I admire all hunters really. I believe we are special breed, never allowing our primal instinct to be compromised and remain directly connected to God’s life-giving natural creation with a predator higher level of awareness and sincere appreciation for our stewardship responsibilities. Backstraps are our reward.

By Ted Nugent

I’ve been blessed to share a lifetime of serious hunting campfires forever and must say that the finest human beings alive have been there. And since I was at the Fred Bear fire often, I certainly know finest humanbeings when I see them.

Some of these great gentleman hunters are well known, most you have never heard of. That is an important observation on the mysticism of celebrity. Believe me, celebrity is way over rated, and to prove my point, the definitive barometer of true human equality is the whitetail deer.

No game animal will give anyone the upperhand based on name power, wealth or worldly accomplishments, records sold or goodlooks. All deerhunters are humbled all too often to be bamboozled into feeling superior. The term down to earth identifies those of us who cherish our earthly connection to the beasts we hunt and eat.

So there was Fred Bear, Doug Walker, Roy Case, Howard Hill, Elmer Keith, Ed Bilderback, Bob Munger, George Nicholls and Marv Leslie for sure. My buddy Claude Pollington of CP Oneida Archery is another master predator, wildlife genius and all around BloodBrother.

Bryan Schupbach operates his famous family sporting goods store in Jackson, Michigan. I used to buy guns from his dad when their Western Auto store took firearms in on trade for oil filters and stuff. Bryan is certainly one of the top authorities on bowhunting in the world today. And a BloodBrother.

And for all those same reasons, I identify with Bruce Cull, president of National Field Archery Association, Scott Asse at Dakota Archery and Sports, Pigman Brian Quaca and his dad Dap, Tom Nelson of American Archer TV, Fred and Michelle Eichler, Razor Dobbs of Razor Dobbs Alive TV, those BoneDogs Waddell, Mundt and T-Bone, my son Toby, Keith Mark of Macmillan River Adventures, Kris Helms my SpiritWild VidCamDude and ranch manager, Gary and Steve Sims of Sims Vibration Laboratories, Larry Woodward of ScentBlockers Most Wanted TV, Mrs. Nugent, Greg and Jake Miller, David Blanton, Bobby Bohannon, Pete Odland, Jay Gregory, Derome West of the Texas Highway Patrol, Gary Sitton of Abilene TX, Mike Ray of TX, Mike Pelltier of MI UP, Scott Young my USDA killer BloodBrother in CO, Mitch Moore and Rod Patterson of N CA, Tom McMillan in KS, Richard P. Smith in the UP of MI, George Faerber in AK, Rick Schnase in NE, Dick and Carol Mauch in NE, Scott Thrash in TX, Calvin and Carlton Ross in TX, USMC hero Bob Blevins up in Michigan’s UP, my nephew Brennan O’Keefe, Cameron Haines of RMEF, Jim Shockey, Chris Bracket of Arrow Affliction TV, all the Primos killers, Dan Perez and his whole team of Whitetail Properties, Jack Brittingham, Texas Governor Rick Perry, General Leroy Sisco, Joe Arbic of MI, Matt Moore and team of Gettin’ Close TV, Jack Frost, Tom Hoffman, Paul Meeks, Daryl and Hunter Burttschell, most of my neighbors and so many hunters across the land that it would be impossible to list them all.

Point being that my glowing 65.5-year American Dream so far has been blessed with many incredible people, and the best of the best are incredible hunters. As further proof that all men are not equal, many of these guys are downright mystical in their backstrap procuring talents. I wish I could be as good a hunter as any of them. It’s a darn good thing I get to hunt 300+ days a year, because many of them are stumbling bumbling venisonless days afield. If it wasn’t for occasional lucky streaks, I would buy a lot of chicken, beef and pork.

So be thankful that you are a hunter, and keep your friends around that SpiritFire as often as you can. It’s the best fire out there. Join us at www.facebook.com/TedNugent to see what I mean and share the spirit.