Post by: Charlie Lamb on March 20, 2019, 09:59:32 PM
Mail was infrequent in the primitive situations we lived in but one day on a firebase that was a little more civilized than most of the places we spent our time a helicopter could be heard far away but getting closer. I watched as the distance got shorter and shorter until it was circling our little hill.
It landed on the helipad that had been scraped off the top of the hill and and disgorged its cargo without drawing mortar fire. Supplies and men came off that bird and one man carried a big red nylon bag. Mail!!
I was lucky and got a couple of letters from home and one with the scent of a perfume that just made me miss home that much more. I opened the letters from mom and dad first and found that my mom had enclosed a brochure of the brand new bow that Bear Archery was introducing. Mom sure knew how to put a smile on my face. So did the author of the sweet scented letter, but I won't get into that.
I poured over the glossy pages of the brochure drinking in the beautiful color pictures of Fred's take down bow and memorizing the written descriptions. I instantly promised myself that if I made it out of that hell hole I'd own one of those bows.
Well, time went by (none too fast I might add) and I found myself back home in the land of mom, home, apple pie and she of the perfumed letter. Within a couple of weeks I held the Bear Takedown in my sweaty little hands.
As it turned out that bow was one of if not THE best shooting bow I'd ever owned.
Post by: Pine on March 20, 2019, 10:08:33 PM
Thanks for sharing. :archer:
Post by: Ray Lyon on March 20, 2019, 10:15:36 PM
Post by: varmint101 on March 20, 2019, 10:20:44 PM
and thanks for your service!!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: Charlie Lamb on March 20, 2019, 10:39:00 PM
I shot that bow until the cows came home and then some. Deer were no challenge at any distance I cared to shoot. Turkeys in those days were few and far between but I really wanted one.
I spent a lot of time in the Ozark hills where my family had settled a couple of hundred years before. Once in a while I even heard a bird gobble. Usually far far away. I'd come back to the truck from a long mornings walk and as was my habit I was shooting around at stumps and leaves. You know the drill.
The bow was heavy... 75# at my draw. To improve my strength I finished my session with a few shots where I held extra long at full draw. As I held on my last shot I was just starting to tremble a little from the weight when...BAM!! I went down to one knee, head reeling and teetering on the edge of unconsciousness.
It wasn't until my head had cleared that I was able regain my feet and figure it all out. My precious bow lay in pieces on the ground. Blood trickled from a cut above my right eye. One limb of the bow had separated from the rest of the bow. The fade out section was cleanly separated from the limb.
I was upset. Really upset. The bow would go back to the factory with a not too kind note. In fairness they did respond quickly with a new set of limbs and a letter of apology.
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Post by: Charlie Lamb on March 20, 2019, 10:54:58 PM
I went back to my favorite spot and took off into the hills. Walk, listen, walk some more. I was limited to where I could go and to tell the truth it was slim pickins where I was hunting.
Once more I came out of the woods at quitting time... noon at the time. I went through the same practice routine even though this set of limbs was five pounds lighter. Again I finished up my session holding at full draw for a long count. Again there was a loud CRACK and down I went.
I seriously felt like I'd been hit in the head and rolled around in a daze trying to figure out who hit me. When I regained my senses I found that the exact same thing had happened as the year before.
Like the year before I boxed up the bow with a note and shipped it off to Michigan. Like the year before the limbs were replaced no question.
I'd had it. The take down had to go. It didn't take long to sell it to a friend of a friend and I went back to one piece bows.
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Post by: Charlie Lamb on March 20, 2019, 11:08:43 PM
I admit that I didn't care much for what Bear had been doing with the takedown these past few years. They just didn't appeal to me.
But lately! They are back. They are once again producing a bow that I think Fred would be proud of.
That's why I placed an order with Big Jim for a Bubinga and Phenolic "B" riser. I've got the limbs and this will be the first bow I didn't make in a long time.
I'll post pics here when it comes in.
