Author Topic: Bear Kodiaks - Factory Camo Kodiaks (Read 837 times)

Wade Phillips · « **on:** September 01, 2009, 06:59:00 AM »

Thought it might be a good idea to start a thread about Bear's Factory Camo Kodiaks. Seems information is scattered over several threads, and what information is there is not complete. Someone might even get an idea for a camo pattern for their Kodiak for this fall.

Not sure we will be able to post photographs of a Factory Camo Kodiak from every year the Kodiak was made, from 1950 to 1966, but I'm sure we will see some changes in the Factory Camo Pattern on different year Kodiaks.

Lets see photographs of those Factory Camo Kodiaks from any year.

This is a 1958 Kodiak with factory camo and factory silk screens, which were put on over the camo. I've had this bow for several years.

The original owner had a bow sight taped on the riser. The upper taped area covered the bottom of the word Kodiak. When the tape was removed a little of the camo stuck to the tape.

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #1 on:** September 01, 2009, 07:21:00 AM »

"Bows on the Little Delta" - 1997 by Glenn St. Charles, the photograph facing title page, is of Fred Bear, Dick Bolding, Bob Kelley, Russ Wright and Glenn St. Charles. The photograph shows four bows, presumably all 1959 Kodiaks..., the small cut out from that photograph shown below is of the two bows with their upper limbs leaning against Fred's then World Record Caribou antlers that are in velvet.

These two Factory Camo 1959 Kodiaks have a dark camo pattern and also have the silk screens over the camo.

Below - The light colored camo in the foreground, looks like a Maple Sight Window 1959 Kodiak. Anybody using a tape on bow quiver for the 50th Anniversary Hunt?

Chuck_Delsandro · « **Reply #2 on:** September 01, 2009, 10:49:00 AM »

Wish I had a camo kodiak! Maybe someday:)

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #3 on:** September 01, 2009, 12:39:00 PM »

Chuck -

You can always just camo up a non-factory camo Kodiak with a few cans of spray paint.

I have been seriously considering doing just that to the this pair of 1959 Kodiaks that I have been shooting this year, "Old Spot" and his backup, "Sidekick".

Was thinking using Doc's pattern of camo limbs and natural riser. Much more eye appealing than an all original factory camo...

TRAP · « **Reply #4 on:** September 01, 2009, 01:52:00 PM »

I could paint the "old Junker" that Doc refinnished or I could just put her "knickers" (as Doc calls them) back on.

Trap

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #5 on:** September 01, 2009, 03:31:00 PM »

Trap - Those "knickers" are fine except when you get into the stick-tights around here.

Years ago I painted my bow every year with a brush using Sears Weather Beater flat finish. Then put the camo pattern on with flat black spray. When I finally removed the paint the finish underneath was nearly perfect. I'd seen that same thing for may bows.

TRAP · « **Reply #6 on:** September 01, 2009, 06:12:00 PM »

Wade,

I love stick-tights. Picking them out of my KOM wool and out of my string silencers gives me something to do when I'm sitting in a treestand.

You trying to take all the fun out of bowhunting?

The biggest problem I see with camo sleeves is moisture. They stink when the are wet and holding that moisture can't be good for a bow.

One of the old Herter's duck boat camo spray paint kits would be about the right colors for that factory camo.

Trap

bowhawk archer · « **Reply #7 on:** September 01, 2009, 06:16:00 PM »

Here's one I did up to match the camo they show in the older catalogs.

450 marlin · « **Reply #8 on:** September 01, 2009, 06:56:00 PM »

1966 Kodiak Factory Camo

450 marlin · « **Reply #9 on:** September 01, 2009, 07:00:00 PM »

1959 Bear Kodiak Factory Camo

bowhawk archer · « **Reply #10 on:** September 01, 2009, 07:27:00 PM »

Sweet looking Roy.

TRAP · « **Reply #11 on:** September 01, 2009, 08:09:00 PM »

Bob and Roy, Great Pics, Thanks for sharing.

