I met Fred Bear in 1978. I went to an archery shoot in Clinton Indiana. It was called Bowhunters Jamboree. They had a night time shoot where you shot with a buddy. A light was shined on the targets at unmarked yardage. The targets were 2d perine targets. this was before mckensie and rhinehart 3d targets. This was before the IBO and ASA. I won the shoot and Fred Bear signed my bows and arrow quiver. I shook his hand and he gave me a signed photo of a bear he took, I think it was in Alaska. I am an old man now and I have pictures of meeting him and just glad I have those memories. Can't believe that's been 45 years now.
I was a scout counselor and taught archery merit badge (amongst others) back in the early 1970s. I unfortunately left my Bear Archery Kodiak Hunter bow strung one day and in the heat the limbs warped. I contacted Bear Archery and sent them the bow. A few weeks later, I received a brand new Bear Kodiak Hunter bow, with a hand written letter by Fred Bear!! I still have that bow, and the letter is framed and hanging on the wall in my office!
I'm in possession of what is supposed to be one of Fred Bears first homemade Flemish string winders. I'm 66 years old now and I still bow hunt today. I have a Bear Polar takedown and use it for bow fishing.
I bought my first bear takedown from Frank Scott 1970 and still use it today and I'm disappointed in the fact that they use someone else's voice to represent Fred Bear and they Place compound bows and then and then show a 1949 when he was still making bows they didn't put it in proper order and I think that he would have been happy to see that the industry is doing what it's doing today and it was because of him and the one and being the first person to put fiberglass on the limbs which form the whole industry into the new era not only a great hunter great merchandiser businessman and magnanimous person
Frank Scott another famous (at the time) name in the archery world. I have a few old Bear archery recurves. I grew up always wanting that takedown recurve he shot . I always watched his shows on tv making some incredible shots . The man Howard Hill you don’t hear about anymore.
My first bow was a Bear Whitetail Hunter that I found while pheasant hunting, 35 years ago. It was dirty and worn, but cleaned up well and got me into bow shooting. My mentor made me shoot at a matchbook and discouraged me from hunting until I could group in it out to 40 yards. Now, 35 years later and retired, I still love the hunt. In Kansas, it’s easy to bag deer. But like Fred, just being in the field makes the experience a good one. The legend continues; he is the G.O.A.T.
My family moved to Grayling Michigan in '76. I met Fred when my dad went out to coffee. He really was a cool dude. This really is a documentary is really about Fred. Bear Archery has a little different story. I think they were the first to introduce the compound bow (the one with all the pulley) which was very important to the industry. Also, the strike in the late 70s. Bear Archery was located in Grayling, "the gateway to the Great North", the town breathed bow hunting. (Grayling closed school for first day of hunting season). There was a strike that really hit the town hard (from what i remember). Bear Archery ended up moving to Gainsville Fl. To Grayling it would be like NASCAR moving its Headquarters to Mongolia. It was a slap in the face. Bear Archery in Florida?!? Wow. They are still in Gainsville and have friends who still work there. The Fred Bear Museum, still located in Grayling closed recently. I still have bad feelings about that move but im old and will not be around much longer and everything is impermanent. And so it goes.
I started shooting bows in the mid 1970s. I had the book with Fred’s picture on the cover, I still have it. There was something familiar about his face. I never did get to meet Fred. I was reading his Biography a couple of years ago. I discovered his mother and I share the same last name. I checked my family tree and there she was. I got my old Fred Bear book out and compared his picture with my Grandfather and great uncles. Fred looked like some of them. Especially the noise and eyes. That’s why his picture looked familiar back in the 70’s. This was really a great production and and great tribute to Fred.
I shot my first bow at age 6 at a deep creek lake archery shop in 1960...I've owned dozens of his bows since then...and respect the legend long after his passing...the world is a better place because of him.
I still hunting with a bear Kodiak started with a grizzly at age 14. Fred bear is my idol and because of him I now make some of the finest handmade bows on the east coast! Great story love to hear more about him!
I just received a bear super grizzly from my girlfriend’s grandfather, and while I knew it was a treasure, learning about Fred really solidifies how special of a gift it is. Thanks for making this.
I met Fred Bear once at an outdoor festival in Houghton Lake Michigan. I was star struck. I'm a good sized man and he was in his 70s but I recall his hand shake was like a vice
I believe all of Bears products are still made in the USA. This proves a company can still manufacture in the USA and make an exceptional product at a great value price.
Anderson Archery always held a open house in mid June and Fred Bear was always the star attraction. I was 12 or in my early teens when my Mom took my friend and I to Andersons to meet Fred...Ed and I showed up with our kodiak bows , I had a #45 hunter and Ed had the magnum...Fred signed our bows and took time asking questions of Ed and I making us feel special. As we walked back thru the line everyone was asking Ed and I "what did he say" etc etc..I still have that signed bow today but, Fred was smart and understood that the younger generation was important to growing the sport. He truly is the Father of modern Archery.
I'm 58 , been bow hunting since I was 18 . I live in Michigan and always went by Fred Bear Museam in Grayling on the way to our property in Kalkaska . I will bow hunt until the day I die .
In my early years of archery, I looked up to this man in so many ways. He was an inspiration for me to pursue bowhunting. I started with a recurve, then graduated to a compound later on. I now have returned to a recurve for target shooting and some deer hunting. One of my recurves is a Bear Kodiak Hunter which I shoot instinctively, just like I did so many years ago. It is truly amazing how well a person can do something well, even after decades of inactivity. The subconscious mind and muscle memory just seem to take over. I found that after I tuned my recurve to the right arrows, I could hit tiny targets just by concentrating on a tiny spot and letting instinct take over in the same manner Fred Bear explains in this interview. Thanks for sharing this video and posting it. As a hunter and outdoorsman I appreciate it.
