Whats the cheapest bow you have bought or shot ?!

Back in the early 70's I bought a blackhawk hunter recurve 5 bear cedar arrows with the razorheads, an arm guard, and quiver, all for 45.00 dollars. I was a police man in philadelphia from 70 to 92. I received permission to hunt this farm that was just on the outskirts of town, only because I caught this kid riding a horse that he took for a joyride, and I made him walk the horse back to the farm, and I asked the oldtimer that ran the farm if I could hunt there, because I got his horse back. Anyway he said there was no gun hunting, and that the last time a deer was killed with the bow was probably when the indians live thereabouts. So that faLL I was out there my first hunt ever and I killed a 7 point buck with that bow and fred bear cedar arrow. What a thrill. every word is true. Ron

oh man that's awsome !!!! IF only i could find a great deal like that...

My first bow was an indian that cost 39.95 n came with 6 cedar arrows, 3 of which had broadheads, and an armguard n finger tab.

A like brand new 1969 Kodiak Magnum hanging in a Pawn Shop for $10.00. A 1964 or 65 Bear Kodiak at a yard sale for $10.00. A 1970 or thereabouts Bear Wood Handle Takedown handle for $20.00. A 63# 1968 Bear Super Kodiak for $25.00.

Want to hear anymore?

1972 Bear Kodiak Hunter (#45), five wooden arrows with Bear Razorheads, Four Arrow Leather top Bear Snap on Quiver, for $75.00 and to this day this bow has never been shot; was brand new and unshot when I found it in an Antique Furniture store.

Boy the good old days of finding cheap bows have gone on down the river.

Samick Mizar, full rig: riser, limbs, string, case, plunger, rest, string, quiver, and 12 arrows.

Cost, FREE (was a Christmas gift)

$6.00 at the Church rumage sale.

"Cheapest bows" When a knowledgable archer finds a neglected treasure at a garage sale. For me it was a 58" 45# Ben Pearson hunter model in terrific shape and a great shooter. $10.

im jealous cant find anything here in nebraska !

Shakespeare 54" Super Necedah,55@28, for $59.50 on the auction site

I was looking around a local thrift store and saw two old recurves,one was a Pearson Gamester,the other a Blackhawk Mosquito youth bow,$1.98 ea.Both in great shape for they're age.

I have been given a couple of bows and turned around and gave them away. I was at a archery shop and the owner, who sold compounds, tried to sell me a 1954 compass in the handle Bear Kodiak for 20 dollars. I think she almost crapped when I told her what the bow was worth.

For FREE...

1962 Tamerlane, like brand new 1961 Kodiak Mag 1964 Grizzly, like brand new 1975 Super Grizzly, like brand new under camo paint 1966 Kodiak, pretty rough but currently in rehab

All those but the '66 were under the premise of "I've got this old recurve that I'm sure no one would want, if you don't sell it you can just have it". The '66 a friend gave to me because he'd had it for 3 years and hadn't messed with it, and he knew it was the year I was born.

Bear Kodiak Mag, A 2-bow, 12-arrow rack, 12 ceder arrows, a box of finger tabs, gloves, beeswax, tan bear broadheads, etc. $25.00.

Old Herters recurve, I don't remember the model. $20.00(I broke this one)

1968 Bear Kodiak Hunter, almost perfect condition, $5.00. My wife found that one at a yard sale.

I found a number of beaters I cleaned up and gave away, but these are the best ones TOO DATE.

$20.00 Blackhawk short bee. (yard sale)

A very nice 58" 45# Browning (Cobra II) $40. The bow was hanging in a military surplus store. I didn't shoot the bow very well, so I sold it to my neighbor who shoots it.

Almost forgot about a bow I found in a bait shop hanging on the wall...a '68 Bear Super 48,57@28. Picked it up for $50

Very nice 69 Griz $1.00 and like new Browning Mowhawk @35#,a real nice bow to teach with.

