Hi everyone,
I just picked up a Hoyt Pro Hunter Special, 62 inch - amo - 44#.  It was all taped up with very old, brittle green tape and had some ugly socks on the limbs.  And of course the string was on backwards.  Well, I figured I would have to sand it all down and see what I ended up with.  It has a serial number of PHS 249, so it might be an earlier model?  Can anyone provide any info about this bow?  Like what kind of wood?  I am going to order a dacron string for it and give it a shot, as it is right at my preferred draw weight.  Oh, by the way, I took a little cleaner to it after pulling the tape off and was very suprised that it cleaned up very nice.  I won't need to sand it down or steel wool it at all.  It has very nice wood and actually looks great.  How do these shoot?  The only down side is somebody installed a sight and there are three small holes drilled in the riser.  And there is a stabilizer insert in the riser.  I don't know if this was a production addition.  I think I will try to fill in the holes.  What should I use, epoxy?  Well, I appreciate any info I can get on this bow.  Thanks - Ron

TTT - Anyone have any input?
Thanks - Ron

Ron,

Can't help you with info on your bow as I'm not that familar with the Hoyts. As far as filling the holes though, I have used a small wooden dowel and epoxy in the hole. I leave it just short so the remainder can be filled with a wax type filler flush with the surface or acrylic paint if the holes are in the glass and I'm trying to match the color. I then seal it over with a dab of finish of some type.

Ron,
   I never saw aPro Hunter Special.I have seen the Pro Hunter. They were 58" bows.A vendor had one up at Denton the one year.38# at 28",I shot it at the Moose on the side hill and actually sent an arrow or two over his back. Great cast.

  The Expert was made in a 64".I think your "Special" was due to the longer length and maybe some exotic woods.The Pro Hunter was a Rosewood riser.

                         Good Shooting,
                                  Craig

Thanks guys,
I have a string on the way, so I will give it a try this week.

Ron,

The Pro Hunter Special was my favorite Hoyt bow. Earl loved it too and used it exclusively as his personal hunting recurve.

Most of them had African Rosewood risers and gray limbs with Actionwood lams.

I've seen some different risers on them, but most were simply the 62" Pro Medalist without the pedestals for the stabilizers.

It is a great shooting bow and I copied it when I started making my "Sunbear" recurves... with Earl's blessing.

Thanks for the info, Charlie.  Now I really look forward to shooting it.  I have some 1916 aluminum shafts that might work with it.  And some GrizzlyStix Sitkas that might work, too.  The old camo tape must have actually protected the finish over the years, as it looks really great.
Thanks again everyone.
Ron

Richard... that's the Pro Medalist Hunter, not the Pro Hunter Special.

You betcha bud! I'll get some pics tomorrow and post them.

I will try to post some pics as well.

Here are some pics of my 62" Pro Hunter Spesial:

Here are the 58" Pro Hunter (on left) and the 62" Pro Hunter Special. The Special was made on the same form as the Pro Medalist Hunter 62".
 

A closer on of the risers. My Special was a little different than the production model, with lower shelf and black glass replacing the white on the handle overlays.
 
   

Always loved the tip work on the Hoyt bows.
 

Close up of decal... probably not enough detail to see the names.
 

Hey Charlie,
The shelf on your Pro Hunter Special looks like it has a radius to the shelf.  Mine is flat.  Is that standard?  I thought about trying to remove a little wood from mine to create a radius, but I am not too handy. Oh, the tips are nice, as you said.
Ron

Ron,

Earl wasn't into the whole arrow on your hand mind set. He liked a flexible stick on rest (Hoyt Pro rest). He always said it didn't make any difference once you got use to it and arrow flight off a rest was more forgiving.
Therefore his shelves were pretty flat.

He called me when this bow was ready for finish and I went and got it. A little work in the shop and bingo... lower shelf. Then I took it back to the shop for finishing.

Did the same thing with my Sky Hawk.

A lot of people don't know it but there were MANY custom bows that came out of Earl's shop.

Wow Charlie- Looks a whole lot like my Sunbear. Good to see your name here again.  Grant

Grant... my motto has always been, "copy the best".
  :D

Charlie is right on every thing. I've been looking for a left hand for several years so before Earl passed I asked him if he had an extra. He laughed and told me he only made 300 LH in that model and he was not giving up his.

Greetings, all.

I'm new to this forum, though I've shot bow off and on since I was young.

I recently acquired a Hoyt "Special Hunter" and this thread seems to be one of the few discussions out there on the this variation.

I need to find a string for it, and I'd also like some input on finding a suitable rest.

The bow is in overall great condition, with no cracks or delamination on the limbs.   To my eye, there is no warping.  She looks quite well cared-for over all these years.  

What does PHS 142 imply?  Is it the bowyer's name and sequential serial number?

Also, on the riser just above the shelf, there seem to be marks under where the rest was glued.  Only upon closer inspection did I realize that these appear to be letters or numbers... maybe. It might be  A 42  but I'm not sure.   Any guidance on what these marks mean is appreciated.

The riser has two small holes on the back face, where I assume a sight was once mounted.  How much does this detract from the value?  What is a ballpark value for a bow like this?  

I am glad to have found a forum where reputable and knowledgeable archers congregate.  

Lastly, is there a means up uploading a photo directly to the forum?

QuoteOriginally posted by Bones92:

I need to find a string for it, and I'd also like some input on finding a suitable rest.
- Three Rivers used to carry a copy of the Hoyt elevated rest. I don't see it on the website but it is in the catalog


Also, on the riser just above the shelf, there seem to be marks under where the rest was glued.  Only upon closer inspection did I realize that these appear to be letters or numbers... maybe. It might be  A 42  but I'm not sure.   Any guidance on what these marks mean is appreciated.

-On bear bows the weight was marked there by the scale man before the final writing was put on the side of the riser. Guessing 42 pounds and perhaps the A is and initial for who weighed it.



Lastly, is there a means up uploading a photo directly to the forum?  
  -http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=129;t=000087

As far as value:Whatever someone wants to pay for it. E#ay sets the market price for most bows.

It just dawned on me... the stamped numbers might be 142...  perhaps a production serial matching the handwritten 142 serial on the limb.

The stamps were done with a hand-held number die.  They are fairly deep into the wood.