Enjoyed your video and if I may, let me share a few things. First, in two weeks I'll start my 51st bow hunting season using the SAME Bear Kodiak Magnum I originally purchased back in 1968 as a teenager! I don't need a 50th anniversary edition. I've got an original 51 year old bow! If some of your viewers want to see that bow in action, I have a couple videos on my channel of me getting it ready for hunting season and doing some practice shots. Second, don't be afraid to give the Kodiak Mag a good work out and to hunt with it. The bow is extremely well made, being a bow Fred Bear designed for his own hunts of those days. After a half century of use during the four month deer seasons in Mississippi my bow is in perfect shape and shoots just as good as the day I took it out of the box when it was new. The bow is friggin amazing! Third, I shoot Easton ACC arrows in my Kodiak Mag. They are a small, thin but extremely durable arrow and they shoot fast and flat. Nothing wrong with the Gold Tip's but if you want a few more feet per second of speed try the ACC arrows. I have a 28 1/2 inch draw so with that arrow and the slight over draw it is possible to almost hit 180 on the chrono. The bow DOES NOT STACK at all and shoots extremely smooth. At the short length, it is very nice for tree stands or blinds. I'm a traditional archer and I have never owned a compound bow. Never cared to. The best archers in history did just fine shooting traditional equipment. Original Kodiak Mags in good condition can still be had at reasonable prices. I highly recommend buying one. You will NEVER sell it and probably won't ever put it down. It will become your go to bow,. I'd check the brace height on your Kodiak Mag. It looks a little tall. Shouldn't exceed 8 inches or a little less. Also, don't use modern strings. Either make your own strings or find a traditional bow shop who has someone that will make a custom string for your bow. The anniversary edition you have may be rated for use of modern strings but the original Kodiak Mags clearly are NOT. Use of the more powerful strings can lead to small cracking on the bow like you described in the video. The Kodiak Mag was never made to have any bow accessories mounted on it. it was designed to be a "pure" bow to be shot instinctively with no bow sights, no stabilizer bars, no release aids, no quivers on the bow, nothing but a piece of wood and a string. Fred Bear and most other archers of the day used a back quiver for hunting and a side quiver for target shooting. Hanging something on the bow created an unbalanced bow in the hand and really was not recommended. In my videos, I do hunt with a strap on quiver but I have practiced enough with it to get the balance compensation down. But shooting the bow naked is still the best method. Buying a Kodiak Magnum is like buying a fine firearm. It will last you a lifetime and can still be handed down to your grandchildren. I paid about $275 brand new for my bow and other than buying a few strings for it over the decades, and some string wax, I haven't had to do anything else to it. I could easily sell it for more than I paid for it, thus it has cost me nothing at all to own this bow for 51 years. Even if the bow was worthless today, it would have only cost me $5.39 per year to own it. Try that with some $1,500 high priced compound bow! You'll be lucky to get a third of what you paid for it just 10 years later, that is if the wheels and cables don't start rusting! And it won't be nearly as much fun to shoot. You won't be able to shoot anything unless you first know the distance to the target and which pin to use. In dim light at dusk or dawn, the lighted pin will blind you to the target and you will probably miss. With instinctive shooting, you can shoot in near total darkness just as long as you can at least see the outline of the animal. Their wont' be anything to blind you and you won't be fumbling with range finders, hooking up a release aid, etc. You have some excellent bows in your collection and I love them all. Thanks for sharing this video with us. Looking forward to more of them!
Hello. Thank you for watching and sharing your life experience with this bow. I am sure we could talk for days if we met!! (mainly me asking and you answering!!) I envy people that started life with a traditional bow at a young age and have never really decided to shoot a compound and to me that is part of the beauty of it, it's up to you how you would like to hunt. I started with a compound and it still took me three years before a shot my first deer at 10 yards from the ground tucked in some grass with a tree behind me!! mainly it took me that long to learn to get close to a deer many other times they busted me because i had so much to learn or they jumped the string because i was too impatient and the list goes on but that day i knew i was in trouble that i had unleashed a side of hunting that could never stop!!! Traditional bows only peaked my interest after i had become a better hunter with my compound which was after many years i realized that i had no idea of how it all really started after reading and watching the history of Fred Bear and his accomplishments in the archery world was when i decided that i had to try shooting one of these bows and that is how it began for me!! I still have to hunt my first deer with traditional equipment but its not for a lack of trying its more the journey. also i still hunt with compound, black powder etc and i have certain time alotted for certain equipment then its on to the next. The Kodiak is an amazing bow i wanted the 50th anniversary one because it was a reminder to any person that saw the bow that this is how it was in the beginning (thanks for the info on the arrows will have to take a close look at those) I have come used to putting and shooting my bows with quivers on because i personally like it this way, now if you watch footage and pics of Fred bear, he also used and hunted many times with his bow mounted quivers on the bow, now not all the time but many times. i like the weight of the bow like this i have tried the bow without the quiver for hours of shooting and i feel that it does not make me any more accurate or make me feel like its better if anything it feels like something is missing, but to each their own traumas!! Thank you for sharing it has beena true pleasure readig what you have witten and i will do my best to make more videos but these past few years have been difficult in many ways. Also i will checkmy brace height again, the newer kodiaks do shoot fast flight string and this may change the brace height to keep the performance on the bow where it needs to be. Thank you again and may you have many more hunts and stories to tell. Stay safe and shoot stright.