Thank you for this .Fred's name is fading as for the interview with who ever at the bear plant .nothing but horseshit came out of his mouth he never knew Fred unfortunately once bear left Michigan it was the beginning of the end of there dominance in the archer arena . Like a lot of other companies they forfeited quality for money and they never came back from that. Fred was a good person like most people from that generation. His house down here was like a museum remember him telling me about how the polar bear in his bedroom got its revenge by catching Fred's toe one nite on his way to the bathroom . It was a pleasure to have known Fred he touched alot of people and help many find enjoyment in archery and the wild in general. His name may be fading but his legacy will never die
Spot on as to the quality of the Bows built ''' after Fred era'''' Compare a Bear Recurve built today to the same Model built decades ago & it becomes very clear where these Weasles cut cost as well as craftsmanship..THE WOOD & FINAL FINISH''' Being a Bow maker myself for many years you understand the importance of seeking out the best looking figured woods you can '''esp''' for your higher end Bows. Theres much more I could say on this, just trying to be breif as can be. & would love for all the higher up,s at Bear Archery to read this. I was 10 or 11 when Bear did sort of a siminar at Henderson Archery in Phoenix Az,,,,this was pre training wheel days. Bought my first real Bow there'''a Grizzly'' not real fancy, but not plane jane ugly either. I cut many yards & other small jobs to finally come up with the $46.00 needed to buy my new Bow. & as much as I liked that Grizzly''''killed 1,st Deer with it at age 12 ''Bear Arrow''With Razor Head''' My main focus was to one day make enough $$$ to buy one of the higher end models with the beautiful wood & high gloss finish used back than. Now myself being a Left Handed shooter makes it very difficult to find what I really want. Much time is spent on line today searching for a 60-70,s Model L-hand, Super Kodiak Black Beauty 1'' piece as well as Freds take down model. Still looking.. Personal best find to date came from an estate sale as''N.O.S'' new old stock,, never been strung. Super Mag 48'' granted not a black beauty but very close with darker figured wood throughout & this blueish tint colored accent glass that makes it a stunning work of art first & a perfect weapon of choice second. Unless maintence or a string change I Never unstring this Bow & I shoot it most everyday. Again, sorry I went into overtime here but your comment just kind of spoke to me as spot on as to the way these greedy idiots have raped the company. So if you happen to read this Mr. C.E.O. If you are going to charge me over $1000,00 + for a Super Kodiak it damn well better have at least the finish & high grade wood such as Bubinga, Rose, Ebony,etc....Not a dull thin finish over the top of random picked straight grain wood which may be fine if you were making canoe paddles or baseball bats, But has no place being used on what was Freds best top of the line Bows. If Fred could arise today & see how you all have degraded his company & product line with insane prices for the UGLY you build today, I believe it very safe to say your position & others Im sure would forever be in the rear view mirror none to soon...Just sayin....& thanks Justin for your comment which gave me my chance to Vent a little..CHEERS from mid Mo. my friend...
I remember my dad buying my brothers and I fiberglass Bear bows which we’d shoot at targets in our backyard. Thank you Fred Bear for bringing archery and bow hunting to the masses.
In 1990 I bought a 3rd hand bear whitetail ll I learned to shoot instinctively as I had no one to teach me about peep and pen sights I was just a 15 year old boy and I was glammered going into Pop Creasons archery shop just a few miles from where I was born I saw pictures (Polaroid) of Fred bear and Ted Nuggent standing in the shop. That was the start of my archery hunting and I'm so glad I've passed my love on to my sons.
I found a bear archery whitetail hunter from the 80's in a free pile while walking my dog. I took it home and liked it enough that I bought a new compound bow which led to me moving to another state and completely jumping timelines. This documentary made my day
I was lucky enough to meet Fred bear back in the mid 80’s at a Bow rendezvous in Michigan. I had a OG mag riser with take down limbs when I was around 12 and used it many good years of hunting. Now 50 I am planning on getting back into it although now a resident in Australia bow hunting is a bit harder to do due not many people do it here. Fred Bear left a huge mark on me. Great documentary mate.
When I was 13 I met Fred Bear very nice man very intelligent God rest his soul he is sorely missed in the bow hunting world and I don't bow hunt and I know of him I want a bow hunt but I don't have a bow . Fred Bear may he rest in peace in the arms of God you are sorely missed fredbear may God bless
I read Fred's book so long ago that I forget the title . My archery instructor and coach , from up in Michigan, introduced me to shooting bare- bow and he talked a lot about Fred Bear . How to aim , how to make arrows ,fletching, bow strings and just about everything archery related was in his first book .
I am 70 years old. My single most enjoyable moment watching a hunting show was a episode of American Sportsman. It was an episode of Fred Bear hunting the Kodiak Brown Bear. He stalked the bear and dispatched it with a single shot at 40 yards.
Fred Bear and Ted Nugent we’re great inspirations growing up here in Michigan as a boy, so was Fred Trost of Michigan out of Doors , promoting Both family values and respect for the great of door’s through hunting , fishing , conservation and management . The world needs more true sportsmen as spokesmen .
Ted nugent is a disgrace and a chomo I’m not sure why just because someone holds one set of seemingly “right wing” set of beliefs we as the hunting and gun community we deify them the guy adopted underaged children for the purpose of sex trafficking them . Want to protect our children keep them away from Ted nugent , mentioning Fred bear in the same sentence as that pervert is a disgrace
Good for you man, to bring out a legacy that after death, a person can be forgotten. legacy is when somebody dies, and they're thoughts and their ideas and their humanity has not been forgotten. That is a legacy. Not too many of us can say that we will form a legacy. I wish I could say that I had a legacy, but i'm a nobody. Something always that will be remembered is a legacy. And I know Fred bear is that person. I'm not popular so But fred bear, changed the world as bow hunting has known it, that is a pure legacy. Thank you for your research, and. Time To do this short documentary.
