In 1947, Bear and his wife moved to Grayling, Michigan, where they lived in a tent along a river to keep their personal expenses down while trying to make a go of their bow business.

The following years proved prosperous however, as more states permitted bow hunting and the sport's growth steadily increased.

In the ensuing years, he traveled the world with his bow and appeared before thousands of bowhunters promoting and teaching the sport.

His television debut was made on Arthur Godfrey and His Friends, with later appearances on The American Sportsman and The Tonight Show.

In 1978, following a strike and continuing labor problems, the Bear Archery manufacturing operation was relocated to Gainesville, Florida.

[4] Bear struggled with chronic emphysema later on in life, and suffered a heart attack while living in Florida and was admitted to a hospital in Gainesville.

His body was cremated, and his ashes spread near the Au Sable River in Northern Lower Michigan, where Bear had liked to flyfish.

A 7ft tall bronze statue of Fred Bear is set to be erected in the Grayling City Park on September 7 2024.

The artist, Ben Watts, is also responsible for the 11-foot statue of Fred Bear located in the Wonders of Wildlife Museum in Springfield, MO, in the Archery Hall of Fame.

[9] Since then, the Fred Bear Museum was displayed at the headquarters store of Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri.