Tom Miranda

Tom Miranda
Miranda signing at ATA 2011
Born	Thomas Lee Miranda, Jr. (1958-01-21) January 21, 1958 (age 59) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation	Bowhunter, television host, entrepreneur, author
Years active	1985–present
Website	http://www.tommiranda.com

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. Has killed an African bull elephant with several shots from a bow.

Miranda was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. 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.

Miranda moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan 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 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, South Dakota. 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 State 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.