Sometimes when buying a cheap bow you get a little more than you bargained for, such as it is with this early 70's Kodiak hunter my daughter is shooting at the Army Challenge....I paid $10 for it in the original box..unshot 20 years ago, my 5 kids learned to shoot on this bow, and my eldest son Dustin shot his first deer with it in a snowstorm while I was at work, and got so excited he tossed the bow down on the way home, we found the deer when I got home from work, but it took two weeks to find the bow, Then When Dustin died, I took his death really hard, and it was the last straw in a bunch of events that left me broken and severly depressed, I almost took my own life, but this little green bow saved me and lead me to a road where I again found happiness, some great friends, and allowed me to meet some of the finest people in the world.... I hear some say there is no magic in a bow, but this one has it in spades.....and I'll never part with it. it has truly earned it's place in my family.

Wife's friend's stepfather passed away a few years ago and wife's freind gave me all his archery stuff: Bear Tammerlane target bow, Bear Polar target bow, Super Kodiak hunting bow, cigar box full of razorheads, and other stuff. Was a good day for me.

My brother was at a Yard sale and called me on his Cell Phone and asked what a Ben Pearson take down Bushmaster was worth and I said last one I had sold for over $300 on Fea Bay; he said well this lady wants $18.00 for this bow and I said buy it; he did and we put it up for auction; didn't bring over $300 but he made a pretty hefty profit.

A 1954 60# Black Hawk short bee $9.00, a 1957 #54 short bee $15. 1968 #37 Bear Grizzly free...

Stemller all glass bow. $5

Ben Person Hunter back quiver & cedar arrows for $25.00 at a bait shop. Also won a selfbow for $5.00 ticket at a wildgame dinner.

Not sure it counts cause I didn't buy em for me. I used em for my saturday afternoon free lessons at my shop. I bought around 40 or 50 old bears,wings, and a few other brands for anywhere from 15 to 25 bucks each. That was in the early eightys when stickbows were only used for carp shooting if that,lol. I gave most of em to kids. Give you an idea how things were, I had a c handled bear td with extra limbs in the original case for 100 dollars n couldn't sell it. Eventually I gave it away.

How about free? My brother brought me a 43# bear cub that he found in a trash can... My 1st hunting bow was a hoyt huntmaster that I bought new for $100.. I also bought a Bear Grizzly in a pawn shop for $20

I got into bowhunting in the mid-1970's when the compound bow was beginning to really catch on. At the local sporting goods store, I bought a brand new Shakespeare Necedah for $39.95. My first Widow MA circa 1983 cost less than $300 because they had a dealership program back then and the owner of the local archer shop was a friend who sold it to me at cost.

TL

Got a browning wasp on the auction site for $40.

Bought a like new k-mag for $10 bucks at a thrift sale.Got a Bear Tamerlane for $30 because the limb was twisted.Free if you count some of the selfbows ect I have built but my labor would make some of them the most costly of bows.lol

a '71 kodiak hunter with twisted limb that someones kids had left out on woodpile over the winter. gave $35 on ebay, straightened limb in about 15 minutes, spent 4 or 5 hours re-finishing riser. looks/shoots great! or DID, i gave it to my brother for birthday present... fool!

Picked up a 45# , 60" Shakespeare Wonderbow at a garage sale for a quarter .25 cents. Made a string and shot a fox with it that year.

The picture that Voodoo posted has me on the right my wife on the left and Voodoo's daughter shooting the "Family Kodiak Hunter" I was honored to meet Voodoo and his family and put my hands on that "Family Bow".

bought a bear kodiak at an auction for $5 with a pvc tube stacked full of arrows - at that same auction i bought a pse compound with bowfishing reel on it for $15 - sold it on ebay for $350

39#Red wing hunter-$2 at a yard sale. 45# Shakespeare Seirra- $2 at a porch sale.45# Bear kodiak Magnum $35,at a flea mall,no holes,no twists,excellent.45# Shakespeare super necedah $40 online bid,excellent condition. 45# Bear grizzly $65 online purchase,again excellent.Blackhawk scorpion $15,at a yard sale.

