Wednesday, September 25 2013 at 7 p.m.
New Berlin, Wis. –-(Ammoland.com)- Fred Bear grew up with a passion for bowhunting and bow craftsmanship that quickly ignited the industry with unique designs, attention to details and a desire to create the best product for the outdoor lifestyle.
Sportsman Channel, the leader in outdoor TV for the American Sportsman, presents back-to-back shows dedicated to Bear with Fred Bear: The Father of Bowhunting presented by The All New Bear Agenda Bow at 7 p.m. ET and Fred Bear: Kodiak Country at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 25.
During Wednesday evening’s shows, Bear Archery will run short program vignettes showcasing Sportsman hosts using Bear’s newest products, which will be a sneak peek before the product launch on September 26.
Fred Bear: The Father of Bowhunting is a one-hour documentary featuring bowhunting legends Bill Jordan and David Blanton from Realtree; former employee and Ripcord Arrow Rest Marketing Manager Don Dvoroznak; Whitetail Properties’ Dan Perez; Bear President Jack Bowman; Major League Bowhunter’s Jeff Danker and current Bear employees Dan Massimillo and Neil Byce. Through their stories and recollections of their time with Fred, they explain why and how he meant so much to the company, as well as bowhunting.
Fred Bear: Kodiak Country is from the reels of the 1960 television show when Bear set off on a quest to tackle the Alaskan frontier and face off with a world record Kodiak bear. Kodiak Country showcases his encounters with whales, sea lions, king crabs, violent storms and more. When Fred comes within yards of his prize, you’ll see why this 53-year-old hunt is still one of the most thrilling bow hunts ever captured on film.
“Fred Bear’s name is synonymous with bowhunting,” said Graig Hale, vice president of business development at Sportsman Channel. “Sportsman Channel is the official destination for viewers craving the best bowhunting content available. We feel blessed to be able to re-air these classic and timeless specials.”
Fred Bear was born in Waynesboro, PA, on March 5, 1902. He left his family farm at 21-years old to pursue opportunities in Detroit’s growing auto industry. A documentary on the bowhunting adventures of Art Young ignited a fire in Fred’s imagination. Soon, he learned to craft his own bows, arrows, and bowstrings under the tutelage of Young.
In time, the archery business demanded Fred’s full-time attention and he launched the Bear Archery Company during the Great Depression. The company flourished with Bear’s passion for bowhunting and bow craftsmanship.
Over the next two decades, after moving to Grayling, MI in 1947, Fred traveled the world on bowhunting and filmmaking expeditions. On one outing, radio and television personality Arthur Godfrey witnessed Fred down an African bull elephant. Godfrey later recounted the experience for his international radio audience. From there – along with a feature in Life Magazine – Fred Bear’s legend was born.
About Sportsman Channel: Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel, and Sportsman HD, is the only television and digital media company fully devoted to sportsmen and sportswomen in the United States, delivering entertaining and educational programming focused exclusively on hunting, shooting and fishing activities. Sportsman Channel reaches more than 32 million U.S. television households and is available in HD. Visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com, follow on Twitter, @SPORTSMANchnl (twitter.com/SPORTSMANchnl) and Like on Facebook, facebook.com/sportsmanchannel