I just got an 80s Kodiak 60" 50 lb. I also have a Grayling Kodiak Magnum 50 lb a yellow Bear fiberglass re-curve and a newer Grizzly 50 lb. I have lots of others but just love Bears. Cant wait to shoot the new Kodiak. Do you like them? What do you have and whats your favorite? Pics welcome. I'll try to get some of mine as well.
The 80s Kodiak is shaped like a super kodiak and has a gray and brown laminate riser. Anyone familiar with that one?
I have a '59 Kodiak, a dog-leg Kodiak from the '60's, and a Kodiak from the '70's. They are all 45# and 60" long. I love shooting them and experiencing the evolution from decade to decade. The '59 is almost stock except for the string, and still has the original feather rest and strike plate (AFAIK). For a long time, I couldn't shoot it accurately, until I shot it by accident one time with a 150 grain tip. Suddenly it started shooting where I looked. A little slower, but it gets there.
I have a 57 Kodiak, a polar and a Take down. Like them a lot especially the 57, it shoots so good to be 59 years old and I have less than $50 in it, about half that being for a new string.
Puts a smile on my face when I shoot it. Love the TD too, great shooting bow.
Love everything about them, and I am very much a custom bow guy otherwise.
One of my favorite bows of all time, a 64" 50# 1966 Kodiak.
The first year of the Tamerlane is one of the best looking tournament bows ever.
I bought this Victor Viking new in 1972 or 73, forget exactly. Still shoot it today.
(http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f165/ROY-CHRIS/bow003-2.jpg)
(http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f165/ROY-CHRIS/bow002-2.jpg)
(http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f165/ROY-CHRIS/bow001-2.jpg)
If you take a look at the Trad History/Collecting forum you will find enough pics of Grayling Bears for a few days of viewing
DDave
I do! :biglaugh:
who dont love them. how can you not love them. I feel each one is haunted by ole Fred himself.(in a good way)
I think the better question would be who doesnt!
I just picked up a 68 grizzly 56" 45@28 Tigerwood in great condition. Caution don't get Jorge L Coppen new bear book I've bought 2 bears since I got it great book!!! Last season I hunted with my 59 kodiak reproduction that I got new when they came out love it!!!
I hear you cowpie. I started with a Pearson mustang but wanted a Bear. Then got an Indian and a Samic. Still wanted a Bear. Then Got an awsome deal on a Grizzly. Now also have a Kodiak and K-mag. They are addicting.
I am somewhat partial about my Bear takedowns....
,,,,Sam,,,
Yep, I love 'em. I presently have two SKs--40 and 45#--a 59 reintroduction model, and a 2014 TD. The TD is my favorite recurve of all I have ever owned.
Roy, that's beautiful.
I do,I have a 2014 Bear Kodiak,a green stripe T/D and a early 70's Super Kodiak.Great shooting bows in my opinion!
I have 2 '57s, a '58, '59, '64, and '67 1/2 Kodiaks and a '62 and '71 Grizzly. Of these I like my '67 Kodiak the best, in fact, just got done shooting it in an indoor 3D league tonight. Also, just completed refinishing one of my '57s and now in the process of refinishing my '59. Love these bows.
And the 1961 all zebrawood Kodiak Special...
such a fine bow...........
Currently shooting my Dads 70's Super Grizzly. I remember shooting his bow or trying to as a preteen out in our front yard. Dads been passed away now for 16 years. Put some new blood/mojo on the bow this past season. Made it all the more special to my brother and I that it was Dads old bow.
I think everybody who shoots bows have feelings for Bear bows.
A guy walked into the bow shop where i work part time and needed money. He produced this 62 Griz' and after dropping a whopping $60 she was mine. Shoots and looks great, and going to GA with me this friday to chase pigs.
Sometimes you just get lucky i guess.
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/79981815-CA36-4688-BD3E-AFDE5125071B_zpsmkgup89a.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/79981815-CA36-4688-BD3E-AFDE5125071B_zpsmkgup89a.jpg.html)
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/52D2B485-A8D8-4B48-B5EA-D404AEA43D84_zpsjgh8gdaj.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/52D2B485-A8D8-4B48-B5EA-D404AEA43D84_zpsjgh8gdaj.jpg.html)
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/EA69F82E-D2B1-40F0-B409-8992D05D8897_zpswboes53v.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/EA69F82E-D2B1-40F0-B409-8992D05D8897_zpswboes53v.jpg.html)
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/0FC99B5F-4E45-4929-9873-CA2B74C60676_zpsb1kddtcx.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/0FC99B5F-4E45-4929-9873-CA2B74C60676_zpsb1kddtcx.jpg.html)
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/F2CD5818-36EA-4C1A-8A5E-173BD1E596FF_zpsrahqfbwv.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/F2CD5818-36EA-4C1A-8A5E-173BD1E596FF_zpsrahqfbwv.jpg.html)
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/F83A8D18-556F-404C-B6BE-95DBE6896C18_zpsfo8afwhp.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/F83A8D18-556F-404C-B6BE-95DBE6896C18_zpsfo8afwhp.jpg.html)
There really is something special about Bear bows. Killed my first trad deer in October with a 63 Dogleg Grizzly. No telling how many thousands of fish I've killed with my old 80's Hunter TD. Not speed demons by any means. Solid, dependable performers. Gots to loves the Bears!