I love traditional archery and bow hunting with traditional equipment so yeah, I could sit and talk with you all day on it! LOL. Concerning the brace height, you may be right. The anniversary edition, being a modern made bow, may be rated for modern strings and require a different brace height than mine. Follow your bow's recommendations of course. I feel the quiver is a matter of personal choice. Since my primary use of my bow is for hunting, and I need to be both mobile and ready for anything, a bow quiver is essential to me when hunting. I do sometimes take it off for target shooting however. A light weight quiver that doesn't interfere with your grip shouldn't give you any trouble at all, once you become adjusted to shooting with it. My quiver uses thick rubber bands to encircle the bow riser and lock the quiver into place. The rubber absorbs vibration too. Get one of your beautiful bows out and go hunting this season if you can! Might be time to put an arrow through a deer! Good luck.
@@TrehanCreekOutdoors I enjoyed your post. I started bowhunting in 1964 and still use the same Bear Grizzly in 50# @ 28" with hand built Port Oxford arrows. I can't tell you how many pheasants and turkeys I've bagged in corn fields of Pennsylvanna. At 72 I still target practice 4-5 times weekly with a target recurve, no sights using the 3 finger split🎯
Great video. I have a Bear Grizzly at 50# @ 28" which I got in 1964. It is as strong as it was when new. I unstring it when not in use. I have owned many long bows and recurves as well as compound bows however, at 72, I only use traditional archery equipment 4 or 5 time a week for target practice on my property.🎯
I have the Bear Kodiak magnum 60lb draw since I'm 15 years old now I'm 58 also picked up a Damon Howitt Mamba 50lb draw about 25 years ago. Great bows and videos.
Gracias. Si 50lb es lo mas usado para animales de ese tipo, venados y asta moose!!! el minimo es 40lb pero depende de la fuerza que tenga uno para estar comfortable hay personas que usan 65lb como el señor Fred Bear.
Yeh man I have a Bear Kodiak Magnum made in 1976, man a most magnificent bow in most perfect condition, beautiful Green future wood maple riser etc. I was blessed to pick this up 25 years ago for AUD $80 the op shop obviously at the time had no idea of its value. Any way 52 " AMO with 55 pounds draw weight I have only just got back to Archery after 20 years and now at 67 this year am struggling to fully draw the bow back but I have another bow at 40 pounds and so building up my strength again doing weights etc. But yes the Kodiak is the best of the best in my opinion.
Thats Awesome is always great to hear that people still love archery after many years of not doing it and it's even more cool when you still have a bow to do it with from the 70s they are just built better than the bows nowadays thanks for sharing your experience with this bow really appreciate it.
Really, that Kodiak magnum is putting those arrows out there pretty quickly. If you are only drawing 26" as you stated then that's a pretty quick fling of an arrow thats about 11GPP (Im guessing your 26" draw is making about 46#).
I'm at a 30" Left hand draw and wondering if a 64" bow would be more suitable...? One of the only bow that comes out at that length is the Bear Super Kodiak. And when buying vintage bows is it ok to buy one with pressure surface cracks running up and down the length of the limbs...?
BigRed56 well getting a longer bow is not favorable when trying to maximize performance, a 60 inch bow is more than perfect for your draw u might end up stacking a bit but that's to your favor!!! I have a 26.5 inch draw on recurve and 27.5 on compound so for me the sorter the bow the better hence the bob lee is 54" AMO and 54# @28" . minor stress cracks that run vertical are not a problem if it is significant then beware. hairline cracks that run horizontal and are in the finish (called crazing) is normal and ok.
I have a 7o super kodiak$250, 74 k mag($160), and a 74 kodiak hunter(blue stripe $175) Love my bear bows. My bows are priceless to me. I got my deals on these bows from a friend and mentor who tradess all the time. I doubt everyone could get such deals and my bows are mint. You have a nice collection and that50 year anniversary bow is nice hang on to it. I want a brand new grizzly next.
Awesome bows bud, those are prices I can live with, these bows are getting harder to find as the years go by and more expensive! I enjoy my bears and will probably always own a few!! thanks for watching.
Nah man not really. Bear pumped out a lot of bows and still are. All the baby boomers are starting to moving out of their homes and there's an uprising surge of old vintage items that are no longer needed and hit the market. Go to any garage sale and or flea market and look for some vintage bows and ask kindly and responsibly to take a peek at some guns.. if they let and trust you! Those are where deals are found. I got a brand new 1975 Colt Python in 6in Royal Blue from an elderly lady whos husband passed for one heck of a deal. Brand spanking new in the box. She had no idea what she had. I was kind enough not to steal it from her and offered her 1,000. Her eyes lit up. haha Pretty good deal and we are both happy. Same with old recurves. I find them everywhere. Nice bows by the way. I'm really Jonesin' on that K mag. Take care!
Good review, thanks. Those Bob Lee's are about 1700 and up now. Nice bows, but out of the range of a lot of archers. I am a little surprised at the kind of low speed of that Grizzly. I think you mentioned somewhere in the comments that you are drawing 26", so if that Grizzly was drawn to 28" it would probably be at about 170 fps. Not to get hung up on speed though, it's where you put the arrow and how straight it flies that is most important
Thanks for you comment. Yeah the Bob Lee is not a cheap bow and you do get a custom quality bow, I’m happy that I got it when I did now it’s out of my price range!! The speed really is not a big deal but what is is how the bow feels to you and how well you can shoot a particular bow, with the Bob Lee I’m much more comfortable and accurate with my shots so I hunt with it more often for the price it’s tough to beat the Fred Bear bows though!!
@@Shootemfulloholes yeah, you are lucky to have such a nice takedown bow. You are right about speed not being that important. I watch Robert Carter and he has killed hundreds of pigs and deer and he says it's your arrow flight and most importantly where you hit them. I have a shooting buddy that killed a 42" moose with a self bow. Maybe the arrow was traveling 160 to 165 fps. But Robert Carter killed a lot of deer and pigs with bows that maybe were only shooting 140 fps.
