[roger]

All right, this is a multipart question so try to follow along boys and girls.

First, to say I'm a neophyte when it comes to traditional equipment is grossly overstating my case! I grew up shooting recurves in NFAA, but it was barebow style and walking the string target stuff. I do shoot instinctive for bowfishing, if you can call what I do shooting.

Part uno of said multipart question. I had my bowfishing recurve at an IBEP class I was helping teach recently and Timm Getts saw it. He said I have way too much brace height on it. I had the string made for it at a pro shop a decade and two years ago. (It doesn't see a lot of use and is still in very good shape, believe it or not.) They made it the same length as what was on it then, so it was already wrong at that point. I already had all the twist out of the string, so there is nothing left to untwist. How do I determine the length of string to have made for it? It is a 62" bow. Timm said something about subtracting so many inches from the length of the bow, but I don't remember the specifics. I removed the bowfishing reel today as I haven't done much bowfishing the last couple of years and want to tinker with shooting it with real arrows.

Part deaux. My dad gave me this bow a long time ago as he didn't use it anymore. He used to use it for bowfishing when he was younger and doesn't remember where he got it. When I showed it to Timm, he was showing me his new Bear Grizzly that he shoots 3d with. I told him, meet your bows ancestor. I decided to research the bow today to see if I could find out when it was made. It's a Bear Grizzly, 62", 52# ( I assume this is at 28"???), factory camo model. My research has shown that this bow was made in Sept. of 1962 at the Bear Grayling plant. It is in excellent condition, all decals are intact and still has the original factory leather grip (with some wear on edges and a couple of wear holes in it) and what appears to be a factory installed leather and brush Bear rest. I've always used that rest as it works great for my bowfishing arrows. The only real detraction is the medallion is missing off the riser. I looked on ebay and couldn't find a camo model, but guess its resale worth at about $130-150. I'm not selling it. The question is: Would you shoot this bow? or Would you display it and not take a chance of something happening to it? I know it's sound as I've been shooting it for 12 years. That has been light shooting with extremely heavy fiberglass arrows, however. Just wondered what you stick and string guys would do. I want to tinker with traditional, but with the current employment situation, or lack thereof, can't spring for a bow now. Thoughts, suggestions, heckling, all welcome.