Yes,there's still some great finds out there,although it's getting a little tougher to find them

A fella moved to my neighborhood who was transferred from PA to Indiana for his job in the steel mills. He gave me a green fiberglass Shakespeare recurve bow, it had the white plastic handle that you could shoot with either hand. Bow was like new and was my first bow, don't remember what happened to it after I got my first compound. Cost $0. The cheapest bow I ever bought was a Pearson Hunter II 50# I picked up at a yard sale, excellent shape, I paid $3 for it.

picked up a pearson "preadator" at our local shop when it was closing, asked the owner and she said "free to you" couldn't pass that up. shot that bow alot for about a year until the top limb let go. replaced it with a pearson hunter found here in classifieds. still shooting it. i think i payed 100$ for it. always on the look out for those bargain shooters.

Good to hear from all you guys

great story Voodoo

I have found many.. Way to many to list.. But I'll post a few.. Last year I found a early bow made by Howard Hill its from around the 1930s got it for just shy under $10.. Also last Dec I found a 1875 to 1900 ELB target bow paided $2.00 for it.. Last weekend found a old bow called a hellfire at a barn sale for $3.00.

There are still a ton of good deals just need to keep looking..

a FREE '59 KODIAK Like a fool I sold it. Took me 10 years to find another and I had to pay 200.00. This one's not for sale or at least not just yet.

I bought a longbow, built by the Bear Co, sometime in the 50's for 1.00. Its a nice piece for my bear den

I've had some given to me, I have given some away. I found a Bear cub in the closet of a house my daughter was renting, Bought a Super Kodiak at a yard sale for $10.00 with a 4 arrow quiver, a Kodiak Hunter for $15.00 at a pawn shop, a Bear TD with Bear Hard case in another pawn shop for $65. Probably the best one was a type 1 1963 Kodiak Mag, pretty much unshot as a gift. When a collector offered me four figures, plus for it , I just had to let it go. He sold it last year on eBay for a third of what he gave me. No smokin hot deals the last few years though.

A real estate agent I know had to get a house cleaned out and came across a Bear polar in great shape along with an old indian archery longbow. I asked her what she had to have and she said she would throw in the fiberglass sears longbow if I would give her 40 bucks. I didnt have to think real hard about that. Another great score was my father in law was at work and one the guys there brought a bunch of boxes to throw into the dumpster. As he was tossing things in my father in law saw a recurve sitting on top of the pile and asked if he could have it the guy said sure it was just an old bow that belonged to him when he was a kid. Well when it was given to me the next day I identified my wifes new bow as a Wing Presentation II take down in mint condition.

Just recd. today a Shakespeare X-24, 60",40#. $24 w/string.

I got this one for free!

Found an old Pearson at a tag sale for $5. gave it to a buddy who wanted to try a recurve. He handed it off to his daughter. I think she's in Japan now, studying kyudo, but don't quote me on that!

$9.99 for a Montgomery ward Bruin in 52#. It was beat up and had a big notch out of the side window and on one else bid on it. Was attracted me to it was that it had 13 scratches in the riser where the previous owner had marked his kills. I fixed it up and a friend of mine is shooting it and enjoying it. It flings an arrow with authority but is a bit load for my tastes.

13.00 dollars at garage sale. Pearson Pinto.

$17.50 a piece Old wooden Bow 2 Pearson's and 2 Indian's! all shoot.

Like new grizzly 13.00 dollars!

Tice and Watts 35.00 dollars

sweeet

garage sale, $5.00 Browning Nomad Stalker in great shape.

an old indian archery,solid glass,60in. recurve. brand new with 6 wooden arrows for 30 bucks. pulls a solid 48# at 29 ", and has killed a number of deer. I prefer to hunt with it over all my bows. I also have a 1949 model recurve I bought for 5 bucks.

Three years ago I bought a 1959 Kodiak 56" and 65# for $50.00 kept it for a while and sold it on ebay for $1450.00.

1974 Howatt Hunter, free. 1965 Pearson Stallion, $20 at a local gun show. It needed to be refinished but it really shoots nicely!

'60 DH Palomar given as a gift from my old Scout Master, he and some of the older guys would bring their bows for us to shoot, it was the first recurve I ever shot. I refinished it this past winter. A real special gift.

A Browning Nomad for $20....

keep em sharp,

ron herman

Pearson "Rogue" #45. With 12 arrows. Free.

