I just gave one away. I'd had it since the late 1980s, and while I was able to draw it, I wasn't able to hold it without shaking. I tried shooting it when I started getting serious about archery a couple years ago. Couldn't shoot two shots the same. People here told me they were unforgiving. But, if you can draw it and hold it, with its short length, probably be a great hunting bow.

 

For the first question is what's your experience in archery? If you're not accustomed to shooting a recurve and working your way up from 30 35 40 45 and then to 50 lb ... get ready for a struggle in to be very unhappy if you're not well accustomed to shooting a recurve and have built your weight up

Short drawing it is not the right answer... get a takedown bow and start with some light lens work your way up.

Specifically with that bow... nothing wrong with it at all for hunting or shooting. That bow is taking a lot of deer.

As to the feel of stacking... That's subjective. The bow was built for a 28-inch draw length, at 29 in DL you're right there. That said, a longer length bow might be a little more comfortable but again that is subjective

 

Kodiak Magnum is slow and loud. You have a nice bow for hanging on the wall.

 

Good joke....lol.

Loud and slow... LOL tell that to all the dead deer, elk, bear. Turkey.

 

As far as experience go I’ve been shooting serious for 6 years I’m 24. I have 3 recurves my two favorites being the super kodiak but my all time favorite is a 1975 kodiak hunter I shoot woodies spined 60-65 with 125 grain. I started bow hunting serious last year with a nice hog. My kodiak hunter is awesome and it’s my baby but I hunt Florida and I feel like the shorter length may help me in the swamps. Btw I shoot 50lb only and have for years.

 

I've got a great little '69 KMag that's marked 48# at 28", and I draw 29". I really like shooting it once I get warmed up. I spend most of my time with my Bear Takedown, so it doesn't get as much attention as it deserves. I can feel a little stacking at full draw, but that that actually helps me ensure I'm drawing consistently. Still, it's not as smooth as the TD - nor should I expect it to be.

It does get really twitchy, so your release has to be really clean. I can shoot minute-of-deer out to 20 yards with no problems. My TD is 44# at my anchor, so my shoulder isn't built up to shoot the 50ish pounds with that bow.

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The first 2 deer I killed with a recurve were with a Kodiak Mag. Mine is a ‘73 I think. Still shoots well. I prefer a longer bow now but had no problem hunting with the KM. Don’t shoot much over 30 and prefer 20 when hunting. It was accurate enough. Enjoy.

BTW my DL is just under 29”. It stacks compared to other bows but you can get accustomed to it. I didn’t even know what stacking was. It was my first recurve.

 

If you enjoy watching large white flags running through the woods, shoot at a totally relaxed white tail under 15 yrds. with a Bear Kodiak Magnum. Deer enjoy practicing JUMP THE BOWSTRING and the Magnum their bow of choice.

Hang the thing on the wall and get a serious hunting bow. Most people cannot shoot this bow well enough to hunt deer with it in the first place. Why handicap yourself, loose arrows, and subject yourself to grief and frustration.

 

I understand that you strongly dislike the KMag and have had very poor experiences with it. But your response doesn't provide any useable information about why your experience was that way. Again, your draw length, along arrow weight and speed would be really valuable information to provide a counterpoint that is persuasive. Otherwise, your repsponse doesn't really persuade us to see it from your point of view.

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Ignore the naysayers on here. I've owned seven or eight of the Magnums over the years. They are no louder than any other bow if they are set up correctly and heavy arrows are used. I have a 30" draw so the string angle works on my fingers quite a bit if I shoot one a lot. The answer to that is to not make it into an every day bow. It was built for hunting in tight situations where a longer bow won't work as well. The bow that you bought is really too heavy for a beginner. I suggest that you set it aside for awhile and find something closer to forty pounds and 60" for learning and practice. Once you build the necessary muscles and learn how to shoot, you can then start taking a few shots with the Magnum. You have a long way to go before you should take a shot at a living animal. Take your time and enjoy the journey.

 

I am experienced and have been shooting serious for about 6 years I started at light weights and now hunt with 60lb recurves mostly bears. I also prefer shooting cedars spined around 60-65 as for right now they shoot fast quiet and fantastic out of my 60 inch 50lb kodiak hunter. Was just getting some ideas from people in the field with the kodiak magnum as I herd it was a good short hunting bow that may come in handy in the swamps of Florida that I hunt. Thank you all so much for your input so far.

 

I’m sorry 50lb is what I shoot regulary and have for a few years now.

 

Seems to shoot just fine for some folks.

https://youtu.be/Koch8-m8TOQ

3finger - you just forgot to put on a quiver.

 

Update I redid the finish on the bow like Brand new now! And she shoots amazinnggggg no stacking. Shot today 20 and 25 yard from my tree stand out of 4 cycles I had two misses all lung shots.

 

What arrow setup are you using? I have an older kodiak mag that I want to work on getting dialed in and use this year.

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I’m using cedar Bear arrows made by rose city archery. This bow is 50lb at 28 my draw is 29.5 so around 53lb is prolly what I’m pulling. And they are spined at 60-65 with 125 grain up front arrow length around 31 I believe is what I have em cut to. Anyways they fly great the bow throws em quick too I mean it’s for sure quicker than my kodiak hunter. I herd the kodiak magnums like a heavy wood arrow and yes they do.

 

Limited experience with two old ones and one newer confirms that the older ones didn't stack as much, but that might have just been luck and production variance

If string angle and stack isn't an issue for you, good to go. No way to know but try. Have fun.

 

Fred Bear's son-in-law, Chuck Kroll, used one as his main bow from the time Bear came out with it in 1961. Anyone can give you a smart answer and tell you they are no good, that's on them, not on the bow. That bow can be as quiet as any bow made, and plenty fast to kill anything. Chuck killed a huge Grizzly with his and many deer, caribou, and various other critters. If you can't tune a bow, maybe it can be loud, but I've owned many of them over the years and killed many whitetails with them. I made a few videos to show they are quite accurate as well. Again, it's always the guy behind the bow, and the Kodiak Magnum is one of the best short bows ever made.....and still being made.

 

Here's a video from 2013 that I made in my side yard. You likely won't hear the bow and the accuracy is pretty good as well.

 

Awesome video!

 

I bought one to use in a ladderstand for whitetail hunting. I like a shorter bow in a ladderstand. The bottom limb of a longer bow will hit the inside of your left leg when making a steep downward shot, unless you cant it in front of your leg. The kmag clears my legs a little easier but I still have to practice with it in the stand. I found I can't take shots to the left of my stand or behind me like I can with a compound just because of the bow length. The Supermag 48 is even shorter but I haven't shot one.

 

Shot my first buck with this Kodiak Magnum. Think it's a ?'62 or '63?, dogleg I'm told they call them. I draw right near 28" and it shot well for me. Didn't seem loud at all, about like my other bows. Like another poster above mentioned, I shoot longer bows these days because I now know longer bows aren't the hindrance in the woods I once thought they were. I wouldn't be hesitant about using this bow should I feel it was my best option for a given situation, though.

Steve