The American Sportsman TV Show

[Doug Hamilton]

I remember Curt Gowdy, Phil Harris and Bing Crosby hunting birds on one segment. Another one with William Shatner bowhunting for elk. He didn't get one.

I remember Robert Stack shooting a lion. Exiting stuff to a kid that wanted to hunt in Africa.
Of course, that was before animals had names like "Cecil."

 

[Sourdough]

If memory serves the American Sportsman, besides the show, was also a hunting organization that leased property for its members to hunt, of which I was one, probably in my mid 20’s. We had access to some great land.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I remember Fred Bear shooting a polar bear with his recurve. For practice at camp he had someone tossing pie tins in the air. Not only did Fred never miss, he never missed the  center of each pie tin! That guy was unreal.

Or the time Ted Williams was hunting mule deer in Colorado and a huge buck almost walked into him coming round a mountain trail. Needless to say it was instantly a very dead mule deer buck. Ranged at about fifteen feet!

 

[CoElkHunter]

I remember Fred Bear shooting a polar bear with his recurve. For practice at camp he had someone tossing pie tins in the air. Not only did Fred never miss, he never missed the  center of each pie tin! That guy was unreal.

Or the time Ted Williams was hunting mule deer in Colorado and a huge buck almost walked into him coming round a mountain trail. Needless to say it was instantly a very dead mule deer buck. Ranged at about fifteen feet!

Yes, Fred Bear was one of a kind with his recurve bow. I remember videos of him hunting a tiger in India and a Cape Buffalo in Africa with his bow. Quite a bowhunting legend!

 

[JimP]

He said that bow hunters had the advantage that the animal had no idea of where the arrow came from and that the animal usually associated the arrow hitting them to a bee or something else that caused the pain. Unlike a rifle going off with a big bang.

 

[CoElkHunter]

He said that bow hunters had the advantage that the animal had no idea of where the arrow came from and that the animal usually associated the arrow hitting them to a bee or something else that caused the pain. Unlike a rifle going off with a big bang.

And Fred Bear pulling back and holding an 80lb. bow is quite different than todays' compound bows with a significant let off.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

He said that bow hunters had the advantage that the animal had no idea of where the arrow came from and that the animal usually associated the arrow hitting them to a bee or something else that caused the pain. Unlike a rifle going off with a big bang.

Yep. The polar bear he killed during that episode didn't know it was hit until it was dead. Just stood there looking around, then fell over. I recall it was a rather long shot too.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

He said that bow hunters had the advantage that the animal had no idea of where the arrow came from and that the animal usually associated the arrow hitting them to a bee or something else that caused the pain. Unlike a rifle going off with a big bang.

I remember Fred Bear shooting a polar bear. The bear jumped around and it was decided that the bear was charging. Someone else killed the bear with a rifle.

Even though I bow hunted deer (hadn't killed one yet) and considered Bear to be a personal hero, I came to the conclusion that bow hunting dangerous game with a bow just wasn't a good idea.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Since both shows were on ABC I believe, can you imagine them putting one of them back on TV.

I'm not sure which network it is CBS or ABC, but if one is up late on the right night, meaning one of the shows comes on late some time between 11pm and 2am on random nights, on one of the forementioned networks.

At one time it was The Outdoorsman with Buck McNeely. Now it's either a hunting show or fishing show at random by random hosts.

Examples only:

Tonight at 11:30pm it could be The Outdoorsman on an African safari.
In 2 weeks the next time an outdoor show appears it might be 12:30am and the 2 guys that host muskie fishing in the Great Lakes. Another time might be at 1:30am two, three, or four nights later it's Part 1, 2, 3, or 4 of a 4 part series of a bass tournament. Then no outdoor shows for several weeks.

Regardless you won't be seeing these shows regularly at a decent given time on the weekends while kids are up.

Because kids may find something more beneficial and want to get outdoors rather than playing computer games.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I'm not sure which network it is CBS or ABC, but if one is up late on the right night, meaning one of the shows comes on late some time between 11pm and 2am on random nights, on one of the forementioned networks.

At one time it was The Outdoorsman with Buck McNeely. Now it's either a hunting show or fishing show at random by random hosts.