Fred was asked if he liked Ted and Fred said mo I deal with him cuz he is too loud and wastes too much energy plus takes alot of drug adled money from kids to play guitar. That was told to me at starlight archery at the end of his life while I practiced shooting my bow with Fred and his wife too. He would give advice and coach people to shot his bows there and even give autographs up front behind the glass cases Close to the cash register there on 8 and 1/2 mile road on Groesbeck ave. He was laid back and talked soft shot left handed. Great man perfect archer.
I never had the opportunity to meet Fred Bear, however, I did meet Glenn St Charles and Jay Massay. Also, I worked with Keith Clemmons who hunted with Glenn, Fred, and Bob Lee on the Little Delta River, Alaska. Dick Macintyre owned Frontier Flying Service and flew them out to the hunting grounds. I worked at Dick's Gunshop in the mid 70's.
I inherited a vintage Bear Glass Powered Polar 64” recurve bow from my great grandfather about 15 years ago. I’ve been target shooting with it and even took a few pigeons on my family’s farm. I am going to hunt large game with it this coming season. There really isn’t anything like traditional archery and bow hunting!
I hunt with a 74 pound bear grizzly and let me tell you what it feels right,time and patience always blesses the mind,great video,long live" Fred 🐻 bear"
I still have my first hunting bow, a magnum 48 with fascore in 50# from the 70s. I also have that bow in 55# my father's bow from the same period. I've been bow hunting since 1977 and Fred is one of the main reasons we started bow hunting and continue to do so.
I have a very nice Bear Grizzly made in 1954 with Fred Bear's signature and a nice silver medallion on the center riser section. I have many bows from many manufactures and it is still my favorite for hunting and practice. As I get older I am not able to shoot it as long as I used to due to the draw weight. My Bear Compound bow is a lot easier for me to use in that respect, but I think the recurve bow he made were the most beautiful and functional. I have never been disappointed by a Bear bow even when I cringed at the price tag, I was always happy with the purchase which is something I can't say from other bow brands.
Both my first two bows were Bear ! A recurve when I was six . And a compound when I was in my early teens ! I shot 9 deer with that compound before I bought another bow of different make . I gave it to another young hunter and as far as I know he still hunts with it ? Thanks Fred for all you have done !
My first bow was a Bear 50 lb recurve .. I was 12 .. I am now 53 .. I learned to shoot on that bow ... I wish I still had it . Great stuff . Thanks for posting .
Bear was truly one of the greatest archer that ever lived I'll tell you of another one I've even owned his bows That's Howard Hill another great archer we could learn a lot from these two men we just listen
Wow. Thank you for working to keep the legacy of Fred Bear Live, I believe you are doing a great service to bowhunting and particularly traditional bowhunting ❤️
I'm 1 minute into this vid and already liked and subbed. I'm also staring at my autographed Fred Bear bow in my office and longing for old times.........
He was a icon / god and he was South paw like me . I started with a Bear recurve bow . Then I got my first compound bow . I always go back to my recurve bow . Thank you Fred Bear .
I don't have a trophy room or even a shoulder mount of a whitetail deer. I do have a few Euro mounted 8 points and a collection of spike and 4 point cut off antlers. I also practice a strict code of ethics concerning. Young deer and doe that have young deer with them. And alot of times this results in tag sandwich for lunch on January 2nd. However I would still have a feeling of success by just being in the woods or discovering sign and setting up to hunt said sign and seeing deer within distance for success. Hearing the great Fred Bear refer to this as a successful day gave me some comfort. Awesome video folks and thanks!
I was hoping the motor city mad man would be mentioned. My best friend and I had fiberglass recurves in ? Late 60s, early 70s. Had a few compounds till my back put a kink in the fun.
I'm 60 years old my frist bow was a Bear 35lb pound compound breakdown. My brother won it in a raffle at his work at Murray Ohio in Lawrenceburg Tennessee. Gave him 15 bucks for it .killed my first 2 deer with it ..there's a real sad story about how I lost it. I have a old video of Fred Bear hunts after watching this I hope I can find it.
Great post. I was raised next door to an amazing man named Earl Eurik & he & Fred knew each other very well. This post put puzzle parts together & a time line for Me Earl made bows for the colleges of The Big 10 .Earl shot in competition with Fred & made him bows as well..I was sitting in Earl living room one day listening to stories between he & Fred & I had No Idea who he was talking to. Fred offered Earl a designer job when he started his company but Earl turned it down because he was working in the Auto industry - security..because at the time archery hadn't taken off yet Earl & Fred remained friends till death. I also knew a man for 20 + yrs..ex boss who shared when he was a kid- a troubled kid in trouble..& Fred & his wife would take him tree trimming ( Christmas trees) packed brown paper bag lunch..& share the word of God....My friend never forgot their love, the brown bag and trimming trees with them.... At 41:41 of this video Fred describes Earl... The basement, the craftsmanship, etc. Yep.
Fred Bear was the real thing. The REAL thing. He lived archery hunting. He thought archery hunting. He breathed archery hunting. Other people contributed to the sport, but Fred Bear WAS the sport. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
What a master of what we know as hunting with a bow few such as me have valued this all I've have done probably 60 plus kills in my freezer over the years elk deer antelope coyotes , absolute gold
There I was back in the wild again And I felt right at home, where I belong I had that feeling, coming over me again Just like it happened so many times before, eh The Spirit of the Woods is like an old good friend Makes me feel warm and good inside And I knew his name and it was good to see him again Cause in the wind he's still alive Oh Fred Bear
To me Fred Bear was just a name that I had heard and never really looked into him so for the longest time I guess you could say he was a nobody to me NOW after watching this I want to get on his level and keep at archery despite the hardwork that means I'll have to do.