The bow was (and is) in as new condition.

R.W.

$3 at a garage sale 40# Indian Archery Cochese. Bow is in good shape shot it last week and will again this week.

My wife's cousin came for a visit one time and saw my bows. She asked if I shot, and when I told her I did, she said that she had an old bow she found in the trash, and would send it to me.

It turned out to be a Howatt Hi Speed in new condition1 It was way too heavy for me, and I wound up selling it for $325.00. Of course, I bought another one just like it, in a lower weight, and she doesn't know the difference.

Black Widow Long Bow. $1100 in 2005. zero in 2006, 7, 8, 9, 10. Get's cheaper every year. Too many memorable hunts to sell it, so I'm going to try and get about 40 more years of hunting out of it before handing it down.

Free, because of the shooting I do , have had many folks just ask me to promo the bows and shoot them at events . I fear "cheap" bows as I have seen so many blow up from misuse or just abuse .

I got a Bear Alaskan "Halloween Bow" from a guy down the street for $40.

FREE, custom made cheetah Howard Hill longbow I won at the shootoff!!

I helped an older gentleman clean out his garage in the 70's, there was a bear kodiak magnum that he gave me for helping him. I hunted with it once. On the way home from the hunt I stopped at a restaurant for a sandwich and a beer, when I left the restaurant the bow was gone from my truck. I wonder if the guy who took it will post on this thread. lol

I have been fortunate that over the years several Bowyers have given me free Longbows.

Some great people with big hearts in this sport.

Black Bear, 29#, $3 at a yard sale. didn't have a string though, so no bargain. :)

That Tice and Watts looks just like the one I paid $340 for and sold later for $300. Good buy!!!

I suppose the best buy I've ever had wasn't the cheapest that I ever bought but how about this Gilman Keasey Yew made in 1961 in hunting weight, 52##28 for less than less than the price of a new Sage.

My old friend Roy collected quite a few bows.

Visiting one day he gave me three old self bows.

Osage and yew.

One has a date "1953 yew"

Pretty nice old bows, I just don't shoot them much.

Oops, poor memory.

1940 yew.

Cheapest would be:

Hickory longbow as a kid, was given it by a neighbour.

A bunch of 50 dollarish bows I bought when recurves were collecting dust around 79, and the compound was king. 52 inch 50# browning comes to mind.

Gift of a Don Adams longbow.

A Pearson mustang for $25 to bad it's right handed.

Browning Cobra (not sure what year it was) & 12 old cedar arrows with Browning Serpentine Broadheads - $50.00 for all.

I sold the bow for $125.00 and the broadheads went for $150.00!

I picked up a 1958 Bear Alaskan, 43# @ 28", gray glass for $2.00 at a garage sale a couple years ago. I didn't even try to bargain for less.

1959 65# 56" Kodiak and a brand new in the box 50# browning wasp for 50$ at the same yard sale.....the 59 was 10$ And the wasp was 40$ lol

1980's in the Memphis area I bought over a dozen recurve bows at yard sales and flea markets for $5-10 each. I got ripped on a almost new Bear Grizzly at the Goodwill, had to pay $25 and they even charged me tax.

Bear 76'r for eighty bucks and that was more than it was worth in the condition I received it but it was same make weight and color as the one I had as a kid. A little boiling water and I was able to straighten the bottom limb enough to keep it strung while shooting and I killed my first archery turkey with it and also got my first bow fish with it! Some day when I already have a freezer full of meat if that ever happens I'm going to try and take a deer with it instead of my high end bow.

Found a 1960 Bear Kodiak Deluxe in a dusty corner of an antique shop. That's the one I used to make a form to turn out a few copies. Renewed my interest and enthusiasm in bow making and energized my hunting partner, who has Parkinson's, to get back into traditional archery. I'm a firm believer that one moment, or one item, can change the direction of a persons' life forever.

A 1960 Kodiak and spring arm quiver free.

$20 garage sale Kodiak Magnum. He was asking $50 for it but the limb was twisted.

