Fred Bear facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fred Bear
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Fred Bear (R) and Jim Henderson (L) in 1946
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| Born | March 5, 1902 |
| Died | April 27, 1988 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | bow hunter & bowyer television host |
| Known for | Archery and hunting |
Fred Bear (born March 5, 1902 – died April 27, 1988) was a famous American bow hunter. He also made bows, wrote books, and hosted TV shows.
Fred was born in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. He didn't start bow hunting until he was 29 years old. It took him many years to become really good at it. Even so, many people see him as a true pioneer in the world of bow hunting.
Fred Bear traveled all over the world. He made films about his adventures. He also started a company called Bear Archery. This company still makes outdoor gear today. Fred Bear passed away in Gainesville, Florida. He is honored in the Bowhunters Hall of Fame.
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Fred Bear's Amazing Career
Fred Bear was born on a farmhouse in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on March 5, 1902. He was the second of three children. His family had roots from England, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Germany.
Early in his life, Fred worked for the Chrysler Company in Detroit. He made glue there. During the Great Depression (a time when many people lost their jobs), the factory where he worked caught fire. This left him without a job.
Fred and a friend named Chuck, who also worked at the factory, decided to start their own business. They put together $1,200. This was a lot of money back then! They opened their bow-making business in a garage. This is how the Bear Archery Company began in 1933.
In 1947, Fred and his wife moved to Grayling, Michigan. They lived in a tent by a river to save money. They worked hard to make their bow business successful. Even in 1961, it was tough for Fred to make enough money. But things got better in the years that followed. More states started allowing bow hunting. The sport grew steadily, and so did Fred's business.
How Fred Got Into Bowhunting
Fred's interest in bowhunting grew after he met Art Young. Art Young was another famous hunter from the Pope & Young Club. Fred met him in Michigan in the late 1920s. Fred often called Art his hero.
Fred's first big bowhunting success was a Michigan whitetail deer in 1935. After that, he traveled the world with his bow. He met thousands of bowhunters. He taught them about the sport and encouraged them.
Fred also appeared on television. His first TV show was Arthur Godfrey and His Friends. Later, he was on The American Sportsman and The Tonight Show. He also made several films about bowhunting in different parts of the world.
In 1968, Fred sold most of his company. But he stayed on as the chairman. In 1978, the Bear Archery factory moved to Gainesville, Florida. This happened after some problems with workers.
Fred Bear's Final Years
Later in his life, Fred Bear had a lung problem called emphysema. He also had a heart attack while living in Florida. He went to a hospital in Gainesville. He stayed there for a month. Fred passed away after another heart attack on April 27, 1988.
His body was cremated. His ashes were spread near the AuSable River in Northern Lower Michigan. This was a place where Fred loved to fish with a fly rod.
Fred Bear's Lasting Impact
Fred Bear was a true inventor. On January 12, 1954, he received a patent for his special "Composite Archery Bow." This showed his skill in designing bows.
Fred Bear is remembered in many ways. The hard rock musician Ted Nugent wrote a song called "Fred Bear." It's on his album Spirit of the Wild. Ted Nugent was a friend of Fred Bear.
Fred also wrote for popular magazines like Outdoor Life and Archery Magazine. He shared his knowledge and stories with many readers.
The town of Grayling, Michigan was very important to Fred Bear. It was home to him and his company, Bear Archery.
The Fred Bear Museum
| Established | 1967 |
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| Location | Springfield, Missouri |
| Type | Hunting |
The Fred Bear Museum first opened in Grayling, Michigan in 1967. Over time, it became the largest private collection of archery items in the world.
At first, the museum stayed in Grayling when the factory moved. But in 1985, the museum also moved to Gainesville, Florida. It found a new home inside the Bear Archery plant.
The museum in Gainesville closed in 2003. Its amazing collection was then sold to the Bass Pro Shops company.
Since then, the Fred Bear Museum has been displayed at the main Bass Pro Shops store in Springfield, Missouri. The exhibits tell the story of Fred Bear and the history of bowhunting. You can see life-size animal displays, old hunting tools, some of Fred's trophies, and bows and arrows he used or made.
The exhibit was temporarily closed for a while because an aquarium was being built in the same building. Now, many items from the Fred Bear Museum are part of the Archery Hall of Fame and Museum. This museum is located on the upper floor of the Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World.
Fred Bear was also the first president of Detroit Archers. This is Michigan's oldest archery club. A small collection of his items is kept in their clubhouse. One very special item was a polar bear skin. Fred had hunted this polar bear with an arrow. Sadly, in 2006, the Detroit Archers clubhouse was broken into, and the polar bear skin was stolen. The police are still looking for it.
