What exactly is it we want out of our annual hunting season? Backstraps? Fun? Adventure? Challenge? Sport? A trophy? Escape? Quiet? That special campfire with family and friends? The healing powers of nature? Filling the memory bank? Defying political correctness? Or just flexing that pure, natural, instinctive predator muscle because we must?

All of the above? All the above for me that’s for sure.

By Ted Nugent

Many, many years ago back in the roaring 1970s, after more than a dozen years of nonstop touring performing more than 300 concerts each year with my band The Amboy Dukes, I was getting more and more antsy every October.

We didn’t sell that many records at the time but we were making a pretty decent living performing killer concerts all across North America, which didn’t leave me much time for my beloved bowhunting.

Sneaking in a couple of days here and there during the fall wasn’t exactly filling my predator cup to overflow, and I was finding myself obsessed with getting out there for a genuine extended hunt.

I do not believe it to be a coincidence that the year I decided to take a month off to hunt was the year my career exploded.

By the fall of 1975 I had backed down my concert schedule to the point where I could really apply myself to killing a deer, and most importantly, recharging my batteries and coordinating quality time with my growing family and friends.

The boost my mind, body, soul and spirit received from such quality time pursuing my deepest hunting passions, equal to my deepest musical passions, further cleared my already cleared head and set me on an upgraded course in life where deeply craved priorities would never again take a backseat to anything.

Amazingly, in that fall 1975 I arrowed my 1^st antlered muledeer in Colorado on September 10, my 1^st antlered whitetail on October 10, and killed my 1^st firearm buck on the Michigan gun opener on November 15.

Right on the heels of that mega-accomplishment, my brand new 1^st solo album skyrocketed to a million seller. In the next few years I would become the highest grossing touring artist in the world, selling many millions of records each year.

Eventually I would sell more than 40 million records and I am currently on the greatest tour of my life, selling out shows all across America 50 wild years later with the greatest band and crew a guitar player could ever dream of.

Lord have mercy!

My point is that man does not live by bread alone, or rock alone, or backstraps alone, or any one thing alone!

As I approach my 68^th birthday (are you kidding me!! And everyone should respect their elders) I guess I qualify to some degree to pass on some meaningful advice after a long, wonderful, passion driven, ultra-aware, adventurous American Dream.

My hunting seasons are sacred time and while cleansing my soul, must bring FUN, SPORT, MEAT and TROPHY!

FUN is inescapable I love it so much.

SPORT is inescapable because killing a deer with a bow and arrow is an ultimate life challenge everytime.

MEAT is the prize for gungho dedication, sacrifice and diligence.

TROPHY is every good arrow regardless of whether it’s a small doe or a giant buck.

I assure you that what works for an old roustabout backstrapping guitar-slayer will work for pretty much all humans who seek health, balance, adventure, fulfillment and happiness.

So whip out your intellectual crystal ball my Spirit BloodBrothers, and be sure you take charge of your dreams. Our beloved deerseason is coming on strong. We should come on strong too! Prioritize like you mean it!

Ted Nugent is an award-winning musician and writer, with numerous best-seller books including “Ted, White and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto,” “God, Guns and Rock ‘n Roll,” and “Kill It and Grill It: A Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish” with his wife, Shemane, among other books. Be sure to check out his website for more news on his latest music, thoughts and upcoming shows, and also at World News Daily, Newsmax and Daily Caller for more insights.

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