# Howard Hill Bows



## Alek (Jan 11, 2007)

What do you think of Howard Hill bows and which model?


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## JimPic (Apr 8, 2003)

I got a 66" Wesley Special,53#@27" due in any day now:teeth: .I love those bows.They shoot a heavy arrow real good,very smooth shooting bows,hit where you're looking,and they look like a longbow should look.My buddy has a 55# Wesley with a dished grip-as does mine,and my brother has a 70# Big Five(which draws like a 60# bow) with a straight grip.
Alot of people say they have alot of handshock--I never found that to be true.If it's tuned right,with the right arrow set-up,and you have the right grip,they're a very comfortable bow to shoot.They're feather light in the hand and very quiet,too.
I have a 66" Hollenbeck,56#@26" that's a Hill-style bow.Real nice shooting and pretty bow,but that might be on the market when I get my Wesley.


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## AKRuss (Jan 10, 2003)

I like HH longbows and own a Wesley and an old Big Five. They look, handle and shoot like a longshow should, IMHO. I've never been able to warm up to the newer, and probably better, reflexed short bows although I've purchased and made a few. I probably feel this way because HH bows are the ones I started with. I had my Wesley made with a dished grip cut as deeply as they would and cut to centershot as much as they would. Dynamite bow. I purchased the Big Five from a "for sale" add in a newspaper for $35.00 when I was stuck in a hotel room in the dead of winter in Fairbanks. Anyway, the shorter reflex/deflex "longbows" have less handshock and generally better speed, depending on the individual bow. You have to start somewhere ...


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## LBR (Jan 1, 2004)

I admire the man, but not the bows--at least the ones I've shot. I've also shot several "Hill style" bows--not my cup of tea. The ones I've shot were very smooth to draw, and very quiet--but every one had more hand shock than my elbow (admittedly sensitive) could handle. I don't think it was a tuning issue--one of the bows I shot was Bob Wesley's personal Wesley Special (I'd think Bob would know a bit about tuning), and to me the handshock was average for that style bow. Of that style (narrow, deep cored, mildly reflexed limbs) I've shot, the one that had the least shock was one a friend of mine made. My favorite bowyer offers a Hill style, and I don't care for it either.

Obviously a lot of people really like them, obviously they can be shot very accurately, and no doubt gobs of game has fallen to them. They just aren't the bow for me (again, the ones I've shot--several, but not all models).

Chad


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## pass thru (Aug 3, 2006)

I have two Big Fives both shoot well and are very quiet. If you hold a hill properly hand shock is not an issue when you hold it wrong it will let you know it.


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## Dave T (Mar 24, 2004)

pass thru, not picking a fight but for some people (myself included) no matter how you hold one it kicks. In my case bad enough to send it back after one day of shooting.

And yes, I tried a loose grip, a medium grip and a tight grip. I tried a straight bow arm, a slightly bent bow arm and a significantly bent bow arm. I varied the brace hight and shot arrows from 450g to well over 500g (in a 45# bow). Everything had hand shock. By the end of the day I couldn't shoot anything for several weeks from tendenitis in the bow arm elbow.

Dave


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## AKRuss (Jan 10, 2003)

The proper method of shooting a HH style longbow is to keep doing it until the nerve endings in your hand die. No pain, no gain ... Okay, it's not THAT bad but you have to get use to it. It's not nearly as bad as a selfbow.


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## LBR (Jan 1, 2004)

Lol Russ! The ones I shot weren't worst--I've even shot a few recurves that had worse shock (they were as bad as the worst longbows I've shot if you can believe that). It just depends on your sensitivity to hand shock.

I have to side with Dave on this one. For those of us with sensitive elbows, it doesn't matter how you hold them. Changing your grip will not change the amount of vibration in the limbs--it can only change the way if feels to you. You still have it, and it will still inflame some elbows. I've shot a few bows where I didn't really notice the shock--not until the next day, when my elbow was too sore to shoot.

One other thing--I've shot some selfbows that had very little shock--depends on the design (just like the recurves that rattled my little brain).

Just like every other bow out there, some people love them, and some people don't. I wish I could shoot them--I love the history behind them. I just can't get used to the grip, and my elbow can't get used to the shock.

Chad


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Gents - 

First thing to consider, is that when you talk about a HH bow, these days you almost has to specify a HH style or "D" style bow as well, as opposed to a Hill R/D bow etc. A lot of people are attracted to those bows because of the Hill name and the "romance" of the classic longbow. Like most things, you have to accept them for what they are. The bows do shoot quite well and can be a hoot. I have three Hill bows and several other Hill style bows and really enjoy shooting them, used to shoot them pretty well too, but Dave and Chad are correct, there is handshock and while you do "get used to it" after a while (not sure about the nerve damage though), it becomes readily appearnet when shot side-by-side to a bow with less or no handshock. Speed wise, the HHA claim of 115 + draw weight = fps, is usually on. 

I'm a big fan of the Tembo, but that's a personal thing. I honestly don't believe the extra lams in the Big 5 / Wes special etc buy you anything except possibly bragging rights. 

Issues with Hill style bows are:

Grip, the "Hill favored" straight grip is problematic for a lot of people, but again, it's what Hill perferred, so it best, right? Maybe not ... Work with Craig to get one that works for YOU. Sorry, Howard Hill is dead, and you ain't him.

Light mass weight, often touted as a plus, the lack of physical weight can make stability (holding on target) problematic.

Handshock - already discussed

Tuning - given the design, being cut far off center, tuning can be problematic. You really do need to find the "best" shaft and work from there. When the bow is tuned correctly, you'll know it. My old #73 Tembo LOVED #60 Fiberglass arrows and Bear .316 Magnums (and nothing else) - still does. 

