I have a beautiful, bird's eye maple/bocote Kota Killum custom recurve that is finicky as all get-out due to not being cut to center. I have a pretty, red elm/cocobolo Mahaska custom longbow that shoots pretty well but wears out my elbows due to the 55+# draw weight.

Then I have an old Bear Black Bear recurve that had beat-up, nasty turquoise colored limbs so ugly that I had to paint them sort of a home-brew camo. It's not so bad with the paint, but before that it was one of those bows you wouldn't want to be seen with in the daylight...or even moonlight...but...DANG! Does it shoot!

At 25 yards (as far as I can shoot in my driveway) and in, it is almost automatic. I have no problem keeping my shots in the vitals on my 3D deer. It is hard to describe. It's seems like on most shots I just draw, anchor and release and the arrow just flies to the spot I am looking at. After the shot I feel like I didn't even aim (absolutely instinctive I guess).

The draw is smooth as a baby's bottom, there is no finger pinch and the bow is quiet as a mouse.

It's kind of embarrassing, having two beautiful, expensive bows hanging at home while I go hunting with my ugly, old, $65 Black Bear, but that's what is about to happen.

Dance with tha one that brung ya!!!!  

I have a 90's Kodiak that I felt the same way about.  Cosmetically, the limbs looked horrible, but functionally it was and is one of my best shooting bows.  I put snake skins on the limbs to cover up the ugliness and put leather on the handle to add to the overal look of the bow.  Now it is really one of my best looking bows and best hunting bows.

Mine probably still won't win any beauty contests, but it will shoot with any bow I have tried and way better than most.

My daughter has a Black Bear with tan limbs and a walnut riser that is as pretty as it shoots. It shoots darn good too.

Russ

If you like the Black Bear, you really ought to try a early to mid 60's Kodiak.. They'd make you throw rocks at them other ones.

my 1953 kodiack mag was beat up aswell, but damn it shot sooooooo good though!!!

it outshout my spirit ii recurve and its 5 pounds heavier than my bear!!

they really are awsome bows!!

I have a $75 Browning Wasp like that. What a great bow.