I am fortunate to have owned or shot a lot of the high dollar bows and I appreciate them, but I have recently picked up a couple of old Bears and they are amazing me. I picked up a 1973 Super Kodiak from a TradGanger,60 inch, 50# @ 28 and my brother gave me a 1960 Kodiak, 64 inch, 41# @ 28.
The Super Kodiak is in great condition and I shoot 29 1/4 inch 1916s with 145 grain heads. the Kodiak had a few holes in it so I had Whip fix it up for me. It is now a beauty and I shoot 29 1/4 inch 1816s with 125 grain heads out of it.
As I said, I really like and appreciate my custom bows, but both of these bows shoot very accurately and consistently for me. I wouldn't hesitate to hunt with either one although 41# concerns me some. I get 5 doe tags for the area I hunt and I think I am going to have to do a retro hunt this late season.
D.P.
:thumbsup:
They're good, for sure. A hunt with an old Bear is on my agenda, too.
:archer2:
There was a thread a while back about improvements in recurves compared to "the old days". I don't think there has been much gained since about 1959. Maybe a few feet per second and maybe some better custom woods and finishes, but for good ol' hunting...
I have been carrying a 1959 Kodiak 42# to my turkey blind with some Forgewoods and Bear Razorheads.
Dave, You are right on! Great observation and it amazes me too how well the classic Bear bows shoot.
I picked up a 1964 Bear Grizzly and it is a real hammer.
I have a mid 70's Grizzly 45# @ 28" 58" long. It's a great bow I have newer bows of the same weight that out perform it but that don't matter. That old Bear is just nice to shoot and just loves a cedar arrow......been thinking about a retro hunt myself, maybe this is the year!! That bow was my mothers uncle's and he wanted me to have it before he passed on.
I have several customs also and enjoy shooting them but today I was shooting my 1970 Bear Takedown and came to the conclusion I shoot it the best and like to shoot it the most with the Super Kodiak of the same year a close second. It's not the fastest but it's whisper quiet and there's not enough o's in smooth to describe how it shoots.
My first and so far only trad bow is a Bear Grizzly, of mid-60's vintage I believe. I got started in trad because I like the idea of taking a bow with lots of history behind it and going hunting with it. It shoots great as far as I can tell, though of course I have no other bows to compare it to.
I have 2 K Mags 65'& 69' 58# and 47# and just bought a 73'Kodiak Hunter @41# for rehab from my hand surgery. Those are the only glass backed bows I shoot. Love the old bears.....
I have a 58" 50lb@28 Bear "Brown Bear Hunter" hanging on the wall behind me.
I could brace that bow up an be shooting it as good as any of my other bows in minites,because it's just a plain old good shootin bow .
Not much has really changed in a lot of years now and if archers just bought what worked the one time,not many of us would have more than one bow,,,an most of those would be old by todays standards.
I just ordered a Kodiak hunter #50 @ 28 and 62" and I can't wait to get it in.
I love my 1966 Bear's. Here is a couple deer I took with my 66 Grizzly. Tommorrow it's off to a 3-D shoot with my 66 K Mag.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/1966kodiak/Grizzlyand8Point1.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/1966kodiak/Grizzlyand6Point.jpg)
Couldnt agree more Dave.My 64 inch 59er shot terrific in every way.If I had more money I would still have it.I suspect your 64 inch 1960 version is very similar
Oldies but goodies.
Hey guys I think old Fred was definitely on to something back in the day. I've become obsessed with the old Bears and been collecting them for almost 2 years. Bought 6 so far my favorite is my 66 Kodiak that bow and I have become one.Must stop buying bows for a while its making me work odd jobs and other strange things!!.
You can make them real pretty and fancy, but in the end they are all just a stick and string. Nothing wrong with a custom bow, but physics will only make that arrow go so fast.
Like many others here I own quite a few great customs but the old Bear bows have a different and pleasant feeling.They are accurate,forgiving and quiet.I really enjoy to shoot them.My favourites are the TD and the Super Kodiak,but the Kodiak, Kodiak Magnum and Grizzly are great shooters as well.
Super Kodiak is on my short list of must have.I have shot them ,but haven't found the right one for me yet. I would love to have a 45 #er.
I have 11 bows on the wall,but 90% of the time I grab my 71 Kodiak..It has a "special" feel or something...Not sure exactly,but something.. :confused:
Whatever it is...It has it..
:archer2:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Santiam/IMG_0945.jpg)
Santiam, no strike plate?? That bow looks like it's in great shape!!! Good pic....
I can't get enough of the old bears. I think last count I have about 40 dating from 1952 to the newest 1970 Super-K. I've been shooting a 59 Alaskan now for awhile and love it. It's 62" 45#. I don't own any customs cause all my money goes for old bears. Still looking for the 59 kodiak I can aford. Scott
Before I redone my old grizzly I wrote down the sereal number onto a piece of paper and laid it on the table next to the computer, my wife was cleaning up and thought it was trash and tossed it, I have no idea what year mine is but love it anyway.
