Bear T.D.

[Charlie Lamb]

Let me start this with a short explanation. A long time ago, in a jungle far far away I was like every other Marine in that situation. I was bad homesick and aching for anything to connect me with "the world" as we called home.

Mail was infrequent in the primitive situations we lived in but one day on a firebase that was a little more civilized than most of the places we spent our time a helicopter could be heard far away but getting closer. I watched as the distance got shorter and shorter until it was circling our little hill. 

It landed on the helipad that had been scraped off the top of the hill and and disgorged its cargo without drawing mortar fire. Supplies and men came off that bird and one man carried a big red nylon bag. Mail!!

I was lucky and got a couple of letters from home and one with the scent of a perfume that just made me miss home that much more. I opened the letters from mom and dad first and found that my mom had enclosed a brochure of the brand new bow that Bear Archery was introducing. Mom sure knew how to put a smile on my face. So did the author of the sweet scented letter, but I won't get into that.

I poured over the glossy pages of the brochure drinking in the beautiful color pictures of Fred's take down bow and memorizing the written descriptions. I instantly promised myself that if I made it out of that hell hole I'd own one of those bows.

Well, time went by (none too fast I might add) and I found myself back home in the land of mom, home, apple pie and she of the perfumed letter. Within a couple of weeks I held the Bear Takedown in my sweaty little hands.

As it turned out that bow was one of if not THE best shooting bow I'd ever owned.

[Pine]

Gotta love 'em
Thanks for sharing. 

[Ray Lyon]

Thank you for the story and your service sir. 👍👍

[varmint101]

Awesome Charlie! Going to think there’s much more to the story and thanks for your service!!


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[Charlie Lamb]

Thanks guys, but not quite done.

I shot that bow until the cows came home and then some. Deer were no challenge at any distance I cared to shoot. Turkeys in those days were few and far between but I really wanted one.

I spent a lot of time in the Ozark hills where my family had settled a couple of hundred years before. Once in a while I even heard a bird gobble. Usually far far away. I'd come back to the truck from a long mornings walk and as was my habit I was shooting around at stumps and leaves. You know the drill.

The bow was heavy... 75# at my draw. To improve my strength I finished my session with a few shots where I held extra long at full draw. As I held on my last shot I was just starting to tremble a little from the weight when...BAM!! I went down to one knee, head reeling and teetering on the edge of unconsciousness.

It wasn't until my head had cleared that I was able regain my feet and figure it all out. My precious bow lay in pieces on the ground. Blood trickled from a cut above my right eye. One limb of the bow had separated from the rest of the bow. The fade out section was cleanly separated from the limb.

I was upset. Really upset. The bow would go back to the factory with a not too kind note. In fairness they did respond quickly with a new set of limbs and a letter of apology.

 

[Charlie Lamb]

A year went by and I was a happy camper. There was no sign of a problem from the bow. A productive deer season got behind me and winter meant chasing bunnies and then it was turkey time again.

I went back to my favorite spot and took off into the hills. Walk, listen, walk some more. I was limited to where I could go and to tell the truth it was slim pickins where I was hunting.
Once more I came out of the woods at quitting time... noon at the time. I went through the same practice routine even though this set of limbs was five pounds lighter. Again I finished up my session holding at full draw for a long count. Again there was a loud CRACK and down I went.

I seriously felt like I'd been hit in the head and rolled around in a daze trying to figure out who hit me. When I regained my senses I found that the exact same thing had happened as the year before.
Like the year before I boxed up the bow with a note and shipped it off to Michigan. Like the year before the limbs were replaced no question.

I'd had it. The take down had to go. It didn't take long to sell it to a friend of a friend and I went back to one piece bows.

[Charlie Lamb]

Fast forward to today. I had a magnesium handle Bear T.D. that had belonged to a friend and I shoot it well but I never really got over that beautiful wooden riser bow.
I admit that I didn't care much  for what Bear had been doing with the takedown these past few years. They just didn't appeal to me.

But lately! They are back. They are once again producing a bow that I think Fred would be proud of.
That's why I placed an order with Big Jim for a Bubinga and Phenolic "B" riser. I've got the limbs and this will be the first bow I didn't make in a long time.

I'll post pics here when it comes in.

So help me if it knocks me down.... 

 

[Ray Lyon]

dang, I feel gullible.

[Charlie Lamb]

Not your fault Ray.

And of course the bow will be ready for... you guessed it. Turkey season. I think I'm developing a twitch.

[Hud]

I bought an "A" handle from Big Jim's Bow Co. and really like their new TD.  Many years ago, I had an early Bear Kodiak (1955 - 57), delaminate at the lower tip.  Glenn St Charles replaced it, and thought the rubber tip protector was the problem.  He thought it held moisture and caused the string to cut through the lower limb string nock. I had just strung the bow (Push-Pull).  I found out later their early bows had tip overlays made from colored paper. The upper limb hit the right side of my head, missing my eye or ear.  I can't remember having another bow break, and have had many including Bear TD's. All my bows were between 58 - 60" for my 28"draw length. 

[joe vt]

Nice story Charlie. What are the odds of that happening!



I hope this new one brings many a smiles to you.   

[hawkeye n pa]

Thanks for the story and your service.

I've been shooting a Bear takedown bows  for over 40 years and have only had one set of limbs crack, and they didn't break.  I've had  really good luck with them and agree they are a great shooting bow.  Best of luck with your new one, it will be a beauty.  Good luck with the turkey also. 

[Roy from Pa]

Good story, Charlie and thanks for your service.

I bought my Bear TD in 1971.

Got my first trad deer with it that year and many more since that one.

[Owlgrowler]

Great story, Thank You for your service. Squirrel photo has to be one of the best of all time. And it looks like you shot a Lincoln Log into the back of that turtle! Good Luck with the new one, I hope it serves you well

[varmint101]

Very cool! Well, other than getting knocked out twice!  Here’s to hoping the new Bear will be easier on the cranium!


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[cacciatore]

Great story Charlie, like always. I think that the new limbs are better shooters than the older ones the riser are always been good but never liked the 86-2007 ones.

[Orion]

Charlie:  Can't tell for sure from the pix, but looks like you have no.1 limbs on your early TD.  That makes a 60-inch bow, which should be enough to handle a long draw like yours, but a draw in the 30-inch range does put some awful stress on those limbs.  No.3 limbs, making a 64-inch bow would be less likely to fail. Not impossible just less likely.  Too, all other things being equal, I've always felt that heavier limbs were more susceptible to failure than lighter limbs.

Good luck with your new TD.  Bear TDs are the only recurves I still have in my stable.  They're stable, plenty fast and pretty easy on the eyes as well. 

[finkm1]

Great story and pictures Mr. Lamb. Again, thank you.

[Roughcountry]

Enjoyed the story Charlie, waiting for more. Maybe one about a big tom turkey.

[M60gunner]

Great story Charlie, I didn’t get “serious” about bow hunting until I settled down. In Nam we would talk about firearms for hunting. First time I saw a Bear TD was at a sports show in Chicago in 1971. But $150 was hard to come up with for a guy with a new wife and kid. Bought a SK instead. When I did buy a TD in 1998 it was the end of a dream I had for years.