How did Fred Bear string his bow?

Thanks

Luckystrike

Smoke them if you got them!

This ought'a be good.

Lucky -

I'm pretty sure some one did it for him.

Viper out.

I saw him use the step through method at Anderson Archery's clinic. I'm not sure he did this all the time or not.

One leg at a time?

My guess the best person to answer that would be FRANK ADDINGTON (ASPIRIN BUSTER), probably be here shortly.

Here's one photo showing him using the push-pull method. This was at camp between Lander and Rawlins Wyoming in 1952 after the disastrous One Shot hunt.

For anybody interested, the rest of the group is, l-r, Tom Burke, Nubbie Pate, Al the cook, Charlie Kroll, Ed Henkel, Duke Underhill and Bob Morely. Hugh Rich was in camp also and likely took the photo.

Anderson Archery was the place to be. Quite an Expo . I met Fred Bear there several times and at the shop in Grayling. WOW ! Really brings back some memories. That was a long time ago .

Ira, nice pic. Lots of bowhunting experience in that group. Saw that pic somewhere before, just can’t remember where. Robert, yeah, back then Anderson’s in Grand Ledge was THE event. Met Fred Bear there in 1986. Good memories.

I was gonna say one nock at a time and then thought better of it.

Dale, I posted that photo, with several others, on TAS under the title, Vintage Photos #27. Maybe that's where you saw it.

Ira, that’s gotta be where I saw it. Drives me nuts when I can’t remember.

He showed the farmer in the pheasant hunting video the step through method.

It was strung for him by the natives

What was the disastrous One Shot hunt?

I think that was the Wyoming antelope hunt where Fred and Howard Hill exchanged pleasantries. Lol

Howard Hill was a push-pull man. :o)

This is ridiculous. How did he shite in the woods? Brush his teeth? Leatherwall is no more. Phil help...

I kinda' gotta agree with swampwalker.

I would like to hear a serious explination of "the disastrous One Shot hunt." Sounds interesting.

Seriously, I read about a disagreement between Fred and Howard at a Wyoming one shot antelope hunt. That’s all I know.

I go with swampwalker....who really cares?

Well obviously the original poster cared. And why not. Fred Bear was one of the group of early bowhunters that helped establish the archery seasons we have today. I think some people might find it interesting how strung his bow, sharpened his broadheads, etc.

Ugly Coyote, can you tell us more about “the disastrous One Shot hunt”? It does sound like an interesting story.

"Could be a multitude of reasons for the question ... " perhaps. None of which were communicated or specifically identified within the context of the question.

Watch the video of Dick Robertson stringing a Wolfer recurve push/pull and tell me it is dangerous. Never underestimate the skill of someone who has used their skills for many years.

Papa Bear was likely a master of any stringing method without even realizing how important it would be on the Interweb.

For those who are interested in the One Shot Antelope Hunt story, I will start a thread on it today or tomorrow. I actually did tell the story on a previous post, but I'll start a fresh one.

There is a guy on here who knew Fred intimately- just maybe he’ll share some actual knowledge, someone who can claim to have seen Fred actually brace one.

he used the step thru when i shot with him in the 60s.

According to Fred's "Archer's Bible" published 1968 he recommends the cord stringer first as the safest and easiest and if the archer doesn't have one he recommends the step through method.

Great guys! Thanks for passing on the info. It's always nice to hear that he used those methods that others now aday seem to shame.

Have a great Sunday!

Luckystrike

Now that pic of Fred Bear with the messed up teeth just ain't cool.

That would be Aspirinbuster

Here’s a much, much younger version of myself, with the man himself. This particular photo was either at Triangle Lakes in Middletown Ohio, or at Anderson Archery Clinic in Michigan, I believe. Talked to him a few different times, and I wish my memory was better. He talked to me like he had known me forever, each time.

I forgot to ask him how he strung his bow.....??

Apparently, my iPhone photos are not compatible.

