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Bear compund bow hunter

6K views 26 replies 14 participants last post by  edprof 
#1 ·
I have not shot a bow other than in scouts since the 70s. Was defiantly not a compound.

My daughter has wanted a bow and a friend gave her one. I told her I wanted to see it before she shoots it. It was gifted from a person that never shot it and I would put their info about it as not 100%

She says its a BEAR- Compound - Hunter ...are the names on it.

I will probably take it to the local range and hope to catch a member at the archery lot to look at it and give her some pointers.

What are some things for a beginner to look into? I have looked up some images and they are all different how can I ID it? Also find the draw weight as she said she couldnt pull it and saw no number other than a CC#?


I hope to get my hands on it tonight and will try to get a picture of it.
Yes this is a lot to throw out and we are just starting
Thanks
 
#2 ·
be sure she's able to draw the bow back to it's full draw length. If not, get her another bow at lower poundage rating and let her practice and build up her strength. Be sure she uses an arm guard. NO DRY "FIRING". Bows are not like guns, you don't let go of the string without an arrow nocked on it. Get her some instruction.
 
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#3 ·
I wonder if it is a whitetail hunter? If it is, it is old, heavy and easy to adjust to low pull settings.

It would be a good bow to learn on. The biggest issue may be if it is the correct "hand" for the intended shooter. Is she right or left dominant eye? That may determine if it is correct for her.

There are about a million different attachments and gimmicks someone is willing to sell you. you could spend thousands and still feel as though you are missing something, or you could get a piece of osage orange and some sinew and do OK.

If it can be backed off to the point she can pull and hold it at full draw, (it will get easier the farther it is drawn) and it is the correct hand, get a dozen aluminum field point arrows, and a forearm guard that will prevent the string from slapping the forearm of the arm that holds the bow. Also get a three finger glove or any thin leather glove for the string hand to reduce blisters.

4 bales of straw, some cardboard on the front, and shoot it from 10 yards or less. Shoot, Shoot, Shoot. Don't worry about great sights, just shoot. Maybe start with 2 dozen shots per day and move up. Once that gets easy do more. Turn up the poundage, move back, shoot more.

Or hire a coach, take lessons, etc., etc., one way or another you pay your dues.

I understand that many will have different opinions, ain't that America? I just wanted to give one point of view
 
#4 ·
She just brought it over, it is as described. Bear Hunter
It has a 39" string per stamp, it has a sticker for draw weights vs string length?

We are both reading bow 101 info I just dont want it to shatter an arrow. I need to figure out correct arrow vs draw and such.

She cant draw it, it was even tough for me to get it to break over so I dont know draw.
Can a longer string be put on to reduce the draw?
Its dirty like it has been hanging in a garage unused for a couple years. Cable and string look to be in good shape, but the arrows are probably junk as they are mismatched and broken.

 
#5 ·
you need to find out if it's adjustable. you may be able to change out the cams to lower the pull weight.

Take it into a bow shop and let them look it over. The last thing you want to be doing is shooting a bow that may not function properly.
 
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#6 ·
It looks a bit like my first compound , a Bear Black Bear. If it is the same, it is adjustable, but only about 10 lbs worth. Mine came set at 55#. So it could be 45-55 or 55-65 lbs. Take it to a bow shop, have them check it out, lower the poundage, and see if she can then pull it. If yes replace the string, and buy correct spined arrows, have fun. If not maybe sell it and buy a newer used bow with good adjustability that she can change as she gets stronger/older.
 
#24 ·
That's my bow also, a Black Bear 2. It's a compound, no dry firing. I took mine to a bow shop to have it looked over/worked over. My Black Bear 2 is adjustable between 55 and 65 pounds of draw, and with me at 69 y.o. 60 pounds is plenty. My Black Bear 2 is second fiddle to a much newer Bear cam bow.
 
#7 ·
I took it into a sporting goods store. They said the pull was just over 60, and it would be more expensive to lower than to get a new one. Maybe he just wanted to make a sale. She did try a couple and her pull was a comfortable at 25.

So now it will probably hang on her garage wall.
Thanks
 
#9 ·
It would take some working out, but many people, young and old, boys and girls are able to pull a 60 lb compound bow.

Since it is a compound, the let off or how much it takes to hold it at full draw is closer to half of the force required to pull it over center.

If you got a 25 lb bow it would not be very useful for very long, anyone who puts in time shooting would out grow it in a few weeks. Pushups, or pull ups may help.

Draw length and which hand it is for would be a deal breaker on using it.
 