@@BowHunterPlanet I, at the moment that is, can only think of ONE other archer that seems to be on Fred Bear's level: Lars Andersen. I think a year ago or so he shot SEVEN arrows through a FRICKIN' KEY HOLE CONTINUOUSLY!! That is SOOOO crazy!
When he said that Fred Bear would probably say that archery today is way over priced, I answer AMEN!!!!!!!!!! When Cabelas bought up Bowhunter Discount Warehouse I knew it would be the end of affordable archery and not good for archery in general. Kudos to Ted "Cat Scratch Fever" Nugent!!
I didn't know him but I saw him fishing on the Au Sable River a couple times. What was a hoot was the Fred Bear Museum. It had a lot of the things he shot and video clips, along with their biological names. However, it also had fake stuff mixed in with fake real-sounding biological names. I remember a few like the Prairie Pike with feet pointing in opposite directions that made it hard to track when it was out of the water, the Tree Bear that was a miniature bear, Alaskan Fur Bearing Trout with its dark eyes, white fur, and black leather fins. Bear Archery was really the only bow name that people knew who were shot a bow for taking game. The rest were no-names bows for kids or shooting fish.
Bear is also the Longest running Archery Company in the USA, if York had been able to keep going in the 1980's when Compound and early takedown target specific bows only was the trend among hunters and target archers then they would have the title. However, the main shape and design of the Bear Grizzly in 1964 has not changed since that date, maybe only in wood and paints on the bows but the shape has only micro changes thus not enough to say that is a new model and is the longest running model of bow on the market.
I have a 1967 left handed Bear Recurve. It's like 63 inches long and pulls around 90 lbs at 34-36 inches.. I was told it was rare in that poundage and draw.. I know it is hard to find strings and full draw arrows for it and it will turn a regular 32 inch wooden arrow into a splintered boomerang. Not that I can draw it to full draw but, thick walled aluminum shafts are the only thing I will send down it. Been shooting it since I was 12. Consistent placement and predictable in most conditions and has served me and the previous owner very well in the last 57 years. A true piece of art.
I bought a Super Kodiak a few years ago. The bows I remember from the 60' had tapered edges on the limbs. Not anymore. These guys at Bear are all about making money. Like the gun industry, cheaper is better.
I killed my first deer with a Bear Whitetail Hunter in 1987. I could out shoot most hot shots with their expensive bows at the time. That bow was cheap, but was quiet enough to be a better bow than the faster, loud-ass cam bows of the time. Now I shoot a Montana longbow. I will NEVER, freakin' EVER, use a release. Might as well shoot a crossbow.
I bought a whitetail hunter from Bob's Archery in Aurora, Co in 1992 or 3. I was stump shooting near Morrison, Co. a little while later and a huge orange bear came out of the woods (yeah, I'm serious he was orange past his midriff; I think it was because that summer we had like 40 days over 107 or 110 heat index). Man, I was terrified but I didn't run. Later in Denver, Co my Uncle said it was good I didn't run. I had a great whitetail hunt in Iowa with that bow. Wish I still had it.
I met Fred Bear in 1978. I went to an archery shoot in Clinton Indiana. It was called Bowhunters Jamboree. They had a night time shoot where you shot with a buddy. A light was shined on the targets at unmarked yardage. The targets were 2d perine targets. this was before mckensie and rhinehart 3d targets. This was before the IBO and ASA. I won the shoot and Fred Bear signed my bows and arrow quiver. I shook his hand and he gave me a signed photo of a bear he took, I think it was in Alaska. I am an old man now and I have pictures of meeting him and just glad I have those memories. Can't believe that's been 45 years now.
Thanks for sharing your experience with Fred Bear.
I was a scout counselor and taught archery merit badge (amongst others) back in the early 1970s.
I unfortunately left my Bear Archery Kodiak Hunter bow strung one day and in the heat the limbs warped.
I contacted Bear Archery and sent them the bow. A few weeks later, I received a brand new Bear Kodiak Hunter bow, with a hand written letter by Fred Bear!!
I still have that bow, and the letter is framed and hanging on the wall in my office!
Lucky man
A fine man.
I'm in possession of what is supposed to be one of Fred Bears first homemade Flemish string winders. I'm 66 years old now and I still bow hunt today. I have a Bear Polar takedown and use it for bow fishing.
Amazing!
I bought my first bear takedown from Frank Scott 1970 and still use it today and I'm disappointed in the fact that they use someone else's voice to represent Fred Bear and they Place compound bows and then and then show a 1949 when he was still making bows they didn't put it in proper order and I think that he would have been happy to see that the industry is doing what it's doing today and it was because of him and the one and being the first person to put fiberglass on the limbs which form the whole industry into the new era not only a great hunter great merchandiser businessman and magnanimous person
@@johnbottone4996Punctuation is our friend.
Never sell that bow, my friend! Good for you!
Frank Scott another famous (at the time) name in the archery world.
I have a few old Bear archery recurves. I grew up always wanting that takedown recurve he shot .
I always watched his shows on tv making some incredible shots . The man Howard Hill you don’t hear about anymore.
Hero’s get remembered but legends never die.
My first bow was a Bear Whitetail Hunter that I found while pheasant hunting, 35 years ago. It was dirty and worn, but cleaned up well and got me into bow shooting. My mentor made me shoot at a matchbook and discouraged me from hunting until I could group in it out to 40 yards. Now, 35 years later and retired, I still love the hunt. In Kansas, it’s easy to bag deer. But like Fred, just being in the field makes the experience a good one. The legend continues; he is the G.O.A.T.
