Bear Archery has always been known for great traditional bows with a strong following, so chime in if your a Bear fan!
New, old , longbow, recurve, if its a Bear let it be known.
Thought it might be fun to see who's shootin'em.
Pics are great too. :coffee:
'66 Kodiak 64" 50#
Current bears I love
65 Grizzly 50@28
68 Grizzly 45@28
68 Tigercat 45@28
60 Kodiak 50@28
I own several others I am fond of but don't shoot as much.
Ya buddy! My 65' bow listed below is one of the smoother bows I have ever shot! Not as fast as the blacktail I have but shoots just as nice
I shoot a lot of 3d events. Always loved Bear bows. I grew up shooting a 1976 66" Patriot. For 3D i've been shooting the Hoyt Dorado. Had a great day in July shooting at Twin Oaks. The guys were teasing me about shooting a bow with no "soul"
So this year I'm taking my 1959 Grizzly 62" 48# off the wall and shoot it through the year
It always hits where i aim, you only live once. That Grizzly is full of soul!
2011 bear grizzly 55@28
1972 K-Mag, having a hard time finding a better bow. Don't know why I'm bothering?
I've hunted a few this year,
62 Kodiak
Red Stripe TD
77 Kodiak Hunter
I have several more but these go to the woods.
64" Patriot Byron F. special 75@28. Got it from another member here a few months ago and really like it.
I have 2 1957 Polars, a 61 Kodiak, a 62 Grizzly, and a 77 Kodiak Magnum. Killed a deer w the K Mag this season w an old razorhead.
65 Grizz 58" 55# zebra wood :banghead:
2012 50# Bear Montana.
Bear Super Kodiak, 43# Gray and brown 1997 production and 2011 Black and burgindy 50#. Couldn't be happier.
I own 13 Trad bows all but one are Bears, the other is a Martin LB.
I started trad archery a year ago with an old Indian Seneca. It didn't do it for me. I saw a Kodiak Magnum on Craigslist and responded to the ad. The Bow was at a pawn shop a couple of blocks from my house and I ended up buying it for $100. It turned out to be a 1965 KM 46# @28". This is my favorite Bear bow. From all of the pictures of KMs I have seen I think KMs of this vintage are the prettiest. It has rosewood in the handle section, what I think is babinga in the back section with the three lam feature strip curving into the fadeouts. It is a fantastic shooter. It has a smooth draw out beyond 28" and is very accurate. It is just as fast as a 50# takedown I have and shoots a 507 gr. arrow @ 167 fps chronographed. This is one of my favorite bows to shoot.
My next favorite bow is a 45# at 28" 58" AMO Grizzly that I got from a Tradganger on this site. I believe it is a 1972 vintage bow and shoots almost as nice as the '65 KM.
The other Bears I have is a near new condition 1970 50# KM I bought locally off of the original owner, and a very nice 1971 50# 28" 56" AMO Grizzly I bought recently off of a Tradganger on this site. I have only shot these bows a few times as the draw weight is just a little heavy for me and I don't shoot them as well as the other two.
These classic Bears are not quite as fast as some of the newer high tech recurves or RD longbows but they are nice shooters and I agree with BostonBowman that they have a quality about them. Call it soul, class, charachter or whatever. The older bears are special.
I think Fred Bear as well as some of the other older bowyers, knew what they were doing.
4 Bear Recurves for me.
2 K-Mags @ #45 and #55
1 Super K @ #50
1 Grizzly @ #45
My favorites of the bunch are the K-Mags. Both are '70's models and are unbelievably smooth.
The Super K is probably one of the most accurate bows I've ever shot.
Grayling Super Grizzly 50#
Grayling Alaskan dual shelf 33#
Gainesville SuperMag 48 60#
Unfortunately they're seeing lots of shelf time for the time being (Howard Hill's fault...and Dave Johnson's). I do practice form with the Alaskan though..and stumpin'.
Grizzly 50# @ 28"
I got started in archery with a 72 Kodiak Hunter 45@28, still my go to bow
I have a fifties 70" 58 pound Kodiak special with four wood lams, I still use it for my winter bow when I need to wear heavy gloves. I bought it for $10 in 1972.
1997 Behind 55@28 a little heavy looking for a 50
'61 kodiak 50# (still shoots great)
bubinga takedowm 35# and 45# limbs
64" montana 45#
looking for the new '59 kodiak
1970 grayling green Grizzly 56" 48#@28....my first trad bow
I have a 48# cub that I am finishing out the season with. But all of the trad bows except 2 have been Bears. A grizz, k-mag and a k-hunter. All very good shooters. This cub has really surprised me. I don't understand why they are not as popular as some of the others. Mike
2004 Bear take down B riser with 60# bear limbs and 48# Brandon Stahl black glass limbs.
2012 Bear bubinga red and black glass B riser with soon to have Brandon Stahl 50# bubinga laminate limbs and wedges with red and black tips.
I have 4 Bear TD bows, an old Grizzly and an old, but mint, Bear Kodiak Hunter.
The primary bow of the group right now is a Bear greenstripe with 51# Rose Oak limbs. It is very fast, stable and accurate.
:archer:
59 Grizzly, 45@28
55 Polar, 53@28
72 Grizzly, 45@28
I now own a 1959, 1962 & 1965 Bear Kodiak. Love the old vintage Bear bows and the history behind each bow.
Ron
I grab my '53 Grizzly every so often just shoot a bow that's almost as old a I am (my '51 has the aluminum lam in it).
1966 bear grizzly...58 inch, 51#'s @ 28"...nice!!
60" Bear T.D., 72# Love it and shoot it everyday. I started with a Bear Bearcat 45# back in 1967, my daughter-in-law still shoots it today!
B-Magnesium riser #3 limbs 42 lbs
1962 Grizzly 62" 50 lbs.
1962 Cub 62" 55 lbs.
My most prized bow possession is my 1968 Bear Kodiak Hunter given to me by my dad in 1969 when I got home from the marines .
Have a Bear Ranger from 1970-72, a current Bear Grizzly, and a new Bear AuSable (which is now my favorite bow).
I have a 69 Kodiak Hunter,73 or 74 (Green) Kodiak Mag and a 71 Kodiak Mag with AMS retriever for bowfishing.
I have a few Bears but plan on hunting with my 1963 Kodiak next year, it will be our 50th B-day.
Although I have various Bears, I'm always partial to the 1967 Bear lineup since it's my birth year! Currently my TradGang brothers have helped me acquire a '67 Super Kodiak, a '67 Grizzly, and a '67 Kodiak Hunter. There is always room in the stable for more...! My bows are all in the 45-55lb range.
QuoteOriginally posted by moleman:
Bear Archery has always been known for great traditional bows with a strong following, so chime in if your a Bear fan!
New, old , longbow, recurve, if its a Bear let it be known.
Thought it might be fun to see who's shootin'em.
Pics are great too. :coffee:
OK, I'll play. Purchased my 45#@28" Bear Grizzly from a well known TG member. I love this bow.
Two here I shoot a 58 Kodiak special 53# my wife shoots a 52 kodiak 32# both mint condition
First bow I got was a late 70"s early 80's bear grizzly 55#. I still have it and shoot it more than anything else, not that I have a big collection.
My first recurves were a Bear Alaskan 47# and a Bear Grizzly 50#. Killed deer with both and still have both. The Grizzly gets alot more attention when I'm not shooting any of my other bows. The Grizz was my go to bow this season with lodgepole pine shafts and 145 gr Ace 2 blades that shoot like darts. Would like to own some of the other vintage models someday.
'66 Kodiak
'69 Tigercat
Post '73 Kodiak Mag
'76 er
55# @ 28 inch Bear Montana; never had a bow in my hand that does what my Montana does for me; I would love to own a black widow but can't justify replacing my true friend; you can buy a more expensive bow but you will NEVER buy a bow that is any better than what Bear makes; as they say, "proof is in the puddin' "
:campfire:
1997 Bruin 55@28 stupid auto correct
My lovely wife shoots a 1962 Bear Polar and she shoots it quite well. 66 inches long and 30lbs at 28.
