I recently picked up a 1962 Bear Polar, 66", 50#, and it points and launches arrows better than any bow I've owned. I've had a 1969 Polar, also 66#,45#, for 40+ years, but the 1962 is a whole 'nother animal. It's a real looker, a zebrawood wall-hanger, but I'm now fantasizing about this being my new go-to hunting bow for whitetails and turkey. I've never hunted with a bow longer than 58" and never had any issues with catching limb tips on my blind, limbs in my tree stands, etc. Is anybody out there hunting with 66"? Any horror stories?
I use longer bows all the time. It is tight in a blind, but learn to deal with it. Outside a blind, they are just as fun as any other bow.
CHuckC
No horror stories. I own 2 - 66" bows. They work good. Just shot a deer from a ground blind a couple days back with a 64" bow. They work.
All my bows are 66" and I never have any issues. I will not hunt out of a tent but I can imagine that would be the only place you might have an issue.
Pete, my ground blind wasn't a tent. I cut the center out of a stand of golden rod. I'm guessing a tent wouldn't work well, also.
Bobaru, I wasn't refering to your post, just my own philosophy. Personally, I am a confirmed ghillie suit guy the past couple of years and never even think about how long my bow is.
I like a 66" ASL, The only thing that ever happened with a longer bow, Had a 70" slammed it in the truck door, With new nock groves, it became 66"after that. ..OE
My recurves are 64" and my wife's 1962 Bear Polar is 66". we have never had a real problem due to bow length.
Those 1962 Polars are sweet shooters. My wife loves hers!
Thanks for the feedback and encouragement. I' guess I'll go see if its got some mojo in it. ;)
I'm running a 66" Black Widow and after trimming a few branches, no worries. ...
Good luck and God bless,
Rodd
Except for popup blinds no problems at all. All of my longbows are 66" and they are all I hunt with anymore. Enjoy your new "old" bow. :archer:
I have been shooting 68" bows for a while. Not a problem unless I use a pop up blind.
I hunt with a 68" ASL bow - no problem as long as you trim branches and rehearse the shot from you (ground/tree) stand.
Good luck!
I shot at a deer this year with a 66" longbow from a Waldrop pac seat......not a problem, other than I missed.
QuoteOriginally posted by mangonboat:
I recently picked up a 1962 Bear Polar, 66", 50#, and it points and launches arrows better than any bow I've owned.
Maybe that's because it's 66"? ;)
homebru
I hunt with my 68" out of boat no problem....
Just got in last week my jay stcharles. English longbow . Takedown 57@28 72inches . No problem with the length . And man what a shooter !
Lots of longbow shooters use bows that long without any problems, or even longer. When you really think about it, there are only a couple of inches difference on each end from a 60 or 62" bow, which are probably the two most common lengths for recurves.
My main hunting bow is 69". Sure there are some compromises, but not really anything that makes me regret my choice. You mainly have to watch for limb clearance.
I shot quite a few deer with my 66" Asbel Bighorn. Might not work well with some pop-up blinds, but I never had problems out of a tree.
I just purchased a Polar, 66" 50# I hope to have it this Friday. But sounds just like the one you described that you own, I am excited now to hold and shoot it Paid 60.00 for it.
Taken all animals with 56"-68" bows. Most with 66"&68" length bows!
Compound mentallity seems to play into this.
Just as ground vs. treestand hunting plays into this age.
My feelings!
Everything I have taken in the last few years has been with a 66 or 68 inch bow, and before that quite a few with 64 inch bows as well. I have tried short bows, and they don't shoot nearly so well for me. Love those long longbows.