I’m a fan, best hunting bow ever in my opinion. Let’s hear your thoughts, and of course pictures are a plus while it’s working…

This year’s buck with my 59 Korte version

I agree. I still have my '62 but it's a getting a little too stout for me. To me, the best shooting Kodiak.

I've owned one 1959 Kodiak, it was a 64" model, I didn't like it, lots of hand shock (post-shot vibration?), and I didn't like the grip shape. Not fun to shoot. Granted, that is only one data point, the only original 59 I've ever shot. I currently own a 1960 Kodiak, also a 64" model, I like that one a lot. I used to own a 59 Bear Kodiak repro, that was a really beautiful bow, and at 60" is was smooth to my 30" draw, was quiet too... however, for some inexplicable reason, I couldn't get an arrow to tune to save my life, so I sold it. My only experience with the 1961/62 Kodiaks is my two Vintage Works reproductions - Awesome bows but in my view the design is less than optimal for a 30" draw length - to be fair, I have never shot an actual Grayling 61/62 Kodiak. A repro of a 61/62 Kodiak with 62" or 64" limbs would be something I'd plunk down money for...

I love those year Kodiaks. My favorite to shoot is probably the 61 or 62. Ca my t go wrong with any of those older Bears. They were built so well.

The 59 and 60 are designed differently than the 61 and 62. The latter two have longer risers into the fades with shorter limbs than the 59 and 60. Long draw guys will probably like the 59 60, us short draw folk likes the later ones. Not true with everyone of course, but many of us.

I never encountered a 59 or 60 that had any kind of hand shock, that's a head-scratcher right there.

I have a 60 butcher block that shoots smooth as smooth, I just don’t like the grip as much as the other Kodiaks. I prefer j mm y 59-60 over the 59 Kodiak, but I’m weird that way.

Typo sorry. I meant 59-60 Grizzlies

I find my Vintage Works 62 Kodak a fine shooter. The grip is perfect. I like how it handles heavy arrows. A comment I have heard more than a few times about the original Bear. The picture is my bow.

I make my own recurves. When the resurgence hit I wanted to make a copy BAD. After shooting to be honest I wasn't that impressed. Bear collectors said the 62 would be a better one to copy. So I bought a used one. I made copies of the 62 that I love. I still use it today. I made 4 copies. I still have the original 62 that is in awesome shape that needs to find a new home. God knows that when I'm gone my kids won't know what to do with all my home rolled bows much less this original 62

Mine is a 59 re issue. Absolutely love it.

What George said. 61 and 62 have shorter limbs so they are harder to draw and stack sooner than 59 or 60 Kodiaks. Also they were only made in 60". For guys w/longer draws the 64" 59 or 60 is way smoother. I've scaled dozens of them inch by inch so I know that for a fact. Now, whether you like smoothness in a bow, or don't care, or prefer a bit of stacking at full draw, that's another matter.

The 60 has slightly bigger hooks and different limb/riser angles leading to a faster bow than the 59. But the 59 is not just one bow. There were 2 main versions and more than dozen different forms that were used. The early 59s generally have wider limbs and more J like hooks. Those are the ones with the 3 colors in the caps and nocks. The later 59s have more of a C shaped hook, which is a bigger hook, and generally have more narrow limbs. So they are faster but less stable than the early ones. The 59 remake is based on the later 59.

The 1960 Kodiak is my favorite Kodiak of all. Narrow limbs, tiny tips, big hooks, and generally smooth to 29 or 30". More than that, for me they also have relatively low weight gain/inch. When combined with smoothness that makes for a bow that's very easy to draw, hold steady and shoot fast and well. E.g., I have a 50# 64" 1960 Kodiak that gains 2#/inch from 22 to 30". That's not only technically perfectly smooth, but the weight gain/inch is like that of most 40# bows. So, even though I'm pulling 50#s it feels more like shooting a 40# bow.

I have 30 1960 Kodiaks. From 26# to 65#. I've had others. Most of mine are 64". Some are 60". I have 3 56". Oddly enough, even though I have a longer draw one of my 56"ers is my favorite Kodiak and one of the best shooting bows I've ever shot. Out of hundreds. However, I've shot a couple other 56" 1960 Kodiaks and didn't like them. Every bow is different. Wade Phillips told me once you have to try 100 bows of any model to really know them. I'm about half way there!

I have a 59 Kodiak that had a lot of hand shock. I couldn't shoot it. Gave me a neck and head ache. I sent it to my friend Larry St. Laurent to "fix" it. He found that one of the nocks was bigger than the other and that was the main reason for the hand shock. Apparently this had been Don Ward's personal bow and he replaced the nocks... and not very carefully. Now that the bow is fixed it's a pleasure to shoot.

This is my 56" 1960 Kodiak that's one of the best bows I ever shot. The only other person I know who also shot it, Larry St. Laurent, said it was a "1 in a million" bow. This is a Robin Hood from 50 yards with it. Longest RH I ever shot. This bow is about 38# at my draw.

A better view of the 56" 1960 Kodiak.

They are pretty to look at, especially the '61 and '62, but I've never met one I held on to for more than a few months. Just me. I like the '55-57 Kodiak better. Not as smooth but just as fast.

I have had a few 1962 Kodiaks. Heres a couple of my favorites.

The sapwood got traded. I think it was going to get a refinish job. I wonder how it turned out. A very special bow.

I like the 59 and the 62 the 64's are real nice shooters too. The 62 with the birth mark grain is my best shooter. I call it my money bow. If I were to shoot for money . its the one I would be taking. The 59's I have kept are the reissues. a 40# and a 35#.

I know this is a Bear thread, but those howatt bows are very special too.

All those Kodiak bows are beauties but the ones with cocobolo risers are IMO exceptionally nice.

I still shoot my very first original 59' that I purchased with paper rout money in 1974

Those are absolutely beautiful bows

Those are absolutely beautiful bows

As far '59's go, I'd take a '59 Grizz over the Kodiak all day long. Much nicer shooting bow IMO.

Re-issue 59er from about 8 years ago. My original 59er broke 4 years ago :^(

I think they are some of the best bows made , I do like the 1960s over the 59s and I really like the 59 remake , and I like the 61 over the 62 a little narrower limbs and tips but there’s always an exception to the rule I did find a narrow limbed 62. It’s the last one in the picture on the bottom.

I think they are some of the best bows made , I do like the 1960s over the 59s and I really like the 59 remake , and I like the 61 over the 62 a little narrower limbs and tips but there’s always an exception to the rule I did find a narrow limbed 62. It’s the last one in the picture on the bottom.

The narrow limbed 62 is the best looking bow too.

Amazing pictures and collections, Curt I knew you had some good one but wow. Amazing.

I wholeheartedly agree, the 59-62's are imo the holy grail of all bows, and the 62 being the peak! Never owned one, but having gotten totally into Bears only in late 70's, I got what I could afford, a Grizzly, which still is my all time favorite bow, for its time which I shot long time. But the 62 Kodiak always Stole my Heart!

I think alot of times, The grizzly is just a 58 or 56" Kodiak. The griz is a great bow too. I like 60" bows the best. just shoot great for me.

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