My first bow I got in my teens 2nd hand- a 1967ish Tigercat 33@28. Sold it this year after having it over 15 years. My other Bear was a Montana I just partial traded to Blueridge for a nice Hill. Only thing Bear I have left currently is a wheelie (!!!!!) ;)
I keep two Bears to remind me how nimble my Howatt, Browning and Wing bows are. :biglaugh:
Rugged and reliable. If they were girls I would say "well, at least she can cook!"
Alright my turn, 1969 #55 super k,grayling #55 super Grizzly, grayling #55 Grizzly, and a 1988 gainsville #55&60 Custom Kodiak T/D. I think the Bears are the smoothest bows out there,and I have shot alot of different bows.
3 '59 Grizzlys
1 '59/'60 Alaskan
2 '61 K-Mags
2 '61 Polars
1 '61 Grizzly
1 '62 Grizzly
2 '65 Kodiaks (best shooters)
A couple of new ones
Ausable my first R/D and
Super Kodiak
Both make my shooting look good.
(http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh625/922TradBowHunter/pBK1.jpg)
(http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh625/922TradBowHunter/dscn0136_0052_0052_600x600.jpg)
(http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh625/922TradBowHunter/dscn0134_0050_0050_600x600.jpg)
I'm a tigercat fan.....
><>>
Glenn
I don't have them all right in front of me to list them seperate but I'm a fan too.
45-50 Kodiaks & Super Kodiaks 1950-1976
12-15 Kodiak Specials 1956-66
20-25 Kodiak Magnums 1961-77
6-8 Custom Kodiak T/Ds 1970-mid 80's
5-6 Super Magnums 1966-74
5-6 Kodiak Hunters 1967-70
3-4 Alaskans
6-8 Cubs 1952-68
45-50 Grizzlies 1949-1971
8-10 Polars 1950-60s
4-5 Tamerlanes
5-6 Little Bears 1965-77
2 Grumleys 1940's
Probably one or two of a few other models I'm forgetting.
When I began shooting in the early 60's, it was Bear or nothing. Fred was my hero and I could not stomach shooting another brand.
Today, I own and shoot other brands, but that love for Bear bows is more passionate.
I'we always loved K-Mags and have had a bunch in different weights! My daughters shoot K- Mags as well! I just got a minty B-riser Takedown with some 60lb@28 limbs!!! I'm very excited about it...
(http://i870.photobucket.com/albums/ab267/mississippidave68/bunny_zpsaa28e7f7.jpg)
I shoot an old Bear-Black Panther Hunter! The bow is 52" long and 45lb @ 27. Love to shoot her!
I think I have one or two around somewhere............
:goldtooth:
73 K Mag and I'm with Nigel01...greatest bow I'll ever own!!
Great shot and nice bow Mississippidave!!
I own and shoot a few!! Not as many as Jack though...... :)
'71 Grizzly 50# @ 28"
My uncle never shot it so he gave it to me when I started building selfbows.
We have five in our family,
62 kodiak
64 Kodiak
66 Kodiak
65 Grizzly
68 Kodiak hunter
I shoot a wood A handle Kodiak takedown with70 pound limbs. For Field & 3D I use a B handle magnesium at 45 lbs. When I'm in a long bow mood I have a Royal Safari at 50 lb. My oldest son shoots a '58 Alaskan long bow at 50 lb and a '63 Dogleg at 70 lb. My youngest son shoots a '65 grizzly at 45 lb and an Alaskan wheelie bow.
52" 50 pound Bear Kodiak Magnum.
Hunt with green stripe TD with Bill Stewart 45# limbs. Indoors with C mag with #3 limbs 25#. Own several other Bears.
Just got another Bear, Kodiak hunter, green with blue stripe.
45# @ 60" had a bear recurve years ago. Sold my compound, going traditional now. Happy holidays to all
I shot a lot of Super Kodiaks back in the day, and currently have a couple of A riser T/Ds, a mag and newer wood one. The #1 limbs on an A riser make a 56-inch bow, and they've become my go to bows for turkey out of a blind. Been shooting them for a half-dozen years or so. Have a B riser on the way.