Examples only:

Tonight at 11:30pm it could be The Outdoorsman on an African safari.
In 2 weeks the next time an outdoor show appears it might be 12:30am and the 2 guys that host muskie fishing in the Great Lakes. Another time might be at 1:30am two, three, or four nights later it's Part 1, 2, 3, or 4 of a 4 part series of a bass tournament. Then no outdoor shows for several weeks.

Regardless you won't be seeing these shows regularly at a decent given time on the weekends while kids are up.

Because kids may find something more beneficial and want to get outdoors rather than playing computer games.

Yeah, much better for them to watch endless cop shows on EVERY network EVERY day of the week. Or that zombie nonsense. Jeezus! Or "reality shows" with zero reality. Forget waterboarding, all that was needed to get information from the terrorists at Guantanomo was force them to watch endless loops of "The Apprentice" or "Survivor." Argggh! Now we're talking real torture!

 

[CoElkHunter]

Yeah, much better for them to watch endless cop shows on EVERY network EVERY day of the week. Or that zombie nonsense. Jeezus! Or "reality shows" with zero reality. Forget waterboarding, all that was needed to get information from the terrorists at Guantanomo was force them to watch endless loops of "The Apprentice" or "Survivor." Argggh! Now we're talking real torture!

Don't forget "The Bachelor"? Or now "The Gray Bachelor". When these shows come on, I go outside and look to the sky and just pray an EMP event will happen NOW! LOL

 

[Brent in Az]

A smattering of info I saw on the Web, is that ABC probably doesn't have the signed releases from the various guests on the show to transfer the original filming to DVD. Legal issues.

 

[CoElkHunter]

A smattering of info I saw on the Web, is that ABC probably doesn't have the signed releases from the various guests on the show to transfer the original filming to DVD. Legal issues.

Most of those various guests are long dead. I guess that would be a problem? LOL

 

[Ridge Runner]

I remember Fred Bear shooting a polar bear. The bear jumped around and it was decided that the bear was charging. Someone else killed the bear with a rifle.

Even though I bow hunted deer (hadn't killed one yet) and considered Bear to be a personal hero, I came to the conclusion that bow hunting dangerous game with a bow just wasn't a good idea.

This story, if it's the one I remember, caused a whole lot of controversy and pretty much cost Fred Bear his reputation.

One of many stories is that it was a record book bear and his son shot and killed it with a rifle. Fred claimed he shot killed with his bow.

Another is as you mentioned Fred made a not so good arrow hit on the bear and his son killed the bear with his rifle; multiple choice:

A) to humanely finish the bear.
B) believed the bear was going to charge them and killed it with his rifle.
C) his son killed the bear so that it wouldn't get away or they wouldn't have to track it.

Don't get wrong I am greatful to and admired Fred Bear for he was an accomplished archerer which was why in my youth I took up archery, purchasing several Bear bows for target shooting and/or hunting.

 

[Brent in Az]

Most of those various guests are long dead. I guess that would be a problem? LOL

You know how heirs can be.

 

[JimP]

You know how VULTURERS can be.

Fixed it for you

 

[DobeGrant45c]

I’ll have to email Mr. Boddington and see if he has anything. I’m 26 and unfortunately never got to experience the show when it was on the air. Being a bit of an old soul I suppose, Bing Crosby, Phil Harris and many of the other stars of yesteryear are some of my favorites. I sure hope someone can bring them back out again.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I’ll have to email Mr. Boddington and see if he has anything. I’m 26 and unfortunately never got to experience the show when it was on the air. Being a bit of an old soul I suppose, Bing Crosby, Phil Harris and many of the other stars of yesteryear are some of my favorites. I sure hope someone can bring them back out again.

Better shows few commercials, unlike what's on TV now where the 30 minute hunting show is more like a 10 minute YouTube video filled with 20 minutes of commercials.

 

[PerH]

https://youtube.com/@ClassicBowHunts?si=7Uz0IqlViVef_GeZ

Fred Bear and many others here with the bow in action

Including his elephant, Tiger and polar bear . And Dangerous game with Wally as his ph

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I cannot why our group quit watching the show, but I believe the show quit showing the actual shooting of big game.

As I remember, each episode started with a big dall sheep being shot and sliding down a mountain. That was over 50 years ago.