Measuring hunting recurves

[TJ Mason]

A local archery dealer has some hunting recurves for sale. They're tempting, but neither he nor I know much about hunting recurves -- we're both Olympic recurve men.

So I'd be grateful if the gurus on this forum could fill the gaps between my ears. :D

How is the length of a hunting recurve measured? On an Olympic, it's measured by following all the contours of the unstrung bow on the belly side, from tip-to-tip. Same or different?

What would be the right length of bow for someone who's 5'8" with a 28" draw? I use a 66" Olympic, but I believe hunting recurves are generally shorter?


Thanks in advance!

[p8ntballnryan]

you can still shoot a 66" bow....but usually about 56-66" is what most hunting recurves are available in length wise...

depends on your hunting situation too...and wether or not you're shooting in a competition with it...

give us a liiiiiiiiiitle bit more info on what exactly you'll be doing and you'll get a more well rounded suggestion for your application...


:shock:

[TJ Mason]

Well, I won't be hunting -- bowhunting's been illegal for us fog-breathers (Ryan :twisted: ) since 1963.

I'm thinking of using it for field archery and 3D.

[p8ntballnryan]

66-68"



fog breathin eh?! :shock: must be why ya'll talk so funny! :wink:

[SageCreek]

I thought Froggie was from France! :lol:

[max a2a]

Interesting..I've never heard of measuring all the contours, usually it has just been tip to tip unstrung. It seems like measuring all the contours would add an inch and a half or more? There's no arguing that the longer the better in most cases, but I can say I'm having LOTS o fun with my 56" Chek-Mate Firebird.

[Tejas Raz]

My old Wing is marked 60" and my tape just read 60" unstrung, tip to tip.

[Kitsap]

I've always understood that you measured a recurve along the countours on the back of the bow. . . probably doesn't make too much difference from measuring along the belly.

As for length, I've never really understood any of that business about choosing the right length bow for your height. Just ignorant I guess. I do know that hunters who work in heavy undergrowth prefer shorter bows for reasons that should be obvious. Me, I'll try and shoot just about any bow so long as it isn't too heavy. Left hand, right hand, longbow, recurve, flatbow, compound . . . heck I'd even like to try an atlatl someday.

[Tejas Raz]

I'm agreeing with Kitsap on the bow length thing. My selfbow is a bit on the long side... 72"! Other than keeping it off the ground when shooting who cares how long it is. I always chuckle to myself when reading about "tree stand" bows for obvious reasons. No matter the bow, you always accomodate it one way or another and get on with the shooting. Guess my longbow is my "tree stand" bow... at 64". Hehehe!