Hill style bows always have and shall always be the hardest to shoot consistently well. My first longbow was a Hill style and it nearly ruined me forever on straight longbows, until I started building them myself. For some reason I always shot great with my own-made wood bows, until they broke. 😛

Are you shooting the same arrows with both bows? If so, they are probably over spined for the longbow. the “shoot around” riser requires a weaker spine.

If you ARE shooting the same arrows, try adding progressively heavier points and see if that does the trick. at least you won’t have to buy new arrows.

Don’t beat yourself up about it. It doesn’t help. The way I look at it is that if I met all my goals the first time, then traditional archery would be just as boring as compound shooting.

Save it, and enjoy the idea of finally learning to shoot the straight bow well, for next year, or the year after…

As others have said, it sounds to me like maybe the arrows are not matched to the bow, or some other technical problem.

I have several “hill style” longbows with about 1 inch of string follow. I learned to shoot these bows in a summer. They are accurate easy bows to shoot, once you figure out how to grip them, and have good arrows. I found that if the arrows are not PERFECTLY spined for the bow, it won’t shoot consistently. But once you get PERFECTLY spined arrows, the bow will shoot great.

Shoot some bare shafts. They will tell the tale.

In the mean time, get a nice deer with the recurve, and have fun.

I’m shuttin down the computer and toting my take down recurve in the suitcase to the airport now. Going to Colorado. Maybe I’ll get lucky on some poor confused 3 legged, 1 eye’d , deaf elk.

Tuning is a bear. I thought I had my recurve tuned and lo and behold the shafts started showing too stiff, even after adding more weight up front.

You say you have 5575 for both bows, but there is 20lb draw weight difference. You never stated what those weights were, that will help guys here help you.

May I ask why the 20lb increase? On a traditional bow that is a huge jump, and that allone cause some HUGE form problems. I suggest getting together with another trad archer, with some experience, and have him watch you shoot.

sweet

ssumner1 wrote: My recurve is a 55lbs and my Hill is a 75lbs. It makes an arrow zip through the air and still is extremely quiet save the slap on the arm guard occasionally.

If your avatar is accurate, you appear to be a young fellow, that being said, you could possibly have the strength to pull the 75lb, or the potential anyway.

I might venture to guess you are a bit overbowed, at least at present time. I say that because that is a heavy draw weight, and your age should allow you to build up to it, but I also would bet money you’re not there yet.

This is not meant to cut you in ANY way, just an observation, based on your comments. You freely admit the recurve is easier to shoot, and MUCH of our traditional accuracy depends on shooting bows within a draw weight we are able to control.

Just “pulling it back” isn’t controlling it. I hate to say it cause I am sure it wasn’t cheap, but you might have bought “too much bow”. Just my guess. The options are to keep working out to build up to it, and then try to tune arrows to it, or sell it. Trying to tune arrows to a bow, when your form is way off, will not work.

thats rite

Try canting the bow more! I shoot the same cedar arrows out of a lot of my bows recurves and longbows all of this group are in the 60# range and i do favor the hill style longbow of which i have six. I find that with my primitive style all wood bow if i cant the bow more it shoots the same arrow i use in my glass backed long bow fine. i know its wrong and i should build some arrows specifically for the bow but ive got loads of them so i learned to compensate.

Also be sure you are consistant in your grip placment hill style bows seem to be intolerant of even small variances in hand position on the grip.

ssumner1 wrote: I must say today I decided to shoot extensively. I tried to pay attention to form and didn’t feel the form change, but I did notice a good bit of strain. After my shoulder injury I just haven’t been the same. I may have to lower the weight a while. I really don’t want to get rid of my Hill bow. To be honest, it’s my dream bow.

Kinda what I was afraid of. keep the bow and get another, but lower poundage. When I was in my 20’s I dislocated my shoulder, badly. I had to reset it myself because of where I was, and no help around, but basically, gripped a steady board, and rolled my body away from it. Since I was so young, it only took a day or so till I was back at it. Played baseball, and softball for years with it, but after about 10 years, it would flare up for a few days, but then go away.

Now at 59, it is starting to pinch nerves, and cause muscle knotting all across my back, and gives me headaches that it takes Vicodin to get rid of. My point, is do NOT keep pushing that shoulder. Do strengthening exercises that BALANCE the muscles. It will be a lot better for you in the long run if you do.

I LOVE shooting the bow, have shot a recurve since I was 10, and will as long as I am able, but we have to take care of the body that God gave us. You have a lot of years ahead of you, don’t screw em up.

Nice to be young and strong. I used to be. My old hoyt recurve is too heavy for me now. I can hit good with it three out of five shots which is not good enough for deer hunting. It’s a shame too because the bow is dead quiet, smooth drawing and I used to be deadly with it. It is not a true traditional bow in the sense that it has a metal compound style riser with a plunger button. But man what a great shooter it is, at least when I can hold it consistently at full draw.

