Tom Miranda
Encyclopedia
Thomas Lee "Tom" Miranda, Jr. (born January 21, 1958) is an American bowhunter, trapper, television host and author
. He originally gained fame as a fur trapping instructor by producing video trapping lessons. From this venture he embarked on a lengthy career as a television bowhunter and is most known for his television bowhunting adventures seen on ESPN, VERSUS and other cable networks.
. The son of Betty Jean (Blanton) a stay at home mom and Thomas Lee Miranda a Bell System employee. The oldest of three children, his two sisters: Peggy and Penny.
Miranda's outdoor career began early in life. At age 11 Miranda worked as a "trapboy" for Walnut Creek Trap Club throwing clay targets for trap shooters.. A neighbor Jeff Turner, ran a small trapline near Miranda's home and after a few outings with Jeff, Miranda was hooked on trapping. Tom Miranda trapped muskrat, raccoon, mink and fox thru-out junior and high school and decided early that he wanted to live his life in wild places.
Attended Walnut Ridge High School, Miranda excelled in baseball, football and track. Qualified for the Ohio State Track and Field Championships 220 yard dash.
Graduated High School 1976.
Miranda went to Ohio State University as a walk on candidate in baseball. However, he was cut from the team in October 1977 and this disappointment soured him on academics. Tom Miranda's love was the outdoors. Soon he would quit college and begin to work odd jobs with a goal to be a professional trapper.
Featured in a Fur-Fish-Game
magazine article on his trapping expertise in February 1983, Miranda gained national recognition and soon began writing for the magazine. Accepting a position in South Dakota as a Predator Control Trapper in 1984, Miranda moved to Chamberlain, SD. He earned his private pilot license in 1985.
In 1986 after selling his first trapping lesson video series “Fox and Coyote trapping East to West”, Miranda resigned from his position as a South Dakota Sate Trapper and began Tom Miranda Outdoor Films. Miranda produced 15 “how to trap” videos and began making bowhunting videos.
In these early video production years, Miranda learned script writing, video editing and cameraman skills. In 1990 he met Sandy Brady and became business partners with him and Pat Foy Brady (father). The trio formed Tom Miranda Outdoors Inc.
This company began producing Tom’s first series “Outdoor Adventure Magazine” which originally aired on Sports Channel America in 1990 and 1991.
Outdoor Adventure Magazine was a magazine format that included hunting, fishing and adventure segments in each episode and Miranda originally did the adventures with Brady the hunting.
Outdoor Adventure Magazine debuted on ESPN
at 8AM Saturday morning, July 4, 1992.
In the first years on ESPN, Miranda’s adventures included, skydiving, bungee jumping
, jet flying: including Navy F-14 training (Miranda is an accomplished pilot) scuba diving
,
bull riding
, rodeo clown
training, MLB with Seattle Mariners
, fire walking and many additional adventures. in several bowhunting episodes in 1993; soon Miranda was hosting the entire series.
Miranda changed the series name to “Advantage Adventures” in 1997 after a request from Realtree founder Bill Jordan to host a new series for his Advantage camouflage line. Advantage Adventures became a diary of Tom’s bowhunting Adventures around the world.
In 1998 Miranda began a quest to videotape the archery Super Slam of North American Big Game (27 species).
Miranda changed his TV series title again in 2008 to “Territories Wild” and this series continues today... airing on VERSUS/NBC Sports and Sportsman Channel.
Tom Miranda completed his Video Super Slam May 9, 2011 on Carmen Island, Mexico- arrowing a Desert Sheep to become the first bowhunter to document the archery Super Slam on broadcast video tape (29 species).
Miranda’s production company continues to produce his series as well as hunting and adventure programming for other interests.
Tom met Sandy Jessop on an ESPN TV shoot at Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida. Tom and Sandy married in 1996 and the couple remain together.
Miranda continues to be close to his three children, despite his rigorous travel schedule.
Source:
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. He originally gained fame as a fur trapping instructor by producing video trapping lessons. From this venture he embarked on a lengthy career as a television bowhunter and is most known for his television bowhunting adventures seen on ESPN, VERSUS and other cable networks.
Early life
Miranda was born and raised in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. The son of Betty Jean (Blanton) a stay at home mom and Thomas Lee Miranda a Bell System employee. The oldest of three children, his two sisters: Peggy and Penny.
Miranda's outdoor career began early in life. At age 11 Miranda worked as a "trapboy" for Walnut Creek Trap Club throwing clay targets for trap shooters.. A neighbor Jeff Turner, ran a small trapline near Miranda's home and after a few outings with Jeff, Miranda was hooked on trapping. Tom Miranda trapped muskrat, raccoon, mink and fox thru-out junior and high school and decided early that he wanted to live his life in wild places.
Attended Walnut Ridge High School, Miranda excelled in baseball, football and track. Qualified for the Ohio State Track and Field Championships 220 yard dash.
Graduated High School 1976.
Miranda went to Ohio State University as a walk on candidate in baseball. However, he was cut from the team in October 1977 and this disappointment soured him on academics. Tom Miranda's love was the outdoors. Soon he would quit college and begin to work odd jobs with a goal to be a professional trapper.