Don't know how I missed these the first time around back in the late 60s, early 70s. Maybe it was the price. I know I din't have much money then. Regardless, I find them excellent bows. The risers aren't blocky or heavy, which I like. They're smooth drawing and I find they shoot very well for me. Not the fastest on the block, but no slouches either. And given all the old, and now new and custom limbs available, they'll grow with me, or is that shrink, as I age. There'll always be a couple on my bow rack.
My one and only is a '69 Super K that I pull out once a week to remind me how beautiful she is.
2012 Bear Super Grizzly 50#. My first bow. Yay!
How could you not like bear?
I have a whole bunch of Lefties in my personal collection, probably over 20, including 2 of the newer Kodiak TD's. it's the quentissential trad bow for me.
2007 Bear Grizzly
early sixties "cub" double shelf--62"--56lbs!
really fun.
I shot a 2010 Take down last night for score and then played around with a 1976 griz.
2 Kodiak's, 72' Grizzly and a 62 Dogleg Grizzly, and a Polar. I need to get a Take down at some point but they seem to always to heavy or to expensive....LOL!!!! Hard to beat an old Bear :thumbsup:
I've got 2 Bear youth bows , a 30# and a 35# Black Bear. Both are Grayling bows according to the stickers on the limbs, but I have no idea what year they were made. I have a total of $55.00 in both bows. Also included are a couple of the little red fibergalss bows so common to many of our childhoods. I got them in anticipation of my grandson using them, but it looks like he may turn out to be left handed. I also have a Kodiak Magnum at 50#. It actually belongs to my son, but he left it when he moved away from home.
LH A-Mag Takedown #3 45# Limbs
RH 1959 Kodiak 56" 45#
Have owned over 100 Bear recurves, they are all great
Shooting a 2012 SK this year and love it.
Bear Black Bear. Don't know year. Herb Calvin :confused:
Knew Fred personally. Still shoot all my Bear bows from time to time. Thinking about the new '59 model. Will check it out at the Kazoo Expo in a couple weeks.
'59 30# Cub
'70 45# Super Kodiak
'70 45# Tigercat
'75 45# Kodiak Magnum
'76 45# Super Grizzly
Commemorative Super Kodiak #237 50#
Have a green Grizzly from the 70s, a brown Grizzly from the 80s, both 45# and shoot like dreams. Have a Black Panther, too. Sweet little shooter. Had a Tamerlane and Grizzly from the 50s but sold them. Also sold my 70s Kodiak. Great shooter. Will get one again. Shot the Bear Montana longbow at work today. Great bow. Might have to add one of those to the collection, too.
MM I have roughly 15 Bear bows. All Graylings. About 1/3rd of my herd.
Love them... own10 of them ....all left hand
58 kodiak 56" 50 # at 26 "
59 Kodiak (design new one) 60#
two 62 kodiaks one 50# the other 65#
64 kodiak 49 #
65 kodiak 50#
67 superkodiak 64# (one of my favorites)
70 takedown B handle with 60# white tip grayling limbs and set of rose oak limbs (my favorite Bear bow)
1980's green stripe takedown B handle with 65# limbs
1980''s green grizzly #55
Just bought my Bear Grizzly 55lbs a few weeks ago plans to add a montana, kodiak mag, and hopefully a ausable as well.
I'm a fan.
I started out this season with a 50# grizzly. It shoots pretty well but it's a early 2000s Gainesville model, so it's not much to look at.
1972 Super Kodiak, 45#@28..Super quiet and Super smooth.
Love them Bear bows! Shooting four classics right now pretty regularly.
1962 Grizzly 48#
1963 Kodiak 48#
1964 Kodiak 48#
1970 Super Kodiak 50#
And have owened a bunch of Kodiak Hunters.
3-1975 K-Hunters
2-1970 K-Hunters
1-1971 K-Hunter
And a 1964 Cub
Yeah, i like them Bears!
C'mon!!!!! SERIOUSLY???? I've checked this thread 4 times... I can't find my name ANYWHERE!!!!! Could it be POSSIBLE that I've missed this thread for 3 YEARS...???
