Bear bows

[DGF]

My 2011 K-mag hanging out at Ray's Hog Heaven.
50#@28

 

Dan

[Benny Nganabbarru]

LBShooter2, I reckon leave it as is.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Originally posted by Ben Kleinig:
LBShooter2, I reckon leave it as is.

X2  

just get limb socks for it.

I love the 69, it was my first    

Igor, I love my Tigercat. It is a really sweet shooting bow. Good thing they are over looked, it means you can get them at a reasonable price yet  

[Igor]

Charlie

I agree with you....its a first for me shooting a tigercat....and it shoots as well as any Bear I've shot in the past (montana/grizzly/kodiak magnum) maybe better (real quiet for a recurve). This one has a great piece of wood for a riser and looks almost new - like you said for the money you can't buy more bow....

><>
Glenn

[Slim]

I just got a Bear Montana longbow and I've fallen in love with it. It's a sweet shooter and really reasonably priced. It's also quiet as a cat on a carpet.

[Slim]

Anyone else have a Montana?

[Michigan Mark]

The wife's Bear, 62", 32# she draws almost 25".
 
 
 

[smokin joe]

Here is my greenstripe TD with Rose Oak limbs and a Bighorn quiver. It is a great bow.

 

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Cool picture Joe!  

[Frank V]

Originally posted by Slim:
Anyone else have a Montana?

I don't have one, but I have shot them & it shot well & hit where I looked. I think they are a pretty good bow.
Frank

[Migra Bill]

My current stable of Bears includes

1958 Kodiak, 1959 Kodiak, 1960 Kodiak, 1961 Kodiak, 1962 Kodiak, 1963 Kodiak, 1964 Kodiak, 1965 Kodiak, 1960 Kodiak Special Deluxe, 1960 Grizzly, 1962 Cub, 1964 Kodiak Magnum, 1968 Super Kodiak, 1966 Tamerlane, 1971 Grizzly, 1975 Super Magnum, 1976 Super Kodiak, 1969 Wooden A Riser, 1970 Wooden B Riser, 1972 Wooden C Riser, A Mag, 2 B Mags, C Mag, and the only Gainesville Bear worth having - the Green Stripe Custom Kodiak take down.

Way too many to picture, but if there is one in particular you'd like to see, I'd more than happy to post up some pics.

[Michigan Mark]

Hey, Migra Bill my Bear Ausable takes offense with your Statement in relevant part "and the only Gainesville Bear worth having - the Green Stripe Custom Kodiak take down". I do not though as she shoots and feels Great. Just wondering how many of the Gainesville Bears (models) have you shot given your opinion? I would like for you to post Pic's of your 1960 Kodiak Special Deluxe, if you wouldn't mind. Thanks

[Migra Bill]

Mark - my apologies. I have NEVER shot a longbow. Bear's Gainesville long bows may be the cats meow. Their recurves leave alot to be desired. As far as how many I have shot, obviously not all - but plenty. I couldnt wait to get my hands on the new Grayling Green Super Kodiak that came out last year. Yuck!! Fit, finish, grip all horrible constructed. Then after 10 shots the stress cracks showed up in the limbs - and this was a bow that I so wanted to love. I really think (at least for recurves) the move to Florida killed the quality.

Now... that 60 Kodiak Special Deluxe you wanted to see - you probably picked the prettiest of the bunch. Hold onto your hat...

 

 

 

 

 

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Bill, those are my specs      :rolleyes:    :rolleyes:          

Just sayin, that's all.      

[jcar315]

An absolute stunner....and remember it is a 1960!!

[Michigan Mark]

Thanks for the outstanding Pictures of a Beauty Bill, bet she shoots like a dream to. My Ausable hears you. I draw her to 32" smooth with no stack and shoots great, it is my first R/D though. Is the Green Stripe Custom Kodiak take down still worth it's salt? I was wondering about the Kodiak's as I did hear of some lamination problems and herd Bear took care of those customers. I also herd that those bugs were worked out but can not speak from experience. Another of my reasons for asking. I know Bear's Traditional line has been swamped and doing better as of 2011.

[smokin joe]

The greenstripe is a great bow. It was the last TD the Fred personally supervised, or so I have been told. Mine is an early greenstripe that fits my hand perfectly and shoots like a dream. Remember, Mr. Bear himself could shoot any bow he wanted, and his choice was a TD with a B riser and #1 limbs. I shoot that combination often and it is just great.

I also have a two-tone wood riser from 2006 that is flawless in its workmanship. I have heard lots of complaining about the Bear TDs from that era, but my experience with mine has been completely positive. With 53# Rose Oak #3 limbs, it shoots a 500 gr arrow screaming fast.

[L. E. Carroll]

Here are three I picked up two weekends ago at the "Rock Shoot" which is put on yearly by Traditional Bowhunters of Washington.

I'm really happy with these 3, as they were particular models I have been looking to find for sometime ... I just wish I had also gotten the
1959 Kodiak Special. However, at 63# it was a bit more than I could shoot comfortably having just torn up my right arm again            ... But, I'm still considering adding it to my growing collection.            
 
Top: a nice but somewhat used condition "Dual Shelf" 58# 1954 Compass Kodiak.

Middle: a very nice nice [almost new] condition  1954 "dual Shelf" 47# Static Tipped, Grizzly.

Bottom: a beautiful 1964 Kodiak 60" and drawing 50#.

All have great limbs, which are straight, have excellent tiller and show no crazing nor stress lines at all.

       

[Jack Shanks]

I hear a lot of complaints about the Gainesville bows. Back in the mid seventies before Bear Archery moved to Florida they were producing over 350,000 quality bows a year here in Michigan. I'm thinking instead of planning a hunt like suggested at the begining of this thread we organize say just one years production of loyal followers and head to Florida. We could converge on the plant and lob arrows at the building until we forced them back to Grayling. Anybody else in?

[wooddamon1]

I am!