Need info on Bear Polar

[DAVE1275]

Does anybody know what lengths of Bear Polars were offered in Bears 1967 catalog ? Thanks for your help.

[Migra Bill]

According to the catalog - 66" and 69"

[jcar315]

Dave, In looking at the Bear catalogs the Polar was only offered up to 1957-58 (starting in 1950-51) In 1957 the catalog states it only came in the 64" length and draw weights between 25-65#. Hope that helps.

[DAVE1275]

Thanks, I just picked up a '67 in 69" today.I couldn't find any info on it,all I ever seen were 66". Thought maybe I found an odd ball.Do you know where I could find an original plate and brush rest for it? It just has a solid black metal plate and flipper rest on it now.Thanks again

[jcar315]

Dave and Bill, My sincerest apologies as I must have missed something on this. Please forgive me. thanks John

[kurtbel5]

Dave
Sounds like that is the original plate and flipper, got any pics?
                Kurt

[DAVE1275]

Here she is:

[kurtbel5]

OK now I got you, what a beauty you have.
Looks like someone made your plate at home,I don't have a original, but do see them every once and a while on the bay.
Even a Bear para rest would look better than that.

 Good luck on the search
   Kurt

[JavelinaHink]

Dave....nice looking bow there

I'd use some scotts for the clover & crab grass though.....  :p      .....Bill

[Snakeeater]

jcar,

Sometimes Bear would discontinue a bow name and then revive it a few years later, often with a new look. The Polars from the 50s had that straight line look to them but the version in the 60s has the horns like a SK does.

[DAVE1275]

Hey easy on the lawn,that's 100% pure PA crabgrass there.Redneck foodplot.

[damascusdave]

Hey Dave,

That is a nice Polar. I had been coveting one in 66 inch length but have been unable to close a deal. I ended up with a nice Kodiak Special though which is a good thing too.

Snakeeater I have been trying to find a way to describe the riser shape on my Kodiak Speecial and the term horns works for me. Only thing is when I look at the pics in the Kodiak Special threads they seem to mostly be minus the horns.

The KS I just bought on **** has them in what would appear to be rosewood. I kind of like that horny look, especially with the contrast between zebra and rose wood which is one of the reasons I paid a good dollar for that particular bow.

I bought some para rests from Joe St Charles a while back and he is the one who got me going on bows from the 60's. I  may be new to traditional bows, but I know what I like and I would sooner shoot bows that look interesting.

Does anyone know if the Kodiak Specials with the horns were a common option? Did they come with a particular riser option?

This is more fun than when I discovered my mother had not thrown out my old sports cards from the early 60's.

[seboomook]

.

Does anyone know if the Kodiak Specials with the horns were a common option? Did they come with a particular riser option?

Hey Dave('s)
As snakeater was saying, the polars and alaskans were revived in the '60s as target bows, an alternatives to the the temujin and tamerlanes.
The "horns" were the riser styles and not options.
I think the riser woods varied with what they had on hand for these models. The above pic is a stunning combo, and definately needs a correct plate with brush rest or the premiere sights.
The Bear catalog CD is invaluable for checking what was offered from year to year. I think 3 rivers has it.
Your right about this being lots of fun, I'm learning from these cagey veterans every day!wish I could give more back

[damascusdave]

Amazing how naive I was less than one short month ago. Now that Wade has posted pics of the newer Kodiak Specials it is obvious that the bow I bought is a regular production version of the 1963 bow. And of course the more reasonable term is riser end caps.

Bottom line for any auction situation is to bid only what you are willing to pay, and I really liked the look of that bow. As so often happens in auctions someone else did too and so I paid more than I might have wished. Course after owning a shooting the bow for a week the price will be long forgotten, especially when someone says hey that is a nice looking old bow.

And come to think of it I am died in the wool fisherman and consequently will have no trouble either inflating or reducing the amount that I say I paid according to the situation.

[damascusdave]

After a long lay off I am back on this site and I want to tell you about the first time I shot this bow.
I was at a range in British Columbia and when I borrowed a stringer and strung the bow it was at about a 6 inch brace height. Being anxious to shoot it I left it at that. After popping myself on the wrist a couple of good ones, I borrowed a wrist guard as well.
One of the club shooters noticed I was shooting with only one 1916 arrow (all I had with me) and he gave me some 500 spine carbons with feathers to use.
Well I shot at quite a few targets at anywhere from 10 to 20 yards and was impressed with how the bow shot. However, I popped myself in the heel of the hand a couple of times and since the pain was getting a bit annoying I switched over to my left handed Ben Pearson.
Then at the end of the evening someone suggested we should shoot the running target. The club has a boar target hung on pulleys that they release down a wire with considerable slope.
Well nothing doing but I should fire up the KS and have a go at the boar. That bow and I came together and I hit the Mackenzie boar in the 8 ring. Knowing full well that I would never better that shot I stopped shooting (that and the fact that on that shot I nailed the heel of my hand so hard it was black and blue for over a week).

[Larry m]

Hi Dave
Here is the one I have. Sorry for the lack of a closeup but you get the idea of the Bear etched window plate with the brush rest. These are sweet looking bows and nice to shoot.