I was just wondering how many of us use "vintage" bows for our hunting. To me "vintage" means 25 yrs. or older. I was looking at my inventory of bows last night and noticed that my newest bow was built in 2000. The bows I hunt with are 20 and 26 yrs. old. My Custome Bear T.D. was built in '82 and my Howatt Hunter was built in '88.
The past year has been exclusively my 2 ACSs-only fell off the wagon once or twice. In the past I used '50s Kodiaks and Kodiak Specials which I still love.
My bows range from 1954 - 1971.Then I have a 1973 B mag and limbs....thats about the newest for me.bd
mine are all late 60's early 70's bows
I hunted with a 58" 1974 Herters takedown the past two years.
This past fall I hunted with my 40 year old 1967 Bear Grizzly
Killed a spikehorn buck with it 11/11/07 :archer:
my bear tigercat was aged at 1959 i think the gent told me took my nine pointer with it...currently shooting my 07 ancient spirit though.
Still using a 1968 Kodiak Hunter dad gave me when I got home from the Marines in 69.
I would say NEVER use or string old bows with metal limbs or metal in the limbs. Bow experts will certainly know better than me but I think the metal would get too brittle and break.
Jon Stewart
Semper Fi
Hunted all this season with a '55 Kodiak - well maybe a time or two with a recent self bow.
I'm not sure when my 'tip was made, but it was made by Paul which makes it vintage to me (among other things). I have picked up 2 '68 Bears in recent months and plan to hunt with one or both this fall. I think it would be neat to take a deer or bear with a bow made the same year I was born.
Only have a 40+ year old Red Wing Hunter 50# @ 28, 58". Made between 65-68.
Got my first squirrel in December.
It still has the sticker from the original shop in Pekin,Il on it.
I'll be hunting with a '59 Grizz this season... or maybe a '59 KSpecial... or is it going to be a '57 Kodiak... hmmm... get the idea? :D
Sure! 65 Kodiak here. One very nice shooting bow! I also have more modern curves I use but hitting the woods with a bow that is about my age has some good mojo factor to it.
JL
I'm kinda glad to see this. I still shoot and old Necedah from the early 60's? I think. I mostly used my new longbow to hunt with this year, but that old recurve is fun to take sometimes. It really spits em out.
I've got a Pearson Gamester that I took my first trad deer with three years ago. Hard shooting short recurve that I pull out occaisionally and fling a few with. Nice bow but I've got my bowfishing setup on it now and use a longbow for deer.
My hunting tradbows are all from the 60's and 70's. I also have a 2007 ******* that I am not allowed to talk about - 320 feet per second.
Question...How about the '59 or'60 Kodiak Special, the one with clear glass over zebra? We have access to one but I hear it's not a good idea to even string it! Is there a delamination problem with this particular model, anyone know?
1960 GRIZZ, 65# ,will be hunted next year. Made to be shot.Quietest recurve I own.
Danny
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Killdeer/Hunting%20and%20Camp/2007%20November%20Hunt/Img_4920RE610.jpg)
1967 K-Mag.
Killdeer :campfire:
(http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f143/4runr/SA400211.jpg)
1962 K-Mag. With alot of help from Bowdoc, Droptine59, Al's Decals, Raineman and others, I just refinished this old gurl!
Hey Killie,I'am pretty certin the bow in your pic is actuly a 1964 or 1965 K mag....Bubinga(African Rosewood) and Brazilian Rosewood.....bowdoc
My newest bow is a mid 70's SK, Oldest I hunt with is a '59 Kodiak,, Go to bow is a Bear "A" Mag TD, "Early 70's" I did cheat and pick up a new set of limbs for it, but really don't like them and haven't taken them afield yet.
Some of my Bears & Howatts
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/myshootinstinks/000_1285.jpg)
59 GRIZ will be with me next season. Bought it as a 62 and found here that it's a 59 :bigsmyl: Great shooting bow.<><
I hunted last year with a late 1950's Tri-State Jaguar. Shoots great and keeps on tickin'.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/oldearcher46/01010001aa.jpg)
Oh yeah---please heed Jon's warning re: metal limbed old bows. My friend gave me two old Bears---1950's era which looked like longbows with radically reflexed tips. The heavier of the two contained a metal lamination. Out of a sense of nostalgia, I wanted to take a buck with it before retiring it, and it shot sweetly with Easton 1816's and old style Razorheads. It delaminated in a spectacular, bloody and painful manner. Steve Touray told me that that bow model nearly bankrupted Bear Archery: something about the adhesives available then were not able to bond well with metal.
Haven't hunted yet but I use a 70's (not sure which year) Grizzly. Works great. Just wish I could use fast flight string.
Bowfish carp and bunny hunt with a 1970 50#@28" 56" Bear grizzly.Might try and take a deer with it this Fall.