When I first started bow hunting my weak point was my fieldcraft and not my shooting. Now, I can go into the woods and get close to the deer with no problem ( let’s just walk down the hill and **** them all). But I can’t shoot like I used to. And rifle hunting does not pose the challenge and visceral thrill like bowhunting.

Keep at it while your young and vital!!!!

pinemarten wrote: Nice to be young and strong. I used to be. My old hoyt recurve is too heavy for me now. I can hit good with it three out of five shots which is not good enough for deer hunting. It’s a shame too because the bow is dead quiet, smooth drawing and I used to be deadly with it. It is not a true traditional bow in the sense that it has a metal compound style riser with a plunger button. But man what a great shooter it is, at least when I can hold it consistently at full draw.

When I first started bow hunting my weak point was my fieldcraft and not my shooting. Now, I can go into the woods and get close to the deer with no problem ( let’s just walk down the hill and **** them all). But I can’t shoot like I used to. And rifle hunting does not pose the challenge and visceral thrill like bowhunting.

Keep at it while your young and vital!!!!

Rather than give up hunting completely, why not get a compound (better than not hunting at all IMHO)? If it’s the aiming part that is making you inconsistent. Or have you tried a lighter weight bow? Maybe lighter limbs on your favorite riser?

Or if you consider a rifle with only open sights, ie 30-30 leveraction. That will definitely up the “rifle” game a bit.

If it’s a disability, I MIGHT suggest a crossbow, but that is a LAST DESPERATE resort to not hunting at all. Just some thoughts, not promoting one over the other.

I am not a traditional purist, and have deep admiration for those that are. I just do not have the level of wood skills to allow me shots at traditional yardages, unless I am in a tree.

I have to admit, that I sit in amazement and watch guys sneak to 10 yds of a deer/elk/moose, you name it, and get off a shot. I do well getting them to 20, when I am in a tree.

That said, I LOVE to hunt with a recurve, it is my first choice, but I am a HUNTER first, and use whichever tool I deem necessary for the job at hand. A mechanic that needs a 3/4″ wrench, will not do the job as nicely, if at all, if all he uses is a pair of pliers.

I am a little A-D-D so that makes it REALLY tough to sit still. I have patience, a LOT of it, but I have to be moving. My wife is amazed at how patiently I can work on small items, like gunsmithing, small pieces of equipment, etc, but for me I am still moving, so I am OK.

I say all this just to get ya to find SOME way to bring back the enjoyment. Last suggestion, if you are that good at sneaking in on them, take up a camera! We all love to great shots of game animals.

Sorry to rob the thread, ssumner1,

just keep looking. The deals are out there! Make sure, though, that your set price is reasonable. If the going rate is a few dollars more, you might have to get a fixer upper.

I have to ditto pretty much everything from handirifle on the topic of laying down the bow. There are compounds, crossbows, black-powder, iron sights, etc. Even the type of game can be taken into account. I have heard of people getting goats at over 1000 yards. Yes, they had a scope, yes the rifle was capable, but please believe that they spent years getting to the point where they could make a shot like that. Even so, there is no shame in being an ethical hunter, no matter what your choice of “tool”. Traditional archery is a choice I made. I tried the others, but now feel I am where I belong. I do not kid myself that I will be able to draw enough weight to ethically hunt big game forever. But I have options when that day comes. Yet as long as I draw breath, quitting is not one of those options. Even if I only carry a bent stick into the woods and simply help my children, grandchildren, or anyone, that is what I will do.

As for ADD, I have to hand it to you handirifle, I know where you’re coming from. I think my record in a tree stand is about 40 minutes. I am trying ground blinds now just because there is more room to wiggle. I still love being out there though.

ssumner1, looking at your avatar, you have many bows ahead of you. No need to start big and strong. Ease your way into it. Don’t start throwing $ around. This forum is a wealth of information. I got some advice on a custom bow here and I have not regretted it for one second even though it cost more than any compound I have ever had. But it will be around for many years, and even when I upgrade, it will become a back-up or go to my children if they want. This is the quality of what people here can advise you on. You really aren’t in a “machine-stamped” field here, so just take your time and enjoy every minute. I started very late, so I am playing catch-up. But you still have many happy years ahead. Be well and stay safe.

😀

handirifle wrote:

Rather than give up hunting completely, why not get a compound (better than not hunting at all IMHO)? If it’s the aiming part that is making you inconsistent. Or have you tried a lighter weight bow? Maybe lighter limbs on your favorite riser?

I have not given up on bow hunting. Indeed I’m going out tomorrow for couple days in a great deer woods. I’m going to use the hoyt because I think the adrenalin will allow me to hold at full draw which I can do now most of the time. I will be hunting on the ground because I too do not have enough patience to stand sit.

I just need to build my strength back up so i can shoot like i used to. Or I get a quality 40# bow and take it from there.

Andrew it’s good to see someone of your age group that LISTENS TO ADVICE!

Keep doing that, it will serve you well. Good luck on you hunt for your perfect bow. Sometime it takes a few bows, a few years, and more than a few dollars.:D