I buy my replacement strings from 3Rivers Archery for my older Fredbear bows i like to use B50 flemish twist strings, the newer bows are rated for the fast flight strings and dacron etc but u can still give them a call and they will help you get what you need.
Yes! I really lucked out on this one. It even draws 45# just like my other Bear bows. I looked at Bob Lee’s website and was very impressed with his work! It might be time to sell another gun and invest in one of those. You seem to be really impressed with yours.
I really like that Bob Lee takedown. I have a couple of old Shakespeare wonderbows as well as a Browning Cobra 2, a Hoyt Hunter and a Bear Super mag. They are all from the 60’s and 70’s. One thing none of them has that your Bob Lee has, is a radiused shelf. My guess is that surface friction is reduced as a result as the arrow leaves the bow.
Nice collection. I think the radiused shelf is more to deal with the angle of the arrow as it sits in the knock, if you shoot 3 under or split fingers that will change the angle but if it reduces friction then even better but i personally think the friction is minimal nomatter the shelf.
Nice to see the three bows run through the chrony. I hunt with the kodiak magnum and absolutely would not part with it. Love everything about the magnum
Two Brothers Outdoors TBO Hello, yup this stuff is fun!! After i got my kodiak there is absolutely no way i could get rid of it!! Its simply a winning design!!
Was the Grizzly made in Grayling or Gainseville? By the way, when you were shooting the Grizzly, I went to full screen and slow motion. It looks like your arrow tip was creeping forward a tiny amount just before the release. That's a bad shooting habit that negatively affects arrow speed and accuracy and is a hard habit to break. Ask me how I know! It's good to see a fellow lefty! I'm glad so many bow manufacturers remember there are lots of lefties out there. I wish the gun companies would finally notice that we exist!
Yup its a Grayling model from, if i remember correctly 1976. Yeah i noticed that too, i'm a snap shooter and draw back past my anchor point then move forward till i reach my anchor point and release, it may be a bad habit but people also think snap shooting is a bad habit!!! As long as i feel comfortable and my accuracy is good I'm going to stick to it for now because i did a ton of experimenting and eventually i settled on my style of shooting if you know what i mean. Thanks for watching and your comments.
@@Shootemfulloholes That is a 1969 or a 1970 my dude - a much rarer bow than you might realize. What does the serial # start with, and what color is the Bear coin (brass or silver-colored)?
I have all 3 of those models to and my 50 th anniversary mag is by far my favorite one lol. Guys if your looking for great bows you can't go wrong with bear. My super k and image shoot just as good as my high end black widow,bob lee and Great Plains. They are not as fast but very smooth and accurate. But nice video, thanks for sharing. Hope you poke some holes in some deer with those beauty's.
I sold it so I could by my bob lee, the problem I have is having a short draw length a bow should not be longer than 58 inches to get the best performance. The widow was 60 inches.
If you look closely your draw length on release is about an inch longer when you shoot the magnum than the other 2 bows. That alone plus the shorter limbs has made up for the 4 lbs in draw weight. That extra inch may have equaled the draw weight as well.
Eric Baumgartner well I draw the same way and the same length no matter the recurve I use, si in my mind I doubt that's what's causing it to be faster.
If you look at the amount of arrow past the shelf on the magnum it is about 1" less than the other 2 bows. Maybe because its a bit lighter and less shoulder compression but that may bring the actually draw weights to be equal, and usually a shorter bow will be quicker if the draw weights are equal imo. Great videos btw.
Eric Baumgartner u know I'm going to look into this more, maybe since the K-MAG is the shortest out of the bunch maybe it is more efficient with shorter draw lengths like mine?
I have a hoyt buffalo 62" and a 56" take down as well. Both bows are 55lbs at my 31" draw . Using the same arrow and having the draw observed to be equal the hoyt shoots 200 fps and the 56" bow shoots 218 fps. Almost 10% faster.
You move you right hand forward about and inch when you draw the arrow that's why you loose speed on the arrow , I own a bear grizzly now I'm also left handed like u love Fred bear bow the founder of the bear com. Also a great big game hunter . hunter .
sorry bud what you said made no sense to me. i draw almost the same way every time with the same length so if i move my hand forward an inch more i would be hyperextending my right arm and i would probably get whacked by the string on the forearm!!
@@Shootemfulloholes I think he might have meant you let the string come forward a bit while you are still holding it before the release, but I'm not sure.
That doesn't make sense what you said about probably getting extra draw weight out of the magnum due to it being shorter. If it's rated for 50lbs at 28" then that's what youre going to get. Your draw length doesn't get longer just because the bow is shorter lol
I see your point. Theoretically a longer bow say 62inch bow 50#@28 inch draw weight in the hands of an archer with a 26 inch draw only draws say 44# (3lbs less per inch shorter+_) Now if the same archer uses a 52 inch bow with 50#@28 inches but they draw 26 inches theoretically they will draw more poundage say 46# (only 2lbs less per inch shorter+_) and this is because the shorter bows with shorter limbs stack the weight in shorter limb lengths and will have a bit higher draw weight and be more efficient for shorter archers while longer bows stack the weight over longer limb lengths but yes both should reach 50#@28 inches. Now not all bows are built the same you have to test each bow at your draw length but most short draw archers are recommended to use a shorter bow due to this.
@@edkjellander5924 Yup because that's what i tell everybody that I'm an expert!!!But im so happy that you will make a video so that i too can make moronic comments that only give me pleasure in answering especially coming from a typing expert such as yourself!!!!!