#11 ·
She doesnt want to hunt, she just wants to get some bow time and that one was given to her. I know next to nothing about them, other than I am feeling it today after shooting that one a couple dozen times yesterday.

I am going to see if there is a local rental where she can try a few and see if she wants to continue. I dont even want to shoot that thing anymore I think I am going to stick with hot gas expansion projectiles.
 
#15 ·
Pain is weakness leaving your body.
Too much draw weight on an old compound bow could & most likely will kill her interest in archery. Too many people buy or receive bows that have more draw weight than they can handle. Always go low & work your way up. I've been shooting recurves & longbows for over 2 decades, and I still don't stray much higher than #45 for most traditional bows.

If a person likes bows with a higher poundage, then that is what works for them. But using the "Pain is weakness leaving your body" approach for a new archer using a high poundage bow is just bad advice & simply bunk.
 
#13 ·
They were not lying to you about it being cheaper to buy a new bow at a lower rating. When you think about the cost of labor to get things repaired, just one hour of shop time can be more then a new bow.
 
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#18 ·
turns out that old bear i picked up years ago, (wheelie/cable compound,) wasn't a whitetail II but instead a Alaskan II 55/70 (15lb range) all the years shooting it, never knew that. LOLOL never mattered.

the bear's those years had a had a 45/50% let off at break, Girlchild has wanted that bow since grade school, now, as shes gonna be going into her Jr year next year, she finally got to where she could break it, and hold, then break it and shoot three consecutive shots into the bull. .had to be in black.

girlchild is 5'1" at about 110 lbs and has been shooting a compound since she was 10, before that her first bow was a Bear goblin 15lb, with a Genesis 35 compound (what archery club/class at HS required) Her clothing to shoot correctly and accurately cost more than everything bow wise combined.
as she grew, just the cost of Bras alone has been about 300$ a year. with a female that's important to keep your aim true and form correct. trust me it keeps her stellar.

as she has none of my bad habits to overcome, girl shoots better than me.

thus, now i only have the DARTON, but they another recurve in my future soon as I finish a swap. My advice, if she is a novice shooter, Get the Bear for her and put it away nice and dry and un-strung.

buy her a Genesis max 35 compound (what the schools require around here for classes) start her at the mem setting and let her grow into that bow.
talk to the ARCHERY shop you use, and they usually get those in used for sale,the Genesis, new they around 125$ and ask them about lessons. its worth it. I have and will make do/do without to get girlchild the tools for what she needs in her interests,

eventually she will grow into the whitetail. thats how i ended up with 2 primal gear folding bows, the first one, i got was 40lb, and within 2 weeks i noticed it had moved to her archery cabinet, and all it took was "But Dad, its so much fun to play with i thought i could use it" that and that lil doe eyed look, and i ordered a 55 for me.
they even have a new "fisher series" bow out. cost is 159$ plus shipping.
and Primal Gear bows are a blast to shoot. ambidextrous, and low maintenance. you dont have to change bows to get a high poundage unit, just change the limbs.

www.goprimalnow.com

one lil tiny bit of advice, remove that dang quiver. I had those on the DARTON and on the BEAR, you catch on everything in the woods, and hang up, and when you do loose the arrow, they noisy as hell. takes a lot of vibration out of the bow with em gone.
 
#19 ·
Sorry about the bad advice

It was intended for Dad and should be ignored.

Sorry if the comment I made about the hardest shots being done and pain is weakness leaving the body were taken as dangerous or scary.

I read that dad was able to shoot it several dozen times and my advice was towards him, to possibly keep it up, gain another skill that could be useful someday.

Quoted from OP "I am feeling it today after shooting that one a couple dozen times yesterday".

Quoted from another post: "Pain is also an indicator something isn't right in your body. Ignore those broken bones and chest pain at your own risk. Tell yourself it is "just weakness leaving the body". Forget it could be "life leaving the body"

Take the other poster's advice, never push yourself. it could kill you, ignore nothing, maybe go see a doctor or at least make an appointment, you may have a broken bone. Lay down, get some ice, (of course, it could just be sore muscles from using them).

If you kept it around, and pulled it back a few times a day and released it under control, slowly, it may become easier, you may develop a survival skill, but that's not we about here.
 
#25 ·
There are a lot of people here with bow knowledge and experience. I, for one, have shot compound for many years and was a member of a archery club for quite a few of them, an officer of the club for a number of them. If you can give a general indication of your area there might be a member here that might be able and willing to give some instruction.
 
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