What's your favorite length bow and your draw length?

[Judo Point]

The reason I ask is I really like short bows and I have a draw length of 28" my first bow was an ironwood 60" ttt I posted it on here awhile back as 60" ntn but after just measuring it again realized it was tip to tip. It turned out great shoots great and I love it but was going to go longer on my next one because how most people say for 28" of draw you should be 66 to 68" long but that just seems so long to me. So anyway what's your preference and draw length and why do you prefer that length?

[Pat B]

I think for 28" draw a 66" t/t bow is about perfect. I like 66" bows for my 26" draw. I've been shooting shorties lately and do pretty well with them. My go to bow now is 53"t/t sinew backed osage and to 20yds it goes right where I look. It has taken me a while and lots of arrows and concentration to get there. I've been thinking about building a 64" to 66" narrow osage, arc of a circle bow, kind of like Pope and Young used.
  After you've shot a shorty for a while a long bow is so much more forgiving. My first few shots with a longer bow, after shooting shorties, are right on. I often wonder why I like the shorties and short highly stressed recurves but I do! Maybe just to see if I can. 

[gstoneberg]

I have always shot bows of 60" best and I still do.  My favorite bows are shorter, in the 51"-54" range, but I sure don't shoot them as well.  I find bows over 60" annoying when I'm hunting as I get the limb tips into everything.  The next bow I build for me will be  bendy handled and around 55".

EDIT: I forgot to say I draw a little under 28".

George

[Judo Point]

Thanks Pat all I've ever really shot were shortys the longest that I have shot regularly is 60" and accuracy isn't really a problem any more but I don't shoot past 20yds ocasionaly I'll shoot 30 or 40 for fun on 3d targets but usually stick to my 20 or under. But maybe I should build a 66 just to see the difference.

George that's kinda what I'm worried about. But I guess I should try one atleast.

[tattoo dave]

I made a 62" bow a while back, and really like it. It's not really a shorty, but not too long, I can still shoot it from my kayak.

Tattoo Dave

[Ifrit617]

I have a long 29" draw when shooting a glass recurve but I like to shoot 50-56" bendy handle self bows with a 24" bow. It feels more primitive and is closer to what the natives shot long ago...


Jon

[Fred Arnold]

I draw 28 1/2 to 29 and while the 58" and 60" recurves shoot well for me, when going with a longbow I feel especially comfortable with 64"+. Some of the shorter R/D bows in 60" were comfortable to handle but in a D style bow I prefer them longer.

[George Tsoukalas]

I don't like short bows because they can stack which destroys my rhythm. I draw 26" and like bows 62-66" depending on the wood type and condition of the stave. Check your draw by having someone watch you shoot and noting where you are on release. Your pose draw means nothing. Jawge

[country]

Most of mine are 68- 70 but have been intrigued with the shorter bows... right now I'm in the process of making my trade bow a 54" rd shorty (osage)... sinewed and backed with rawhide... I made a practice bow since it was my first this short.... Its taking me a lot to get it down to weight... I'm taking little by little but MAN.... still feels like an 80 lb bow...   

[H Rhodes]

I have made several shorter, wider limbed bows (59" - 64")  that shoot fine, but my drawlength  is somewhere between 28 and 29 inches.  The sweetest shooting bow that I have made so far is 68 inches long.  I find my longer bows to be more accurate too. 

[vinemaplebows]

Really depends on the wood, 68-70 is very forgiving, and I lioke them a lot. With vine maple I like anywhere from 62-66.

[Dictionary]

60-65 in for a 28 in draw. Bendy handle

[loefflerchuck]

I like short bows and have 2 draws. 26" draw and I use a 48-52" bow for this, and 23" draw and I use little bendy handle 40-45" bows for this. Up to 25 yards I am just as accurate with the little draw as the longer. I focus on what I want to hit and release quick instead of careful aiming.

[JW_Halverson]

My every day shooter/hunter is a sinew backed osage, stiff handle and 2" fade outs.  She's 52" nock to nock and I draw 26-27" depending on my form that day.  She's mighty short for tight cover shooting and brush scootin' for bunnies/whitetails. 

But if you want me to be really happy, put a well tillered 72" ELB in my hands.  Oh man I love those sweet drawing, steady as a rock, stable shooting platforms.  I once had a hickory longbow that loved shooting pie plates at 30 yds.  But then I shot that thing all summer long, too.  It was just an extension of the body by the time I gave it away.  Then I picked up the short osage and started shooting at 20 yds at two straw bales stacked.  I could hardly keep the arrows on the bales!!!  I needed a tighter choke!

[deerhunter97370]

My favorite bows are about 76" with a 110 @ 26" draw. But that's not practical for hunting. For hunting About 67" 60-65# @ 26". Joel