Met Fred Bear

owen219 · December 01, 2007 18:05

Many years ago I was taking my family to Ontario Canada for a vacation. I had a secret alterior motive. It was to stop at the Fred Bear Museum and pro archery shop to buy the ultimate hunting bow that I had saved up for after a very long time. We didn't have much money at all. After going through the museum I went to the pro shop and explained to a nice guy that I wanted the best I could possibly afford to buy. He started pulling out the bows and we went to the range to try them out. The compounds were the newest things at the time having just been invented. I tried the best they had and wasn't thrilled with any. I asked the guy what does Fred Bear use and he said Kodiak recurve. I asked if I could try one and he got one out, a 70 pound pull. I shot it and the accuracy was amazing and I knew immediately that this was the one and knew why Fred, my hero, used one of these fine bows. This bow was of course much cheaper than all the new compounds and the clerk tried to persuade me otherwise. No budging was possible as I knew this was the one. I still have it today after probably 35 years. On paying for the bow I asked the clerk if Fred Bear ever visited as I knew he had moved to Gainsville Florida. She said all the time and he was just here earlier today. She told me that he always stays at the Holiday Inn and I might catch him there. Off we hurried to the Holiday Inn. I asked the front desk clerk if Fred was there and she said he was having dinner in their Restaurant. I looked and asked in the Restaurant and they said he just finished and had just left. That was enough, we checked in hoping to meet up with Fred sometime that evening. We started calling his room early evening. At midnight I gave up. My wife saw how disappointed I was and called one more time and Fred answered. He invited us down to his motel room. What a thrill! I was going to meet my idol and hero in person. Knocked on the door and Fred opened it and invited us in. We spent probably 30 to 40 minutes with him in his little motel room. Standing in the corner was his flyrod with water still dripping off the line. He had gone out night flyrod fishing on the Au Sable river for the big brown trout. He said the big browns only bite at night. We took pictures and he autographed a Fred Bear book my wife had bought me for my birthday at the museum and she had snuck it in to his room without me knowing it. We spoke about all things expected. I asked him for the most important advice he could offer me. Clearly and instantly he said for me to constantly work to preserve our hunting and shooting rights as they were in jeopardy and it will only get much worse as time goes on. Boy was he right 35 years ago. When he died a little peice of me went with him. I just had to send his widow a letter telling her how much I admired Fred and how I had met him that night in Grayling,Michigan. I did not expect any response but I got a very nice letter from her along with a letter from Fred's best friend Bob Munford who he had hunted with for many tears all over the world. I also received a number of nice frameable photos of some of the trophy kills Fred and Bob made. My prized possesions now. A few years later I visited the Gainsville Florida museum. The best of the museum was Fred's office and personal workshop in the office. It was just like he left it when he died. I felt like he had just stepped out for a minute and I expected him to breach the doorway at any moment. What a fine man. I was so privledged to have net him. We certainly need more like him in so many ways. I was blessed with this experience. I just wanted to share this with someone that might appreciate it. I am getting old now as Fred was when he died but his legend and wonderful work will be with us for many generations to come. Good hunting! Remember Fred's best advice!

Met Fred Bear

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