Length - some of us still think a longbow should be, well LONG. Mine are all 70"s. Some people think that's a problem, but for the type of hunting I used to do, never became an issue. I could see it, if you use tree stands or blinds exclusively.

my usual .02

Viper1 out.


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## AKRuss (Jan 10, 2003)

This has been a fun discussion. HH bows seem to shoot Port Orford cedar arrows that are spined about the same as the bow weight, at least for my 28" draw. That is a 65# bow will shoot a 65# POC arrow. I agree the standard HH grip is a bit odd but their dished grip is quite comfortable. I read an article once where a guy was bow fishing with a HH bow and broke his bowstring. Instead of going home, he speard one more carp with the bow! Now try to do that with a recurve or compound, LOL. 

Chad, if you don't think selfbows have handshock, you haven't shot one of mine. I have to check the ground after each shot to see if any of my teeth are there. 

HH bows aren't speed demons but they're not all that bad. I seem to like to do different kinds of archery and move from selfbows to laminated longbows to recurves to compounds (geez, I feel like that was a confession) to keep things interesting. They're all fun and have their good and bad points. I sometimes wonder about technology and archery, often when sharpening a draw knife or scraper in preparation of ruining another piece of Texas bo' d arc that cost me a fortune to have shipped up. There is nothing really mystical about any of them. I don't think you're more or less of a sportsman to shoot a selfwood bow over a compound. It's just different and maybe more difficult but not better. There are R/D longbows, and short bows (?), that shoot better than HH longbows. Most recurves arguably shoot better than longbows and I haven't seen a stickbow yet that could hold a match to a properly tuned hybrid cam compound. I like HH longbows because they shoot well for me and have a place in history. Last weekend, I re-read the first chapter of Howard Hill's "Hunting the Hard Way" in which he tells of a buffalo hunt. Try reading that and not get a sense of excitement and desire to hold that longbow in one hand and a fist full of horse mane in the other. Is that reason enough to purchase a descendant of that bow? That's up to you. Sorry to rant and rave for so long. You have to start somewhere and HH is a pretty good one.


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## Dave T (Mar 24, 2004)

Russ, I completely agree with you about the history and romance of the HH longbows. That's why I bought one. The severe pain in my elbow is why I sent it back. Still wish I could shoot one just for the fun of it, but hurting yourself isn't fun so I abstain.

Dave


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## tpoof (Dec 18, 2005)

The Howard Hill style American longbow is my favorite choice of longbow. I like the thump when the string comes home!


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## LBR (Jan 1, 2004)

No doubt some selfbows have handshock--but some are very sweet. I'd expound on the details, but I have never made one, so I have no idea! 

Byron Ferguson and Howard Hill were two of the first folks I read about (and in Ferguson's case, met) and I wanted very much to like their bows--I just can't. Not that they aren't quality bows, they just don't fit me.

Glad this one has been civil! Sometimes I hesitate about giving my honest opinion if it's less than glowing about a particular bow, but he did ask.........

Chad


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## teknoclash (Jan 8, 2006)

*HH longbows*

I have a HH "HalfBreed" 62" 50# @ 24" draw with a dished grip. I orderd it the first week of july 06 and 4 weeks later it arrived at my door. My other bows just collect dust now. I shoot 40-45 sitka spruce shafts cut 26.5 to BoP with 3 5" RW banana cut fletching & classic nocks with a finished weight of 465 - 468 gr. I did take the time to paper tune & bare shaft tune my arrows out to 20 yards and it was worth the time. Never experienced any hand shock though. Must be one of those things where you either like it or it doesn't like you.


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## JimPic (Apr 8, 2003)

My Wesley Special came in this last Friday.Without a doubt,the most natural pointing,best shooting longbow I ever owned.This bow shoots!


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## SlowBowInMO (Dec 4, 2003)

*Jim you're killing me!*

That thing is just sweeeet! I want a Hill sooooo baaaaaad!


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## AK in PA (Nov 30, 2002)

I'd like one day to own a Howard Hill. (If I can ever justify it to myself with all the selfbows I make.) Shot several and liked them all. Never noticed so-called hand shock worth any mention. Owned a Jerry Hill longbow, which shot well, though very slow as I think the bow was too long for the short length I drew it.


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## longbowguy (Nov 14, 2004)

Many, many of us prefer them to all others and own several. For target events I often use a higher tech, more modern longbow. or even a target recurve. But I feel a little guilty doing it. And for general purpose, rough and tumble, catch as catch can shooting, movers and flyers, have a great time archery, and hunting....I use my Howard Hill Tembo. I sometimes wish I had stayed pure and never tried anything else. I believe I would have enjoyed myself more.


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## Alek (Jan 11, 2007)

JimPic

Love your bow. Is it bamboo with clear glass and what is the riser.


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## JimPic (Apr 8, 2003)

Alek--it's 5 lams of bamboo for the limbs with clear glass on the back and belly.Riser is cocobola and has cocobola overlays on the front of the grip and the nocks.


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## tpoof (Dec 18, 2005)

Sweet bow Jim! :tongue:


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## Fl archer (Jul 1, 2006)

I have the Howard Hill Redman 74# @ 28". Circa 1986. I loved the bow the first few years I had it....... Now I hate it. The draw weight seems to be increasing by at least 5 pounds each year. Anymore, I have a hard time getting full draw on the bow.... The wood must be drying out


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## AKRuss (Jan 10, 2003)

Terry, I'm having that same problems with all my bows. I don't know about the wood but I think my joints are drying out!


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## John49 (Feb 25, 2006)

I bet its got more to do with the body than the bow. LOL. We get older every day.


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