Archery is usually about precision. You think of carbon fiber limbs, neon-green fiber optic sights, and stabilizers that look like they belong on a NASA rover. But there’s a subculture growing—fast—that wants none of that. It’s loud. It’s physically demanding. It’s the return to warbow cast, and it’s fundamentally shifting how people view the English Longbow. We aren't talking about the flimsy 30-pound sticks you used at summer camp. We are talking about "heavy" wood. We are talking about bows that pull 80, 100, or even 150 pounds at full draw.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a miracle that this niche even exists. For decades, the target archery world looked down on these heavy bows as crude tools of the past. They were relics. But thanks to a dedicated group of bowyers, historians, and absolute madmen who enjoy the feeling of their ribs compressing under 100 pounds of pressure, the warbow is back. And the "cast"—basically how far and how fast that bow can chuck a heavy arrow—is the only metric that matters anymore.
What is Warbow Cast and Why Are We Obsessed?
If you ask a modern archer about their gear, they’ll talk about "grouping." If you ask a warbow enthusiast, they’ll talk about "cast." In simple terms, cast is the efficiency of the bow to propel a specific weight of arrow over a distance. It's the soul of the bow. You can have a beautiful piece of Italian Yew, but if the tips are too heavy or the tiller is sluggish, the cast will be garbage. It won’t "spit" the arrow.
The return to warbow cast is essentially a return to the physics of the Hundred Years' War. Back then, a bow wasn't a toy; it was long-range artillery. To be effective against plate armor or to create a "cloud of death," the bow needed to transfer maximum energy into a heavy birch or ash shaft. Experts like Joe Gibbs—who is arguably the most famous heavy-bow archer today—have demonstrated that a high-draw-weight bow with a massive cast can send a 1,000-grain arrow through materials that would make a modern compound bow sweat.
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It’s about the snap. When you release a heavy warbow, the limb tips should move so fast they blur. That’s the cast. If the bow "thumps" or vibrates excessively in your hand, the energy is staying in the wood instead of the arrow. That’s a failure. People are realizing that light-weight target bows just don't offer that visceral, raw power.
The Physics of Wood: Why Yew Still Rules
You've probably heard that Yew is the king of bow woods. It's not just a myth. Taxus baccata is a biological marvel. It has two distinct layers: the sapwood (the white outer layer) which handles tension, and the heartwood (the darker inner layer) which handles compression. This natural "laminate" is what gives a warbow its legendary cast.
When you pull a 120-lb warbow, you are literally trying to crush the heartwood while stretching the sapwood to its breaking point. Modern bowyers like Pip Bickerstaffe or the late, great Glennan Carnie spent lifetimes figuring out the exact ratio needed to maximize cast. If the sapwood is too thick, the bow is sluggish. Too thin, and it snaps. It’s a delicate balance.
But here’s the kicker. We are seeing a return to warbow cast using other woods too. Osage orange, lemonwood, and even hickory-backed bamboo are being pushed to the limit. People are experimenting. They want to see if they can replicate the performance of Mary Rose-style bows without spending $2,000 on a premium stave of high-altitude Italian Yew. Some of these "war-grade" laminates are actually outperforming solid timber in specific weather conditions. It’s a wide-open field of experimentation right now.
The Heavy Draw Weight "Cult"
Let’s be real: pulling a warbow is hard. It’s not just "tough." It’s a specialized physical discipline. You don't use your arms. If you try to "arm" a 100-pound bow, you’re going to tear a rotator cuff in about three seconds. You have to use your lats and your skeletal structure.
The return to warbow cast has sparked a massive interest in "The Method." This is the historical technique of "stepping into the bow." You don't stand still like a target archer. You lean. You engage your core. You use your weight to push the bow away from you while you pull the string back to your ear—or even past it. This isn't just for show. It’s the only way to achieve the draw lengths (often 30 to 32 inches) required to get the maximum cast out of the wood.
Mark Stretton, a Guinness World Record holder for heavy bow draws, has shown that humans are capable of far more than we thought. He famously drew a 200-lb bow. That’s not a typo. Two. Hundred. Pounds. While most of us aren't aiming for that level of insanity, the average "warbow" shooter is now regularly hitting the 80-110 lb range. Ten years ago, that was almost unheard of in local clubs.
