Tom Oar, legendary star of the HISTORY® Channel’s hit series Mountain Men, has spent decades living off the land in Montana’s Yaak Valley. These unforgettable quotes capture the grit, wisdom, and wit that have made him one of the most beloved figures in the show’s history.
On His Identity and Life Philosophy
"From the time I was a kid, I was dreaming of bows and arrows, running around with traps and stuff. I was probably born two hundred years too late and I'm still trying to live in the past."
"There's just something about the past that appeals to me and how these primitive people did the things they did... What a neat way it is for me to be able to try to eke out a living doing the same thing."
"We loaded everything we had in the back of an old ’69 GMC pickup truck, and headed for Montana. We had no idea what we were gettin’ into or how I was gonna to make a living out here, but I just had a feeling that by God I can do it."
"This is the place that we live in the wilderness and we need to accept or expect all the things that may happen to us here."
On Survival and Wildlife
"When you got traps out it's like Christmas. Every morning you go see what Santa brought."
"The more you know about the animals, the better your chances are of catching them."
"This is my home. This is where I live, and I’ll protect it with my life."
On Craftsmanship & Traditional Skills
"Patience is a virtue. Patience is a very good thing to have."
"The art of brain tanning is a lot of work. But hell it’s what I do."
"I make my bow out of wood like the old people did."
On Teaching and Legacy
"Well, I know that I’m a dying breed. With the things that I’ve learned. I feel like I should pass them on, and I try to pass them on whenever I can."
"It's real important to pass the knowledge on or there aren't going to be no trappers if you don't teach the kids how to do it, you know, and we got to have trappers."
"Back when I really first started, I was pretty much self-taught. It’s neat if you have somebody to show you. It won’t take them so damn long to learn because it took me."
