Last checked Jul 12, 2026
Bear Archery, Inc. (brand/business of Escalade, Incorporated / Escalade Sports)beararchery.comBear Archery, Inc. (brand/business of Escalade, Incorporated / Escalade Sports) is not currently listed as private-equity-owned.
Ownership & Acquisition History
Bear Archery is currently controlled by Escalade, Incorporated (a publicly traded company, NASDAQ: ESCA), not by a private equity firm.
Notes
- Bear Archery’s website terms reference “Escalade Sports and its subsidiaries/affiliates,” indicating Bear Archery operates under Escalade Sports.
- Escalade Sports describes itself as publicly traded (NASDAQ: ESCA) and lists Bear Archery in its brand portfolio.
- Escalade’s SEC Form 10‑K lists Bear® Archery among its archery brands and states it owns registered trademarks/brand names including Bear® Archery.
- Bear Archery’s own ‘About’ page states Fred Bear started the company in 1933 (but does not clearly specify the founding city/state).
- Founding location (Detroit, Michigan) and co-founder (Charles Piper) are supported by secondary historical references (e.g., Wikipedia) and corroborated in-part by third-party biography/HOF material (NSGA notes Detroit before the move to Grayling).
Sources
- Terms & Conditions – Bear Archery
Bear Archery - Shows Bear Archery site terms repeatedly referencing Escalade Sports (supporting current control by Escalade Sports/Escalade).
- About Escalade Sports
Escalade Sports - States Escalade Sports is publicly traded (NASDAQ: ESCA) and includes Bear Archery in its brand portfolio.
- Escalade, Incorporated Form 10-K (for fiscal year ended 2019)
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) - Lists Bear® Archery among Escalade’s archery brands and notes ownership of registered trademarks/brand names including Bear® Archery.
- About Bear Archery - Bowhunting & Archery Equipment
Bear Archery - States that Fred Bear started the company in 1933 (supports founding year and founder).
- Fred Bear - National Sporting Goods Association (Hall of Fame entry)
National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) - States Fred Bear started the Bear Products Company in 1933 and references the move from Detroit to Grayling (supporting Detroit as founding location context).
- Bear Archery (history and founders)
Wikipedia - States the company was founded in 1933 as Bear Products Company in Detroit, Michigan by Fred Bear and Charles Piper and notes it is owned by Escalade Sports.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Bear
Web search - Consulted by the research agent
- https://www.beararchery.com/blogs/base-camp-archery-blog/bear-archery-partners-with-the-eichler-family
Web search - Consulted by the research agent
- https://www.beararchery.com/blogs/base-camp-archery-blog/behind-the-scenes-with-bear-archery-hunting-retailer
Web search - Consulted by the research agent
- https://www.cityofgrayling.org/downloads/04_2019_historical_setting_2019_final.pdf
Web search - Consulted by the research agent
- https://escaladeinc.com/archery/
Web search - Consulted by the research agent
- https://www.beararchery.com/collections/bear-archery-gear
Web search - Consulted by the research agent
Ownership FAQ
Is Bear Archery, Inc. (brand/business of Escalade, Incorporated / Escalade Sports) owned by private equity?
No. Bear Archery, Inc. (brand/business of Escalade, Incorporated / Escalade Sports) does not currently appear to be private-equity-owned.
Who owns Bear Archery, Inc. (brand/business of Escalade, Incorporated / Escalade Sports)?
Escalade, Incorporated (public company; operates as Escalade Sports)
When was Bear Archery, Inc. (brand/business of Escalade, Incorporated / Escalade Sports) last checked?
This page was last checked on Jul 12, 2026.