Fred Bear is a legend.
He will forever be the father of modern archery.
Thanks for this video.
Samurai n mongols.. N native Americans were . n are still the best.
My house is full of bear bows, from recurves to the first compounds and up to the 2020 species, bear for life.
My family moved to Grayling Michigan in '76. I met Fred when my dad went out to coffee. He really was a cool dude.
This really is a documentary is really about Fred. Bear Archery has a little different story. I think they were the first to introduce the compound bow (the one with all the pulley) which was very important to the industry. Also, the strike in the late 70s. Bear Archery was located in Grayling, "the gateway to the Great North", the town breathed bow hunting. (Grayling closed school for first day of hunting season). There was a strike that really hit the town hard (from what i remember). Bear Archery ended up moving to Gainsville Fl. To Grayling it would be like NASCAR moving its Headquarters to Mongolia. It was a slap in the face. Bear Archery in Florida?!? Wow.
They are still in Gainsville and have friends who still work there.
The Fred Bear Museum, still located in Grayling closed recently.
I still have bad feelings about that move but im old and will not be around much longer and everything is impermanent. And so it goes.
I started shooting bows in the mid 1970s. I had the book with Fred’s picture on the cover, I still have it. There was something familiar about his face. I never did get to meet Fred. I was reading his Biography a couple of years ago. I discovered his mother and I share the same last name. I checked my family tree and there she was. I got my old Fred Bear book out and compared his picture with my Grandfather and great uncles. Fred looked like some of them. Especially the noise and eyes. That’s why his picture looked familiar back in the 70’s. This was really a great production and and great tribute to Fred.
I shot my first bow at age 6 at a deep creek lake archery shop in 1960...I've owned dozens of his bows since then...and respect the legend long after his passing...the world is a better place because of him.
I still hunting with a bear Kodiak started with a grizzly at age 14. Fred bear is my idol and because of him I now make some of the finest handmade bows on the east coast! Great story love to hear more about him!
What is Fred Bear to me to me he is a legend. Honestly if all young men could emulate him this country would be in such a better place.
But, with fewer deer, turkey, bear,elk, etc.etc
I just received a bear super grizzly from my girlfriend’s grandfather, and while I knew it was a treasure, learning about Fred really solidifies how special of a gift it is. Thanks for making this.
I met Fred Bear once at an outdoor festival in Houghton Lake Michigan.
I was star struck. I'm a good sized man and he was in his 70s but I recall his hand shake was like a vice
I was there at the Michigan bow hunter jamboree when Ted Nugent sang the Fred Bear song, I think,for the first time in public.
I was there in Harrison Mi at the fairgrounds and yes that was the first time he sang that song in public
I believe all of Bears products are still made in the USA. This proves a company can still manufacture in the USA and make an exceptional product at a great value price.
Anderson Archery always held a open house in mid June and Fred Bear was always the star attraction. I was 12 or in my early teens when my Mom took my friend and I to Andersons to meet Fred...Ed and I showed up with our kodiak bows , I had a #45 hunter and Ed had the magnum...Fred signed our bows and took time asking questions of Ed and I making us feel special. As we walked back thru the line everyone was asking Ed and I "what did he say" etc etc..I still have that signed bow today but, Fred was smart and understood that the younger generation was important to growing the sport. He truly is the Father of modern Archery.
I'm 58 , been bow hunting since I was 18 . I live in Michigan and always went by Fred Bear Museam in Grayling on the way to our property in Kalkaska . I will bow hunt until the day I die .
In my early years of archery, I looked up to this man in so many ways. He was an inspiration for me to pursue bowhunting. I started with a recurve, then graduated to a compound later on. I now have returned to a recurve for target shooting and some deer hunting. One of my recurves is a Bear Kodiak Hunter which I shoot instinctively, just like I did so many years ago. It is truly amazing how well a person can do something well, even after decades of inactivity. The subconscious mind and muscle memory just seem to take over. I found that after I tuned my recurve to the right arrows, I could hit tiny targets just by concentrating on a tiny spot and letting instinct take over in the same manner Fred Bear explains in this interview. Thanks for sharing this video and posting it. As a hunter and outdoorsman I appreciate it.
If you live in Michigan and bow hunt , you probably own a bear bow. It was my first bow and now I have 5 and getting ready to buy a new one soon !!!
I am now 75, but when I was in my late teens I owned and hunted with a BEAR Kodiak Recurve. This was BEFORE they came out with the compound bows.