Career
Miranda moved to Michigan’s upper Peninsula in 1980 to pursue a career as a fur trapper. Miranda made his own trapping scents and started a small business selling his Competition Line Lures in 1982.Featured in a Fur-Fish-Game
Fur-Fish-Game
Fur-Fish-Game is an American outdoors magazine. FFG features how-to articles and tips, descriptions of outdoor sporting products, and first-person stories of outdoor adventure and survival...
magazine article on his trapping expertise in February 1983, Miranda gained national recognition and soon began writing for the magazine. Accepting a position in South Dakota as a Predator Control Trapper in 1984, Miranda moved to Chamberlain, SD. He earned his private pilot license in 1985.
In 1986 after selling his first trapping lesson video series “Fox and Coyote trapping East to West”, Miranda resigned from his position as a South Dakota Sate Trapper and began Tom Miranda Outdoor Films. Miranda produced 15 “how to trap” videos and began making bowhunting videos.
In these early video production years, Miranda learned script writing, video editing and cameraman skills. In 1990 he met Sandy Brady and became business partners with him and Pat Foy Brady (father). The trio formed Tom Miranda Outdoors Inc.
This company began producing Tom’s first series “Outdoor Adventure Magazine” which originally aired on Sports Channel America in 1990 and 1991.
Outdoor Adventure Magazine was a magazine format that included hunting, fishing and adventure segments in each episode and Miranda originally did the adventures with Brady the hunting.
Outdoor Adventure Magazine debuted on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
at 8AM Saturday morning, July 4, 1992.
In the first years on ESPN, Miranda’s adventures included, skydiving, bungee jumping
Bungee jumping
Bungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. The tall structure is usually a fixed object, such as a building, bridge or crane; but it is also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter, that...
, jet flying: including Navy F-14 training (Miranda is an accomplished pilot) scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
,
bull riding
Bull riding
Bull riding refers to rodeo sports that involve a rider getting on a large bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider....
, rodeo clown
Rodeo clown
A rodeo clown, also known as a bullfighter or rodeo protection athlete, is a rodeo performer who works in bull riding competitions. The primary job of the rodeo clown is to protect a fallen rider from the bull, whether the rider has been bucked off or has jumped off of the animal...
training, MLB with Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, fire walking and many additional adventures. in several bowhunting episodes in 1993; soon Miranda was hosting the entire series.
Miranda changed the series name to “Advantage Adventures” in 1997 after a request from Realtree founder Bill Jordan to host a new series for his Advantage camouflage line. Advantage Adventures became a diary of Tom’s bowhunting Adventures around the world.
In 1998 Miranda began a quest to videotape the archery Super Slam of North American Big Game (27 species).
Miranda changed his TV series title again in 2008 to “Territories Wild” and this series continues today... airing on VERSUS/NBC Sports and Sportsman Channel.
Tom Miranda completed his Video Super Slam May 9, 2011 on Carmen Island, Mexico- arrowing a Desert Sheep to become the first bowhunter to document the archery Super Slam on broadcast video tape (29 species).
Miranda’s production company continues to produce his series as well as hunting and adventure programming for other interests.
Personal life
Married February 28, 1981 to Bernie Cassidy. Three children: Jeremy, Jennifer and Joshua Miranda. Divorced in 1996.Tom met Sandy Jessop on an ESPN TV shoot at Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida. Tom and Sandy married in 1996 and the couple remain together.
Miranda continues to be close to his three children, despite his rigorous travel schedule.
Television
- Sports Channel America (1990–1991)
- ESPN (1992–2010)
- Outdoor Channel (2009–present)
- VERSUS (2011–present)
- Sportsman Channel (2011–present)
Television series
- Outdoor Adventure Magazine (1992–1997, ESPN)
- Cabela’s Sportsman Quest (1996–1997, ESPN – host)
- Advantage Adventures (1998–2007, ESPN)
- Whitetail Country (2004–present, ESPN/VERSUS/SPCH)
- Territories Wild (2008–present, ESPN/VERSUS/SPCH)
- World Class Bowhunting (2009–present, OUTDOOR CHANNEL)
- Dominant Bucks (2009–present, OUTDOOR CHANNEL)
Published books
- Competition Line Fox Trapping (1985)
- Competition Line Water Trapping (1986)
- Competition Line Coyote Trapping (1987)
- Competition Line Bobcat Trapping (1988)
- Corn Fed Giants-Whitetail Hunting (1991)
Source:
Accomplishments
- 1974: Caught first fox
- 1976: Walnut Ridge High School State Track Championships 220 yard dash
- 1976: Voted "Most Athletic" Walnut Ridge High School
- 1980: Built a log cabin
- 1983: Published first magazine article on trapping
- 1984: Earned private pilot license
- 1985 Produced first "How To" trapping video
- 1985 Authored first book on trapping
- 1990 Earned float plane rating
- 1992 Debuted on ESPN July
- 1993 Climbed Devils Tower National MonumentDevils Tower National MonumentDevils Tower is an igneous intrusion or laccolith located in the Black Hills near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle Fourche River...
- 1994 Participated in Navy flight training syllabus F-14 TomcatF-14 TomcatThe Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
- 2011 First documented archery Super Slam of North America Big Game on broadcast video