Be the first to know about sales, upcoming events, and happenings at 3Rivers Archery! Pearson was working for an electric company and was on the road a lot but quickly became an archery fanatic, entering tournaments, making equipment for others, founding clubs, etc. Grizzly Static Recurve 1949-1957 A Chronological History 1949-2015. by Jorge L. Coppen. Bearcat 1964-1971 Fred Bear sold the company to Victor Comptometer in 1968, but remained the president of Bear Archery. Then in early 1951, just as with the Grizzly, the new uni-directional glass was introduced but the aluminum lamination was still present. This prompted Bear to begin developing a unidirectional fiberglass and, in 1951, the aluminum belly bows were discontinued entirely. Beginning in 1959, all Bear bows had a coin medallion of one type or another. This new model bow was manufactured in 3 different riser lengths, which were known as the "A", "B", and "C" risers. Kodiak Hunter 58″ and 60″ 1967-1977 But all K-II’s are very collectible and highly sought after bows. Another way is to look for a leather grip. Why then, if there are so many Bear bows out there, are they so valuable? Note – Although introduced in August 1969, the Take Down model bow did not appear in the Bear catalogs until 1970. The Kodiak was introduced in 1950 with the bi-directional glass and the aluminum lamination. Tarter 1968-1972 Beginning in 1955-56 Bear began using the silk-screened logo shown on the far right. The Polar and Kodiak were introduced in the following year, 1950. 1959 - First year for the coin medallion in the bow risers; 1967 - Fred Bear museum opens in Grayling, Michigan; closes in 2003 and collections sold to Bass Pro Shops The 1959 Kodiak Special was the first bow model to drop the leather grip. These bows were available primarily in one piece design , but a few were made in 2 piece take-apart and some in 2 piece hinged models. Nels left, even though Fred tried to convince him to stay with some handsome financial offers, and struck out on his own to make bows. To order your 3Rivers Archery catalog, please fill out the catalog order form here and we'll send you our latest catalog FREE! The coins were all flush with the wood until 1972. Note – A great deal of the credit for the following information is due to the late Mr. Al Reader of North Haledon, New Jersey. Another example would be the few known 1959 Kodiaks which don’t have a coin medallion which were supposed to be on all Kodiaks beginning in model year 1959. The large Standing Bear decal also had the words “Glass Powered” under the Standing Bear. First, if your bow is all wood, meaning that there is no laminations of any kind, then your bow had to be made before the mass production beginning in 1949. The LS-4 brings a deadly combination of speed and shootability. According to research done by the late Al Reader of New Jersey, who by the way is considered by most to be the most knowledgeable Bear collector of our time, serial numbers work very well for dating Bear bows, but only for the years 1965-1969 when the first digit of the serial number is the year of manufacture. Alaskan (leather grip semi-recurve) 1959-1961 In 1939 the side business of archery demanded so much of Bear’s time, he decided to devote himself to it; and in 1940 Bear Products split into two companies, where Piper retained control of the automotive business and Bear retained the archery business. Interestingly, the aluminum was scrapped from B-17 bomber airplanes of WWII. A characteristic of Grumley bows is the trapezoidal limb cross section. These bows use mechanical-assist pulley systems to make the draw and release easier for the user. The next year Bear began marketing their new fiberglass working recurve – the Kodiak II (see all Kodiak models still in production).Then, in 1965, Bear began marketing his, now famous, Bear Razorhead broadhead for the first time. Tamerlane HC-300 1968-1972 The founder of Bear Archery is Fred Bear. The next year, in 1949, Bear began mass producing the Polar, Grizzly, and Kodiak bows. The refreshed suite of archery equipment includes several new compound and … Hard to believe it's that time of year already, but Bear Archery became the first major player in the archery industry to unveil its 2013 lineup late Wednesday afternoon. Then, a large standing bear with "Glass Powered Bow" written under it was placed on bows from 1953 to 1955. So, I got ahold of him and I said, ‘Chuck, you can get the orders for this stuff and I know how to make it, why don’t we form a partnership and get back in business.’ And that was in ’33. However, this growth did not sit well with Grumley, the bowyer Bear hired in 1937. Seriously, Bear bows were the best marketed bows in the world for over 50 years. Identify the 10th digit of your Big Bear's VIN number. ◦ The Type I bows will have serial numbers in the range of 1000 to somewhere near 2000 Without a doubt this can be attributed to the influence of the man himself, Fred Bear and his immense popularity. The first new bow model which was introduced in 1949 after Nels’ departure was the Grizzly. So, I’ve shot a lot of animals and had a great time. Get the best deals on Bear Archery Archery Vintage & Collectibles when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Without a doubt, Bear Archery Company has produced more traditional bows than all the other traditional bow companies combined. New and old bear compound bow models Fred Bear bows for hunting or target […] The “A” riser was the shortest, and the “C” the longest, with the “B” being in the middle. A good example would be the few known examples of the 1954 Kodiak II (Compass Kodiaks) with the small “Running Bear” decal which was actually discontinued in late1953. Today is March 5, which also happens to be Fred Bear’s birthday. Kodiak Static Recurve 1950-1953 Made almost impossible to shoot. There were several other bowyers who made Bear wooden bows, mostly the lower line lemonwood models such as the Ranger. Sometimes showing the bow to a knowledgeable collector is the only sure way to get an accurate date of manufacture. This, likely, was no small part to Bears success in the archery business. Shortly thereafter, in 1978, a strike at the Grayling plant forced the new owners to move operations to Gainesville, Fla., where the company remains today. ◦ Bush Bow (having brush nocks carved into the ends of the limbs about 1-2 inches long) Shortly thereafter, in 1942, Bear produced his first hunting movie as a move to further promote the sport of archery. Bear's Mauler is an effective partner in our quest for stealth thanks to its compact 31€‰1 „4-inch axle-to-axle length and a depth of well under 11 inches from front to back. Well, I’ve been doing that for 30-something years now and having a ball. Note – The serial numbers of all the Take-Downs begin with a letter which designates the riser style. “In 1937, four years later, we had our first archery season with 193 hunters; 193 bow hunting licenses were sold,” he said. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Hoyt Archery is a company which has gained a lot of popularity among archers and bow hunters worldwide. Super Kodiak 1967-1976 Firebird Hunter Bow, Archer World, November 1983 : Golden Eagle "Hunter Turbo" (1989) Bear Archery (1984) Super Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Pronghorn Hunter: York Archery (1985) Crazy bow. Which bear bow is the best? This warranty problem caused a substantial strain on the company’s finances; nonetheless, Bear insisted that all bows be replaced if returned broken. Even looking at the catalogs is not a sure way of dating a Bear bow, as sometimes the pictures were used for more than one year, even though there might have been changes in the woods used, or the colors available. Bear Archery was not one of the first compound bow manufacturers, but eventually found success with early models like the Whitetail Hunter. Al studied Bear Archery for many, many years and is considered by everyone as the King of Information regarding Bear Archery collecting. However, his private venture into the bow making business lasted only two years before he took a job in an appliance manufacturer as a model maker. $155.00. Wouldn’t it make sense that other bow companies who madey fewer bows would be rarer, and thus command more value? So, I determined that I would make a bow that could be taken apart and put in a small enough case to go under my seat in the airplane.”, It took Bear years of trial and error before finally perfecting the design to his takedown bow in 1970, but his efforts were not in vain. The first models made in 1969/1970, up through approximately serial number 2000, are referred to as Type I’s. In 1978, a strike at the Bear plant in Grayling, MI forced a move of all manufacturing and offices to Gainesville, Florida. SECOND EDITION, 2015 ***** ~ FULL-COLOR PHOTOS ~ To the Bear Archery traditional bow enthusiast and to the archery community at large, this book represents a singular compilation of the chronological history of Bear Archery traditional bow production, as well as specifics about each bow … Secondly, the large amount of shock contributed to a large number of bows delaminating. … Then in mid-1951, the aluminum lamination was dropped. “The stop in Anchorage was for fuel, and my hunt was a fly-in hunt and I’m being left handed, there were no other left handers in the party and I found those moose pretty hard to kill with rocks. Models made in 1971 and later are correctly referred to as Type II’s, due to a change in the riser style. There were also many different lengths available in each of the different kinds of wood. When BowTech boast "Feel the evolution of precision" a more accurate statement could not be made. It includes photos of bow models for almost every year. After Grumley’s departure, Bear began using the famous “Running Bear” decal. This bow also features a cable guard with a roller and slide. These “Grumley by Grumley” bows are marked with a simple stamped signature “Grumley” either on the limb or on the riser, and are very scarce and excellent collector items. Over the course of the next several weeks, you can expect a slew of additional new bow launches from other brands, but today belongs to Bear. Locate your bow by either matching the picture or by model name, which are listed alphabetically. Note – An option from the factory on the Bear Take-Down was the Bear Premier Hunting sight, only listed in the catalog for the “B” handles, and for the second and third years of production. The structural strength of this design was the main reason for it’s discontinuance, and many years later the bows that survive are too valuable as collectors items to risk breaking another. The small Running Bear decal on the left was used by Bear from 1948 until 1953, with the larger Standing Bear decal replacing it in mid-1953 and lasting until the 1955-56 model years. “On a trip I made to Alaska with a conventional longbow that I had to check as baggage along with my other gear; I took a flight nonstop, Chicago to Anchorage, and I got off the plane, but my archery equipment didn’t,” Bear said. TRADITIONAL BOWS. Then, in 1965, Bear began marketing his, now famous, Bear Razorhead broadhead for the first time. BEAR ARCHERY . The Grizzly kept the leather grip until 1964. It took Bear six years before he finally connected with his first whitetail deer with a bow. These crossbows are the latest example of package crossbows that deliver performance and value. Mathews produces a range of compound bows for hunting and archery target shooting. 817 Maxwell Avenue | Evansville, IN 47711. Then in 1951 Bear began using a new Uni-Directional glass in which the glass fibers all ran lengthwise to the bow limbs. “We are pleased to launch the reinvigorating, exciting new models of Bear X Crossbows,” said Dave Parker, Archery General Manager. Fred’s first bowyer back in 1938 when the fledgling Bear Products Company first began commercially producing bows was a remarkable man by the name of Nels Grumley. So, Bear took the fiberglass cloth to the chemist at Chrysler and asked if he would put three or four layers of it on the back and belly of one of his bows with the cycle-weld cement. Bear Archery. This is when the Bear Archery Company was officially born. Please call to discuss your options. Tamerlane HC-30 1965-1967 Thank you for purchasing PSE! Beard’s articles on archery appeared in the summer of 1926 and this was the same year Pearson made his first real bow.
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