I gaze lovingly at the mounted button buck and the small doe fawn side by side on my cabin wall.
You want to talk about trophies! I remember every soul-stirring detail of those two exciting deerkills way back in the 1960s, and though both deer are as small as legal deer can be, they both represent the essence of my thrilling hunting life.
I think the most amazing memory of all is the shock and dismay on the taxidermistxe2x80x99s face when I brought the little boogers in to be mounted.
He literally couldnxe2x80x99t believe that I wanted to pay to have such nontrophy deer mounted, but eventually came to understand my genuine excitement and happiness in finally accomplishing my hunting goal of bagging a deer.
As I state constantly on my “Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild TV” show for the past 31 years and in all of my media interviews celebrating the perfect hunting lifestyle, when approached with a proper mindset and with the proper heart of a hunter-conservationist, every hunt should be all about fun, sport, meat and trophy.
When I eventually figured out that a few hunting days here there each season didnxe2x80x99t come close to satisfying my hunting cravings and dreams, and I increased my days afield to at least six months a year, I became a more selective, patient hunter and picked my targets more scientifically with an eye on improving the overall herd and habitat.
Living on my hunting land gives me the definitive knowledge of the wildlife conditions. No computer model on some bureaucratxe2x80x99s office desk could possibly compare with a dedicated, boots-on-the-ground, eye-witness connection with the land and animals when it comes to sound science wildlife management.
On our Michigan and Texas hunting lands I am out there with the critters year-round, and apply your basic wildlife biology 101 when determining my annual management plan.
Though rainfall plays a huge role on our Texas grounds, the simple equation of habitat condition and carrying capacity in conjunction with fawn recruitment will dictate my seasonal harvest every time.
With supplemental feeding, agriculture practices and food plot augmentation, along with aggressive predator controls, we can dramatically increase the health and vitality of our herds.
Typically across North America, an aggressive doe harvest is critical for herd and land management, and ainxe2x80x99t it fun!
I donxe2x80x99t know about you, but for me, a successful strategy and good arrow on a flathead she-deer is as thrilling as killing a big old buck.
Fortunate to hunt many of my buddyxe2x80x99s deergrounds, we always celebrate a doe kill as the essence of our backstrap dreams, and this essential balancing responsibility goes a long way to fortifying the herd, while protecting the critical habitat for all wildlife xe2x80x94 game and nongame alike.
I continue to be amazed to hear that some hunters refuse to shoot does, but will gladly put their buck tag on a yearling spike or forkhorn.
To each his own, of course, and I fully support the individual choice of killing whatever legal deer anyone prefers, but if we could just convince those hunters that simply want some venison and a fun, successful hunt to pass up on the yearling bucks and shoot does instead, they would be amazed at how quick the herd would begin to produce those mature, dream stags of impressive head bone lore.
And let me emphasize the bottomline that the trophy is always in the eye of the individual beholder, and to my fellow hunters that only get a few days to hunt each season and want to shoot young bucks, I am with you all the way and say have at it!
Whatever turns your crank, comes to mind.
Those of us who diligently monitor our hunting grounds, both private and public, should establish a good rapport with our regional game departments, regularly communicating our observations and concerns in order to assist them in making informed season and harvest decisions.
Each fall I get more and more excited for the hunt and feel extremely blessed and fortunate to live the hunting lifestyle that I so cherish.
When our game grounds are managed based on real-world, sound science, the attraction of thriving wildlife kicks the passion meter up a few notches, and I for one canxe2x80x99t wait to get out there every day.
Multi-platinum guitar legend TED NUGENT has a new full-length album THE MUSIC MADE ME DO IT, released on Friday, November 9, on Round Hill Records. The album is available now for order everywhere, and the title track xe2x80x9cThe Music Made Me Do Itxe2x80x9d is available to download and stream wherever music is sold.
Ted Nugent xe2x80x93 xe2x80x9cThe Music Made Me Do Itxe2x80x9d (Official Music Video)
With more than 40 million albums sold, rock legend Ted Nugent is equally well known as the nationxe2x80x99s 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 xe2x80x94The Nugent Manifesto; God, Guns & Rock xe2x80x98nxe2x80x99 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