GAZOOKS! I found an old Kodiak!

[SlowBowinMO]

You never know what wrinkle life will bring.  Today I was actually house hunting and walking through the basement at an open house.  Immediately my eye was drawn to some old sticks on the wall.  I stood gazing at them and immediately recognized one was a Bear...it was a FSBO...the owner was standing there...I had to ask.  He said yes, the next thing I knew I was holding an old Kodiak.  

He told me a story how he missed a buck with it many years ago.  I told him I thought it was worth something but he didn't want to sell, wanted to hand it down to a Grandson he thought might hunt someday.

Anyway, what a kick to stumble on such a bow.  It was a 64", 56 pounds at 28, serial DC7XX.  It looked in okay shape, was unstrung, was missing the Bear Medallion.  He had put a sight on it, on the off side back of the bow, but I didn't see any cracks or stress marks.  It had a Bear side plate and a brush rest of some sort on it.

I looked at the sites, I think it was a 59 or 60 but I'm sure it was in the 57 to 60 range, he said he thought he bought it in '66 but wasn't sure it was new at that time.  It didn't resemble bows that late at all so it must have been used when he bought it.

I told him not to sell it cheap, but now it looks like it might have been a really desirable Kodiak.   Any of you Bear experts out there that can help me narrow it down?  I think I'll send him a letter letting him know a little more about his bow just for fun.

Man I'd love to own and hunt with such a bow!

[ckruse]

Sounds like a 64" 59 Kodiak. Did it have a leather grip? What color were the tip and riser overlays? Sounds like a neat find. CKruse

[SlowBowinMO]

No leather grip remained.  The riser was a nicely figured single piece of wood, but I don't know what kind of wood it was.  Nothing exotic, but handsome grain.  The glass was brown but had an almost orange hue to it, if that makes any sense.  The tips had those sort of orange with white overlays on them.

Something exciting about even holding such a highly esteemed piece of archery history.

[JDickmon]

I agree.. sounds like a '59