[T. Hamilton]

Technical debates about penetration and velocity aside (i.e. which bow is better), what's your favorite bow to shoot with? Do you prefer asymmetric bows like the Yumi, Turkish recurves, or the good old English longbow? Is your preference based on strength required to draw, shooting technique, vibration, etc.? Extra credit if you talk about any differences in the different shooting techniques between the various types of bows.

[Michael K Wislon]

I am in my mid 40's and have been shooting over 30 years. My first real non-fiberglass bow was a 50lb recurve with cut out window. I learned to shoot well with that. I lived in a rural area and many rabbits met their demise with that bow. I don't get to shoot as much as I'd like any more, but I still shoot that bow, as well as a Kassai 65 lb Hun bow, and a 55lb longbow. I don't use a thumb ring for the Hun, so my technique is the same for all three. All three are fine shooting bows. My thought is that if you have a good archery background, you can probably shoot any bow well. The first time I shot the Hun bow, was at an indoor range. There was a guy there in his early 20's with a new wheel bow. He was amazed that i could shoot a bare bow more accurately than he could shoot his Klingon warbow. I told him it was just practice and he was even more surprised to find out this was my first time shooting this bow. I offered to let him try , but he declined.

I pull to my ear to anchor my shoot. My thumb is touching my ear when I am set. My old recurve I shoot almost instinctively. The other two bows take a little more work, but I get good results. Since neither have the cut out window, they shoot a little different. I tend to shoot left with them. If I tilt the bow slightly, I am dead on.

Hope this helps

[Glennan Carnie]

The English Warbow, without a doubt. Vastly over-hyped and woefully misunderstood as a weapon. It takes a remarkable level of strength, technique and skill to be proficient with the heavy longbow, and to get the most out of it - mere brute force alone is not enough.

[Robert Subiaga Jr.]

Everybody's perspective is influenced by experience, no doubt. I grew up shooting and hunting Fred Bear and Pearson recurves, so that has no doubt colored how "comfortable" certain historical bows are to me. (I still often hunt with a Bear Black Bear wheelbow compound, despite having otherwise given up compounds, because it shoots "smooth" and well like a traditional, off a shelf, with fingers, plus it has nostalgiac value as the first I ever got big game with.)

Anyway, never really took to thumb release, "shelf"-on-the-same-side-as-string-hand shooting. I like the concept, even used it for a few years that successfully with a Herters left-handed recurve I couldn't pass up, still using it right-handed. (That's how I first researched different shooting styles. Got a lot of weird looks at the range!) But I still had to use a mechanical release to pull it off and it never became as comfortable--I like canting the bow to the right too much. Maybe I'd give thumb release another go if I ever tried horse archery, but not at first; I still think I'd try Mediterranean style at first and keep it if it worked.

Love the aesthetics and zip of recurved historical bows though, so mostly stick with them among reproductions.

But I do have to say, if being totally honest, that both historical and traditional longbows are absolutely the smoothest and most comfortable to shoot. A major pain to maneuver through brush and tight spaces, but really a pleasure.

[Martin Erben]

I'm doing traditional archery since 8 years now. After using/owning "normal recurve" bows, then a compound bow, then a fiberglass laminated "traditional" bow, an english longbow and a Grozer hungarian bow, I fell in love with the Grozer Crimean-Tartar with 65#. It's a true little Beast. In my opinion, its unbeatable in speed and handling, and it is very usable in difficult terrain like a forest. It also looks very authentic, because none of the laminated parts are visible.
Here's a photo for the ones who don't know it:

[Darryl Aoki]

I've got a 45-pdr Tatar (Mongolian-style recurve) bow I got from Seven Meadows Archery that I'm quite happy with (I've only done target shooting with it.) (Yes, I'm a wuss and I shoot a light bow.)
I've also got a 30-pdr longbow that I don't really like nearly as much, I think because I learned to shoot with the horsebow first. The fact that I have protection for my drawing finger (thumb ring) with the horsebow and have nothing but a glove when shooting the longbow doesn't really help the longbow's chances either. Having said this, I don't think my longbow's bad as such; I just don't know how to use it, and ought to practice with it more, or sell/give it to someone who would appreciate it more.

[Colt Reeves]

I gotta ask: Klingon warbow? I did a quick Google search and it seems to mean compound, but does it have anything to do with Star Trek?

[Michael K Wislon]

Colt,
I was being facetious.I meant a modern compound bow when I said Klingon warbow. I really picture those as a sci-fi looking bow. I have always referred to them that way. I have shot a couple, but prefer more traditional/primative bows. I mean really, can't you picture a Star trek episode where they go to a Klingon medieval time, and they are using this type of bow?
Mike