Dave,
I have a nice 62' Kodiak that will be headed out tomorrow for what hopefully will be a slam dunk Turkey hunt :) This bow is amazingly quick and is very smooth on the draw! Have fun with them :)
Kevin
I too have a few old Bears and wouldn't think of parting with them. Took my first archery deer with a 42# grizzly 36 years ago.
I wish that I had two Bears back. The last one a 45# Super Kodiak.
Hi friend,
I have 7 old Bear Bows and use the most recent, one 1973 Kodiak Hunter 50#, for fishing trouts in my country..
Bye from Italy
Carlo
I shot a Bear Takedown Hunter for 17 years. It was the firts bow I owned. I really liked that bow. I shot very well with it.
I was amazed that at full draw at 73ish lbs. the riser broke in half in my palm. I was also amazed that I was not hurt as bad as I could have been.
Tough deal Richie. Everything has a lifespan. I've been shooting one of my TDs for thirty years at + or - 70lbs. Been lucky I guess. GY
I have a 59 grizzly and a 59 kodiak that will keep up with any custom bow i have.
In my small collection of bows there are two old Bear recurves, both liberated years ago from pawnshops, and I shoot them all the time. I mean this as a compliment, and you shotgun shooters will understand, but I think of my old Bears in the same way as my 12 and 20 Remington 870s ... common, well-engineered, dependable, proven to get the job done. Shot my first deer with one of them ... :thumbsup:
Dave,
My son and I each have a 1960's era Grayling factory bow for one reason..... We will take Fred hunting with us several times during the season for the memory of what Fred did with his life and what he did for trad archery. A special feeling sitting a tree with Fred in your hand and a woodie on the string. They are fine bows indeed and I am amazed at how well a 40yr old bow still looks and shoots. We will keep these two during our lifetime and take Fred huntin each season a time or two.
nocams
Great information on this thread. I have been curious about older Bear bows, having never shot one I didn't know if people liked them because it was Fred Bear's product or if they were good shooters. The answer is pretty obvious from the responses here.
I really like my old Ben Pearson Hunter 709 42#@28 (1966 I think) and am wondering if it would compare to the Bears of the same vintage. I have been curious about the zebrawood Tigercats, I just bought a bow recently so I don't think I will be in the market for awhile but it's fun to look.
I am enjoying this thread. It has definitely made me realize I have to do the retro hunt.
Dave
Planning a "retro" hunt with my Bear Kodiak Hunter, green 70's type, with 2016 and razorheads, bow is 43@28, about 50@31, smooothh.
Wouldn't trade my old Bear bows for any other ! I have 2 Kodiak Hunters, 2 Kodiak Magnums and 1 Takedown Hunter.
At the moment all I own is old bear bows (aside from a Bear Truth II wheelie). Will hunt turkey this year with a '59 Grizzly. Will switch to a '60 Grizzly for deer. I am considering trying an old Browning though too. I hear they are great shooters as well. I had an opportunity to shoot one Browning, and it was very nice. Part of the enjoyment to me is using an older bow.
One day I will have a custom bow though too.
Maybe A CLASSIC bow shoot somewhere ??? It would be cool to see all the bows from "time Past" !
TTT for Mr. Pagel and Mr. Fred Bear.
nocams :notworthy:
I love the Kodiak Hunters. I have three Green early 70's and a right and lefty 50# 70 model. They are both pretty cherry, There is something special about the 70's Hunters. Here is a pic from Dec 09. 9 1/2 weeks after quad bypass surgery. It was pretty SWEET!
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/jkmolongbow/HPIM1392.jpg)
I have a modest handfull of older bear bows.I havent used them for hunting yet but I surely will.Some days I will take each one and shoot some arrows.They bring me much enjoyment. Glen
A little tendinitis in my left elbow has me off longbows for the forseeable future. Took out my green stripe Bear takedown last week...I keep forgetting what a pleasure that thing is to shoot. Arrows go where I look and there's no handshock to rock my creaky elbow.. Rich Lopez is refinishing my '68 Super Kodiak...should have it late June....gonna hunt with one of them this year for sure.
I got 11 of old Bears displayed in my home. Love to shoot a different one now an then. I refinish them myself if they need it to look new again. Just refinished my '68 Kodiak Magnum (SWEET). Put rattlesnake skins on my TD (B) Custom Kodiak, an greenie '70s Kodiak Hunter. Once the Bear Bug bite you know it you have a vintage old disease. Only cure for a while is one more Old Bear fix. If only if these old Bears could talk, in a way they do once in the hand!
When you shoot them you'll love them.
It's not just old Bears that somehow connect us to days gone by. I have near 50 bows and they range from Bear, to Wing, Shakespeare, Pearson, Indian to some old target bows and not one of them are newer than a mid 70's.
They have no idea they are vintage and alot of them can still hang with the new kids on the block.