# Downsides of using Horizon or WW SF Forged Plus as Hunting Bow?



## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

Weather? I live in an area where bow season unually starts out warm and end COLD. I've hunted many years in below freezing conditions for one or two weeks of bow season. I've used metal riser and wooden risers and alway found the wooden one's more comfortable when it gets cold.

Tom


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## Carphunter (Sep 30, 2007)

I do understand the cold weather thought (I'm in Wisconsin...). But... my compound is metal... so it's a wash for me. And, if I don't like it... I've wrapped handguards/risers before.


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## guyver (Jan 3, 2012)

target type risers are longer and sometimes shiny, but I'm sure it's been done. I've hunted with a blacked out 21" excel and was pleased with it. If its cold, wear gloves.


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## Fury90flier (Jun 27, 2012)

I don't believe there would be any issue other than limbs that could be too heavy for the riser. How much is too much, don't know, below 50# and you're probably fine...above that and I'd question it.

One issue might be the ILF bow could be more noisy than a hunting bow.

That said, for the price of a decent set of limbs you can get you a hunting bow...not an expensive one but under 200 bucks.


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## deepsprayj (Nov 4, 2011)

They are unweildy due to their length. They are rather loud but you could work that out with silencers and limbsavers. They typically do not come in particularly heavy poundages. They are usually real bright colors. You can overcome just about all of that if you want to. You can definitely get a nice hunter for a couple hundred bucks. An Ilf horizon or similar is gonna be at least 400. Just gotta determine what you wanna do and what you wanna spend.

Shoot, work, shoot!


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## Carphunter (Sep 30, 2007)

From what I've read, though... as a 6'5" guy with a draw... length doesn't worry me. Shiny paint is coverable. Loudness...gotta study why loud. poundage... have to eyeball that... Big think i like with the ilfs is that I'll have to start weak, and work up. Doing that with ilf limbs via trades/used purchases looks easier than trying to get the appropriate limbs for whatever model hunting bows to work my way up.


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## Fury90flier (Jun 27, 2012)

If you want it as a hunting bow, there is no reason not to get an ILF hunting riser. Then get yourself a set of low weight (25#-30#) practice limbs. That low weight doesn't sound like much but when you're launching 100+ a day, it adds up real quick

http://www.traditionalarcheryusa.com/risers.aspx

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Greatree-Ar...down-hunting-recurve-ILF-17-bow-/380369997383


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## bobnikon (Jun 10, 2012)

This would have been a sweet riser, maybe it is still avail
http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1870150&highlight=camo+gmx
ECL


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Pretty well covered above. 

My SKY bow is so quiet, that I've considered hunting with it. If it wasn't 70" long, I probably would have by now.

I knew a guy in Illinois that killed deer every year with his camoed Hoyt GM riser and limbs. The arrow doesn't know what brand or style of bow it was shot from, and the deer don't care either.

Tape it up with camo tape, put a couple string silencers on it, and go have fun.

John


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## deepsprayj (Nov 4, 2011)

Carphunter said:


> From what I've read, though... as a 6'5" guy with a draw... length doesn't worry me. Shiny paint is coverable. Loudness...gotta study why loud. poundage... have to eyeball that... Big think i like with the ilfs is that I'll have to start weak, and work up. Doing that with ilf limbs via trades/used purchases looks easier than trying to get the appropriate limbs for whatever model hunting bows to work my way up.


Im 6'3 and the length will bother you when your trudging through the bush. I never hunted one but i was whacking all kinds of stuff at a 3d shoot. Gotta remember that your going to most likely snap shoot a hunting bow so you can draw a heavier bow. Shooting an olympic bow with a sight requires a longer steadier hold so most need lighter poundages for that type of shooting when starting.

Shoot, work, shoot!


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## slade (Feb 21, 2003)

I am now using a 21inch Hoyt Excel in blackout with x-tra long limbs, giving me a 68" bow for my 32" draw, I am a ground pounder and do not have much if any more problems with it hanging up in the brush, I use buttons. I never sit in trees, so I can not comment on that aspect.


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## Carphunter (Sep 30, 2007)

Thanks for the comments everyone. I hope this evening to hit a place that has a number of the hoyt hunting recurves to get a feel for them and their length. Once I've done that... I figure i'll have a better grasp of the length bow i might want to start with.


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## HikerDave (Jan 1, 2011)

limbwalker said:


> Pretty well covered above.
> 
> My SKY bow is so quiet, that I've considered hunting with it. If it wasn't 70" long, I probably would have by now.
> 
> ...


