Bear bows

[Kituwa]

I know everyone has seen the great thread here on Howard Hill bows, its almost like reading a good book.We also have many here that own,collect,and hunt with bear bows, and many of them are even 40 to 50 years old.I would love to see a thread here like the HH one about bear bows,,both old classics and the newer ones.I think it would be great if someone even arranged a hunt of some kind like the Hill hog hunt planned for next Feb.
I would say that more than likely the largest part of us all here started off hunting with a bear recurve and many of us remember as kids looking at advertizments and reading hunting stories of Fred Bear.Thanks to my friend Mud, i have a bear bow that has brought back very fond memories and dreams of my childhood.Lets see some bows and stories from you bear lovers!

[hayslope]

Look over on the Trad history/collecting forum

[Cyclic-Rivers]

X2 what Tony said.

Although the Hill guys think they are cool, we have our own Forum, they only have 500+ pages of gibberish on this Hill Fad.          :p          

A "Bear Hunt" is something my friends and I have talked about, just haven't done yet.

[Kituwa]

Lol,,,oh i read and drool on the collectors section more than any place here on trad gang.I thought that putting it here might get some others posting that dont normally go there.I have a hill style longbow that i love but i still enjoy my old bear recurves just as much.I shoot equally as bad with my recurves as i do with my longbow too,lol.My wife has a 59 bear alaskan that is really a hibred longbow,when strung the string dont touch the limbs,its quiet like a longbow too,and i have a 59 bear polar that is almost that way too.The limbs are narrower than most recurves too.The polar is beautifull,,looks almost like a new bow, light color wood with a dark rosewood i think, sight window and ibeam and dark maroon glass.It is slim and dainty feeling compared to most recurves too.

[smokin joe]

I have several Bear recurves and they are great bows. Let's get this thread going to honor the bows that got so many of us started in traditional archery, and that keep so many of us having fun.
Charlie, if you get that "bear hunt" organized, let me know. Maybe we could set up a return to Ray's hog heaven for bear shooters.
Come on Bear aficionados, let's get this going.
Joe

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Joe, I would love to. It wont be for a while but it would be great to get down there again.

I thought I would ruffle a few feathers with my comment about Hill bows but seems they either dont care about Bear Bows and have not viewed this thread or they are all thick skinned and know I was just playin.

TTT

[Swiftspeed10]

learned to shoot on a bear compound when I was seven!

[wooddamon1]

I have an early 70s Hunter, an early 70s Grizzly and a mid-80s Kodiak and I love 'em all. Haven't even shot the old Grizz yet, but if it shoots like the newer one I gave away recently I'm sure my feelings won't change a bit after I do...

A "Bear Hunt", you say? I'm down like a clown!  

[smokin joe]

1968 Kodiak Hunter -- showroom condition, like new and a beauty
1971 Grizzly-- 2 dings on the riser, otherwise like new
A-mag TD risers -- 2 of them -- one has been refurbished, one will get the renewal treatment this summer
A-wood TD riser-- from 2004 -- a great bow with Rose Oak limbs -- screaming fast and very stable
B-wood green stripe riser-- with Rose Oak limbs it is a tack driver and shoots with real authority like bows 10 pounds heavier

I also have a few pairs of Grayling limbs in #1 and #2

Old bears are great.

[Michigan Mark]

Last year picked up a 2011 model of Bear's  Ausable longbow and really like how she shoots (My first R/D).

[Michigan Mark]

Here is my part. Let us see some of the oldies to get it going.
 
 
 
 
 

[Old Vet]

Started bow hunting years back with a 1972 Kodiak Mag. Killed my first deer with that bow the next year. It was just a natual for putting an arrow where I looked. Well, I just got a Kodiak Mag from Big Jim on his 2011 close out bows. 52" 45@28. Got it primarily for turkey hunting out of a blind. My Cascade Whitetail Hawk at 56" has been my blind bow, but occasionally it was too long. That new Kodiak Mag shoots like a dream. Puts 2114s right together from 5 to 30 yards and everywhere in between. The black glass on the face and back are perfect for in a blind. Fit and finish on the bow are great. I have seen prettier bows, but this one shoots right with any I own. The mojo from my first Grayling Kodiak Mag years ago carried over to my new Gainseville Model.

[Kituwa]

Mark,,i havnt seen a pic of the Ausable before,,man that looks good!
I have never shot a bear takedown either but there are plenty enough people that love them i have no dought they are great. And the kodiak mag,,people either hate em or love em,but they have to be one of the sexiest looking short bows of all time.I am not able to post pics right now,,my photobucket is messed up.I wish i could show yall a pic of the kodiak hunter that Mudd sent me.I skinded it with some select ratsnakes i had because i plan on hunting with it and i like the  snakes for camo as i ground hunt mostly.My two sons think it is the cats meow too,lol.It is a 1972 model,,the same as my wife and almost as pretty as she is!!

[smokin joe]

Let's get this back to the top so more Bear aficionados can see it and get this thing going. Kituwa, you owe it to yourself to try a Bear TD at some point, if only to see what all the talk is about. Mark, thanks for the photos. You have a great looking bow there.
Come on guys! Let's get some photos and some real Fred Bear and Bear bows appreciation going.
Joe

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I like the bear Grizzly.

Just a good solid working Mans bow that performs great.

Joe, I had a 71 but my uncle has it now    :confused:            

Here is my 68.  Love this one more.

   

On left

   

[ron w]

Nice shot of my Zipper Charlie...  

[modr]

A hog hunt at Ray's would be a great idea for bear owners, Have two original takedowns, going to take them out this year with micro flites and bear heads.

[JamesKerr]

I have a 1976 Bear Kodiak Magnum. A friend of mine gave me this bow to kill a turkey with it. So far I haven't gotten a shot but I hope someday I will fill my first archery turkey tag with that bow.

[Kituwa]

My first real bow as a young teen was a bear.My best friend that hunted with me all the time had a bear too.I think mine was a grizzly the best i remember,,and i believe his was a panther but im not really sure.His bow was shorter than mine was i do remember that.We both had beagle dogs and we spent many an hour with our dogs and bows chasing rabbits.I rememer we had brush knocks, and those 3 pronged silencers and those rubber finger savers on them and later when we started deer hunting with them we both had camo cloth slip overs and we used those clip on kwickie quivers with no hood.We didnt know any better but i dont remember ever getting cut on a broadhead.I used to see the adds in outdoor life of bear kodiaks and wanted one so bad but they where what we called rich mans bows,lol.

[Rustic]

Heres my Grizzly with self made woodys.