One more time with my question...How about the '59 or'60 Kodiak Special, the one with clear glass over zebra? Is there a delamination problem with this particular model, anyone know?
The bow in question hasn't been strung years...probably 30 years. It's a looker and I'm leary.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/myshootinstinks/000_1288.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/myshootinstinks/000_1287.jpg)
Bowdoc, y'ol curmudgeon...can't you let a gal lie about her age?
Looking at the serial again, yup, she's a '65. You have a good eye for age spots.
Killdeer :biglaugh:
I also have a vintage 1968 k mag great shape would hunt any day with it still farly fast and also accurate :thumbsup:
All of my hunting bows are thirty years old or older with the exception of a Saxon built for mr last year. '69 Bear B riser TD-wood, '71 wooden B riser, '72 A mag. '70 Super K, '68 Super K. The '69 is my primary bow. I can't find anything else that shoots as well.For me, that is.
Grant
I have a 1969 Bear Super Mag. refinished by Bowdoc that I use in thick brush & tight places. Frank
Stinkie shooter,I read the rest of your post about the 1960 deluxe and special D's.Actuly those bows did not break or delaminate any more then any other bow did or does.One reason Bear stopped production of that model,is because you could see the stress cracks in the clear fiberglass real easy....Bear Archery would paint the limbs on some bows the same color as the fiberglass before putting the silk screens and final clear finish on(to hide stress cracks)...The bows were cracked right out of the forms,beleave it or not,those are really more of an expansition crack then stressing....But Bear could not hide the stress or expansition cracks in the clear fiberglass so they dropped the KD's and KSD's,after one year....but thats not to say any old or new bow could break,it just happens sometimes...I will say this...I've shot about 20-25 different KSD's at least up to 55#'s and have never had one break..well not yet! Hey Killie,I think they just get better and more beautiful with age...thats a good looken mag ya'got there....bowdoc
Thanks Doc! That sounds logical. I doubt that we'll shoot this one very often but it will be nice to string up and shoot occasionally. I was told that even stringing it is a risk, funny how these rumors start and perpetuate. When, (what year, approximately), did Bear get the glass quality refined so that there were no stress or expansion cracks? I've never seen it on modern bows. Thanks, Doug
Went hunting last week with a 40 year old Shakespeare Kaibab.
1959 Kodiak, 60" 54#, bowdoc replaced the limb tip overlays and gave it a new finish. sweet shooter...
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/biggriz61/bowsinalaska001-1.jpg)
I hunt with a 1969 Bear Grizzly. Shoots as good as any new bow
Doug I would say Bear Archery probley never really 100% got rid of the cracks...And meaning no disrespect to any of the Bear dealers out there.........or Bear lovers.But last week I saw 2 set of newer Bear take down limbs?the ones they sell today???Both sets of limbs had these small H looking cracks in them...They are about 2 years old...ABH thats a good looking 59 there!!! The daughter had the baby yesterday,a slammen 10 pound baby bow restorer..I mean boy..I will track ya down later this AM ...........bowdoc
Congrats, BD, on your new shop apprentice!!
Hey Doc,
Wow! What a bruiser!!. I bet he has a bow in his hands before he's walking... Congratulations I hope everybody is doing good. I'm sure you are the proud grandpa today, have a cigar for me!
here is one of my favs that you worked your magic on...62" 44# Kodiak Special Deluxe.... yea I'm shooting it..
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/biggriz61/62KodSpecDlx011.jpg)
Yep, a mid 1970's Hoyt Pro-medalist takedown hunter. 60", 48#@28"
This is the one I should be hunting with but it's in perfect condition and I figure I would be lucky to get my hands on another one like it.
Herters Sambar 1964 64" 46 lbs
http://brian.ckupris.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=523&g2_serialNumber=1
http://brian.ckupris.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=527&g2_serialNumber=1
Who built Herter's bows? Did they actually build them at their own shop or did another outfit build them? Brian, that's a nice looking bow.
I think they built them themselves, not sure actually?
Hi Brian nice looking bow you have there...I beleave your correct,most all of Herter's bows were built in one of several massive wood working opperations...I beleave they were build same deal as Herters walnut gun stocks...All cut by in house wood-workers,employed by Herters....In the serial number of your bow,there should be two numbers together....if it's a 1964?? the numbers 64 would be in the serial number I think about the middle of the serial number...I would also like to add some of the finest rosewood ever imported was used in Herter's bows..There are some fine looking fine shooting bows........bowdoc
Thanks bowdoc
Yeah I figured out how to read their serial numbers awhile ago thanks to Archery Archives. Serial number on this one is S.661064013. I see I made a mistake on my original post, it's a 66 incher.
(http://brian.ckupris.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=539&g2_serialNumber=1)
Cheers for the info :)
Brian