Fred Bear

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Fred Bear (March 5, 1902 – April 27, 1988) was an American bow hunter and bow manufacturer. He was born March 5, 1902, in the town of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. Although he did not start bow hunting until he was 29 and did not master the skill for many years, he is widely regarded as what some people like to call "A by god legend" and pioneer in the bow-hunting community. Bear was a world traveler, film producer, and the founder of Bear Archery, an outdoor company that still exists.

He died April 27, 1988, in Gainesville, Florida. Bear is listed in the Bowhunters Hall of Fame.

Bear, probably best known for his work as a bowyer, has also been immortalized in the song "Fred Bear" from the album Spirit of the Wild by hard rock musician Ted Nugent, who was Bear's lifelong friend. The phrase "Oh Fred Bear guide our arrows home," was taken from this song and printed on Schenkel's Tinkles Guide Service T-Shirts in 2007. The song is known by most bow hunters and they have respect for him.

[edit] Fred Bear Museum

Fred Bear Museum
Established	1967
Location	{{{location}}}
Type	Sports

The Fred Bear Museum originated in Grayling, Michigan in 1967. Eventually the museum's collection represented the largest privately held collection of archery artifacts in the world. Bear sold controlling interest in his company in 1968, but continued on as President. In 1978, following a strike and continuing labor problems, the Bear Archery manufacturing operation was relocated to Gainesville, Florida. At first the museum remained behind in Grayling, but in 1985 it too was moved to Gainesville, where it found a home in the Bear Archery plant between Archer Road and Williston Road, just off of I-75. That museum closed in 2003, and the collections were sold to the Bass Pro Shops chain.^[1]

The current Fred Bear Museum is displayed at the headquarters store of Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri. Exhibits include the story of Fred Bear and bowhunting history, life-size animal mounts, bowhunting artifacts, some of his trophies and memorabilia, and historical bows and arrows used or built by Fred Bear and his company. However, this exhibit is temporarily closed due to the construction of an aquarium in the same building. It is scheduled to re-open in early 2010.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Fred Bear Bio
• Bear Archery
• A Tribute to Fred Bear
• Fred Bear Museum - Bass Pro Shops, official site