Don't know where you're buying bows. Over 200 for a 70s Grayling bow is too much for a K mag, for the most part. Your Grizzly. It is 1970 to mid 1972. They only made that wood combination for that time. Serial numbers are only valuable if the bow was made from 65-69. Otherwise, the numbers are next to worthless. 9:46 in particular. How long have you been shooting archery? And how many years with trad? I just kinda snap after hearing all this. Your very picky in what you like. Sounds like you should sell your Bears and get another Bob Lee. Otherwise just use the damn thing. There are a few people who religiously shoot late 50s Kodiaks until they break. They have usually 5 collecting , they're always looking, and they cycle though them until they are done. Also velocity has no right in the trad world. Spine, weight (and the balance of that), and kinetic energy are the key. Your not going to get an arrow above 220 fps that is a good killer. I shoot a 45# KH that shoots a 475 grain 1916 arrow. The arrows travel around 175 fps, but with a good shot I can easily get a pass though on midwestern sized deer. I also shoot a 65# takedown that are 2018s that weigh 650-680 grains, and it is only going 198fps. This setup can easily kill black bear and elk. Spine is critical because it is the compensation for bending around the bow. An underspined or overspined arrow doesn't matter as much because the rest can put the arrow perfectly straight on. You are similar to me, you realize equipment optimizes the entire setup. But unless you can shoot it doesn't really matter. Also, I shoot with Bear spring arm quivers. They weigh as much or more that the bow. I really like that because they help me cant the bow, which is a make or break for my sight picture. My bow has to be at 45 degrees (or at least it feels like that) to really up my accuracy.
Hey, thanks for watching. My bow is a K-MAG from 2011 compared to $475 a $280 K - Mag from that year is worth it!!! And yes the older K - Mags from the 70s sell for about $200 -$300. Depending on condition. If only a pre 69 Grizzly is worth something to you then good for u! but many of us like, own and shoot post 69 grizzlies sorry if we are not part of your club! I buy and sell when it pleases me, so that's that. Speed is very much part of the equation to attain energy especially when ethical kills are needed. In this case I am comparing the bows to each other, using velocity!!!! Your endless experience shooting trad- bows is a good thing but if you need help just let me know. I like to shoot an original spring quiver with my grizzly but I hate it on the k mag.
The Bear bows and values. Go onto the leatherwall sometime, you can find Bears for $150. And I was saying the serial numbers are worthless to find dates unless it was built in 65-69. If they were not built in that time period, SN will not give you an accurate estimation compared to physical appearance. I've poured over every resource possible on Bear items. I am an expert when I comes to ageing Bear bows. My comment on the k mag was not for how much you paid for it. I know it was a 50th year model. I also know they stopped making the K mag around 2008. The 50th anniversy was the reintroduction of the model. I was saying that you should be able to find a 70s grizzly, Kmag, or KH for less than 225 usually on the Leatherwall or on eBay. 70s bows are OK, not as much collector value, but they are excelent shooters. Hell, my KH is a 1970 year and I shot a 140" deer with it. He dressed 174# and was probably 210, 220 on the hoof. And that arrows coming from a 45# bow were 475 gr with a speed around 175. And it was pleanty for a passthrough. Going back to the leatherwall, there are people who have just been trashed in the head by the idea of low poundage and slow arrows will not kill. While a 35# bow will do the job on deer. If that is all the person can pull and its legal, go for it. Velocity is a deal. But it is often no one considers weight when that is just another piece of the puzzle to get the full picture.
+Sonicguy95 I'm sorry i did not understand much of what you said, its just so advanced that its like in a different language. just too advanced for us common guys i feel like you need to make your own video and show me what you mean, but something tells me that will not happen any time soon!!!! when you need help just let me know!!
@@Shootemfulloholes I thought it was funny, no worries. How long do you think a 70s bow will last, assuming it's in good condition? I'm receiving an early 70's Wing Archery bow soon here. Hoping it'll last for the foreseeable future with proper care.
@@desertrainfrog1691 Awesome to hear Wing Archery has always been known to have made good quality bows so i would say it should last you a lifetime!! Only thing i can recommend is try to keep it in a stable environment not where it has temperature swings because that may create delamination other that enjoy!!
Great video mate. I just shot a Bear Kodiak Magnum. Maybe the first and last bow I'll ever own.. Keep those videos up! Great work.
Thanks for watching
Enjoyed your video and if I may, let me share a few things. First, in two weeks I'll start my 51st bow hunting season using the SAME Bear Kodiak Magnum I originally purchased back in 1968 as a teenager! I don't need a 50th anniversary edition. I've got an original 51 year old bow! If some of your viewers want to see that bow in action, I have a couple videos on my channel of me getting it ready for hunting season and doing some practice shots.
Second, don't be afraid to give the Kodiak Mag a good work out and to hunt with it. The bow is extremely well made, being a bow Fred Bear designed for his own hunts of those days. After a half century of use during the four month deer seasons in Mississippi my bow is in perfect shape and shoots just as good as the day I took it out of the box when it was new. The bow is friggin amazing!
Third, I shoot Easton ACC arrows in my Kodiak Mag. They are a small, thin but extremely durable arrow and they shoot fast and flat. Nothing wrong with the Gold Tip's but if you want a few more feet per second of speed try the ACC arrows. I have a 28 1/2 inch draw so with that arrow and the slight over draw it is possible to almost hit 180 on the chrono. The bow DOES NOT STACK at all and shoots extremely smooth. At the short length, it is very nice for tree stands or blinds.
I'm a traditional archer and I have never owned a compound bow. Never cared to. The best archers in history did just fine shooting traditional equipment. Original Kodiak Mags in good condition can still be had at reasonable prices. I highly recommend buying one. You will NEVER sell it and probably won't ever put it down. It will become your go to bow,.
I'd check the brace height on your Kodiak Mag. It looks a little tall. Shouldn't exceed 8 inches or a little less. Also, don't use modern strings. Either make your own strings or find a traditional bow shop who has someone that will make a custom string for your bow. The anniversary edition you have may be rated for use of modern strings but the original Kodiak Mags clearly are NOT. Use of the more powerful strings can lead to small cracking on the bow like you described in the video.