Thank you for this .Fred's name is fading as for the interview with who ever at the bear plant .nothing but horseshit came out of his mouth he never knew Fred unfortunately once bear left Michigan it was the beginning of the end of there dominance in the archer arena . Like a lot of other companies they forfeited quality for money and they never came back from that. Fred was a good person like most people from that generation. His house down here was like a museum remember him telling me about how the polar bear in his bedroom got its revenge by catching Fred's toe one nite on his way to the bathroom . It was a pleasure to have known Fred he touched alot of people and help many find enjoyment in archery and the wild in general. His name may be fading but his legacy will never die
Spot on as to the quality of the Bows built ''' after Fred era'''' Compare a Bear Recurve built today to the same Model built decades ago & it becomes very clear where these Weasles cut cost as well as craftsmanship..THE WOOD & FINAL FINISH''' Being a Bow maker myself for many years you understand the importance of seeking out the best looking figured woods you can '''esp''' for your higher end Bows. Theres much more I could say on this, just trying to be breif as can be. & would love for all the higher up,s at Bear Archery to read this. I was 10 or 11 when Bear did sort of a siminar at Henderson Archery in Phoenix Az,,,,this was pre training wheel days. Bought my first real Bow there'''a Grizzly'' not real fancy, but not plane jane ugly either. I cut many yards & other small jobs to finally come up with the $46.00 needed to buy my new Bow. & as much as I liked that Grizzly''''killed 1,st Deer with it at age 12 ''Bear Arrow''With Razor Head''' My main focus was to one day make enough $$$ to buy one of the higher end models with the beautiful wood & high gloss finish used back than. Now myself being a Left Handed shooter makes it very difficult to find what I really want. Much time is spent on line today searching for a 60-70,s Model L-hand, Super Kodiak Black Beauty 1'' piece as well as Freds take down model. Still looking.. Personal best find to date came from an estate sale as''N.O.S'' new old stock,, never been strung. Super Mag 48'' granted not a black beauty but very close with darker figured wood throughout & this blueish tint colored accent glass that makes it a stunning work of art first & a perfect weapon of choice second. Unless maintence or a string change I Never unstring this Bow & I shoot it most everyday. Again, sorry I went into overtime here but your comment just kind of spoke to me as spot on as to the way these greedy idiots have raped the company. So if you happen to read this Mr. C.E.O. If you are going to charge me over $1000,00 + for a Super Kodiak it damn well better have at least the finish & high grade wood such as Bubinga, Rose, Ebony,etc....Not a dull thin finish over the top of random picked straight grain wood which may be fine if you were making canoe paddles or baseball bats, But has no place being used on what was Freds best top of the line Bows. If Fred could arise today & see how you all have degraded his company & product line with insane prices for the UGLY you build today, I believe it very safe to say your position & others Im sure would forever be in the rear view mirror none to soon...Just sayin....& thanks Justin for your comment which gave me my chance to Vent a little..CHEERS from mid Mo. my friend...
I remember my dad buying my brothers and I fiberglass Bear bows which we’d shoot at targets in our backyard. Thank you Fred Bear for bringing archery and bow hunting to the masses.
Fred Bear no doubt an American Icon...!
In 1990 I bought a 3rd hand bear whitetail ll I learned to shoot instinctively as I had no one to teach me about peep and pen sights I was just a 15 year old boy and I was glammered going into Pop Creasons archery shop just a few miles from where I was born I saw pictures (Polaroid) of Fred bear and Ted Nuggent standing in the shop. That was the start of my archery hunting and I'm so glad I've passed my love on to my sons.
I found a bear archery whitetail hunter from the 80's in a free pile while walking my dog. I took it home and liked it enough that I bought a new compound bow which led to me moving to another state and completely jumping timelines. This documentary made my day
I was lucky enough to meet Fred bear back in the mid 80’s at a Bow rendezvous in Michigan. I had a OG mag riser with take down limbs when I was around 12 and used it many good years of hunting. Now 50 I am planning on getting back into it although now a resident in Australia bow hunting is a bit harder to do due not many people do it here. Fred Bear left a huge mark on me. Great documentary mate.
When I was 13 I met Fred Bear very nice man very intelligent God rest his soul he is sorely missed in the bow hunting world and I don't bow hunt and I know of him I want a bow hunt but I don't have a bow .
Fred Bear may he rest in peace in the arms of God you are sorely missed fredbear may God bless
I read Fred's book so long ago that I forget the title . My archery instructor and coach , from up in Michigan, introduced me to shooting bare- bow and he talked a lot about Fred Bear . How to aim , how to make arrows ,fletching, bow strings and just about everything archery related was in his first book .
I am 70 years old. My single most enjoyable moment watching a hunting show was a episode of American Sportsman. It was an episode of Fred Bear hunting the Kodiak Brown Bear. He stalked the bear and dispatched it with a single shot at 40 yards.
Fred Bear and Ted Nugent we’re great inspirations growing up here in Michigan as a boy, so was Fred Trost of Michigan out of Doors , promoting Both family values and respect for the great of door’s through hunting , fishing , conservation and management .
The world needs more true sportsmen as spokesmen .
Ted nugent is a disgrace and a chomo I’m not sure why just because someone holds one set of seemingly “right wing” set of beliefs we as the hunting and gun community we deify them the guy adopted underaged children for the purpose of sex trafficking them . Want to protect our children keep them away from Ted nugent , mentioning Fred bear in the same sentence as that pervert is a disgrace
Good for you man, to bring out a legacy that after death, a person can be forgotten. legacy is when somebody dies, and they're thoughts and their ideas and their humanity has not been forgotten. That is a legacy. Not too many of us can say that we will form a legacy. I wish I could say that I had a legacy, but i'm a nobody. Something always that will be remembered is a legacy. And I know Fred bear is that person. I'm not popular so But fred bear, changed the world as bow hunting has known it, that is a pure legacy. Thank you for your research, and.
Time To do this short documentary.
We are all someone. Just have our own legacy of some sort 😉
@@BowHunterPlanet Thank you for your kind words...
it means a lot
I'm 56 years old and still deer hunt with my 55lbs Fred Bear recurve bow. I love it!
Still my idol !!! And I’m a 50yr now hunter and a Pennsylvania boy
I envy Ted,that he got to do all this with Fread Bear! What a great experience!!!
Fred was asked if he liked Ted and Fred said mo I deal with him cuz he is too loud and wastes too much energy plus takes alot of drug adled money from kids to play guitar. That was told to me at starlight archery at the end of his life while I practiced shooting my bow with Fred and his wife too. He would give advice and coach people to shot his bows there and even give autographs up front behind the glass cases
Close to the cash register there on 8 and 1/2 mile road on Groesbeck ave.
