The recurve bow
Recurve bow at full draw
A Recurve Bow, created by the Temujai, is a short bow with the traditional curve down the middle, and the tips bending over in opposite directions. The extra curves give the user extra speed and power at lower draw weights. Will used this type of bow when he was first learning to shoot a bow. They are made by gluing together multiple pieces of wood that have varying widths and different grains. This causes the bow to curve into the desired fashion (an S shape). They were originally used by the Temujai, but Halt learned how to make it from them in an undercover mission while also trying to steal Ranger Horses.
Advantages
A recurve bow has several distinct advantages over a traditional shortbow or Longbow. As mentioned above, it has higher power at lower draw weights. It also is far more compact than the traditional bow, enabling it to be used on horseback. It is also much easier to use.
History
In The Ruins of Gorlan, when Will is training to become a fully-fledged Ranger, he uses a Recurve Bow. This is because he is not yet strong enough to use a Longbow like Halt.
Later, in Oakleaf Bearers, Will goes up against Temujai using nearly identical bows. However, his Ranger training gives him the ability to outshoot them time and again.