Tred Barta, renowned hunter, angler, and television personality, died in an automobile accident on August 11, 2019. In remembrance of Tred, I want to recount a podcast I moderated on behalf of Versus Country Television in 2008, where I interviewed him (then host of The Best and Worst of Tred Barta).
Adhering to his hardball attitude and his love-him-or-hate him personality, Tred Barta enlightened listeners by sharing his passions, philosophies, and advice about hunting. Right out of the gate, Barta gave listeners a taste of his no-nonsense, fervid approach to life, but he also showed his endearing, compassionate side. As a man who pursued game and fish around the world, he dedicated a great deal of his time to helping others, including underprivileged children and people with disabilities. (Tred suffered a spinal stroke in 2009 that left him paralyzed from the chest down, but he still pursued his outdoors passions.)
To truly understand Barta’s approach to hunting and fishing and to get a glimpse into Barta’s approach to life, listen to his responses in the podcast. The callers and I covered a multitude of topics, including:
- Airlines baggage fees
- “The most spectacular place in the entire world”
- Pickled eggs and pigs feet
- Predation and the value of hunters
- Kentucky muzzleloaders
- Keeping young people involved in hunting
- Conservation Organizations
- Keeping hunting shows “real”
- Why Tred carries such a big knife
- How Versus Country is changing the landscape of outdoors television
With Barta dropping such great nuggets as “a squirrel hunt on public land is just as great as a buffalo hunt in Tanzania” and “a smart doe on the ground with a long bow… is harder to shoot than a 200-pound buck any single day of the week,” it’s plain to see why he was one of the more colorful characters we had in outdoors television.
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Tred Barta, 67, Renowned Outdoorsman And Role Model For Those With Disabilities