RE: best heavy longbow?
Art can tell you about shoulder damage better than I can--he's living proof. I tore my rotator cuff a few years ago (at work, not shooting a bow) and it kinda worried me. I don't have any problems right now, but I may later on. I severly sprained my ankle back in '88, and now arthritus is setting in and has me in a brace. Enough wear, tear, and time and it will catch up to you. I think Howard Hill was shooting 65-70# well into his later years, but he was an exception. Some folks just have the genetics, but most don't. Ron LeClair has spoken of paying for shooting super heavy bows back in his younger days, and Traditional Bowhunter Magazine had an article on it some years ago.
Sometimes we just have to let those less than ideal shots pass and hope for a better one. It's just part of hunting with a bow. The way I see it, I rather do that than take the chance of shortening my bowhunting days.
Chad