Bear Alaskan Compound.

[s.a.w.]

I just bought a compound bow on ebay called the bear alaskan.
It has a wood riser and composite limbs. I have never seen a bear bow with this type of wood riser. I did some research and happened across Bill Stewart's custom bow site and there I found the riser that sits on this bear compound bow. This bow must be a great find because I can't find any reference to this bow excepted on bill's website stating that he went back to bear archery for seven years and redesigned this bow with some others for Fred Bear.
Awesome!!!! I bought it for 41.00 bucks.

If anybody else has any info on this compound bow please let me know.
I will be shooting this bow and need to make sure it is in top condition.

[Unclegus]

Sure would like to see a pic. The four wheel Bear Alaskans from the seventies that I'm familiar with didn't have wooden risers........

[s.a.w.]

heres the pic the last owner said it shoot 212fps with 125gr tip and 31in arrow off the flipper rest. That's fast for a 1980's compound.
This must be a special edition. Butt I don't know. Hope some one can give me more info.

[s.a.w.]

composite limb with alaskan writen on it.

[Unclegus]

Thanks. I don't remember that one. The Alaskan I remember was a four wheeler 44or 46" long with a black cast riser and recurve limbs and round wheels. It was a Cadillac in it's day....

[s.a.w.]

by reading on Bill Stewarts website it says he came back to fred bear for another 7yrs after being gone to howatt and wing and redesigned this bow and kodiak, grizzily and some others. I never seen this bow anywhere else.

[jmoose77]

In the late eighties Bear made the Alaskan II which had a riser (laminated hardrock maple)that looks a lot like yours but it had Bear's GFN cams. The Alaskan II had a 44" ata and was available with 45/60lb,55/70lb draw weight.

[s.a.w.]

this bow according to the owner you can replace the string without using a bow press.

[s.a.w.]

just got the sheet on this bow from bear archery. It is a Alaskan ll .
I wonder why the limb only says Alaskan an not Alaskan ll on it.
Here the fact sheets.

[jmoose77]

I don't believe your bow has GFN cams. Are your cams metal?

[s.a.w.]

supposedly. They look metal. I should have my bow by tomarrow.

[s.a.w.]

55-70 lbs. 28-31in draw length. I do not have the other mods but this is set exactly the way I want it. I will send pic of the finished bow soon.

[B.Hunter]

I too have a Bear Alaskan.Riser looks a little different though.Would like to get a copy of spec sheet.

[s.a.w.]

If you email bear archery with your picture they will email you a fact sheet on it.

[s.a.w.]

Here is the after pics so far !!

[B.Hunter]

I will e-mail for fact sheet. Mine does look the same and LH. My limbs were painted though. Did receive Serial # from previous owner. Thanks for info.

[matthew_h]

very nice job cleaning that up s.a.w., looks good .

[s.a.w.]

Thanks Matthew. I spent three days on the riser along. The riser was designed by Bill Stewart.

[s.a.w.]

bump

[windhover]

Does anyone know where I can get a RH Riser for it.....Im Right handed.....or I will sell my LH model........

[s.a.w.]

Get on bill stewart's website and e-mail them. I fear if you find one It will be
pricey.

[bowpete]

I just bought a compound bow on ebay called the bear alaskan.
It has a wood riser and composite limbs. I have never seen a bear bow with this type of wood riser. I did some research and happened across Bill Stewart's custom bow site and there I found the riser that sits on this bear compound bow. This bow must be a great find because I can't find any reference to this bow excepted on bill's website stating that he went back to bear archery for seven years and redesigned this bow with some others for Fred Bear.
Awesome!!!! I bought it for 41.00 bucks.

If anybody else has any info on this compound bow please let me know.
I will be shooting this bow and need to make sure it is in top condition.

I had one back in the 70's it had 4 wheels and 2 pylons, and the riser was cast aluminum. It was 80 # 30 inch draw, adjustable let off 25or 50%.
There is one hanging on the wall at Archery World in Vancouver Washington

[skip5515]

The pictures that you showed of your bow looks like some one recabled it and did not uthe correct string length as the tear drop is to close to the wheel and looks like it is hitting the wheel.

[Edgarfoot]

I used to hold in store demo's for Bear archery. And I still have and shoot the Alaskan compound bow or let's say -- did! I took a lot of deer with my bow until old age and shoulder problems set in. Was currently using the bow for bowfishing at reduced poundage. But the lower limb broke.

For it's day, this was the best bow on the market. Very user friendly, easy to adjust and change cables or the string on. The bow was made in both hunting and target models. I had both.

The limbs were laminated and had a metal riser.

To the guy who has the left hand model! I'm left handed and in deep need of limbs. I hate to toss this bow as it has a lot of history. State champ metals, Reginal trophys, deer, carp, gar and a turkey. I still have the old manual for it.

The old manual even listed set up info for other compounds such as Allen, Carroll, Jennings, Precision, and Wing.

For me, the best features of the Alaskan was in the numbered wheels and ratchet cable adjustment for each limb. Bear was ahead of the game back then in my opinion.

Good shooting to you all,

Bill

[s.a.w.]

