The quickest way to learn is to get your hands on a complete set of Bear Archery equipment catalogs. There are DVDs available for the "Grayling" years and there are company's that reprint old Bear catalogs.
Obtaining a complete set of Bear Kodiaks is an endeavor many have attempted but few will ever complete due to availability, expense and the magnitude of variations. Some variations that were never even known to exist are still showing up from time to time such as the 56" maple sight window 1959 Kodiak that sold on e8ay several years ago.
Many Kodiaks were offered in multiple lengths, and multiple wood and glass combinations. Models such as the Kodiak Magnum started in 1961, Kodiak Hunters later in 66 or 67 or heck I don't know when.
Collections can look very hodge podge unless you narrow your focus and collect Kodiaks with specific years, specific time frames, specific models, specific lengths or even specific weights. Many folks try to collect all of the Bear offerings in a particular year such as their birth year. This could include say, an Alaskan, a Panda, a Polar, a Grizzly, a Kodiak, a Kodiak Magnum and a Kodiak Special from 1961 or 1962 or......
And then of course there's all those really neat accessories that are sure to capture the collector's gaze. The back quivers, the bow quivers, the arrows, the broadheads, the bow cases, the arm guards, the bowhunter knife and file sets, the belt pouches the..........list goes on and on.
Some think Vintage bows are a good financial investment and that may or may not turn out to be true. For those that collected during the 60s and 70s when classic bows were essentially worth nothing to the parades of guys jumping on the compound train, Kodiaks were no doubt a good investment. many of those bows have appreciated many fold. Today, because of the Internet, availability is greater but competition is also greater which leads to higher prices paid.
It's fun to collect vintage bows. They are fun to shoot. Many are wonderful weapons and still fully capable of anything a new custom bow is.
Ask yourself what you want your collection to look like, do a little research and dive right in. There are still some wonderful discoveries to be made and trust me, you'll meet some great people along the way.
Trap
Topic: Bear Kodiaks (Read 277 times)
