| Real Name: | Tom Oar |
| Birthday: | 1943 |
| Net Worth | $200,000 |
| Height: | N./A |
| Occupation: | American Television Personality, Blacksmith, Trapper, Former Rodeo Cowboy |
Tom Oar is an American television personality famous for appearing on the History Reality TV series, Mountain Men. He is among individuals who are leaving civilization behind to settle in the woods, living close to Mother Nature.
Mountain Men is a television series where people can learn different things. From activities like hunting, tanning, trapping, and tracking, you will enjoy seeing the cast’s survival skills.
The people in the show are what make it wonderful, and Tom is one of the most beloved stars of the show.
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Mountain Men
The American reality television series premiered on the History Channel in May 2012. Tom is one of three people that are part of the Wild West Show since Season 1, and one of two that is still part of the show.
Eustace Conway is the original founding member of the show. Residing on a parcel of land in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, he hosts people to whom he teaches basic wilderness survival skills. He also earns money by using ancient techniques to harvest firewood.
Marty Meirotto is another original member, who resides in the small Alaskan town of Two Rivers with his wife Dominique, and daughter Noah.
Tom Oar is a former rodeo cowboy, residing near the Yaak River in northwestern Montana with his wife Nancy and dog Ellie. They work hard with the help of their neighbors to prepare for the long winter season.
Other members joining in other seasons include Rich Lewis, a mountain lion hunter, George Michaud, a fur trapper, Kyle Bell, a game hunter, Morgan Beasley, Jason Hawk, Preston Roberts, Joseph Roberts, Jake Herak, Mike Horstman, Josh Kirk, and more.
Quick Bio
Now let’s talk more about Tom Oar. The American TV personality is famous for appearing on the History Channel reality TV series, Mountain Men.
Born in 1943 in Northern Illinois, United States of America, he has a history in entertainment television. His father Chike Oar appeared in US Wild West shows during the 1980s and 1990s.
He left modern life and decided to live in the woods with his family. In 1970, he settled in Montana Yaak river valley with his wife Nancy Oar. They lived the natural way, including feeding, and doing everything by themselves.
The couple has three children, Chad Oar, Jack Oar, and Keeler Oar. Besides natural life, Tom works as a blacksmith. He manufactures and sells quality handmade custom knives for hunting. The TV star might be away from modern life, but he sells his knives via an online shop.
Is He Still Alive?
There were rumors that Tom is no longer alive at one point. But he is still alive and well. He has only changed his address. After years of battling the elements in Montana’s remote Yaak River Valley, he moved on to warmer climates. He and his wife Nancy Oar decided to move to Florida.
Yet, that move probably didn’t last long, since they were part of the Season 11 premiere. They have probably gone back to remote living. He and Nancy prepared for the long winter in Season 11 Episode 1. And in the second episode, he reunited with partner Sean McAfee to set a winter trap line.
He remains on Mountain Men but doesn’t love the spotlight it brings. The lack of privacy due to the popularity of the show was the reason they considered leaving it.
While he doesn’t love the attention, he appreciates the love from his fans. He says, “The fans are really important to me, and that’s really neat to meet all the different people and talk to them. There’s always something of interest, and there’s always interesting people to meet”.
While he is part of the show so far, he knows he will not always be part of the Mountain Men television series. He has spent half of his life in a rodeo career, and then in the wilderness of the Yaak River.
He knows his lifestyle is not for everyone and believes he was born 150 to 200 years too late. In one interview, he hinted at his retirement plans. Tom said, “It’s just Nancy and me and an old Dodge pickup and 30-foot chain. We can’t keep doing this forever. I keep telling Nancy, one of these days you’ll probably just find me stretched out dead over the fleshing block”.
One might say Florida is a better alternative for Tom.
His Lifestyle
Let’s talk a bit about Tom Oar’s lifestyle. He and his wife have made their home from the simplest of means and the sparsest of luxuries.
Tom and Nancy live off the land, using their knowledge to survive. Raised in the country outside Rockford, Illinois, he was conditioned for a rugged lifestyle. Tom and his older brother had a passion for the outdoors and spent their childhood roaming free.
Despite the dangerous nature of the horse and rodeo hobby, he survived and quickly developed a taste for living on the edge. He says, “When my brother and I turned 7 years old, my father taught us how to trick ride, which is doing tricks on the back of a running horse”.
By the early 1960s, he climbed the ranks of the International Rodeo Association and established himself as a champion. He consistently made it to the finals, ranking in the top 10.
Speaking of the sport, he admits the closest he ever came to death was inside a rodeo arena. His wife watched from the stands as he was tossed violently for two agonizing minutes before people were able to sever the ropes that bound him. He left the arena on a stretcher and suffered a severe concussion.
Nowadays, you can say Tom and Nancy defied the odds. They endured and prospered despite the bitter chill of the Montana winter. Fans and people who have met him say they are greeted by a man who is both humble and kind. He is always willing to share his story.
And at almost 80 years, he continues to work on his craft and survival in the mountains. Speaking of his life, he says, “Amazing life. I’ve enjoyed every bit of it. And as long as I can still do it, hell, I’m gonna do it”.
Is He On Social Media?
Tom is not a fan of modern life. He and his wife have minimized contact with the outside world by lacking internet or cell phone reception. Yet, his story has spread.
We mentioned previously he sells stuff he makes online, and there is a Tom Oar Etsy store. There, you can find the best in unique and custom handmade pieces for hunting.
Tom also sells goods to a local trading post in Montana. The post is called Willow Bend Trading Post, and it does its business via Facebook.
Net Worth
The Mountain Man has a net worth of approximately $200,000. He earned most of his money from his business and role as a television personality. There is no information on how much he gets paid for his appearance on Mountain Men.
But given the fact he has been one of the original members and is with the show since Season 1, we can assume he gets a decent income.
