LANSING, Mich. — The state Senate on Wednesday adopted a resolution introduced by Sen. Michele Hoitenga declaring March 5, 2025, as Fred Bear Day in Michigan.
“Fred Bear’s life and love of the great outdoors is Pure Michigan,” said Hoitenga, R-Manton. “He taught us that hunting is more than just a sport; it’s a way of life that connects us to nature and one another.”
Bear spent a large part of his life in Michigan, working for Chrysler and Ford Motor Co. in Detroit through the Great Depression. He later told of how he founded Bear Archery out of his garage after the plant he operated caught fire and left him unemployed. By the late 1940s, Bear Archery had moved its headquarters north to Grayling, where it grew to become one of the largest archery manufacturers in the world.
“Fred Bear’s legacy extends beyond archery. He became a cultural icon among outdoors enthusiasts,” reads Senate Resolution 14. “The commitment of Fred Bear to ethical hunting practices and conservation has also inspired countless individuals to appreciate and respect the natural world.”
Bear died in 1988 and was immortalized by Michigan rock musician Ted Nugent in a 1995 “Spirit of the Wild” song that bears his name. A statue of Bear was installed at Grayling City Park in 2024.
Bear once said, “When a hunter is in a tree stand with moral values and with the proper hunting ethics and richer for the experience, that hunter is 20 feet closer to God.”