So help me if it knocks me down.... :knothead:
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Post by: Ray Lyon on March 20, 2019, 11:10:13 PM
Post by: Charlie Lamb on March 20, 2019, 11:17:58 PM
And of course the bow will be ready for... you guessed it. Turkey season. I think I'm developing a twitch.
Post by: Hud on March 21, 2019, 12:38:03 AM
Post by: joe vt on March 21, 2019, 05:18:03 AM
I hope this new one brings many a smiles to you. :archer2:
Post by: hawkeye n pa on March 21, 2019, 05:33:55 AM
I've been shooting a Bear takedown bows for over 40 years and have only had one set of limbs crack, and they didn't break. I've had really good luck with them and agree they are a great shooting bow. Best of luck with your new one, it will be a beauty. Good luck with the turkey also.
Post by: Roy from Pa on March 21, 2019, 06:38:13 AM
I bought my Bear TD in 1971.
Got my first trad deer with it that year and many more since that one.
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Post by: Owlgrowler on March 21, 2019, 08:16:57 AM
Post by: varmint101 on March 21, 2019, 08:50:52 AM
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Post by: cacciatore on March 21, 2019, 08:55:37 AM
Post by: Orion on March 21, 2019, 09:56:53 AM
Good luck with your new TD. Bear TDs are the only recurves I still have in my stable. They're stable, plenty fast and pretty easy on the eyes as well.
Post by: finkm1 on March 21, 2019, 11:23:18 AM
Post by: Roughcountry on March 22, 2019, 04:03:36 PM
Post by: M60gunner on March 22, 2019, 04:27:04 PM
Post by: rjackson on March 22, 2019, 05:03:02 PM
Cacciatore, why you not like about the 86 - 2007 risers ?
Just wondering
Randy
Post by: GregD on March 22, 2019, 09:24:12 PM
Post by: yeager on March 22, 2019, 09:28:10 PM
Post by: Roy from Pa on March 22, 2019, 09:40:51 PM
Post by: Marksman Quivers on March 24, 2019, 12:39:00 AM
I had 2 high end three piece long bows delaminate and changed to Bear takedown recurves, I have 3 now. I love the nostalgia
I hope your bow serves you well.Regards
Mark
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Post by: Aaron Proffitt 2 on March 24, 2019, 12:56:32 AM
Mine was a tad different , though. I'd get excited flying in on the helicopter to my base knowing I'd have mail piled on my desk after being out in the mountains.
Post by: 1Arrow1Kill on March 24, 2019, 07:48:05 AM
You are without a doubt the only guy I know who can start a story with . . . "I got knocked down by a bear twice . . ."
Post by: Charlie Lamb on March 24, 2019, 09:46:04 PM
Robin... good to see you here buddy!! Long time no see. I think about our trip up on Hell's Canyon often. What a great time.
Post by: Charlie Lamb on March 24, 2019, 10:03:01 PM
Tomorrow I'll hook it up with a bowquiver... the ones I tried have screws that are too small. I may shoot it some without the bowquiver. I noticed that in the photos I posted the bow was naked. As a matter of fact for a long time in my early days I hated bowquivers. I was convinced they were a detriment to accurate shooting.
Post by: varmint101 on March 25, 2019, 06:41:32 AM
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Post by: Charlie Lamb on March 26, 2019, 11:50:26 PM
Nice Bubinga
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I like that they lowered the shelf in homage to Papa Bear even if it isn't as low as his bow.
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There's no accessory bushing on the back of the bow. That's a good thing in my book. I'm not likely to put a stabilizer on it and I'm sure as hell not taking it bowfishing.
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I can tell you from the few mismatched arrows that I have shot that this bow is a sweet shooter. The draw is smooth like butta. Arrow speed seems good but will be even better when I get the brace adjusted.
Gonna get me some turkeys in a few weeks. Found a spot while I was out of town this past weekend.
