Christmas Eve Bowhunt

Silent night. Holy night. All is calm. All is bright!

Could there be a more peaceful, spiritual evening than the night before Christmas, the magic of Christmas Eve?

I’m sure I missed many December bowhunting opportunities to climb a tree with my bow and arrow in hand those first early years of my life on many a Christmas Eve, but by the early 1970s I started to better figure out my life’s priorities, and it wouldn’t be long before this sacred holiday would get me off the otherwise never-ending rock-n-roll road, and back in the family holiday saddle, so to speak.

I admit that the driving force to spend Christmas time at home wasn’t all about bowhunting white-tailed deer on a cold December day, but rather to maximize my quality time with my loving family, especially by the time I became a father in 1974.

Photo courtesy Ted Nugent.

And yes, we always go through all of those wonderful family rituals of Christmas tree cutting and decorating, maniac gift shopping orgies and the glorious kitchen rituals preparing those incredible family meals. But I must say, this old Motor City Michiganiac rockin’ bowhunter will not deny how special December bowhunting is at this wonderful time of year.

Hunting in the snow is one of my life’s greatest treasures and experiences, and man oh man, could I tell you some fascinating stories of hunting in knee-deep, howling blizzards as the family huddled around a nice, warm fireplace, while I froze my crazy ass off sitting in a tree with icicles hanging from my mustache and beard like some sort of treetop Frosty the Snowman nut-job archer.

I arrowed a fantastic Boone & Crocket-caliber stud of a buck on Christmas Eve 1993, and in fact, wrote the amazing story titled “My Christmas Eve Buck,” which appeared in the New York Times Sunday Magazine Christmas week that year for the whole world to share.

Although the glowing memories of all those many hunts back in snowy Michigan all of those years are with me to this day, it was 18 years ago that we made the move to the bowhunting epicenter of Texas, and I must admit I haven’t had a single snowy Christmas Eve bowhunt since.

Now, mind you, I have indeed had a few snowy bowhunts in Texas, but the beautiful white stuff never arrived on that specific day for my favorite bowhunting ritual.

Photo courtesy Ted Nugent.

Well, the Nugent family is scattered all over the country these days, so large family gatherings are rare, yet much cherished events. We will all do our very best to rendezvous as often as possible, but one thing is for certain, dear old dad/grandpa will surely head to the deerwoods, bow and arrow in hand, to climb 16 feet closer to God on the night before Christmas, and hopefully continue my duty of balancing the herd and procuring some tasty venison for the tribe and friends.

I may or may not be on stand at the crack of dawn for the morning hunt on Christmas Day, in order to rise and shine with Mrs. Nugent and the dogs, but I can almost guarantee I will be on the hunt Christmas afternoon, doing what I do best, as kind of a Christmas gift to me from me.

The entire Nugent family together in the great outdoors. Photo courtesy Ted Nugent.

The fact that most of the gifts to family and friends include some much appreciated venison summer sausage and sticks, I suppose I could identify my Christmastime deerhunting as a holiday shopping spree, some of, if not the only, shopping that I enjoy.

So my deerhunting BloodBrothers, here’s to a wonderful family Christmastime to all of you and yours. May your family time together bring you much needed love, joy, solitude, peace and happiness as we wrap up what could very well be the worst year ever in many ways.

Ted Nugent sons
The Nugent boys. Photo courtesy Ted Nugent.

With just one week left in the crazy year 2020, it could be more important now than ever to get back in the wild, where all is good, all is silent, all is calm, all is bright in an otherwise dark year.

If nothing else, the magic of Christmas maximizes the spirit of family, while minimizes any and all negatives the world throws our way.

I bet you can find a moment or two to escape the holiday madness, even if just for a brief time, to do a little holiday deerhunting. It’s good for the soul, and what’s good for the soul, is good for everybody.

A very Merry deerhunting Christmas to everyone. Aim small, miss small, celebrate big!

Multi-platinum guitar legend TED NUGENT has a new full-length album THE MUSIC MADE ME DO ITon Round Hill Records. The album is available now for order everywhere, and the title track “The Music Made Me Do It” is available to download and stream wherever music is sold.

And now, the Ted Nugent Spirit Campfire with John Brenkus, is #1 on Billboard’s Top Facebook Live Video Chart! The ever-articulate Nugent and co-host Brenkus, the Emmy-winning broadcaster from ESPN, make for a high-energy and entertaining combination. The show launched in June 2020 and offers a front row glimpse into musical inspirations, hilarious anecdotes, thoughtful recollections and an enviable lineup of legendary talent.The Ted Nugent Spirit Campfire with John Brenkus airs live on Mondays and Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. EST on Facebook and YouTube.

With more than 40 million albums sold, rock legend Ted Nugent is equally well known as the nation’s most outspoken proponent of our 1st and 2nd Amendment rights, conducting thousands of pro-gun, pro-freedom, pro-American interviews in major media worldwide. Nugent is a New York Times best-selling author whose works include Ted, White & Blue —The Nugent Manifesto; God, Guns & Rock ‘n’ Roll and Kill It & Grill It. This year, his award-winning Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild TV show celebrates its 500th episode! For all things Nuge, visit www.tednugent.com

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