Great find dalton!
Nice GRIZZ!! :thumbsup: :archer:
I am a sucker when it comes to old bears.
Awesome bow Dalton. A 62" griz. is on my list.
I'm a longbow shooter these days, but I keep a couple of Bears from my youth around just to carry down memory lane from time to time.
Thanks guys. I was very pleasantly surprised at the peformance and feel of it. Cant wait to get some blood on it!
(http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy25/longbowfanatic_1234/Mobile%20Uploads/4B5F9660-0516-4B79-9145-0160F522F7FC_zpst0oxibbj.jpg) (http://s774.photobucket.com/user/longbowfanatic_1234/media/Mobile%20Uploads/4B5F9660-0516-4B79-9145-0160F522F7FC_zpst0oxibbj.jpg.html)
(http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy25/longbowfanatic_1234/Mobile%20Uploads/00059680-5D66-4317-AC5D-1855034CCC14_zpskr2rwy1i.jpg) (http://s774.photobucket.com/user/longbowfanatic_1234/media/Mobile%20Uploads/00059680-5D66-4317-AC5D-1855034CCC14_zpskr2rwy1i.jpg.html)
Started shooting Bears and still do 54 years later. My first when I was 15, a Kodiak Magnum, was just a real fine looking bow and I would just look at it as a prize because I had used my own money made working in a golf shop to buy it new. My first target bow was a Tamerlane bought with my own money a year later (1963). It was the best looking bow of anybody I saw at the field archery ranges, period. Made me a few inches taller when I shot it.
Still enjoying the beautiful brzilian rosewood and bubinga and craftsmanship of three K Specials from '59 to '62, and two Kodiaks, '61 and '62. Was thinking of buying another '62 I have seen but realistically, it is a draw weight I don't know if I will be shooting for a long time. As old age is knocking at my door small ailments are haunting me even now. Hope I get to see someone using that bow and it does not wind up sitting on some rack.
Don't let my Bears sit around too long without some attention and shoot them as much as I can. We all have to appreciate the fellows who were around and made those bows as most the bows Bear made in those early days in the 50's and 60's were absolute works of art.
Thank goodness for old Bears so us fellows, young and old, who have a fire lit for traditional archery, can afford to do so with beautiful equipment that still works very well at a cost we can afford. Bet some of those craftsmen who made those bows would really be smiling and proud their beautiful bows are still being actively used.
But, might go modern sometime in the next year or two and buy a custom bow. However, those old Bears will not go without away....U'll see me at those 3-D's shooting them too.
McDave was talking about how he found one of his his Kodiaks shot great with a point change.
Similar story. The Bear I have that was the most negleted was my 45# 64-inch '60 K Special. Put some 600 axis trads (have a 26-inch draw) with 75 grain inserts and alternately tried some 70 and 90 grain RPS tips in it and wow....what a stable shooting machine. It'll be my 3-D shooting machine this weekend.
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/drdennis/Grizzly3_zpsfzfwtoow.jpg) (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/drdennis/media/Grizzly3_zpsfzfwtoow.jpg.html)
Early 70'S Grizzly 45#
ME!!!!!
I've got 2 vintage Brownings and the rest are new and old Bears.
I absolutely love Bear bows!
My first Bear,,,, very pleased!
(http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m123/JDS3_2006/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-02/26F65217-9F8C-41F7-8BDE-83AEFB723202.jpg) (http://s103.photobucket.com/user/JDS3_2006/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-02/26F65217-9F8C-41F7-8BDE-83AEFB723202.jpg.html)
I've tried several, none have impressed me. So put me in the no camp. I often wonder if it's more nostalgia then shooting that draws folks to them.
For me its both. My first bow was a bear recurve. I even shot bear in my training wheel days. But the thing is I just shoot them well. I have many different bow makers in my rack but the bears shoot as good as any and better than most. The history is awesome too. That's why I also like pearson, indian etc., but I keep coming back to Bear. If two bows shoot the same but you like how one looks, feels, story behind it etc. you'll have more confidence in it. That's why Bears keep getting the nod for me. Been shooting them over 30 years and don't intend to quit.
I have a grizzly made in 70s-ish. My first ever trad bow and I got it off from **** with a good price. I'm still shooting it now even I have all these customs. I'll take it to the fred bear themed shoot this weekend in my local range and see how it goes.
The takedown is on my list as well.
I picked up these two Grayling Grizzlies two weeks ago. One is a 40 pounder the other 45, both are 58". I think they look great hanging next to my Grayling Kodiak Hunter!! As far as I can tell the Grizzlies are mid-late 70's, and my K.H. is early to mid 70's.
(http://i66.tinypic.com/14lllb9.jpg)
(http://i64.tinypic.com/hx7xa9.jpg)
(http://i67.tinypic.com/2qkiky0.jpg)
I love their look, the nostalgia, the history, their grips...just can't shoot em worth a darn, so NOT ME!
But that's more for you to collect.
I'm sure it's my shooting style, not the bow.