He was laid back and talked soft shot left handed. Great man perfect archer.
I shoot my recurve bow almost every day so yes I do think of Fred Bear everyday what a icon never will forget him thanks for the video
I never had the opportunity to meet Fred Bear, however, I did meet Glenn St Charles and Jay Massay. Also, I worked with Keith Clemmons who hunted with Glenn, Fred, and Bob Lee on the Little Delta River, Alaska. Dick Macintyre owned Frontier Flying Service and flew them out to the hunting grounds. I worked at Dick's Gunshop in the mid 70's.
In the 70s i read all i could about Fred and I have always cherished his knowledge and still use it today.
I inherited a vintage Bear Glass Powered Polar 64” recurve bow from my great grandfather about 15 years ago. I’ve been target shooting with it and even took a few pigeons on my family’s farm. I am going to hunt large game with it this coming season. There really isn’t anything like traditional archery and bow hunting!
That is awesome.
I hunt with a 74 pound bear grizzly and let me tell you what it feels right,time and patience always blesses the mind,great video,long live" Fred 🐻 bear"
I still have my first hunting bow, a magnum 48 with fascore in 50# from the 70s. I also have that bow in 55# my father's bow from the same period. I've been bow hunting since 1977 and Fred is one of the main reasons we started bow hunting and continue to do so.
I have a very nice Bear Grizzly made in 1954 with Fred Bear's signature and a nice silver medallion on the center riser section. I have many bows from many manufactures and it is still my favorite for hunting and practice. As I get older I am not able to shoot it as long as I used to due to the draw weight. My Bear Compound bow is a lot easier for me to use in that respect, but I think the recurve bow he made were the most beautiful and functional. I have never been disappointed by a Bear bow even when I cringed at the price tag, I was always happy with the purchase which is something I can't say from other bow brands.
Glad to hear uncle Ted mention Howard Hill.
He is a GAINT in Bow hunting history ,
He will ever be forgotten,
Rip Fred bear
Both my first two bows were Bear ! A recurve when I was six . And a compound when I was in my early teens ! I shot 9 deer with that compound before I bought another bow of different make . I gave it to another young hunter and as far as I know he still hunts with it ? Thanks Fred for all you have done !
At the musuem in craig Colorado, they have a fred bear bow, and apparently he hunted a lot in that area. Very cool!
Went to the Dred Bear museum 40 or so years ago.
It was Awesome!
Great man, great life.
So cool!
My first bow was a Bear 50 lb recurve .. I was 12 .. I am now 53 .. I learned to shoot on that bow ... I wish I still had it . Great stuff . Thanks for posting .
Bear was truly one of the greatest archer that ever lived I'll tell you of another one I've even owned his bows That's Howard Hill another great archer we could learn a lot from these two men we just listen
Wow. Thank you for working to keep the legacy of Fred Bear Live, I believe you are doing a great service to bowhunting and particularly traditional bowhunting ❤️
I'm 1 minute into this vid and already liked and subbed. I'm also staring at my autographed Fred Bear bow in my office and longing for old times.........
Bow hunting in the Great Lake state is still popular.Bear is a real legend here.
Speak to us Fred Bear we surly need you now.
"In the wind, he's still alive"
A really great video. Two of my father's heros Howard Hill, and Fred Bear two icons, of the hunting world!
Very good video. Learning new things about this great man and Hunter. Really enjoyed Ted's comment and luv for this man.
He was a icon / god and he was South paw like me . I started with a Bear recurve bow . Then I got my first compound bow . I always go back to my recurve bow . Thank you Fred Bear .
This is an amazing compilation of material, thank you for making it for all of us to enjoy
I don't have a trophy room or even a shoulder mount of a whitetail deer. I do have a few Euro mounted 8 points and a collection of spike and 4 point cut off antlers. I also practice a strict code of ethics concerning. Young deer and doe that have young deer with them. And alot of times this results in tag sandwich for lunch on January 2nd.
However I would still have a feeling of success by just being in the woods or discovering sign and setting up to hunt said sign and seeing deer within distance for success. Hearing the great Fred Bear refer to this as a successful day gave me some comfort.
Awesome video folks and thanks!
Ive got a Bear Kodiak bow. Its still in great shape.
Just a 1 of a kind guy
I was hoping the motor city mad man would be mentioned.
My best friend and I had fiberglass recurves in ? Late 60s, early 70s. Had a few compounds till my back put a kink in the fun.
My great uncle hunted with Fred.. heard stories of taping/gluing popsicle sticks to use as yardage sights.. legend
I'm 60 years old my frist bow was a Bear 35lb pound compound breakdown. My brother won it in a raffle at his work at Murray Ohio in Lawrenceburg Tennessee. Gave him 15 bucks for it .killed my first 2 deer with it ..there's a real sad story about how I lost it. I have a old video of Fred Bear hunts after watching this I hope I can find it.
Thank you so much for this episode!!!
Great post. I was raised next door to an amazing man named Earl Eurik & he & Fred knew each other very well. This post put puzzle parts together & a time line for Me
Earl made bows for the colleges of The Big 10 .Earl shot in competition with Fred & made him bows as well..I was sitting in Earl living room one day listening to stories between he & Fred & I had No Idea who he was talking to. Fred offered Earl a designer job when he started his company but Earl turned it down because he was working in the Auto industry - security..because at the time archery hadn't taken off yet Earl & Fred remained friends till death.
I also knew a man for 20 + yrs..ex boss who shared when he was a kid- a troubled kid in trouble..& Fred & his wife would take him tree trimming ( Christmas trees) packed brown paper bag lunch..& share the word of God....My friend never forgot their love, the brown bag and trimming trees with them....
