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Found a really nice late 1960s era Grayling, MI Bear Grizzly 58" #5028" recurve with a nice Fred Bear quiver on it today in a Pawn Shop for $50.00. Other than a few minor scuffs on the limbs it looks new.

The quiver will bring more that, nice find.

Here's some pics

It could be early 70s with the silver coin. My Grizzly is the green/black version. I plan on using it starting next weekend, I'm chasing bear in the morning with the rifle.

The quiver with it is a huge bonus, it will easily bring $50+

Does the brace height look high to you? I'm use to my Black Widow which has a pretty low brace height.

It looks high. Mine is braced at 7 9/16" from the center of the grip. It is consistent and quite right there.

In your pic it looks like a two bundle flemish string. Make sure it is dacron and not FF. A non stretch string will eat the tips right off that beauty.

It needs replacing anyway. I hadn't thought about it being FF. Thanks for the tip.

If you don't make your own stings, try this guy:
http://www.recurves.com/bowstrings.html
Go for the B500. I twist my own but my brother got a couple of these and they are works of art in strings.

I had this book marked, but I've never bought one from him.

http://flemishstrings.com/

I've made a couple of strings, but I don't think I still remember how.

Those look really good.

Jog your memory, it's not hard

Good find!

Old Bear bows are pretty cool. Favorites of the ones I used to have were the phenolics. A super kodiak and a super mag, both 1968 models. Had too many bows and got kind of tired of them, sold a bunch off. Those 2 brought pretty good prices as did old Howatt's. They went to collectors where they'll be well cared for.

I think the only Bear I still have is the take down my uncle used in competition back in early 70s. There might be a couple others in there hanging around, don't even remember any more

Here's a site you might find the year of manufacture. Some years are tough to pinpoint, others are unmistakable.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Date-Your-Fred-Bear-Bow&id=475131

Hope neither of the limbs are twisted.

Long

It shoots great and it's in nearly new condition. Even if they were twisted, that's not hard to fix.

My early 70's Supermag 48" (45# @28") brace height is at 9.75"
measured from the deepest part of the grip. They generally had higher bh than other bows, I think.

Nice find. I have never shot a Black Widow but I would think it would complement that bow nicely. I am shooting 56" to 60" longbows these days, but aside from collecting these nice old bows there is some interest in them for hunting as well. Guys want the shorter bows for shooting out of blinds at turkeys and shooting suckers in the spring. Never done it, but it sounds like a hoot to me!

Shooting suckers and carp, in the spring, is about as much fun as a feller can have, and still keep his clothes on...


maddog

My dad and a friend used to talk about the time they waded a small stream that ran between two lakes. In the spring it was a great place to spear suckers. That was the first time I heard about it- It would have been in the early 60's.

Anyway, they would laugh and talk about shooting suckers and how much fun it was. We enjoyed smoked fish as well. I got in on spearing suckers a few times, but that is as close as I got to bowfishing. Those kind of activities were the highlights of my youth in MN.
Gary

That bow is likely an early 70's model. For $50 you did well. I've sold several of those quivers for more than that.

If you want to try to figure it out, this is a pretty good reference for dating Bear bows.

http://reviews.ebay.com/How-To-Date-Your-Fred-Bear-Bow_W0QQugidZ10000000001896218?ssPageName=BUYGD:CAT:-1:LISTINGS:4