What was Papa Bear's "go to" bow?

[mgompf]

Does anyone know what Fred Bears "go to" bow was?
I have read all the books by Fred and about Fred but they don't mention if he had a favorite bow from the bear lineup.
Just Curious.

[Arwin]

I'm gonna take a stab at it and say the Super Kodiak.

[mgompf]

That was what I was thinking but I have also seen a lot of photos of him with a what appears to be a grizzly.

[Jeremy]

His go-to bow was always the next year's Kodiak     He had to promote his new bows!

I think after the latch T/D came out though that was it.

[Blackhawk]

From what I've read and heard, Jeremy is right on.  Fred was a marketing genius and knew the best way to publicize a product was to kill something big or exotic with it.  

Up until his takedown became reality, some rumors say his all time favorite was the '64 Kodiak. Once he had the TD, that became THE bow for Fred.

[reddogge]

Buy Fred Bear's "Field Notes" and you'll see him with every model of Kodiak and then the take down on hunts from 1957 on.

[sweeney3]

Watch the History of Bow and Arrow video in the Bear collection.  He says what his main hunting bow was (at the time).  Granted, this was near the end of his life, so he probably had several over the years.  I disremember exactly what model it was, but it was a take down recurve.

[mgompf]

Thanks for all the info. I know he spent countless hours perfecting the latch system. I would have to say my A Handle takedown is my "go to" bow. In my opinion the system is by far the best hunting setup ever produced.

[Charlie Lamb]

While Fred always had pics taken with the upcoming year's model Kodiak, it's a little known fact that his "go to" bow was an Indian brand recurve.

 I guess he could buy them cheap.
   

[Blackhawk]

:rolleyes:

[Hit-or-Miss]

Most of the time, aside from a Grizzly and Elephant hunt (70# and 75#), he used a 60", 65# of current make.

[Gray Buffalo]

     Good one Charlie      

[getstonedprimitivebowhunt]

..... I sat down with Fred a few months before he Died.. I wish I would of asked Him that ? We mostly talked about life. I miss Him

[BRITTMAN]

I read somewhere Fred liked a 60 in. long Recurve  , does anyone know if that was true . I figured with his long looking arms he had a long draw and shot a longer bow .

[myshootinstinks]

The signed photo I have of him has him leaning over a kill w/ what looks to me like a mid '60s Kodiak.

[reddogge]

Yes, he preferred 60" bows and only drew 28".

[WidowEater]

Did he not also have his personal bows customized with an abbreviated arrow rest so he could shoot as close to off his hand as possible?

I think one of the older members here (excuse the use of the word "older" please) has a right handed version of one of Freds personal bows that was specially made for him in this fashion after meeting with Fred out in the field somewhere.  Maybe Alaska.

There might have been another modification to the grip as well.

[myshootinstinks]

I may be wrong but I believe this is an old photo of a TG member holding one of Fred's bows. "Fred's grip" has the shelf right on the knuckle.  I have two old Kodiaks modified to this type of grip.

 

[Pointer]

Once he perfected his takedown system that's all he used. Prior to that, if you look at his field notes, he was using whatever one piece Kodiak was new for that year I believe. Those famous photos were being used in the Bear Archery catalog so they wanted their newest bows in all of those hero pics to increase sales. All of the pics that lattimer put in his Papa Bear book taken in the late 60s and into the 80's show Fred using his takedown.

[Gary Logsdon]

Isn't that one of Charlie's photos?  Looks like one from the Ontario bear hunt.