Did Tom Oar leave Mountain Men? Speculation builds, but the gossip may be unfounded

Thanks to his craftsmanship and rugged ways, 76-year-old Tom Oar is the most beloved cast member of History hit Mountain Men. The buildup to Season 8 has seen plenty of speculation about whether Tom may finally pack it in and head down to Florida. But did Tom Oar leave Mountain Men? We’ve traced the gossip back to what looks like its original source, and based on what we found it would seem that the speculation is unfounded.

Like any good rumor, this one has its basis in uncertainty. Tom and his wife Nancy concluded Season 7 of Mountain Men by heading to Florida for an extended stay. And Devotées of Mountain Men are well aware that Tom’s family has been pressuring him to move to the Sunshine State for years. When he and Nancy first paid a visit, back in Season 3, Tom couldn’t get over how different things were — and how many people there were:

Then, a couple of months ago, the YouTube channel Showbiz Whisperer set off further speculation by making a couple of uneven claims. “It was also announced,” the channel claimed, “that one of the main cast members will be leaving the show. Devastating news for many — Tom Oar has left Montana for the winter. The legendary reality TV star is now retired in Florida with wife Nancy.”

But “left Montana for the winter” is not the same thing as “retired.” Tom has been keeping away from his Montana home for the entirety of the long winter for several years now. For example, he spent a long stretch of this past February touring assorted outdoor and sporting goods shows nationwide. Tom talked briefly about his current scheduling as part of a longer interview with Allegheny Mountain Radio this past February, while in West Virginia for an event.

Tom is also featured in the current issue of Billings Lifestyle magazine, which makes no mention of his complete retirement. The feature on Tom even ends with a simple declaration that he’ll keep on with his Montana home and lifestyle for as long as he possibly can. From the June 2019 issue:

At the age of 76, [Tom] continues to toil endlessly on his craft and [he and Nancy’s] survival in the mountains.

“Amazing life,” he surmises. “I’ve enjoyed every bit of it. And as long as I can still do it, hell, I’m gonna do it.”

So, did Tom Oar leave Mountain Men? For now, it seems far more likely that Tom and Nancy have scaled back the amount of time they spend in Montana. But that doesn’t mean he’s quit the show entirely. After all, Tom has acknowledged that Mountain Men provides a considerable source of his income. And the show is a steady hit for History; it’s not quite as cancel-proof as Curse of Oak Island, but it’s almost always filming. Which in turn means that Tom can film scenes throughout the rest of the year.

Mountain Men Season 8 airs Thursday nights at 9 on History.

(Photo credit: Did Tom Oar leave Mountain Men via History)

John Sharp is Starcasm’s chief editorial correspondent-at-large. Tips: E-mail john@starcasm.net or Twitter @john_starcasm.