Yes I had A 38" inch string on it and it should have been a 37"inch string. I did notice that the star yoke adjuster has been changed with some other adjuster wheel with no adjustment on it.

The pictures that you showed of your bow looks like some one recabled it and did not uthe correct string length as the tear drop is to close to the wheel and looks like it is hitting the wheel.

[awakened]

Hello S A W, I have an Alaskan Bear bow very similar to yours with a hand written Model # AL-8580 on one arm. I'm unable to find any information on older bows as well. What I'm trying to find out is how to change the draw length. It's set to 30" but would love to shorten it to about 28" if possible. If anyone has some suggestions please let me know.

[Edgarfoot]

Awakened,

You can change the draw length on your bow to some degree. First check the e-wheel number on your Alaskan.
Look at the e-wheel and see how much space there is (gap) where the cable comes over to string and cable wrap. It's hard to explain but the cable wraps around the e-wheel and there is/should be a gap if you look at the 6 oclock position on the e-wheel.

If you have the number 4 wheel, it's max draw is 29 1/2"
# 5 is 30". If the e-wheel bend is proper you can change by 1" easy.

On the micro adjustment you turn each limb (tighten) one half turn for 1".
Loosen one half turn to decrease 1".

I am currently re-building a Alaskan due to a lower limb breakage. If you want more information, advise. I will give you my e-mail address or we can try to work it out here. Start with the e-wheel number. Then the e-wheel setting number that appears at the limb junction.

I may still have some e-wheels.

Keep em in the small ring,

Bill

[RMC]

A buddy of mine bought one of these in the early 80's just for an Ontario bear hunt. Pretty fast in those days.

[hjort jagare]

Looking at that bow brought back some memories. Bear archery used to make a compound bow kit with a unfinished wood riser and limbs. The rest of the stuff came in a bag. I spent a lot of hours making that bow and shot my first deer with it. After I replaced it I taught the kid next door how to shoot and he shot his first deer also. I gave him a new bow a few years later and was going to refinish the bow to hang up as a reminder of the bow that got me addicted but never did find the time as far as I got was refinishing the riser .

[ex-diver]

Good find S.A.W, the only BEAR Alaskan I can recall was back in 1979. It had the Magnesium risor, back then this was the shizzle!

Good luck with her.
G

[ruger10x]

I had an Alaskan II ,just like it, it was my first compound.
That was in the mid-late 80's, but I don't recall
it having cams like that. If I remember the cams on it were
plastic. The cams on that look like they are from a Whitetail II.

[djkost]

A friend of mind bought one in the 80's. It was a nice looking bow and shot very good. To put a new string on it all you do is pull it back a little and put the new string on then release the string, Now pull back a little on the new string and take off the old one. it was ez to do put works better with 2 people. He shoot some deer with it and it was fast for the time.

[KyBoy33]

I bought one of the original Alaskan compounds in 1975 I believe. Not exactly sure of the year but I remember it was the first hunting compound that Bear came out with. There also was a target version, Tammerlane, which I believe a gentleman by the name of Jim Quarles (sp?) used to win Vegas with. I still have that Alaskan and would love to find a manual for it. I did contact Bear Archery several years ago and they were kind enough to send me what they could find but all the info was on later versions, similiar to one pictured in post above which have the pylons. Mine does not have them but is a four wheeler with cables that run to limb itself. Anyway, enjoy your find. Bear Archery reigned supreme for many years. Hope they return in a big way.

[albrubacker]

I just recently traded an old muzzle loader for this bow. Does anyone know what it may be worth?

[filsdupays]

I got a Fred bear Alaskan bow with 4 wheels 1979 and i'm looking for pieces.
Does somebody know where i can find some?
I'm from Quebec, sorry if i make mistakes.

[filsdupays]

The one that we can see on the photos of ex-diver

[Unclegus]

The one that we can see on the photos of ex-diver

There's one of them in the used rack in "The Archery Shop" in Summersville, WV.... It has about 1/4" of dust on it... Been there for years.

[filsdupays]

seriously
Can i see by the web

[Unclegus]

Call the Archery Shop in WV at 304-872-1405 and ask for Pat. Maby he can send you a pic of it....

[jim-bo]

This thread reminds me of my first hunting bow (bear WhiteTail II) it is as old as I am.

Lots of sentimental value on that piece of magnesium: first deer, first coyote, countless gophers, and my first and only grouse with a bow. I decided last summer to refurbish my old bear. Thinking it would be pretty simple, after about $75 dollars plus S/H to bring in another one for parts I had a new string made for it (+/-$30), let out the draw length as far as it would go, the DW was just as I left it at about 50 lbs.

Finding parts or a spare bow is no easy task and it gets pretty expensive. For me I thought it was worth it because of the bows history. And in the end I gave it away to my uncle, who actually gave it to me about 12 years ago. His old PSE cracked a limb, and I felt inclined to return the gesture from my child hood. He took a big ol' doe with it this year.

I really enjoyed playing around with my old BEAR, but I didn't miss phoning all over Canada and the US to find a parts bow that was in good shape. finally found it in Minnesota and had it shipped to Calgary AB. I hope you too can find all of the components that you need.

Jim-bo