We have some amazing talent building bows for us, bows that have some of the best features, exotic woods, carbon backed, flares, you name it. Recently to celebrate my 50th birthday I purchased a 1964 Bear Grizzly with Zebrawood and brown glass. Partly to be a gift for me, partly because Fred Bear was a great influence of mine since I was a boy scout. I honestly meant for the bow to be a display bow, not sure if a 50 year old bow would be wise to shoot. Boy was I wrong, I couldn't help myself, I braced the bow and took her out to shoot. It is no wonder to me that the Grizzly has not changed since 1964. It works perfectly, smooth, quiet, and every arrow hit the mark. For a bow that cost my the same as a couple dozen arrows I am sincerely impressed. God Bless Mr. Bear for having the vision to create a bow every hunter can afford and be proud to shoot.
So don't think that newer is necessarily better,these oldies are classics for a reason !!!  
Nothing against the exotic bows but proof of a simple design, and a good chunk of wood goes a long way (and time)
   
   

Simply stunning

That Sir is a BEAUTIFUL bow!!! I did not realize they made one with zebrawood..... One of my favorites  

That is a nice looking bow there. I always wanted a old bear myself.

Nice chunk of wood for sure!

The most common zebrawood bow of that era was the 1961 Kodiak Special...that might also be a bow you would want to take a look at...I  paid well under a hundred bucks for mine

DDave

Not only are the 64 & 65 Grizzlys beautiful to look at but they are some of the BEST shooters Bear every made.

Happy Birthday... If I found a 1965 model that looked like that I might buy my B-Day present early.  

http://s1111.photobucket.com/user/njloco/media/IMG_1700.jpg.html?sort=3&o=17

I would never under estimate the oldies.

Beautiful.  I prefer the one-piece risers that show the wood to best advantage.

For the past six seasons I have used bows from the 1960's.  There are some gorgeous old bows that still some up relatively inexpensively in the classifieds and auction sites.

 

If I could get a flintlock in the quarter-sawn Sheuda of my Necadah it would make muzzleloaders drool.  A picture doesn't show how it moves in the light.  Got it shipped to my door for less than $100 and it is a quiet, accurate bow.  Probably be with me in the deer woods this fall.

Thickness tapered laminates and nice small (but not too small) tips.  A real delight.

That is an absolutely stunning bow!  Thanks for sharing a picture of it with us.  Looks like a great bow to take to the woods this fall!

Bernie

My first bow,  Grizzly bought in 1967.  Still one of my best looking bows.

I've got one of the '61 Kodiak Specials with zebrawood, and it is a fantastic bow.  It's 66", 38@28, and my wife, daughters and I can all shoot it.  Great buy!

Sorry, didnt work.

My 65 Grizzlies is a favorite for sure, so was the the 67 I used to have and the 68 I do have.





I just love Brown Glass.

These are some killer looking bows!

I love the '61 Kodiak Mag I bought off the classifieds here.  Beautiful maple and a shooter.

Don't you wish we could age as gracefully and beautifully as these old bows?

Well I sure wish some automotive rubbing compound and a wax buff-up could make me look showroom new.