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Tom Miranda
By CJ Davis
Though camouflage is his preferred dress code, Miranda hasn’t always been so fortunate.
Turn on the Realtree Hunting Block on ESPN2 and you’ll likely see Tom Miranda hunting somewhere in the world. A little impressed by anyone who gets to hunt for a living, I felt obligated to find out more about the true Miranda.
A longtime television veteran, Miranda actually learned the ropes the hard way. A self made man in the truest sense, a trap line is what made him into a household name in the world of outdoor TV.
“Growing up in Ohio I was surrounded by the outdoors, and it was easy to find plenty of ways to enjoy it,” said Miranda. “ I just never realized it could lead to this.”
Getting Started
Miranda started trapping at the age of 11. By following an older neighbor around checking his lines, Miranda quickly learned the ins and outs of this sport. Soon after, the neighbor found a girlfriend and Miranda found a good deal on a set of traps. What started as a hobby quickly became a side job, with the money becoming a little more important as time passed.
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After years of trapping, Miranda’s career took off in when he landed his first contract with ESPN in 1992. Miranda has been a part of the Realtree Family since 1989 |
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| Miranda’s cabin he built and called home in Michigan’s UP. Decorations not included. |
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Miranda shot and edited his first trapping video in 1984, “How to Trap.”
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This bighorn sheep put Miranda one step closer to completing his Super Slam. He hopes to reach that finish line in the next two years. |
After high school, when most of his classmates left for college or took a job, Miranda headed to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where he built a cabin and launched his trapping career. Questioning parents and confused friends didn’t understand Miranda’s move, but like most people following a passion or dream, quitting wasn’t in the plan.
The north woods became his proving grounds and helped him perfect techniques for catching coyotes, beavers, bobcats and even bears. Fluctuating fur prices meant Miranda needed a steady job, so he used his skills for the South Dakota government.
The 80s found Miranda a busy man. Faced with checking lines along a 10 county territory tracing the Missouri River, he eventually got his pilot’s license to stay on top of his job. He also ran a scent business, testing and developing new products that improved his trapping. He wrote books on trapping, and, in 1984, made his first “How to Trap” video, which eventually led to his career in television.
On the Air
His first TV show, “Outdoor Adventure Magazine” took three pitches to ESPN before they accepted the idea. Once he had the green light, Miranda hit the road looking for interesting and intense subjects for his shows. Over the course of the show’s 6-year run (1992 to 1998) Miranda took bull-riding lessons from Ty Murray, climbed Devil’s Tower, trained to pilot a fighter jet, gave bungee jumping and deep-sea scuba diving a try, and even took batting lessons from Ken Griffey Jr. In each episode it was evident Miranda was having the time of his life.
Today, Miranda and his team produce a host of outdoor shows, including: “Whitetail Country,” “Advantage Adventures,” “Strategies in the Wild,” “Prohunters Journal,” “Beyond the Lodge” for SHE Safari and Thompson Center’s “Game Trails.”
Tom Miranda’s bow rig for deer
Mathews Switchback XT
Whisker Biscuit rest
Lore stabilizer
Hindsight sight system
Carbon Express 300
Muzzy 125
Safari Cat quiver
In addition, he serves on the Pro staffs for Realtree, Nikon, Mathews, Muzzy, Scent Blocker, Raven Wear, Hunters Safety System and Lone Wolf, to name a few. Miranda is also very close to finishing his Super Slam (all 28 species of North American big game), having added the polar bear and stone sheep to the list last year.
“The best advice I can give someone looking to make a career in outdoors television is to be true to yourself, your sponsors and your fans,” said Miranda. “If you remember your roots it’s easy to keep things in perspective. In the TV business it’s simple to get a big head, but for me, it’s only a job. I always consider myself lucky to be where I am.”
Walking the Plank
On a more personal note, Tom has three children ranging from 16 to 21 and calls Florida home with Sandy, his wife of 12 years. When asked where he hopes to be in 10 years, Miranda has a surprising answer: Spear fishing in the Bahamas.
“I also collect rare pirate books and look forward to growing my collection.” The oldest volume dates back to 1609. His collection includes books written by pirates or about pirates.
And of course the inevitable interview question of what is your favorite hunt must be asked. For now, his favorite source for a thrill is adventure bow hunting. His preferred game? “For me, I think it would be a Kodiak Brown Bear.”
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