Interview with Papa Bear

[Pine]

This is worth the look see .

 

[Captain*Kirk]

WELL worth it! Thanks for posting!

[Dave Nash]

Great interview, thanks for the history lesson

[Ray Lyon]

I've seen that before but always love listening to Fred Bear. I remember meeting him the first and only time of my life at the Michigan Bowhunter's Rendezvous in Houghton Lake Michigan back in 1980 or 1981. A good friend of mine had found an A handle take down and wanted Fred to sign it. Frank Scott was there too and he would scuff up the finish so Fred could sign and the Frank would spray a finish over it. Fred took one look at the pristine condition handle and said 'you don't really want to mess up this bow with my signature do you?'.  I'm not sure if he was joking about the value of his signature or if it's because Fred knew a pristine A handle of his crowning achievement in bow building was a rare find.  He was ever the gentleman Woodsman and kindly shook everyone's hand as if he was the one meeting the celebrity. Although a brief five minutes I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet the Man.

[David Mitchell]

Originally posted by Ray Lyon:
Although a brief five minutes I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet the Man.

Ray, I had the same experience many years ago when Fred was at a big shoot in Ohio.  I stood in line for quite a while waiting to get a book I had bought signed.  Fred was so cheerful, patient, and interested in everyone who came through the line.  And "although a brief five minutes, I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet the Man."    

[Sam McMichael]

That was a nice video. He was a great bowhunter and an even better man. We are all glad to have had him in our sport.

[ChuckC]

I never met Fred.   That is a disappointment.  

Passing on words of wisdom to the younger crowd here.  There are things we dream of doing.  For many of us, that dream may stay just a dream, unless we ourselves push and finagle and plan and make it happen.

There are some among us who are leaders or are, lets say icons of our sport.  Do your best to meet as many as you can.  They, and we, don't last forever.  Some of these are mortal men ( and women).  Some, like Fred, are a step above.

Do it........
ChuckC

[Petrichor]

Fred passed long before I could have feasibly met him. I do dream though.

[ron w]

Pretty cool stuff.......  

[Possum Head]

Oh yeah I could sit by a campfire and listen to Fred all night long and never say a word.

[Captain*Kirk]

What a gentleman and a great hunting hero! So humble and self-depreciating when he was a giant among bowhunters of the 20th century.

[Longtoke]

wish there were more interviews of him, I have seen that one before, but always nice to revisit. Thanks for sharing.

[Pine]

The closest I got to meeting Fred Bear was in the early 1980s .
I had a "C" handle Takedown target bow that I sold to an archery shop in Kalamazoo Michigan because I needed the money .
A week later the shop owner showed me the bow that I sold him .
    :eek:         :eek:         it now had Fred's signature on it .
Fred had stopped in the shop about two days after I sold it , saw the bow and asked to look at it .
At that point , he proceeded to increase the value by about tripple .

What can you say .