Just like our intelligent, prioritized manipulation of time and schedules to maximize our hunting season opportunities, the Nugents also keep the Merry Christmas flames burning bright way before and long after December 25.
With that in mind, here’s to the ultimate Merry Merry Christmas to all of my fellow American deerhunting backstrap BloodBrothers out there who also cherish such important family time together during these very special holidays.
We work hard all year to remain in the asset column of life, fulfilling our family responsibilities, and so eagerly look forward with much glee to the peace and quiet of our soul-cleansing, re-creating hunting time in the great outdoors.
With those same goals and dreams, we also can’t wait for the Christmas season to do more of the same, but in a more close-knit family environment, reconnecting with extended family and backing down the energy levels a tad for meaningful time together, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and all of the goodwill and positive energy unique to this particular Holiday.
I for one truly need this time of year for all of the obvious reasons, but do not fail to acknowledge and celebrate the equally obvious December quality hunting opportunities that go hand in hand with this winter calendar.
What represents the late season in most of the country, is in fact some of the peak hunting time in my home state of Texas.
Just returning a few days before Christmas from a dream backstrap safari in the legendary South Texas deer heaven around Uvalde, Knippa, Sabinal, and Hondo, Texas, the Holiday spirit was alive and kicking everywhere we traveled.
Privileged beyond description to hunt my buddy Greg Mosing’s family’s forever mega deergrounds, my backstrap dreams are reaching new heights these days!
With more than 6,000 open range acres right smack dab in the middle of this historic deer paradise, this part of the country pretty much invented the deer management program by age and genetics that has been universally embraced by deer managers everywhere.
The incredibly fertile land and ubiquitous, ultra-nutritious, insanely thick, brushy browse that carpets this part of Texas is the kind of deer food that even the mad scientists at Purina cannot duplicate.
With widespread use of center-pivot irrigation and intense deer population control, I would venture to wager that this vast area is, to my way of thinking, the greatest deer country on planet earth.
It seemed that every stand I chose to hunt, based on wind, sun and sightings, produced thrilling encounters with stunning, mature bucks and big, fat healthy does and fawns everytime.
Such a dreamy quality deerhunt can only be described as the ultimate Christmas gift from my friend Greg and his family to this old guitar-jamming, backstrap addict, mystical-flight-of-the-arrow, aim-small-miss-small deerhunting nut, and Lord knows I appreciate it more than anyone could ever imagine.
My family, like so many, is scattered all across America and it is very difficult, and more often than not impossible, for us to all gather in one place. Phone calls, texts and emails are nonstop to make the connection the best that we can, and gifts were all exchanged in a timely manner.
I remember simpler times when big family gatherings were the norm, with all of the excitement of Christmas morning continuing for many days, but I am happy to report how the actual Christmas spirit is as strong as it has ever been for the Nugent tribe.
I may or may not hunt Christmas morning, but the days are filled with that special spirit that has always been the hallmark of these enjoyable end-of-year days.
There are many tags yet to be filled, and many happy hunters will be joining us off and on as the winter hunting season throttles onward, and I am one happy American deerhunter that will live and hunt each day like the magical gift that it is.
2019 was an exciting year for sure, and as I fondly look back on all of the wild adventures it provided, I am nonetheless giddy with anticipation for what 2020 holds in store.
Think of the deerhunting life as the most amazing gift that God could ever give us and just how lucky we are to have received it. Live it like you mean it as a way of saying thank you to God!
Multi-platinum guitar legend TED NUGENT has a new full-length album THE MUSIC MADE ME DO IT, on 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.
Ted Nugent – “The Music Made Me Do It” (Official Music Video)
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