Trap

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #12 on:** September 01, 2009, 09:12:00 PM »

Roy - That 1959 Kodiak is one of the best factory camo jobs I've ever seen. That 58 Kodiak of mine doesn't have much color variation. The factory camo 1964 Kodiak is really different than your 1959.

Bob - You did a great job on that leaf pattern camo.

Trap - Sowing all those stick-tight seeds around your tree stands probably assures you will have a good crop close at hand the following year. You must really love those things. When I get bored in a stand or blind, I usually just take a nap. I've got some great stories about what I see when I wake up... but that is another thread...

I bought 6 cans of various colors of satin spray paint this afternoon. Took that factory camo 58 into Menard's and tried to match up the colors. got a few strange looks pushing that cart around with a bow sticking out of it. Finding it a little tough this evening to get started spraying them... May have to go pick up a 6-pack to get in the mood. Probably already did enough damage for one day... ripped that huge wooden grip off Glenn's Thunderbird #103... looks like it can be restored with some work.

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #13 on:** September 01, 2009, 09:31:00 PM »

Seeing the taped off numbers on Roy's 1959 camo Kodiak reminded that that I forgot to post a photograph of the black numbers written over the factory camo on that 1958 Kodiak.

mwmwmb · « **Reply #14 on:** September 01, 2009, 09:58:00 PM »

I guess there might be something wrong with me but I just would rather see the beautiful wood than paint a bow. But factory camo is different.

Wade, What all years did they do factory camo and was it just Kodiaks?

TRAP · « **Reply #15 on:** September 01, 2009, 10:52:00 PM »

Nahhhh, they don't grow well in the timber.

Send those bows to me. I'll spray em. I aint sceeered.

Trap

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #16 on:** September 01, 2009, 11:43:00 PM »

Mickey - I'm thinking of just painting the limbs to look something like Doc's 64 Kodiak. I'm not going to paint the risers.

I'm with you, I'd much rather look at the beautiful wood in the riser than paint.

I don't really know all the years that factory camo Kodiaks were made, that is what I hoped we would all be able to figure out on this thread. Lots of other bows besides Kodiaks were made in camo too.

Seeing what years factory camo Kodiaks were made, the different camo patterns and the different ways these bows were marked or not marked will help everyone now and those in the future who read this thread.

TRAP · « **Reply #17 on:** September 06, 2009, 02:14:00 AM »

Interesting that the "Bear Glass Powered Kodiak" (upper) silk screen is on the belly side of each of those 59 Kodiaks in the Little Delta photo.

Is that typical of factory camo bows?

Trap

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #18 on:** September 06, 2009, 11:22:00 PM »

Trap -

Yes, it is interesting that the upper silk screens on two Little Dela 1959 Kodiaks are on the belly side.

I haven't seen enough Factory Camo 1959 Kodiaks in my day with an upper silk screen, to know what is "Typical" and "Non-Typical" for the location of the upper silk screen.

I believe we can only logically conclude that the upper silk screens on the belly side of "some" factory camo 1959 Little Delta Bows, is "Typical"...

As you know, the same characteristic upper silk screen on the belly side is "Typical" of most 1958 Kodiaks, including the factory camo that we see in the photograph.

However, the location of the upper silk screen of most 1959 Kodiaks in captivity, is on the back of the bow. We can not see the back side of the other two factory camo bows in the Little Delta photograph, to know if the silk screen in on the back.

Hopefully someone has one or both of those bows, and we will be able to learn the location of the silk screens...

Conclusion..., All Bear Bow collectors are crazy, who else besides us would even care?

Stickbow98 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 13, 2009, 12:44:00 PM »

Wade,

No idea on the year, but I came across this pic of a factory camo Kodiak TD...the first one I have seen.

It gives a good look at the Olive Drab base with Black misted over it, (using an "Oak Leaf" type stencil) that was used at the time.

>>--Ron--<>

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Author Topic: Bear Kodiaks - Factory Camo Kodiaks (Read 837 times)

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