The Kodiak Mag was never made to have any bow accessories mounted on it. it was designed to be a "pure" bow to be shot instinctively with no bow sights, no stabilizer bars, no release aids, no quivers on the bow, nothing but a piece of wood and a string. Fred Bear and most other archers of the day used a back quiver for hunting and a side quiver for target shooting. Hanging something on the bow created an unbalanced bow in the hand and really was not recommended. In my videos, I do hunt with a strap on quiver but I have practiced enough with it to get the balance compensation down. But shooting the bow naked is still the best method.
Buying a Kodiak Magnum is like buying a fine firearm. It will last you a lifetime and can still be handed down to your grandchildren. I paid about $275 brand new for my bow and other than buying a few strings for it over the decades, and some string wax, I haven't had to do anything else to it. I could easily sell it for more than I paid for it, thus it has cost me nothing at all to own this bow for 51 years. Even if the bow was worthless today, it would have only cost me $5.39 per year to own it.
Try that with some $1,500 high priced compound bow! You'll be lucky to get a third of what you paid for it just 10 years later, that is if the wheels and cables don't start rusting! And it won't be nearly as much fun to shoot. You won't be able to shoot anything unless you first know the distance to the target and which pin to use. In dim light at dusk or dawn, the lighted pin will blind you to the target and you will probably miss. With instinctive shooting, you can shoot in near total darkness just as long as you can at least see the outline of the animal. Their wont' be anything to blind you and you won't be fumbling with range finders, hooking up a release aid, etc.
You have some excellent bows in your collection and I love them all. Thanks for sharing this video with us. Looking forward to more of them!
Hello.
Thank you for watching and sharing your life experience with this bow. I am sure we could talk for days if we met!! (mainly me asking and you answering!!)
I envy people that started life with a traditional bow at a young age and have never really decided to shoot a compound and to me that is part of the beauty of it, it's up to you how you would like to hunt.
I started with a compound and it still took me three years before a shot my first deer at 10 yards from the ground tucked in some grass with a tree behind me!! mainly it took me that long to learn to get close to a deer many other times they busted me because i had so much to learn or they jumped the string because i was too impatient and the list goes on but that day i knew i was in trouble that i had unleashed a side of hunting that could never stop!!!
Traditional bows only peaked my interest after i had become a better hunter with my compound which was after many years i realized that i had no idea of how it all really started after reading and watching the history of Fred Bear and his accomplishments in the archery world was when i decided that i had to try shooting one of these bows and that is how it began for me!!
I still have to hunt my first deer with traditional equipment but its not for a lack of trying its more the journey. also i still hunt with compound, black powder etc and i have certain time alotted for certain equipment then its on to the next.
The Kodiak is an amazing bow i wanted the 50th anniversary one because it was a reminder to any person that saw the bow that this is how it was in the beginning (thanks for the info on the arrows will have to take a close look at those)
I have come used to putting and shooting my bows with quivers on because i personally like it this way, now if you watch footage and pics of Fred bear, he also used and hunted many times with his bow mounted quivers on the bow, now not all the time but many times. i like the weight of the bow like this i have tried the bow without the quiver for hours of shooting and i feel that it does not make me any more accurate or make me feel like its better if anything it feels like something is missing, but to each their own traumas!!
Thank you for sharing it has beena true pleasure readig what you have witten and i will do my best to make more videos but these past few years have been difficult in many ways.
Also i will checkmy brace height again, the newer kodiaks do shoot fast flight string and this may change the brace height to keep the performance on the bow where it needs to be.
Thank you again and may you have many more hunts and stories to tell. Stay safe and shoot stright.
I love traditional archery and bow hunting with traditional equipment so yeah, I could sit and talk with you all day on it! LOL. Concerning the brace height, you may be right. The anniversary edition, being a modern made bow, may be rated for modern strings and require a different brace height than mine. Follow your bow's recommendations of course.
I feel the quiver is a matter of personal choice. Since my primary use of my bow is for hunting, and I need to be both mobile and ready for anything, a bow quiver is essential to me when hunting. I do sometimes take it off for target shooting however. A light weight quiver that doesn't interfere with your grip shouldn't give you any trouble at all, once you become adjusted to shooting with it. My quiver uses thick rubber bands to encircle the bow riser and lock the quiver into place. The rubber absorbs vibration too.
Get one of your beautiful bows out and go hunting this season if you can! Might be time to put an arrow through a deer! Good luck.
@@TrehanCreekOutdoors
I enjoyed your post.
I started bowhunting in 1964 and still use the same Bear Grizzly in 50# @ 28" with hand built Port Oxford arrows. I can't tell you how many pheasants and turkeys I've bagged in corn fields of Pennsylvanna.
At 72 I still target practice 4-5 times weekly with a target recurve, no sights using the 3 finger split🎯
@@toxophilite6804 Way to go! I hope to still be shooting when I get to your age. Keep it up!
Great video. I have a Bear Grizzly at 50# @ 28" which I got in 1964. It is as strong as it was when new. I unstring it when not in use.
I have owned many long bows and recurves as well as compound bows however, at 72, I only use traditional archery equipment 4 or 5 time a week for target practice on my property.🎯
Had mine since 72 always strung and never lost a pound.
I have the Bear Kodiak magnum 60lb draw since I'm 15 years old now I'm 58 also picked up a Damon Howitt Mamba 50lb draw about 25 years ago. Great bows and videos.
Yeah that's awesome. All great bows i must say. I've wanted to get a Damon Howit Mamba for a long time but i would have to get rid of one to get it!!!
I paid $45.00 for the Bear and $125.00 for the Damon Mamba. Times change my friend.