I am not a hunter, but I wonder why you would need a quiet bow? It seems to me that a miss doesn't deserve a second shot, and a hit that was slightly off the vitals would likely alert the animal that something was up.


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## Fury90flier (Jun 27, 2012)

Carphunter said:


> Thanks for the comments everyone. I hope this evening to hit a place that has a number of the hoyt hunting recurves to get a feel for them and their length. Once I've done that... I figure i'll have a better grasp of the length bow i might want to start with.


If you go with a true hunting recurve, it likely will not be an ILF bow. This will limit your limb choices such as carbon/foam, custom wood, draw weight. Hoyt does make an ILF hunting bow, the "Buffalo". 



HikerDave said:


> I am not a hunter, but I wonder why you would need a quiet bow? It seems to me that a miss doesn't deserve a second shot, and a hit that was slightly off the vitals would likely alert the animal that something was up.


The reason you need a quiet bow is because the sound of the bow will get to the game before the arrow will. If you're hunting whitetail deer, they spook easily and any amount of noise can send them running.


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## Carphunter (Sep 30, 2007)

i think the Buffalo is a Formula ILF bow.


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## Carphunter (Sep 30, 2007)

Well, got to pick up a short Buffalo bow (set up), and a Game Master ii and a Dorado tonight. Honestly... Gamemaster might cut it...but otherwise, I'd like a longer riser and bow.

Also, pretty much locked on going ilf route as I know I'll want to work my way up through the draw weights.

Was funny... confirming my fingers draw length, they gave me a genesis to measure on... I got my draw...but pretty much was heaving the Genesis through its wall


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## deepsprayj (Nov 4, 2011)

Unless you have some kind of insane draw length, the length of the bow will not impact a hunting rig that much other than making it clunky. Im 6'3" and pull 29.5" and can shoot anything from a 48" bear to a 72" ILF. For a hunter I find a 62" bow best for me as anything shorter pinches my fingers and is not comfortable to practice with. Anything much longer is to clunky for my tastes. Real short bows stack alot too which is not a big deal unless your shooting alot of arrows. For you i would say look at a 19" ilf hunting riser with long limbs or if you must go olympic th en get short limbs on a 25" riser. You wont get a radiused shelf on an olympic bow though. That means using a rest which is not bad but is one more thing to worry about in the woods.

Shoot, work, shoot!


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## Fury90flier (Jun 27, 2012)

the Buffalo is an ILF but not the gamemaster. I'm unsure of the Durango.

get the 60# limbs for the Buffalo then have some custom heavy weights made.


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## Arrowwood (Nov 16, 2010)

The Buffalo is not ilf. That would be too simple!


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## Carphunter (Sep 30, 2007)

are you trying to show the ilf formula limbs? or not aware that they are formula...not standard ilf?


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

There is no such thing as a "Formula ILF" bow. They are two different limb attachment systems. 

Think of the Formula system as the "stretched" ILF system. Otherwise, yes, they are the same, but they are not interchangeable.

If Hoyt ever got off their proprietary, protectionist mindset and made the Dorado in a true ILF form, it would sell like hotcakes in the traditional arena. But instead, folks are relgated to using 21" Excel risers to get an affordable, short ILF hunting riser to work with the limbs they already have, or that they can afford.

At least they make the 21" excel it in a "black out" finish now.


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## Fury90flier (Jun 27, 2012)

Could have sworn that the Buffalo was ILF... Though I saw that listed in the specs...guess I'm thinking of another bow (probably a Tradtech)


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## barking mad (Oct 17, 2006)

Carphunter said:


> N
> One question I have about purposing a Horizon or SF Forged Plus to this task is... is there some reason these bows won't fare well hunting?


No reason whatsoever why it would not work. Or any other target riser. Some might require a tad more work to get quiet. Rest and plunger? Not a problem, both are widely used in the woods. Going to a recurve does not mean that you'd have to forsake the pursuit of accuracy. 

With your arms a 66" bow would probably be the shortest you'd want to go, and definitely only use long limbs. My draw is 1" shorter than yours and I hunt with recurves up to 70", mostly with a 66" (Das).


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## Carphunter (Sep 30, 2007)

I picked up a SF Forged plus riser and some premium carbon long limbs and am starting from there. thanks everyone for the advice.


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## Norman2 (Aug 4, 2012)

Carphunter said:


> I picked up a SF Forged plus riser and some premium carbon long limbs and am starting from there. thanks everyone for the advice.


Hi, You are going to be very satisfied with the equipment you chose. I have the same and have had no problems at all. Best buy I ever
made. See attached photo. Regards
Norman


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