At 41:41 of this video Fred describes Earl... The basement, the craftsmanship, etc. Yep.
These kinds of innovative men, only come once in a generation!
Fred Bear was the real thing. The REAL thing. He lived archery hunting. He thought archery hunting. He breathed archery hunting. Other people contributed to the sport, but Fred Bear WAS the sport.
Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
I have a Bear bow and after watching this video I'm inspired to string it up and shoot it again 🍻CHEERS
Wow! What an incredible production. There are so many things that I learned apart from watching his hunting DVD series
Great video! Fred Bear lives on.
That was great reminds me of a guy I seen making bows and arrows in his garage when I was a kid.
What a master of what we know as hunting with a bow few such as me have valued this all I've have done probably 60 plus kills in my freezer over the years elk deer antelope coyotes , absolute gold
Thank you for this. I just recently got interested in bow hunting and this really opened up my mind about what's possible
This video literally made me cry. This ia what being an American is about
There I was back in the wild again
And I felt right at home, where I belong
I had that feeling, coming over me again
Just like it happened so many times before, eh
The Spirit of the Woods is like an old good friend
Makes me feel warm and good inside
And I knew his name and it was good to see him again
Cause in the wind he's still alive
Oh Fred Bear
A lot of what Fred Bear accomplished was thanks to Glenn StCharles. Please do a video on Glenn and also Jay
Thank you so much,Fred 👊🏻🏹
I have two vintage Fred bear bows one is a take down with ebony limbs just beautiful
Waynesboro PA in the house. I’ll def say trad archery is going strong here at home.
To me Fred Bear was just a name that I had heard and never really looked into him so for the longest time I guess you could say he was a nobody to me NOW after watching this I want to get on his level and keep at archery despite the hardwork that means I'll have to do.
He was a big deal to the heritage of archery. Dedication and a life of archery achievement - he was amazing
@@BowHunterPlanet I, at the moment that is, can only think of ONE other archer that seems to be on Fred Bear's level: Lars Andersen. I think a year ago or so he shot SEVEN arrows through a FRICKIN' KEY HOLE CONTINUOUSLY!! That is SOOOO crazy!
When he said that Fred Bear would probably say that archery today is way over priced, I answer AMEN!!!!!!!!!! When Cabelas bought up Bowhunter Discount Warehouse I knew it would be the end of affordable archery and not good for archery in general. Kudos to Ted "Cat Scratch Fever" Nugent!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to put this together. So many wonderful memories. I love watching his old movies on RUclips.
My native Canadian grand father hunted with a bow made from willow
Awesome
Excellent and compelling testimonial - Thanks!
He was awesome cause he seemed so regular
You did a great job on this video. I learned alot about him thar I didn't even really know about Fred Bear. Thank you
Happy I found this 🎯❤️🏹
My first bow was a bear recurve my dad gave me. I have many memories with that bow in hand
Nice job, good advice from your brother in-law
I didn't know him but I saw him fishing on the Au Sable River a couple times. What was a hoot was the Fred Bear Museum. It had a lot of the things he shot and video clips, along with their biological names. However, it also had fake stuff mixed in with fake real-sounding biological names. I remember a few like the Prairie Pike with feet pointing in opposite directions that made it hard to track when it was out of the water, the Tree Bear that was a miniature bear, Alaskan Fur Bearing Trout with its dark eyes, white fur, and black leather fins. Bear Archery was really the only bow name that people knew who were shot a bow for taking game. The rest were no-names bows for kids or shooting fish.
RIP Fred Bear. The GOAT!
Bear is also the Longest running Archery Company in the USA, if York had been able to keep going in the 1980's when Compound and early takedown target specific bows only was the trend among hunters and target archers then they would have the title.
However, the main shape and design of the Bear Grizzly in 1964 has not changed since that date, maybe only in wood and paints on the bows but the shape has only micro changes thus not enough to say that is a new model and is the longest running model of bow on the market.
AWESOME VIDEO! THANK YOU!
I have a 1967 left handed Bear Recurve. It's like 63 inches long and pulls around 90 lbs at 34-36 inches.. I was told it was rare in that poundage and draw.. I know it is hard to find strings and full draw arrows for it and it will turn a regular 32 inch wooden arrow into a splintered boomerang. Not that I can draw it to full draw but, thick walled aluminum shafts are the only thing I will send down it. Been shooting it since I was 12. Consistent placement and predictable in most conditions and has served me and the previous owner very well in the last 57 years. A true piece of art.
I bought a Super Kodiak a few years ago. The bows I remember from the 60' had tapered edges on the limbs. Not anymore. These guys at Bear are all about making money. Like the gun industry, cheaper is better.
Lesser known but very influential himmself...Claud Pollington.
Several years back I called Bear in Florida to get some information about my Kodiak recurve. They were totally clueless.
My first bow was a Kodiak my Uncle gave me.
I killed my first deer with a Bear Whitetail Hunter in 1987. I could out shoot most hot shots with their expensive bows at the time. That bow was cheap, but was quiet enough to be a better bow than the faster, loud-ass cam bows of the time. Now I shoot a Montana longbow. I will NEVER, freakin' EVER, use a release. Might as well shoot a crossbow.
I bought a whitetail hunter from Bob's Archery in Aurora, Co in 1992 or 3. I was stump shooting near Morrison, Co. a little while later and a huge orange bear came out of the woods (yeah, I'm serious he was orange past his midriff; I think it was because that summer we had like 40 days over 107 or 110 heat index). Man, I was terrified but I didn't run. Later in Denver, Co my Uncle said it was good I didn't run. I had a great whitetail hunt in Iowa with that bow. Wish I still had it.
On March 5th 1902, a boy was born with a hat in one hand in a bow in the other.