretty nice setup without having to spend a bundle. I haven't fiddled with it since initially setting it up. Having limbs flopping around everytime you unstring it seems a bit odd...

I like takedowns for the usual added weight and in case something bad happens the limbs can be replaced.
My bow usually stays strung.
When not using its on top of an old antique book case.
Nice n flat

My ILF and other BW hunting rig are completely disassembled.

This is where I am starting to get.

Hunted 1 season with a Howatt Hunter, missed a coyote on the first morning and never had any other shot opportunities.

Looking into a new take down. Get back into the trad game, simple and more of a challenge.

As for ground hunting, I gave kilt a few deer with a compound from the ground. Uncle has been a bow hunter for 45sh years and has never killed a deer with a bow from the ground, seems amazed I have done it.

Been shooting my new Widow and doing OK.
Shoulder holding up and consistent enough to tune, mess with diff arrow setups.

I dunno WTF is wrong with quiver makers, but it irks the crap out of me to have the nocks past the bow.
My Hoyt Torrex was that way w an adapter on HHA for Fuse quiver, and my new Thunderhorn 2 pc leather one was that way on the widow.

So..............the Hoyt Torrex is going bye bye (listed for sale on local forum) and that Thunderhorn 2 pc quiver, which was 120 bucks.....
is going bye bye too. Proly post in classifieds in a few.

Back to my beat up Delta quiver I go.

Thinking VPA riser (13") w Uukha 34# Longs (SX50) get me 40-42#. Treestand and 3D rig.

I was a long time compound guy with literally hundreds of animals killed- it just got too automatic.

Trad archery brought back the fun.

I’ve shot a bunch of different custom trad bows but nothing gave me the smooth performance of a good ILF. Im currently shooting a 64” recurve; Stalker riser, Uukha Selenghas, 50#, 500g.

I shot a 47# recurve; Dryad riser, Uukha VX’s, 553g arrow for a couple years and 10 of 12 critters were pass throughs with all but one dying in sight. A Coues I shot at 45y blew up and got into some brush 50y away. An 800# moose- 2 pass thrus at 30y, down in 10y.

The effectiveness of a 2 blade from a light setup is incredible…. I chuckle every time I see these guys wanting to shoot an 80 pound compound with 700 gr arrows to kill a deer.

A guy could have an amazing ILF bow; cheap wood Southwest, Oktober mtn riser with WNS C5 or C3 limbs at Alt Services ($300-$400 all in) that will outperform just about every custom.

.

Before the trad police crucify me for my one long shot…. here’s the rest of the story.

First off I’m a pretty good shot and I practice longer distances regularly.

Secondly, as most guys know, you are usually pretty good right around your point on distance. I was hunting a spot in the desert that I knew was going to be a 45 to 47 yard shot, so I set up an arrow that was 45 yards point on and shot that distance every day for a month.

It will sound foreign to the guys that only shoot instinctive close shots but I was shooting my point on distance as good as I shoot at 20 yards. It works.

I shot unconscious gap for years.
Practiced to 40 in my yard.
Shot IBO courses from the MBR stakes ( max 45 yards ).
Way more fun, even if it hurt my scores somewhat.

First kill for.my new Widow in 2001 was a yote, at 42.

My 60 lb HS I shot gap, but had 2 anchors.
Low w high anchor at 20. Aim higher for 25. And drop anchor and aim like 20, for 30.

It worked well but wasnt fluid. Shot my deer at 25 that yr.
Was easy.

Still prefer unconscious gap and split finger. But current rig is 3 under and gap. Gap a little bigger than I want though.

No injury and plenty of time, ill swap back to unconscious gap next yr. Either way works fine. Have not messed w fixed crawl, my bow isnt ILF either.

Do like a more reflexive style, helps me when things happen fast.

Got my first BW in 87. Like em a lot. Have had 4 built over the yrs and owned 5 of the metal riser ones.
They aint the fastest, dont care. Like em.

Must say for a best bang for the buck, my Hoyt Dorado w Tradtech limbs was a tough one to beat.

My new BW and a VPA ILF. That should be enough

I can see why you like those BWs Hookeye…they point really well.
I had to talk myself out of one.

You lose a little performance with the additional BH riser fwd design but its all about hitting what we are aiming at right?
I’ve seen a few of those new carbon limbed widows at tourneys- very nice even though the Trad Lab guys say they are only 2-3 fps faster.

I shoot 3U gap-stinctive…but shoot instinctive on hunting shots 15 and in…which is about 1/3rd of my shots on game.

What really helped me turn the corner on accuracy was having a mentor help me with good form and then working on it blind bale shooting weekly.

Yup, BW bows feel great to me. Like the looks too
Plus Ken Beck and the guys are good people.

Ive shot a fair number of other bows over the years.
Widows work well for me. Well enough to justify the expense.

Yeah I wish cheaper other stuff worked LOL

Deer dont care how much ya spend.

Figure get the VPA w Uukha 50% limbs, that and the Widow and am done. Shoulder is bothering me again but hey, 2 recurves on the wall doing nothing is better than 1.

Will start up w my PT again this morning and anti inflams, see if I can get things settled down to take the BW out after gun season

Buddy has a couple Ghillo rigs.

Had him shoot my PSA2 thats 58".
He liked it a lot.

Said big dif from 56" PCH vs my 58" PSA2.

I shot his PCH and thought it was fine. But for an all around think 58" is best ( for me ).

For a 3d rig i maybe could tolerate a 60. But am no fan of 62". Dont need a big riser, dont need the length. Even indoor target rigs.....just dont like a bow that long.

Maybe ideal for that game, but i just dont like em.

To each his own

My dislike for target length recurves has saved me a lot of money LOL

I hunted with a 64" and a 58" trad bow and much preferred the 58". Tough to hunt out of a ground pop up with a 64" bow. I just picked up a Red Wing Hunter from around 1964, it's a 58".

Ive had two Redwing Hunters. Both 45#.
Neat little rigs.
Kinda like my Pearson Hunter 2.
Had four Bear Grizzly, one of a 56". Somebody said they made those only one year?
One classic over 58" recurve I tolerated was my Super Diablo. Hated my 2800s. Have had three and tried and tried to like em. The 65# was like a freakin car spring. Grip just doesnt work for me, but all three 2800s were shocky. The Super D wasnt.

My HF1225 was 60" and was OK and I shot it well. Preferred the HS so let the HF go bye bye

It’s amazing to me how much easier a 60” recurve is to get along with in the woods than a 64” longbow, feels like it’s a foot shorter.

Problem is I can shoot the LB far better and easier than the recurve.

I’m on the hunt for another one, as bad or worse than buying and tinkering with guns. Thinking of pulling the trigger and ordering something in the next year just because. I’ve narrowed it down to a BW LB, or a Toelke, or a Centaur, or a Bushman, or something else by the time I get around to it. I really just want something about 60” that will draw about 43-45# at 29 1/2” that is mine. Thinking about the Centaur or Bushman carbons but like someone said above they really don’t seem to be enough faster to matter.

It’s all fun and that’s what matters to me.

My 58s tossed across back seat of a XJ/ZJ and didnt get door bonked

Widows are thin limb across so maybe the carbon helps keep em straight.

Not that they twist in normal use/ storage.

Last LB I tried was my buds Tomahawk.
Wasnt bad at all.
Most LB and me dont get along.
Biggest issue for me is grip.
Im just a lowly recurve dude I guess.

I have to have a locator style grip on my longbows too. If I had to make due with a Hill style grip I’d not be eating much deer meat.

Have/had a few straight gripped bows and can’t shoot them with any consistency at all.