5 mins. under the hot water and good as new. It was LH and I'm a righty so I sold it for $80 to a guy wanting a short bowfishing bow.

bretto

Many since my .25cent Shakespeare purchase. Browning Nomad Stalker ($5.00),

Bear Kodiak Mag, cammo with the bolt on 4 arrow Bear quiver ($10.00),

Bear Kodiak Mag ($5.00),

1968 Bear Grizzly with original everything ($50.00),

Pearson Mach 1 ($5.00)

My employer holds an annual public consignment auction every year. Two years ago, I was helping a man unload a truck full of old iron farm tools. At the bottom, laying on the bed of the truck, was an old unnamed wood recurve bow. Nice wood, wood tip overlays. Really long, about 68 inches NTN, 45 pounds at 28". It definately is a recurve though. I looked it over and it didnt have a scratch on it, just some grime. Limbs were straight too. I offered him 5 bucks for it and he said ok.

I'm another of the very lucky group. I was given my 1974 Howatt Hi Speed, a 50# 58" beauty. Didn't have a string, but Keffer ( from this board sent me the new string off his '74 Hi Speed, Thanks again Kim for the bow and thanks for the string Keffer!

Free Bear Polar from my neighbor and $10 for a Bear Alaskan at a local flea market.

I bought a 70# Bear Kodiak for $27.00 from an Archery shop in Atlanta, Georgia in the late 60's. It was my number bow for 25 years.

39.95 new Kmag 1969 started a aventure all over North America and still going,best money my wife ever spent,at lease I think so.

Darton Ranger for $10.00 at a yard sale

Original Lil-Bear wood bow for $3.00 at a yard sale

35lb red fiberglass bow for $2.00 at a yard sale.

My best deal though, was a 51 lb Root Brushmaster for $31 off of EBay. Wasn't a scratch on it. Does have two screws in old site holes though.

I was given a Thinderstick MAG, a Bear black bear, a Browning Nomad and a Brsnd new BW KB X!!

I was thinking about this today and could not come up with anything yet as far as a cheap bow. I know that I have them but what Steve has said has touched a nerve of truth and understanding. Some places we all have gone at times and under great distress.

I read your story Steve and broke down in tears how such a little thing like that bow brought you back. I am still in tears I really am. Sorry

I to have been going through things lately myself and trying to get myself back together and pleading from this recent car crash. Trying to stay strong but came very close a couple days go from making a fatal mistake and falling down that I had it can't go on. This was until my best friend called and asked me to meet him.

I told him that I now understood fully why he attempted to take his life. He failed by the way and is still paying for it. I prayed the night his wife called be at 12 midnight and told me all that was going on and what he has said in his good bye letter. He was found shortly after that still alive but in a coma lasted several weeks in 2006. All this had been going on while I was adding trohys to my own kingdom as sad as that sounds. I had no idea things were this bad off with him.

Never the less its not the right thing to do and when we become so selfish and wraped up into our pain whether it be physical or emotional it causes us to give up or think to give up. Only the individual who takes it upon himself knows just how close they get the edge of not turning back.

Its sad for many that do and only but by the grace of God you look back and hold the hand that sets you free.

Not to steal this thread or detract from it in anyway I just share Steves pain is all.

Sorry for that fellows.

50's bear Alaskan for 5 bucks from a guy who wanted me to have it for my collection.

Does winning a raffle for a 1957 70" Bear Kodiak Special count ?

I used to operate under a self imposed limit of $35 for a bow; I only bought Bears. Then, the whole collecting thing went nuts and you couldn't by anything for under $100.

Probably my best buy was an early 70s Bear Super Mag 48 for $30. I felt bad buying it from the guy but he never used them. Bought a real nice, near mint Kodiak Magnum for $50. Had a quiver and half a dozen Bear Razorheads on cedar arrows with it.

Hate to talk about the ones that got away.

I placed an ad in a local free paper.

Bought a minty '59 Kodiak 49# and a '71 Kodiak Hunter from the same guy $25 each

Walked in to a local gunstore and ask "Got any bows?" the guy says "Yes someone dropped off this old thing" I pulled the bow out of the yellow case far enough to see Kodiak on the top limb, He says "Gimme $30 bucks" I did immediately. He gave me a leather quiver full of arrows with broadheads and the bow. I ran to the truck to see the rest of the bow. A mint condition '57 Kodiak 49#

I missed another '59 Kodiak in the local paper for $5 my friend ended up with it.

