Combining big game hunting with big business, Fred Bear brought his bow and arrow manufacturing plant to Gainesville, Fla., from Michigan in 1978. His business mastery made Bear Archery one of the biggest manufacturers of archery equipment in the world.

During his 50-year archery career, Fred Bear traveled worldwide to promote the sport of bowhunting and proper wildlife management. He established a museum in Gainesville (The Fred Bear Museum) to display his hunting trophies, including elephant, lion, Kodiak bear, polar bear, brown bear, American buffalo and moose. The museum also features natural history exhibits, archery equipment and a variety of Native American, Eskimo and African tribal artifacts collected by Fred Bear on his travels.

Born in 1902, Fred Bear passed away in Gainesville in 1988 at the age of 8