Que lindos arcos 👍.Serán suficientes 50lb para cazar un jabalí?
Gracias. Si 50lb es lo mas usado para animales de ese tipo, venados y asta moose!!! el minimo es 40lb pero depende de la fuerza que tenga uno para estar comfortable hay personas que usan 65lb como el señor Fred Bear.
Yeh man I have a Bear Kodiak Magnum made in 1976, man a most magnificent bow in most perfect condition, beautiful Green future wood maple riser etc. I was blessed to pick this up 25 years ago for AUD $80 the op shop obviously at the time had no idea of its value. Any way 52 " AMO with 55 pounds draw weight I have only just got back to Archery after 20 years and now at 67 this year am struggling to fully draw the bow back but I have another bow at 40 pounds and so building up my strength again doing weights etc. But yes the Kodiak is the best of the best in my opinion.
Thats Awesome is always great to hear that people still love archery after many years of not doing it and it's even more cool when you still have a bow to do it with from the 70s they are just built better than the bows nowadays thanks for sharing your experience with this bow really appreciate it.
@@Shootemfulloholes Will do mate many thanks
Really, that Kodiak magnum is putting those arrows out there pretty quickly. If you are only drawing 26" as you stated then that's a pretty quick fling of an arrow thats about 11GPP (Im guessing your 26" draw is making about 46#).
Good to see a leftie who is collecting bows... Thanks for sharing.
BigRed56 Thanks for watching, yup I need to slow down on the collecting part!!!!
I'm at a 30" Left hand draw and wondering if a 64" bow would be more suitable...? One of the only bow that comes out at that length is the Bear Super Kodiak. And when buying vintage bows is it ok to buy one with pressure surface cracks running up and down the length of the limbs...?
BigRed56 well getting a longer bow is not favorable when trying to maximize performance, a 60 inch bow is more than perfect for your draw u might end up stacking a bit but that's to your favor!!! I have a 26.5 inch draw on recurve and 27.5 on compound so for me the sorter the bow the better hence the bob lee is 54" AMO and 54# @28" .
minor stress cracks that run vertical are not a problem if it is significant then beware.
hairline cracks that run horizontal and are in the finish (called crazing) is normal and ok.
I have a 7o super kodiak$250, 74 k mag($160), and a 74 kodiak hunter(blue stripe $175) Love my bear bows. My bows are priceless to me. I got my deals on these bows from a friend and mentor who tradess all the time. I doubt everyone could get such deals and my bows are mint. You have a nice collection and that50 year anniversary bow is nice hang on to it. I want a brand new grizzly next.
Awesome bows bud, those are prices I can live with, these bows are getting harder to find as the years go by and more expensive! I enjoy my bears and will probably always own a few!! thanks for watching.
Nah man not really. Bear pumped out a lot of bows and still are. All the baby boomers are starting to moving out of their homes and there's an uprising surge of old vintage items that are no longer needed and hit the market. Go to any garage sale and or flea market and look for some vintage bows and ask kindly and responsibly to take a peek at some guns.. if they let and trust you! Those are where deals are found. I got a brand new 1975 Colt Python in 6in Royal Blue from an elderly lady whos husband passed for one heck of a deal. Brand spanking new in the box. She had no idea what she had. I was kind enough not to steal it from her and offered her 1,000. Her eyes lit up. haha Pretty good deal and we are both happy. Same with old recurves. I find them everywhere. Nice bows by the way. I'm really Jonesin' on that K mag. Take care!
Good review, thanks. Those Bob Lee's are about 1700 and up now. Nice bows, but out of the range of a lot of archers. I am a little surprised at the kind of low speed of that Grizzly. I think you mentioned somewhere in the comments that you are drawing 26", so if that Grizzly was drawn to 28" it would probably be at about 170 fps. Not to get hung up on speed though, it's where you put the arrow and how straight it flies that is most important
Thanks for you comment.
Yeah the Bob Lee is not a cheap bow and you do get a custom quality bow, I’m happy that I got it when I did now it’s out of my price range!!
The speed really is not a big deal but what is is how the bow feels to you and how well you can shoot a particular bow, with the Bob Lee I’m much more comfortable and accurate with my shots so I hunt with it more often for the price it’s tough to beat the Fred Bear bows though!!
@@Shootemfulloholes yeah, you are lucky to have such a nice takedown bow. You are right about speed not being that important. I watch Robert Carter and he has killed hundreds of pigs and deer and he says it's your arrow flight and most importantly where you hit them. I have a shooting buddy that killed a 42" moose with a self bow. Maybe the arrow was traveling 160 to 165 fps. But Robert Carter killed a lot of deer and pigs with bows that maybe were only shooting 140 fps.
Do you have a recommendation for a string for the Kodiak Magnum? I have my grandfather's bow and i cant find the string it had.
I buy my replacement strings from 3Rivers Archery for my older Fredbear bows i like to use B50 flemish twist strings, the newer bows are rated for the fast flight strings and dacron etc but u can still give them a call and they will help you get what you need.
@@Shootemfulloholes do the string already come with the nocking points?
@@alexdesjarlais5253 I am not sure some strings are sold with the string knocks others are not.
@@Shootemfulloholes oh ok thanks
@@Shootemfulloholes now if the bow is at 52" written on the bow, that would be a 52" string, right?
I just acquired a Bear Grizzly from the ‘70’s off eBay for under $200. Deal of the century as far as I’m concerned.
Awesomeness!!have tons of fun shooting it!!
Yes! I really lucked out on this one. It even draws 45# just like my other Bear bows.
I looked at Bob Lee’s website and was very impressed with his work! It might be time to sell another gun and invest in one of those. You seem to be really impressed with yours.
@@oudski Yeah im totally smitten with it!! And its the last of its kind.
My 1970-ish Kodiak Magnum $100 at local archery shop. Just sayin' = ) I didn't know anything about it at the time.
I really like that Bob Lee takedown. I have a couple of old Shakespeare wonderbows as well as a Browning Cobra 2, a Hoyt Hunter and a Bear Super mag. They are all from the 60’s and 70’s. One thing none of them has that your Bob Lee has, is a radiused shelf. My guess is that surface friction is reduced as a result as the arrow leaves the bow.
Nice collection. I think the radiused shelf is more to deal with the angle of the arrow as it sits in the knock, if you shoot 3 under or split fingers that will change the angle but if it reduces friction then even better but i personally think the friction is minimal nomatter the shelf.
What's your draw length bud? Just wondering. I don't know if I heard you say it or not.
Nice to see the three bows run through the chrony. I hunt with the kodiak magnum and absolutely would not part with it. Love everything about the magnum
Two Brothers Outdoors TBO Hello, yup this stuff is fun!! After i got my kodiak there is absolutely no way i could get rid of it!! Its simply a winning design!!
Was the Grizzly made in Grayling or Gainseville? By the way, when you were shooting the Grizzly, I went to full screen and slow motion. It looks like your arrow tip was creeping forward a tiny amount just before the release. That's a bad shooting habit that negatively affects arrow speed and accuracy and is a hard habit to break. Ask me how I know!
It's good to see a fellow lefty! I'm glad so many bow manufacturers remember there are lots of lefties out there. I wish the gun companies would finally notice that we exist!
Yup its a Grayling model from, if i remember correctly 1976.
Yeah i noticed that too, i'm a snap shooter and draw back past my anchor point then move forward till i reach my anchor point and release, it may be a bad habit but people also think snap shooting is a bad habit!!! As long as i feel comfortable and my accuracy is good I'm going to stick to it for now because i did a ton of experimenting and eventually i settled on my style of shooting if you know what i mean.
Thanks for watching and your comments.
@@Shootemfulloholes That is a 1969 or a 1970 my dude - a much rarer bow than you might realize. What does the serial # start with, and what color is the Bear coin (brass or silver-colored)?
@@slothfish Well maybe it was, the problem is i don't own it anymore!! Sorry can't keep them all!!
I have all 3 of those models to and my 50 th anniversary mag is by far my favorite one lol. Guys if your looking for great bows you can't go wrong with bear. My super k and image shoot just as good as my high end black widow,bob lee and Great Plains. They are not as fast but very smooth and accurate. But nice video, thanks for sharing. Hope you poke some holes in some deer with those beauty's.
Anyone good at dating Bear recurves? I have a Grizzly and a Kodiak magnum, curious to see when they were made
dshafe7 a good way to estimate with in about 5 years of production is by looking at what the bear emblem on the rise is made out of.
what happened to your Black Widow?
I sold it so I could by my bob lee, the problem I have is having a short draw length a bow should not be longer than 58 inches to get the best performance. The widow was 60 inches.
Its a dacron string bow there 10 feet slower because of stretch in dacron strings.
I own a Bear Grizzly from the early days and a Bob Lee recurve, non breakdown. Prefer shooting the Grizzly, but the Bob Lee bow is beautiful. 👍
Hello yeah for me its tough i kind of like them all but if i had to choose its Bob first kodiak second and grizz third!!
If you look closely your draw length on release is about an inch longer when you shoot the magnum than the other 2 bows. That alone plus the shorter limbs has made up for the 4 lbs in draw weight. That extra inch may have equaled the draw weight as well.
Eric Baumgartner well I draw the same way and the same length no matter the recurve I use, si in my mind I doubt that's what's causing it to be faster.
If you look at the amount of arrow past the shelf on the magnum it is about 1" less than the other 2 bows. Maybe because its a bit lighter and less shoulder compression but that may bring the actually draw weights to be equal, and usually a shorter bow will be quicker if the draw weights are equal imo. Great videos btw.
Eric Baumgartner u know I'm going to look into this more, maybe since the K-MAG is the shortest out of the bunch maybe it is more efficient with shorter draw lengths like mine?
I have a hoyt buffalo 62" and a 56" take down as well. Both bows are 55lbs at my 31" draw . Using the same arrow and having the draw observed to be equal the hoyt shoots 200 fps and the 56" bow shoots 218 fps. Almost 10% faster.
I just bought a hybrid longbow 62 inch, and half dozen Gold tip hybrids. I'll be smackin deer this weekend.
Love it. Even your shirt is left handed!
Man that's why those bows were made to hunt with
We have alot in common as far as bow tastes go.... awesome bows.
Billythebassist Thanks for watching and thanks for being part of the sport!!
You move you right hand forward about and inch when you draw the arrow that's why you loose speed on the arrow , I own a bear grizzly now I'm also left handed like u love Fred bear bow the founder of the bear com. Also a great big game hunter . hunter .
sorry bud what you said made no sense to me. i draw almost the same way every time with the same length so if i move my hand forward an inch more i would be hyperextending my right arm and i would probably get whacked by the string on the forearm!!
@@Shootemfulloholes I think he might have meant you let the string come forward a bit while you are still holding it before the release, but I'm not sure.
I'll be going heavy with 125 gr. up front and 100 gr. brass inserts. Heavy Hitter.
