Hi all, I am on the list for a Mahantango kestrel from Jim. 68” (I draw 30”). Just thought I’d ask and see if anyone’s had a kestrel and his goshawk or redtail. Interested in how they compared to you. I appreciate quietness and pointability/accuracy. Also, any core woods of his you’d recommend or not recommend would be appreciated too. Thanks guys!

Jeffery, I have a Redtail Classic. 66 inches, brown glass with bamboo lamination and a zebrawood riser. 48@28. On a goid day I hit 27".

I experience no to very little handshake. My bow has good cast and is not arrow fussy. I like the bamboo lams because they recover quicker, are light in physical weight.

My bow is quality made, handcrafted by a craftsman. Glue lines are tight, with a finish that compliments Jim's handiwork.

Would I purchase another bow from Jim Martin of Mahantango Bows..Yes I will!

Thanks Scott! That all sounds good. What do you mean by bamboo limbs “recover quicker”? How does that affect the feel of the shot? Less vibration just after release? More dead in the hand? Or does it impact accuracy as well?

Jim builds a quality bow at a really good price. I have a Red Tail and I will probably be ordering a Kestral. I have a lighter weight bow with maple cores. I honestly don't know if I would be able to tell the difference between a bamboo core and a maple core. It may make more of a difference in a heavier draw bow, I don't know. You won't be disappointed.

I have two Kestrels, a 66” Osage limbs, clear glass and Cocobolo riser and a 62” bamboo, clear glass with Bubinga riser, one of the first and shortest he made almost 25 years ago. It is a very quick bow. While beautiful, I don’t know that I’d recommend Osage as a core wood in a glass bow, while bamboo is hard to beat though rather plain looking. IME maple or bamboo are the way to go, although you might want to talk to Jim about walnut cores, I’ve heard good things. Here’s my 66” Osage/Cocobolo.

The Kestrel is an excellant mild R&D.Strings up in a perfect D shape like an ASL.Narrow deep core limb.Slight lower locator grip.Small diminutive tips.

Excellant shooting bow.Stable,smooth and pleasant shooting.Should be a little faster with the R&D than his ASLS I believe.

Mine is 66 inches and has red elm cores and sweet looking osage laminations on the back and belly.Coco Bolo riser that matches up beautifully with the osage limbs.Very well made and superbly crafted bow.Pretty much flawless.

I give it a thumbs up.I have not had one of his ASLs.So cant compare them.

I would say his Kestrel shoots as well as any Mild R&D I have had and I have had many of that style of longbow.

Thanks for all the positive reviews guys! I’m looking forward to the bow. Bowhunt, that’s some high praise! I absolutely love my toelke super d, so if it’s as good as that, I’ll be thrilled!

I really like my reverse riser goshawk, my RedTail, my RedTail Classic and my Kestrel, I love them All, Riser style is your choice , even a kestrel with red elm cores.

C’mon Wayne, not going to give us your favorite?! Haha

I had a Toelke Super D Jeffrey.

It was an original Super D and I do believe he modified that Super D and made improvements.I have not tried the newer version that came out some years back.

Stuckintherut it is the first in the lineup. Nice kestrel Peckerwood, big too

Stuckintherut, you will not go wrong with any of Jim’s bows as I have shot them all but the Goshawk(reverse handle ASL). The idea with the reverse handle is it’s more stable in the hand or less torque. I have 2 Kestrels, 4 Redtails(backset), and 1 Redtail Classic(string follow). Like them all but I love my Hill style bows(ASL). My core choise for his hill style is Yew. Love the look and fell but also more money. Boo is a great core wood (really a grass), red elm, maple, and many other options of others. Jim is a great guy…give him a call again and pick his brain about other core options. The kestrel strung up looks close to a Redtail and is not an ASL. It’s a mild R/D bow that just shoots good. I shoot fast flight on them but my Hill styles get B50. Stick with the Kestrel and then down the road get one of his Hill style’s.

Redtail Classic

Also all my Hill style’s have Myrtle handle. I like the Yew with Myrtle look. Myrtle also comes with different color/grain as you can see from my pictures.

That's a great collection Gary. I have a Redtail Classic that's as fine an ASL as I've owned, on par with Bivouac, Northern Mist, JD Berry... I see that my Redtail has limbs of equal length vs the top limb being slightly longer. I like that aesthetically and I'm sure it's in my mind but I feel like I can tune nock height better when they're equal. Does the Kestrel have equal length limbs? My favorite mild R/Ds are Dwyer Originals which has equal limbs and the profile of the Kestrel looks very similar. Thanks.

