Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness! Remember that beloved freedom battlecry of and for the American Dream! Though still very much alive and well and celebrated with mucho gusto and passion here, there and everywhere, it is indeed tragically becoming more and more difficult to experience, and in fact illegal in more and more jurisdictions across America. This powerful human instinct, nonetheless, remains the ultimate mantra for the best of us!
Out here in the pure, natural, instinctual world of hands-on nature participation in the perfect hunting, fishing, trapping conservation lifestyle, where you can find it, such joy remains as beautiful as ever for those of us smart and determined enough to live it, demand it, promote it and celebrate it!
Lord have mercy on the rest of them!
I am here to maximize this ultimate celebration, that of which I am humbled and inspired to partake in all year round in every imaginable outdoor pursuit with the greatest conservation families one could ever hope to be a part of.
The Spirit campfire blazes on and the positive energy is wonderfully contagious!
I hope you all truly grasp the incredible explosion of raving joy that erupts whenever anybody reels in a fish, holds up a dead squirrel, rabbit or gamebird that we are so very fortunate to bag, and truly the ultimate grin-city, bug-eyed moment in time when we reverentially kneel down next to a hard-earned, harvested big-game animal.
Witnessing these wonderful moments at the scene of the crime and increasingly through the ubiquity of filmed outdoor activities over the years, the best way to explain and interpret the natural uppity reaction to such a moment is total out-of-body physics of spirituality aliveness!
Look at the eyes of the hunter that makes a perfect shot! Look into the eyes of a child when the bobber bobs, the line tightens and the rod bends!
If ever there were a lighting-in-the-bottle, soul-cleansing moment, it erupts most powerfully in the great outdoors.
I for one remember every magic, titillating, spine-tingling, spirit-soaring, out-of-body moment for the last 70 or so years! That is the reason I often break out into a cheek-busting, spontaneous ear-to-ear Cheshire grin as all those wonderful images and sensations come flooding back with a life of their own.
Oh lucky, lucky me!
At our annual Ted Nugent Kamp for Kids charity for the last 31 years, the power of nature is on full display as these youngsters and their families discover archery, safe gun handling and marksmanship skills, the tug of a fishing line, the popping of a balloon from a well-placed slingshot pellet, and the inner joys of building a fire and survival shelter from scratch.
No matter how cruel life may be treating us at any given moment, most notably in these bizzarro crazy times in America 2021, once we leave the pavement headed for our next outdoor adventure, all the negativities and pains of life slowly but surely begin to wane, and will soon totally disappear from our overworked, abused minds.
I for one live the most stimulating and soul-cleansing healing moment just by grabbing my bow and arrow. I don’t even have to be on stand or in the presence of critters to virtually vanish from the modern chaos zone. When eventually drawing down on a critter of my choice, I literally experience heaven on earth and am overwhelmed and consumed by peace, tranquility and total positive spirit.
It is intoxicating to say the least. Thank God, huh!
Watch all of those hunting and fishing shows that are available on Outdoor Channel, Sportsmen Channel and the Pursuit Network. Watch closely the explosion of excitement and happiness when all our dedicated efforts and hard work bring us the big payoff!
You would be hard pressed to find a more glaring example of such happiness in mankind than these natural, instinctual occasions of human crescendos.
It may be the dead of winter doldrums right now, but Mother Nature awaits us with open arms.
A simple trek into the outback simply to take in her energy can make all of the difference in the world.
Building a woodland campfire will transport us to a very special place. The Rolling Stones may sing “Gimme Shelter,” but those of us who cherish and connect with the great outdoors know damn well that the ultimate shelter from whatever ails us is available very close by, by simply taking that step on the wild side.
As hunters, I know that we are the chosen ones, the lucky ones, the smart ones.
Happiness is truly just a shot away.
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.
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.
Ted Nugent on the Pursuit of Happiness
Wild and Free in Michigan