Post by: trad_bowhunter1965 on March 27, 2019, 12:37:56 AM
Post by: varmint101 on March 27, 2019, 09:55:21 AM
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Post by: Charlie Lamb on March 27, 2019, 11:36:35 AM
Post by: Charlie Lamb on March 27, 2019, 12:56:07 PM
Post by: mnbwhtr on March 28, 2019, 12:44:08 PM
Post by: Cyclic-Rivers on March 28, 2019, 01:58:56 PM
Post by: cacciatore on March 28, 2019, 04:25:53 PM
Great story. I hope mine never hits me in the head.because the grip and the whole handle is too thin and the back of the grip is a little too squared and somehow uncomfortable. Then they used a kind of laminated plywood material. For the same price you can buy a Green Stripe handle that are just beautiful and almost bombproof and they were personally checked one by one by Fred!!!
Cacciatore, why you not like about the 86 - 2007 risers ?
Just wondering
Randy
Post by: GregD on March 28, 2019, 04:46:39 PM
Post by: katman on March 28, 2019, 07:05:12 PM
Post by: Charlie Lamb on March 28, 2019, 07:10:18 PM
Post by: smokin joe on March 28, 2019, 07:32:56 PM
:biglaugh: :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
Post by: GregD on March 29, 2019, 05:20:51 AM
Post by: cacciatore on March 29, 2019, 05:57:46 AM
Felix, Are green stripes easy to find over there? They seem to be few and far between here. Especially lefties,lefties are rare! I have seen that while on different bows a LH is always more difficult to sell and it makes less money,on the vintage wood handles prices are higher than the rhs.
Post by: R.V.T.B. on April 13, 2019, 11:02:19 PM
Post by: Charlie Lamb on April 14, 2019, 09:42:07 AM
I've decided to fletch up some 2016 aluminum for it. Bareshafting showed them to be the best. I'll test my 2018's with some 200 grain VPA glue ons that I've got. That should work great and I'll probably get some heavy Simmons to mount up.
Even on the days I don't get to shoot it, I hold it and look it over. I just love it. If there ever was a classic, this is it.
Post by: Roy from Pa on April 14, 2019, 09:55:04 AM
:thumbsup:
Post by: R.V.T.B. on April 14, 2019, 08:19:37 PM
Exactly!!
You ought to think about giving a feather rest a try. I picked up a '59 a year or so ago and fell in love with shooting off a feather rest. Have since put them on several of my bows. It works well, is quiet and takes me back to watching my dad and his friends gluing and burning them in a garage back in the early '60's.
Post by: Charlie Lamb on April 14, 2019, 11:07:43 PM
Post by: smokin joe on April 15, 2019, 08:19:10 AM
Post by: creekwood on April 15, 2019, 10:46:51 AM
Post by: Charlie Lamb on April 15, 2019, 11:12:44 AM
Joe ...I'm not super happy about the Bearhair rest. I used them years ago and they worked fine. When I used the Bearhair I came to the point that I cut the factory material into smaller rectangles and located them as near the pivot point of the bow as I could. They are not soft enough to suit my tastes. I've prefered velcro for a long time.
Post by: Charlie Lamb on April 15, 2019, 11:23:57 AM
Post by: smokin joe on April 15, 2019, 05:18:07 PM
Post by: tippit on April 16, 2019, 09:20:09 PM
Good story as usual glad you got back to a bear although I think the Sunbears are prettier. Miss hearing your stories live in camp. If you ever want to head to the swamps of south Georgia and hunt some hogs with me, you are always welcome. Whip was just out here...tippit
Post by: Charlie Lamb on April 16, 2019, 10:57:46 PM
Post by: Terry Green on April 17, 2019, 04:21:15 PM
Post by: Whip on April 18, 2019, 09:41:03 PM
My designated turkey bow is a Mag A riser with a set of Rose Oak limbs. It makes a 58" bow which is a bit on the short side for my 30" draw, but it sure makes it easier to shoot out of a pop up blind. And I've got it set up to attach a bow blind to it JoeBuck style if I hunt without the pop up blind.
Turkey season just started here and I've only been out once, but hoping this old bow will get a chance to make meat soon. Good luck to you with your new Bear!