That doesn't make sense what you said about probably getting extra draw weight out of the magnum due to it being shorter. If it's rated for 50lbs at 28" then that's what youre going to get. Your draw length doesn't get longer just because the bow is shorter lol
I see your point. Theoretically a longer bow say 62inch bow 50#@28 inch draw weight in the hands of an archer with a 26 inch draw only draws say 44# (3lbs less per inch shorter+_)
Now if the same archer uses a 52 inch bow with 50#@28 inches but they draw 26 inches theoretically they will draw more poundage say 46# (only 2lbs less per inch shorter+_) and this is because the shorter bows with shorter limbs stack the weight in shorter limb lengths and will have a bit higher draw weight and be more efficient for shorter archers while longer bows stack the weight over longer limb lengths but yes both should reach 50#@28 inches. Now not all bows are built the same you have to test each bow at your draw length but most short draw archers are recommended to use a shorter bow due to this.
Oh I see what you meant now, the shorter bow stacks more poundage per square inch of draw. I could see that
@@tylerparker3024 YES. I wish i could have said it as easy as that!!😁
Don"t believe he knows much about recurves sounds like a amateur
@@edkjellander5924 Yup because that's what i tell everybody that I'm an expert!!!But im so happy that you will make a video so that i too can make moronic comments that only give me pleasure in answering especially coming from a typing expert such as yourself!!!!!
Don't know where you're buying bows. Over 200 for a 70s Grayling bow is too much for a K mag, for the most part.
Your Grizzly. It is 1970 to mid 1972. They only made that wood combination for that time. Serial numbers are only valuable if the bow was made from 65-69. Otherwise, the numbers are next to worthless.
9:46 in particular. How long have you been shooting archery? And how many years with trad?
I just kinda snap after hearing all this. Your very picky in what you like. Sounds like you should sell your Bears and get another Bob Lee. Otherwise just use the damn thing. There are a few people who religiously shoot late 50s Kodiaks until they break. They have usually 5 collecting , they're always looking, and they cycle though them until they are done.
Also velocity has no right in the trad world. Spine, weight (and the balance of that), and kinetic energy are the key. Your not going to get an arrow above 220 fps that is a good killer. I shoot a 45# KH that shoots a 475 grain 1916 arrow. The arrows travel around 175 fps, but with a good shot I can easily get a pass though on midwestern sized deer. I also shoot a 65# takedown that are 2018s that weigh 650-680 grains, and it is only going 198fps. This setup can easily kill black bear and elk.
Spine is critical because it is the compensation for bending around the bow. An underspined or overspined arrow doesn't matter as much because the rest can put the arrow perfectly straight on.
You are similar to me, you realize equipment optimizes the entire setup. But unless you can shoot it doesn't really matter.
Also, I shoot with Bear spring arm quivers. They weigh as much or more that the bow. I really like that because they help me cant the bow, which is a make or break for my sight picture. My bow has to be at 45 degrees (or at least it feels like that) to really up my accuracy.
Hey, thanks for watching.
My bow is a K-MAG from 2011 compared to $475 a $280 K - Mag from that year is worth it!!! And yes the older K - Mags from the 70s sell for about $200 -$300. Depending on condition.
If only a pre 69 Grizzly is worth something to you then good for u! but many of us like, own and shoot post 69 grizzlies sorry if we are not part of your club!
I buy and sell when it pleases me, so that's that.
Speed is very much part of the equation to attain energy especially when ethical kills are needed. In this case I am comparing the bows to each other, using velocity!!!!
Your endless experience shooting trad- bows is a good thing but if you need help just let me know.
I like to shoot an original spring quiver with my grizzly but I hate it on the
k mag.
The Bear bows and values. Go onto the leatherwall sometime, you can find Bears for $150. And I was saying the serial numbers are worthless to find dates unless it was built in 65-69. If they were not built in that time period, SN will not give you an accurate estimation compared to physical appearance. I've poured over every resource possible on Bear items. I am an expert when I comes to ageing Bear bows.
My comment on the k mag was not for how much you paid for it. I know it was a 50th year model. I also know they stopped making the K mag around 2008. The 50th anniversy was the reintroduction of the model. I was saying that you should be able to find a 70s grizzly, Kmag, or KH for less than 225 usually on the Leatherwall or on eBay. 70s bows are OK, not as much collector value, but they are excelent shooters.
Hell, my KH is a 1970 year and I shot a 140" deer with it. He dressed 174# and was probably 210, 220 on the hoof. And that arrows coming from a 45# bow were 475 gr with a speed around 175. And it was pleanty for a passthrough.
Going back to the leatherwall, there are people who have just been trashed in the head by the idea of low poundage and slow arrows will not kill. While a 35# bow will do the job on deer. If that is all the person can pull and its legal, go for it.
Velocity is a deal. But it is often no one considers weight when that is just another piece of the puzzle to get the full picture.
+Sonicguy95 I'm sorry i did not understand much of what you said, its just so advanced that its like in a different language. just too advanced for us common guys i feel like you need to make your own video and show me what you mean, but something tells me that will not happen any time soon!!!!
when you need help just let me know!!
If it doesn't hunt, what good is it? Take it hunting, brother!
Lbhunter63 yup thats where its going nowadays!! Hunting!!
bear grizzly, puts the shaft where you point it.
Bow Hunter Haha they are all pretty awesome in their own way! Thank you for watching.
Nice bows...
Thanks buddy.
No reason to buy a bow and not use it.
Great description on the Bob Lee ,(A safe Queen) some review /worthy of a thumbs down
Haha what's Ed stand for Erectile dysfunction!!!!
@@Shootemfulloholes It was his name 😂
@@desertrainfrog1691yup i was being just as polite as he was!!!
@@Shootemfulloholes I thought it was funny, no worries. How long do you think a 70s bow will last, assuming it's in good condition? I'm receiving an early 70's Wing Archery bow soon here. Hoping it'll last for the foreseeable future with proper care.
@@desertrainfrog1691 Awesome to hear Wing Archery has always been known to have made good quality bows so i would say it should last you a lifetime!!
Only thing i can recommend is try to keep it in a stable environment not where it has temperature swings because that may create delamination other that enjoy!!