Great Northern Traditional Longbow Owners

[bentpole]

Just curious Folks. What is your honest opinion on these bows? How do they compare to the other Hill Style Longbows being built? Smoothness of draw, hand shock if any, noise, and speed? How do they compare to say a Toelke Super D, Dwyer, Hill, or Northern Mist? OR any other Hill style longbow for that matter. You very rarely see them for resale on The Classifieds.     :confused:  By the way I'm very partial to Northern Mist's.  

[bentpole]

[Chain2]

I don't know if this counts but I have a GN Bushbow. It is awesome. I have a long draw and it is very smooth and hits hard. Jerry is great to deal with. I have ordered a Sasquatch but don't tell my wife, I am not selling the Bushbow when it comes.

[Lineman72]

Bentpole,

I had a Great Northern critter gitter. That bow was amazing.It was fast, smooth,quiet and like chain said, it hits hard and no hand shock The bow was 65#@28. Jerry told me info about the bow and recommended arrows. For that 65# it like 75-80# spine woodies.
I met Jerry at ETAR last year. A fine gentleman. Jerry let me try some of his bows out. The jack knife system is really cool.
While at ETAR someone wanted that bow really bad, so I sold it. Wish i hadn't.    

[darin putman]

I have owned the great northern traditional and the toelke super d. Although I shoot selfbows these are two of my favorites. Both bows were quiet shooting heavy wood arrows, no noticable handshock, speed comparison wouldn't be fair as there was a 9# difference in there weight. I like a smaller grip bow always have and both of these had about the same size grip the great northern being a straight grip bow though. Both bows top notch. Toelke top bow!

[darin putman]

toelke backset, great northern straight    toeke top strung profiles of both

[darin putman]

Hope you don't mind all the pics. I don't own either anymore but still like I said two of my favorites!!!

[bentpole]

darin no problem about the pictures they are great. Thanks for your opinion! That GN handle is almost like a reverse grip. Very similar to my Northern Mist Whisper.

[BUCKY]

:rolleyes:   when you selling that widow?

[dhermon85]

I have a 2 piece gn "hunter t/d". It's a sleeve t/d which is obviously no longer made. I assume it is a early model but don't know much about her.  It's pretty quick,smooth,quiet, little to no handshock, good shhoting bow. I don't give it the attention it deserves but I like it.  Can't really give a comparison to the others.

[dhermon85]

Here's some pics

[Knawbone]

Haven't shot a GN semi long bow, but my Bushbow is smooth as butter with great cast. Very well made bow with a tough finish. I bought the bow from a fellow TG member a couple of years ago. The bow is marked 56 @ 29 and I draw a mere 25 1/2. Even at my draw it likes a 50-55 spine woodie with 125 up front. Shoots great even under drawn and around 46 lbs.Four bamboo lams and 64", clear glass. Id' like to find one 62" and tillered to 26"  

[bentpole]

BUCKY The Widow Stays forever.       When you want to shoot it?                

[bentpole]

:confused:     :rolleyes:    

[Roger Norris]

I can only speak to GN's quality overall. I had a Critter Gitter, and it was superbly made. Very nice bow.

[Ghost Dog]

I have owned many Hill style bows. The GN Traditional is a highly refined version of that classic style of longbow. Very smooth drawing with better cast compared to a similar draw weight of any Hill I have shot. Much less hand shock than most Hills, too. I don't own any Hills anymore, other than the GN Traditional.

[meatCKR]

I shot the GN Traditional this past weekend at Kzoo.  Very nice.  Quiet and very solid with great cast.  One thing I noticed was that there is no mistaking the trapezoid limb design. You can see the trapezoid shape of the limb more than any other bow there.  Jerry knows how to make a very pronounced trapezoid.  Which is why I believe the bow felt so solid.

[Steve Clandinin]

I actually own the bow Darin has the pictures of.I've pretty much shot them all as far as Hill and mild RD longbows.The workmanship and detail like Ghost Dog and others have said is first class.I absolutely love this bow I usually shoot 52-55# and this one shoots right with them at only 46#.Meats so right every bow with trapped limbs for me seams to perform better.When I look at the price of new GN Darin gave me a heck of a deal.

[darin putman]

Glad to hear your getting along with each other Steve. As Bentpole stated you don't see many of them for sale in classifieds. One things for sure great time to buy a few if one's so inclined, some great deals!!!

[bentpole]