The antelope hunt was a contest i think to see who could kill the most antelope i think. Fred had waited patiently in a blind for some time, trying to get two antelope lined up so he could kill two with one arrow. Howard, goofing off, came bouncing up in a jeep, scareing the antelope away. Fred wanted to reArrange his face, but thought better of it when Howard laid a hand on his shoulder and suggested he calm down. I think it is in the book about Hill written by Craig Ekin.

The antelope hunt was a contest i think to see who could kill the most antelope i think. Fred had waited patiently in a blind for some time, trying to get two antelope lined up so he could kill two with one arrow. Howard, goofing off, came bouncing up in a jeep, scareing the antelope away. Fred wanted to reArrange his face, but thought better of it when Howard laid a hand on his shoulder and suggested he calm down. I think it is in the book about Hill written by Craig Ekin.

Someone correct me if im wrong, because im wrong alot. Cant even make a post without doing a double ! ?????

MY APOLOGIES! The photo above, taken in 1952 was at a different hunt in the same area and Hugh Rich was not at this one. Fred had hunted in Wyoming several times.

The One Shot hunt was in 1954.

No time today. Will have more tomorrow.

Yes r.grinder you are wrong. and that's the problem with this kind of posts. people like you making statements that are farfetched. If you don't know the truth, don't post it.

Bob

Not knowing anything about Mr Bear or his friends, just thinking aloud, I would hazard a guess he would have used the push -pull method. Here's why I think that ... 1) an experienced bowyer like Mr Bear would be stringing and un-stringing bows dozens of times a day, so I would Imagine he's be quite proficient at it irrespective of the draw weight of the bow and 2) being able to string a bow quickly and efficiently in the field is an asset .

Just my thoughts ...

I'm pretty sure he dug a hole in the ground and buried his poo in a shallow grave.... a lesson I wish more would have been taught these days LOL.

lol

Step thru is easier with a longer bow, very tough with a short heavy one.

One leg at a time. Like the rest of us.

I own a bow that was made by a guy named Jesse Baker (not 100% certain of the first name) who was an optometrist in Ontario, Oregon and who made bows. Apparently he put his eye out with the push pull method, and got out of making bows after that.

In the old Howatt shop we always strung bows using the push pull, BUT, we never put the upper limb in front of us. The bow is always sideways to your body with the upper tip straight out from your shoulder. If the string breaks, slips off etc. it only slaps the meaty part of your shoulder, never your face. When the bow was under full tension, we flipped the belly up and checked that the string was n the grooves etc.. Again, no problems if something blew. A short guy could string a 69" bow with ease that way by simply moving the left foot back, spreading your legs. Pushing the tip straight out from your body is wrong, and a new thing to me.

I think I need to learn the push/pull method. I have a 66 inch bow that absolutely wears me out with a bow stringer.

I just learned yesterday, why Fred always carried a 44 magnum when he was big game hunting..

Among my contemporaries, the only ones doing the push-pull are longbow and hybrid shooters. No one does the step-through on recurves and all use stringers. I own 5 and keep one in my shooting pouch ready to use or lend out.

Dunno about Mr. Bear, but growing up I was taught the "step thru" method. I then went to wheelie bows for a few decades, Since coming back to trad, I always use a stringer now. But still have the "step thru" as my back-up. But I too would like to hear the deets on the "Disastrous Wyoming Hunt". I saw a pic of that hunt (or one of them at least) roster on another post. Pic showed HH as the "Capt" of the team with Fred Bear in the bottom slot.... Big Mo

Duh, questions answered in the other post. I should have read the other post the first time, instead of just looking at the pictures. BigMo

Error maker, it’s ‘r.grider’ not ‘grinder’. Wether it’s true or not, I cannot prove, and neither can you. But I did read it in the book about Howard Hill. No time right now, or I would post a pic of it. Then again, why even bother, just to satisfy an obviously obnoxious person ,??

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