Target Bows vs. Hunting bows?

[mmattockx]

What do the PA members do differently if they are making a target bow as compared to a hunting bow? Assume draw weight and draw length are to be identical for both types.


Thanks,
Mark

[bradsmith2010]

well that takes me out of discussion, cause my hunting bows are shorter,, but good question,,

[Pat B]

My hunting bows are my target bows.

[willie]

for hunting I like the bow to balance naturally in the hand and be able to nock and draw without rattling the arrow or taking your eye off the game.

shorter is more convenient for hunting and I find longer easier to be accurate (repeatable) with when target shooting. (maybe I aim longer at the paper targets)

[Deerhunter21]

my hunting bow is the best bow i got. target bows are the ones i dont use and put in the corner.

[bassman]

Longer with less draw weight.

[Hawkdancer]

I'm with Pat B!
Hawkdancer

[mmattockx]

well that takes me out of discussion, cause my hunting bows are shorter,, but good question,,

I worded that poorly. I meant that draw weight and draw length are the same for both bows, not that the bow length is the same. I edited my post to clarify.

You say your hunting bows are shorter, that is one of the things I was wondering about.


Mark

[Pat B]

I guess, in general a target bow would be longer maybe with a longer, heavier riser and maybe slightly whip ended but I've never built or shot a target bow. Also, my hunting bows aren't necessarily short. I've hunted with bows as long as 72" and as short as 47"(sinew backed osage r/d).

[bassman]

I make what I consider target bows for me for indoor winter shooting. I quit killing now ,but when I did hunt I used 58 inch  45lb bows. For target shooting I build 62 to 64 inch bows 35lbs. at 26 inch draw from Osage, Black Locust, or Elm,  and also have an ILF 66 inch Fivics recurve,  and a 70 inch Hoyt Pro Medalist vintage target recurve that are both 35lb s at 28 inches though I shoot them at 26 inch draw. Heavier dead in the hand bows that are longer ,and lighter draw weight  are the norm for true target shooting if you want to compete. If you are a hunter , and back yard shooter then your hunting bow will do.

[bradsmith2010]

  well ok as I have gotten older,,not so much wiser, sometimes I hunt out of a blind,,so I have made some bows that are shorter for blind hunting or treee stand,,
54 inches was what I shot 20 years ago for hunting, and my target bow, or 3d bow was 70 inches,,
I only drew the short bow 24 or 25 inches and the longer bow I shot at a longer draw,,
ok that being said,, I dont target shoot any really now,, just hunting bows, I will practice sometimes with the long bow cause I like it, and fun to shoot,,
but lately I have been concentrating on bows that draw 23 and 24 inches,,, shooting through the chronograph showed me designed properly they have good cast, but like Laubin says in his book,, they take a bit more skill to shoot well, so I am just practicing to see what I can do,,
   my draw is shorter on the hunting  bow,, and longer on the target bow,, hunting bows for me are designed for short range,, and the target bow for longer range,,
    that being said, there have been times when I hunted with the longer target bow with success,or shot my hunting bow in competitions,,, but when you are in a blind and cant draw it,, makes you reconsider some options on length., Turkey hunting comes to mind, even in a brush blind,, catching the end of your bow on a twig, can really mess with your shot sequence,,
 

[Eric Garza]

I remember one of the TBB volumes stating that the average Native American hunting bow came in around 54 inches. Some were shorter, some longer. War bows were, on average, significantly longer. To me, that says something. I decided to force myself to hunt with a longer bow this year, 67 inches tip-to-tip. I am regretting this decision, but will follow through on it so I can get a sense for the longer bows limitations even as I plan a shorter build for next year.

[bradsmith2010]

I find as I build and shoot different bows, I can see advantages that are not apparent when just looking at them,,

[StickMark]

Great thread. Eric, what were the limitations? Maybe new thread, in Shooting and Hunting.
I too enjoy a longer bow for target fun, and 57" is great for hunting. I shoot alot on my butt, and the Az desert still has crazy thick thickets.
Good point, Brad.

[HH~]

I hunt as much or maybe slightly more than i target shoot but most days an arrow never leaves my shelf. Yes, i said shelf. Both my hunt and target bows have shelves. I shoot both straight up no cant.

My target bows i shoot 3 under, hunt split finger. The target rigs i tube shoot and they can be same length and weight. The difference is how i aim. I gap with both but i gap over at longer shots target shooting. I never gap over in hunting.Always gap under thereby i alway have the animal in my sight picture! Split finger gets me point on at about 30yds with 575-600grn arrow at 45lbs. If i face walk my hold a tad lower i get to 35yds PO. Just the way i have always shot hunting.

With split finger and selfbow I get a faster arrow as well.

Shawn