Thanks everyone! Yewbender, those are beautiful. I was going to ask the riser woods. Myrtle sure does have a lot of variation. What riser and limbs do you have on the kestrels?

NBK, not sure on that one as I never measured them. If you give me till sunday I can check mine. I’m sit’n in my stand as I type deer hunting, up all week!!!

Stuckintherut, thanks! And the 64” is Yew limbs with Bubinga handle. The 66” is Osage limbs with Bocote.

NBK Kestrel are equal limb length too, + I have a Dwyer Original too just different riser designs between the two.

Wayne, are the Kestrel's limbs trapped as much as the Dwyer?

Was just down at Jim's today and we were talking of all things.....bows.

Good Yew limb core wood is a scarce item right now for some reason. We were talking hard vs soft Maple and the adv./ disadv. if any.

Talked about Diamondwood for risers (he has a bit of that now) and Chechen....really dense and heavy.

Helped him unload a truckload of hay and headed home.

Were going to get the crew together after deer season is over and have a shop meeting....which consists of eating, drinking coffee, and talking bows.

I'm not a betting man, but if I was, I believe out of the bows you listed Jeffrey the Kestrel would have the most zip, quietness would go to the Redtail, and point-ability to the Goshawk.

I have owned a few of Jims bows, beautiful and functional to say the least, and at just over half the cost of the other guys bows they are a hard bargain to beat!

Like Gary said, give him a call, he loves to talk bows. It is his passion!

Good Shooting->->->->Craig

NBK

I had Dwyer Original many years ago.Also many other bows in the mild R&D design with trapped limbs both back to belly and belly to back.

From the same bowyers limbs can be trapped more or less.Some of it depends on making poundage for the customer.The trap could be less severe if they are trapping and make the perect poundage at the customers request.No need to remove more material.If they trap more it would reduce poundage below the customers perfect poundage request.

Th trap may be more severe if they make poundage by increasing the trapezoid cross section.Hence reducing weight.

I have had what I consider extemely trapped limbs to mildly trapped limbs.I think the trapped limbs to some degree are less or more trapped based on the original owners desire for a specific draw wieght.So some less or some more.

My currant trapezoid limb longbow custom made for me is mildly trapped but hit poundage dead on.So no more trapping was necessary.Shoots great!

Craig,

Good information and observation about Jim's bow. I'm gonna contact him after the holiday (saving up to place an order). I'm almost dead set in a Goshawk.

But a lot of the talk has me thinking Kestrel since I would like a little more speed. Now I wonder if I should be 'that guy' by asking him to make me a Kestrel/Goshawk hybrid. Basically a Goshawk with some R/D or a Kestrel with a reverse handle. If that's not possible, I'll probably get a Goshawk now and a Kestrel next year.

I'm looking for a little more speed because I plan to hunt with it. I'm really happy with the HH Wesley's Special except for speed. I know, I know, don't shoot a ASL if speed is what the goal is. But I'm getting the same performance from the 45lbs Wesley as I am from my short mild R/D 40lbs Maddog Predator. That 5lbs is pretty noticiable especially when the weather get cold.

HuumanCreed, I talked to Craig of the difference between my Kestrel and Goshawk, both bows 68” 45#@28”, the Goshawk is back set and it doesn’t give up any preforms to my Kestrel, both shoots great for Me.

I think Wayne found his "thrill on Jimmy Martins hill" when he got that Goshawk! Glad you are enjoying it buddy!

The only reason I suggested the Kestrel possibly being a bit quicker....is for the fact being the Goshawk is a forward handle design, backset or not, still forward handle. You lose some draw length and preload which all has to be considered.

But.....I don't think any of us worry about speed when we have chosen to shoot what we do, at least I don't. Give me a bow that I can consistently shoot well and that will work for me, and oh....it has to be quiet.

Good Shooting->->->->Craig

Good one Craig, like reflex riser away from your hand more forgiving in a longbow or recurve, less preforming ?? Or a Hill style riser like an overdraw on longbow limb’s performance difference?? Have to show up on a chronograph I guess.

You are not to far off there Wayne. Reflex equals lower brace height, faster, but less forgiving. I will take the deflex any day....not as twitchy.

Good Shooting->->->->Craig

Myrtle riser and Red Cedar limb Red Tail by Jim Martin

That's some good lookin Myrtle Steve. Great photo.

Good Shooting->->->->Craig

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