The Mary Rose Influence: Where the Data Comes From
We wouldn't know anything about the return to warbow cast if it weren't for a ship that sank in 1545. When the Mary Rose was raised in 1982, they found hundreds of longbows. They were perfectly preserved in the silt of the Solent. This changed everything.
Before the Mary Rose, historians thought longbows were around 50 or 60 pounds. They were wrong. Way wrong. Analysis of the wood and the skeletal remains of the archers (who had deformed shoulder bones from the sheer stress of shooting) proved these bows were monsters.
What the Mary Rose Taught Us
- Draw Weights: Most were between 100 and 160 lbs.
- Length: They were taller than the archers, often 6'6" or more.
- Profile: They weren't "flat"; they were deep, D-shaped bows designed to handle massive compression.
This data is the "North Star" for the modern warbow movement. Every time a bowyer makes a "Mary Rose replica," they are trying to reclaim that lost cast. They are trying to prove that a wooden stick can still be a terrifyingly effective weapon. It’s a mix of archaeology and athletics.
The Problem with "Noodle" Bows
If you go to a standard archery shop, they’ll sell you a longbow. It’ll be pretty. It’ll be light. And it’ll have the cast of a wet noodle.
For the warbow purist, these aren't "true" longbows. They are "Longbow-style" target bows. The difference is in the arrow speed. A true warbow with a high cast will hit a target at 200 yards with a flat trajectory. A light bow will have an arc like a rainbow.
This is why the return to warbow cast is so significant for the "clout" shooting community. Clout shooting involves hitting a target on the ground from 180 to 240 yards away. If your bow doesn't have the cast, you simply can't reach the distance. You’re literally bringing a knife to a gunfight. Or rather, a twig to a warbow meet.
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How to Get Started (Without Ending Up in the ER)
If you’re reading this and thinking, "I want to shoot a 100-pound bow," slow down. You cannot just buy one and start pulling. You will hurt yourself. Seriously.
The path to the return to warbow cast starts with a "trainer" bow. Most people start at 40 lbs. Then 55. Then 70. It takes years to build the "archery muscle" and bone density required to handle a warbow.
- Find a Bowyer who knows warbows. This is non-negotiable. Do not buy a "warbow" off eBay. It’ll likely explode. Look for names like Bickerstaffe, Heritage Longbows, or specialized makers in the UK and Europe.
- Learn the "Step." Watch videos of Joe Gibbs or Mark Stretton. Study how they use their bodies.
- Get heavy arrows. A warbow needs a heavy arrow to act as a "buffer." If the arrow is too light, it’s basically like dry-firing the bow. All that energy goes back into the limbs, and—snap—there goes your $1,000 investment.
- Join the Community. The English Warbow Society (EWBS) is the gold standard. They have specific rules for what constitutes a "warbow" and they host shoots that focus on distance and historical accuracy.
The Future of the Warbow
Is this just a fad? No way. The return to warbow cast is part of a larger cultural shift toward "primitive" and "traditional" skills. People are tired of everything being easy. They want a challenge that requires sweat, grit, and a bit of pain.
We are also seeing better technology in wood drying and moisture control, which means bowyers are creating bows that are more stable than ever. We might actually be entering a "Golden Age" of the longbow that rivals the 14th century. The bows being produced today are arguably as good, if not better, than what Henry V’s men carried at Agincourt.
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Actionable Steps for the Aspiring Archer
If you want to experience the true return to warbow cast, here is your roadmap:
- Measure your draw length properly. Most warbow metrics are based on a 32-inch draw. If you only draw to 28 inches, you aren't getting the full cast of the bow.
- Invest in a "heavy" elastic band. Use it to practice the "push-pull" motion of the Mary Rose style draw every single day.
- Study the "Livery Arrow" specs. The EWBS has specific weights for arrows. Even if you aren't shooting a 100-lb bow yet, shooting heavier arrows from a lighter bow will teach you about flight dynamics.
- Don't obsess over the wood species yet. A well-made Ash or Hickory warbow is better for learning than a Yew bow you are afraid to scratch.
- Focus on the release. The cast is only as good as the release. A "plucked" string kills arrow speed instantly. Work on a "dead" release where the string just slips away.
The world of the warbow is demanding, expensive, and sometimes frustrating. But the first time you see a heavy arrow disappear into the distance, traveling 250 yards with nothing but the power of a piece of wood and your own muscles? You’ll get it. It’s addictive. It’s history in motion. And it’s not going anywhere.