I’m looking for recommendation for a shorter 50’s style recurve for ground hunting. I typically like longer recurves around 64” for my 29.5” draw but looking for something around 60”. At the moment debating between a GN ghost, toelke chinook or bivouac lonestar. Anyone have experience with these models? Thanks

Ace was a good one

Kota Killum

I have a 58" Chinook that has become my number one elk hunting bow. All of my elk hunting is done on the ground, either spot and stalk or a natural ground blind over a wallow. It's a really fast bow, and dead silent. As quiet as my r/d longbows and hybrids, if not more. I haven't shot the others but it would be hard to go wrong with the Toelke. And with your DL the 60" will take you where you want to go.

I have a 60" Toelke Chinook, 43 lbs @29". It is as every Toelke I've ever owned flawlessly made, smooth drawing, dead in the hand stable and QUIET. It's also very fast even with heavy arrows, I'm shooting 3d with 550-560 grain Douglas Fir arrows.

Chinook for me too…

There must be something with those Toelke bows, never a bad word

The Red Wing hunter is a great shorter recurve..my old one is in the hands of a friend in Ontario. Toelkes..not a recurve but the Pika is one sweet shooting little bow..the fly rod of longbows. Codjigger

Mahantongo Raven

As Jim W said, the Chinook loves heavy arrows. A quick calc shows Jim is shooting almost 13 gpp out of his 43#. For elk I'm shooting about 14.5 gpp out of my 52#. Before I got my Chinook I was shooting a well respected r/d longbow at the same weight. Putting the same arrow through the Chinook, I was shocked by how much faster and flatter that arrow flew.

Korte

59 kodiak 60" perfect 50s style recurve.

Check Kohanna kurve very very nice bow. Guy is out of Michigan, fit and finish as good as any better than most and very reasonable.

I'll echo the above... Toelke Chinook is really hard to beat. I'm not sure you'll find a wood/glass bow that plots better on the "fast/quiet" chart.

If you need something that's a little faster Steve Jewett of Bushmen makes a Xyphose (static tip super curve). You don't need much of that bow to tip anything in North America.

I hunted last season from the first day till the last day with a 45# 59 Kodiak. 60” . I love it. The Korte bows have caught my eye as well.

Chinook..!! Pretty hard to find anything any better..!

I had both a Chinook and Kill-um. Both great bows. Really love the grip on the Chinook. But I have to say, I shoot the Kill-um better. Both super quiet. My Chinook was a 58 incher and the Kill-um is 60. Maybe the 2 inches matter, IDK. I still have a Kill-um and have another one on order. I love the Kill-um.

I had both a Chinook and Kill-um. Both great bows. Really love the grip on the Chinook. But I have to say, I shoot the Kill-um better. Both super quiet. My Chinook was a 58 incher and the Kill-um is 60. Maybe the 2 inches matter, IDK. I still have a Kill-um and have another one on order. I love the Kill-um.

the fox breed made by ron king is another good one to consider.

Chinook for sure.

John - That is pretty cool, what process did you use to create those groundhog hide quivers and do you have any pix of the final quiver... Thanks...

If the Killum shoots as good as the Kota Prairie Swift you would have made a great choice. Tim knows what he's doing.

Wild Horse Creek Mariah for a short and very forgiving recurve and quiet. The craftsmanship is second to none.

Thanks for all of the responses. I’ve owned several toelkes but never a chinook, sounds like their reputation is hard to beat. The kota is another I’ll have to consider.

Bivouac Bow Co. "Lonestar"

I go along with papadeerhtr , don’t over look Kohannah Kurve very good and reasonable bows.

A very good 50's style recurve is the Great Norther Ghost.

My choice would be the Kohannah Kurve also. Bob makes an outstanding bow for the money! It will shoot with any of them.

I have both a Chinook and a Kill-em, both are great, I like the Chinook a bit better but you couldn't go wrong with either. Also, as said above, the redwing hunter is a great short bow that works well with a long draw (my draw is 30"), although the redwing is more of a 60s style, not a 50s style.

Kota Killum or Mahaska.

Great Northern Ghost/Super Ghost

I owned a Toelke Chinook, great shooting bow, don't think you can go wrong with any of the ones you're looking at. If I was buying one today, it would probably be the Lonestar.

Chad Holm made a good bow with the river runner too if you run across one....

My favorite is out of production, since bowyer passed in 2023. Big River 66# recurve Kodiak clone. Likes a heavy arrow, 10-12 gpp

I’m really wondering about the bivouac lonestar, doesn’t seem like many folks shoot them but I’ve heard some good things. They are probably the most true to the 50’s style design. I’m guessing anything made by bivouac would be a great shooter though.

Yep--- the Chinooks are great. I was impressed with their speed and like all Toelke bows they're smooth and quiet.

Hey, just so happens I have a 50s recurve, Kota Killum 60" 47#,like new condition. Fantastic shooter Im just going totally long bow. If your interested I can send a few pics or you can give a call 618-967-9613

I have two Bear Kodiaks. I absolutely love them. Light, fast and accurate. Mine are exceptionaly quiet as I use a B-50 string.

I loved my chinook. I really love my raven. Both fine bows

Robertson Peregrine/Bivouac Lone Star

Great photo Stoner !

find a used Mahaska

Look into the great plains swift long curve

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