:confused: :readit: :knothead: :rolleyes:
Oh,Well... My son Tyler & I have,
1967 Grizzly
1969 Grizzly
2 matching 50# 1972 Grizzlys
Late 1970's Stag Hunter (Box Store bow)
Montana Longbow
2014 Kodiak T/D - A-handle, #1 limbs
I honestly & Truly LOVE the Old Bears!!!!! However, I do honestly believe the new Bear bows, are as good as the old ones!!!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Not my only bow, but I do have a '66 Kodiak, 55@28. I also have a 35@28 Black Bear that my son shoots and an old Ranger club bow that I'm refinishing for my son. It's not marked with a weight but feels like 20-25#. Here's my Kodiak.
(http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg614/tomsm44/image_16.jpg) (http://s1246.photobucket.com/user/tomsm44/media/image_16.jpg.html)
71ish 45# Grizzly
QuoteOriginally posted by woodchucker:
C'mon!!!!! SERIOUSLY???? I've checked this thread 4 times... I can't find my name ANYWHERE!!!!! Could it be POSSIBLE that I've missed this thread for 3 YEARS...???
Last time I posted (2012) before my post just above I had three. I've sold the Gainsville bow and added several more. Progress is good.
It's no longer my main bow, but got my first trad deer with a 1967 grayling-built Kodiak Magnum. Since it's the same year model as me, and lucky to boot, we'll be hanging on to this one. If I find an equal-condition one in the mid 50# range, it might become my go to.
2005 (I think), Bear Super Kodiak. 50@28
Learned to shoot on an old bear I found, recently upgraded to a bear grizzly, and now I have my sights set on a bear Montana.
Like them all..
My current Bear bows are:
2 - 1957 Kodiaks
1958 Kodiak
1958 Kodiak Special
1959 Kodiak
1964 Kodiak
1967 Kodiak
1971 Kodiak Hunter
1971 Grizzly
Sitting in a tree with one right now
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/DUCK_TRAP/8C99B46A-743B-44AA-BE4B-2F465FF19682.jpg) (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/DUCK_TRAP/media/8C99B46A-743B-44AA-BE4B-2F465FF19682.jpg.html)
I have just one. A 1956 (with the help of blackhawk)
Kodak Special 64 in and 55@28. Best 100.00 I have ever spent.
I have a 74 Super Kodiak with the fascor and it is a real sweet shooter. I also have a 62 kodiak magnum but I don't shoot it as much. Only recurves I own otherwise it is Longbows for me.
I've owned, traded, bought ,sold or gave away 10 different Bears over the past year, every one of 'em saw plenty of country while in my care and every one was a nice shooter in its own way. Just one on the rack right now, my dad's 1971 K Mag.
Dads old Bear Super Grizzly with fascor Grayling, Mich. Shoots straight and with some zip.
My TD this morning
(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c291/marcbishop/IMG_20151024_093539089_TOP_zpslpbc91bi.jpg) (http://s29.photobucket.com/user/marcbishop/media/IMG_20151024_093539089_TOP_zpslpbc91bi.jpg.html)
Just dug out my 35# Bear Grizzly after sitting for about 30 plus years at my folks. Strung it up and my 12 year old daughter is looking like she will be able to shoot it a bit...I have a set of Bear Arrows for it still in the box too..
59 Kodiak, Au Sable, Montana
70s green Grizzly #45
80s brown Grizzly #45
70s Black Panther #45
Love 'em all!
>>---MT--->
56 Kodiak, 60" 50#
59 Grizzly 62" 45#
My '70 B handle was in the woods this year. An A and B mag are taking turns on the bow rack.
Shick
67 1/2 Super K Black Beauty 44#
71 Grizzly 50#
My first bow was a 1971 Kodiak Hunter bought new. I've had many Bears go through my hands over the years. Currently own a '66 K-Mag, a '69 Grizzly and have been a fan of the takedowns since I bought my first one in 1972. Currently have several Magnesium risors and sets of limbs. I used my favorite, a A mag handle with No. 2 53# limbs to put a deer in the freezer just a week ago. Yeah, I'm a fan.
I shoot a 65pound Kodiak. It's a deer killing machine.