Free, from very generous folks. I also have passed along that price to many. The best buy I ever made was $60.00 for a Type A Custom Kodiak, about twenty years ago.

Back in the 1980s I was at a yard sale that had a near mint Super Kodiak with a tag Of 25 on it. Being as how its done I asked would you take 20. Gal looked at me and said sorrowfully "it's only 25 cents".

Mid 50's..Shakespeare solid fiberglas 40# bow..$8.00.. IF you don't count my own time and the many selfbows I have made ..:)

Ryman Cat..Glenn... you hang in there and prayers for you and your friend...Our Lord knows the needs ..and He will help..Jim

Back in 1970 when I was in high school I bought 1966 Herter's Perfection, 52"/55#@28", for $5.00 from one of my friends. I still have it along with 11 of the 12 Micro-Flite #7's I used back then.

Bear Grizzly for $5 at a garage sale. It was laying off to the side in a pile of trim, and wood scraps from a remodeling job. I saw the tip, and pulled it out from the bottom. The guy couldn't believe I actually wanted it. He said, "Nobody shoots those anymore." I asked him how much he wanted, and saw a gleam come into his eyes. He said $5, and thought he got a good deal cause he was going to throw it away. I felt generous, and helped him out.

Bear Stag Hunter. $10. Worst piece of archery crap I ever owned....

Walked into an old sporting goods store and saw these on the wall. I asked the owner if he would sell them. He said that he was getting ready to pull them down to refurbish the store and he would give me a call. I bought 25 bows for 40.00 a piece most have never been shot. Here is a sample. Bear, wing and some carrols.

Two freebies, Ben Pearson longbow and a Pearson Colt.

A free lemonwood longbow and a 1957 les paul guitar in mint condition.

Shakespeare Necedah for free. A friend gave it to me to prevent kids from wrecking it,

A 1958 Pearson Safari, a Pearson Cougar and a Pearson Rogue in a bundle deal at a garage sale for $25. The garage sale was over and I just happen to see it on Craigslist, called to see if they'd sold the recurves and he said he had these three left. Always motivated sellers at the end of garage sales.

1969 fred bear type a takedown 50.00. and a 67.5 super Kodiak 50.00. that was back in the day when nobody wanted these bows.everybody was jumping on the compound band wagon.

The best bows for the money that I have bought was in 1967 when I bought two brand new, top of the line Shakespeare bows (a Kaibab and a Ocala) for $25 each.

I was recently given a Bear Grizzly from a co-worker. The cheapest I ever bought was a Martin Prodigy 15# for my daughter. Paid $8 for it at a resale shop.

Cheapest?? A Bear Supermag 48" two years ago. $379.. why was this "cheap"???? Because I had just divorced my ex.... therefore I didn't have to listen to her or watch her spend $2,000.00 on clothes / shoes and justify it because "You just bought a new bow"... blah... blah....blah!!" :). So in the big picture... the bow was VERY cheap.

Cheapest?? A Bear Supermag 48" two years ago. $379.. why was this "cheap"???? Because I had just divorced my ex.... therefore I didn't have to listen to her or watch her spend $2,000.00 on clothes / shoes and justify it because "You just bought a new bow"... blah... blah....blah!!" :). So in the big picture... the bow was VERY cheap.

Several older bows for $50 over the years that I refinished and gave away to newbie buddies. Shakespeare, Pearson, etc...

Killed my first three or four deer with an old Shakespeare Necedah I found locally at a bait shop about 20 some years ago for $50.

Working on restoring/reshaping the grip on an old Pearson Cougar for my Dad to play around with. Wish i could stumble on some of the deals you guys find, wow.

Free Red Wing Hunter from my boss at OSU when I retired. He collects old recurves too. Great turkey bow.

brandnew TD Predator recurve for a $10 raffle ticket at a United Bowhunters of Kentucky banquet. Great shooting bow, killed lots of game with it.

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