I am a fan of short bows for hunting . That is what they are made for, hunting. I am specifically fond of the 52 inch Bear Kodiak Magnum. I have hunted with nothing else since 1968. I currently own six of them at different draw weights. They are at their best at twenty yards and under. They are easy to use from any stand or blind. They are light and easy to carry. All of them are dead silent and compare well in speed to any other bow I have tested of the same poundage. They are about as simple and dependable as it gets under any conditions. They easy to shoot well if one considers realistic hunting distances and realistic deer killing accuracy that you need to be successful. A lot of bad press and myths exist about short bows, they stack, bad string angles,and are hard to shoot well. Do a force draw curve yourself and see if they stack, it is far more mental than physical as often we expect a short bow to stack even when the scale tells us differently. Sharp string angles , try three under. I have no problem with a split finger draw at a bit over a twentyeight inch draw. Hard to shoot well, try shooting realistic hunting distances of twenty yards and under at a target with a realistic sized kill zone and see for yourself. If you do have an extra long draw perhaps there are better choices. If you are involved in tournaments where pin point accuracy is needed go longer. I know that is what I personally do but when it comes time to hunt it is still the short Kodiak Magnum that I grab. Use it for what it was made for and it does just fine, try and turn it into something else and you may be dissapointed. Darryl.

The K mag may be my next bow. Never shot one, but sure would like to.

I just bought a factory camo 1971 Bear Super Magnum 48 about a month ago. I haven't shot it a lot yet but 20 yards and closer it shoots good. I've had no issues of finger pinch at my draw. I never owned a bow under 58"amo before I bought the Super Magnum.

Well put Darryl. I've had several and have two now. They shoot as good as the person doing the shooting. Watch George Stout shoot one at 40 plus yards, impressive.

Have never shot a bow under 56" but that LH 45# Super Mag that was in the classifieds a month or so go got my attention. Would have had to do some maneuvering to pull it off though and don't think it lasted more than a day or two when listed.

I love them all

I like 'em, but shoot them very inconsistently. Even have troubles with 58" Grizzlys.

I’ve own a bunch of short bows. They are fun to shoot.

Like I said...I like 'em...they don't like me!

Very nice looking bows SB.

I love short bows also I have a Sierra Blanca 50" a VPA ILF with Ukhaa limbs 54" and two Black Widows pch 56" right now I am loving my VPA and plan to hunt all season with it. WIDOW

KMags are great hunting bows. For a good shooter you can do a lot with them inside 30yds. I like a good shorty. I have a 58" Two Tracks Ogemaw and a 52" Texas Recurve and both are a pleasure to shoot.

SB what is the top bow in your short bow collection?

Trad....1970 Browning Cobra I. Actually my wifes! I also have a 56" Herters perfection. I have a dilema though...just getting my collection out of storage...I have bows piled all over everything. I had wall racks for them all but the only room I have in this new house is the basement with block walls. And I ain't no carpenter!

Better pic....its like this all over the basement..cant't even use my workbench down there!

Not quite as short...I did find room upstairs for one rack of leftys!

I love them shorties too but I am terrified of them string coming off when I am at full draw. I am 6’6” as well I know I am crazy, but I just don’t want to bust limbs and send splinters everywhere. I have a Browning Nomad that is 52 inches and shoot it well. Just don’t want to break it. Am I right in thinking the string may slip off of the tip at full draw, around 30 inches? I may try to find a shortie in a good weight to hunt with. My farthest shot is maybe 20 years. Thanks for your time listening to a paranoid old turd. <>< del

String coming off the end of the limb is unlikely but 30" draw is going to stack a lot of short bows. My favorite shorty is 54" with a massive riser.

I like my Cascade 52" and my Damon Howatt 54" High Speed. Very handy on the ground or in tree stand.

There was a pic in an old Bear catalog I believe that showed one drawn until the limbs came around and touched each other...and the string stayed on!....finger pinch would be a killer though!

Browning 54 inch Nomad to me is as good as any.

I have a nice 52 inch but it is 38@8. Just refinished it. Wish it were a little heavier.

Well pull it back! 8 is the brace height!... ;)

I am with you SB....I love shooting my Shrew L'il Favorite but I am not consistent with it....Not nearly as consistent as with my longer heavier Black Widows. Be safe...Des

Well, I love real short bows, have two KT44's and a Rodney Wright Stalker (copy of the old Herters 46" perfection)........they are my two go to hunting bows, they marry very well.........good out to 28", then stack after that........have taken quite a number of game with them, anywhere from 5 to 35 yards.........almost forgot, I also have a KT38........I absolutely adore those bows...........Did have a Bear Super Mag, great bow, but did not fit me well, I could never stop torqueing it, but I know that is my fault/my shooting style and not the bows fault..................Thats the beauty of archery, there are so many bows out there to choose from, and be easily satisfied with....................

I havn't shot a short bow since I had to switch to L/H. I had a freind that shot a lefty Magnum...I tried it a few times when I was a pure righty shooter. I did real well with it considering I'd never shot a lefty bow. I know I couldn't shoot one right handed worth a hoot! Switching to lefty eleminated a lot of my form issues and bad habits from years so maybe now....I need to find a left hand Magnum. All of mine in my collection are right/handed!

I love my Kodiak Magnum and have no problem being accurate (for me) with it at longer distances (longer for me).

I'm not claiming to shoot this good all the time but I did this time and took a picture.

40 yards.

It's great in a tree or a ground blind.

Shoots good for me at about 12 yards as well.

Nice deer Super’. What are we looking at on the string under your arrow nock. Is it another nock. An illusion?

Thanks Jay. You have a good eye, it is indeed another nock. I like to shoot with 2 nocks, just a personal preference.

Here here! I have a rack full of amazing custom bows that are all superb. They are all quiet, fast, smooth to 30'...

But... when it comes time to head to the woods (for deer and smaller)… I just have the most comfort/confidence in my Saluki Turk. That thing is 56" of "yes Sir."

It's not a 3-D bow and I don't shoot it as well as my bows with more riser weight but my hunting model is "build a set-up for 15 yards or less" I can shoot it while sitting, can shoot it from a blind,... when I hunt with that bow I have fewer things to manage. I never get tired of looking at that bow... so if I get skunked at least I walked around with a beautiful bow. : )

My 52" Shrew Classic Hunter is my go-to hunting bow.

I am thinking about getting one of the new Kodiak Mag. whenever Bear starts making them. The new ones with Shedua riser and gray glass.

Buy one from the 70's ...one third the price!

56” longbow for me

There is a nice gray glass, nice wood, magnum for sale on the auction site

In all my years hunting with a bow (50+), this is the best set-up I've ever come up with. This is a 52" Wing Thunderbird. One of the composite riser Head Ski era bows. Just a fantastic shooting and handling bow in any hunting situation. I use a Bear Weatherest, BCY-X home made string, and a Kwikee Kuiver. Quiver comes off while on stand or easy to carry on the bow while cruising.

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