Frank and Amanda Addington with Ted Nugent ("Theo") [center]
Today's world is full of video games, iPods, computers, and TVs with hundreds of stations. Even automobiles today have video players so that on long drives kids can watch TV instead of spending time as a family talking, laughing and saying, "How much further?". Cell phones have video games too. It seems we have everything we need to entertain and occupy ourselves instead of talking and spending time outdoors as a family unit.
The fact is that the average age of hunters in this country is aging and is not being replaced as fast as they used to be. We must take action now to ensure that future generations know what it's like to smell the smoke of a campfire, to wade into a trout stream fishing with their dad or mom, to sit in a tree stand on a frosty morning with bow or gun in hand, hear a Spring Gobbler call out, and to go on a camping trip with their parents.
Enter TED NUGENT stage right. Odds are your kids will stop what they are doing and watch Uncle Ted when he comes on TV. He grabs their attention. Try it sometime. Put on one of his DVDs or one of his TV shows and see if young people don't watch the TV. He draws their attention like a magnet. They are drawn to his energy and his passion. Is he off the wall? Yeah. Perhaps that is part of his appeal.
While anything but conventional, Ted Nugent may just be the best way to promote the outdoors to the next generation. He is anti-drug and anti-tobacco. We need someone like Ted to wake up the next generation.
I've known Nugent for more than 17 years and believe me there is a method to his madness. He gets more media in a year's time than most of us in this industry will get in a lifetime. He is a loud and proud supporter of our second amendment rights and he defends and promotes bowhunting everywhere he goes.
At his rock and roll concerts he plays vintage video footage of the late Fred Bear, sings the "FRED BEAR" song and shoots his bow on stage at every show.
One time I was doing an archery show out west. A father &son heard that I knew Nugent and took the time after my exhibition to come up &talk to me. The father told me the nine year old never missed "Uncle Ted's" tv show. They wrote down their name &mailing address for me and I forwarded it to Nugent. He took the time to write the young man a letter. How cool is that? I wonder how many other "rock stars/celebrities" would have taken the time?
Nugent has some harsh critics. I would venture to say that most of these critics don't know Nugent, have made a snap judgement of him, or some may be jealous of him. Egos seem to clash in such a small industry. My thoughts are that if you don't like Nugent that's fine but why not promote the sport or help it grow rather than waste time bad mouthing Nugent? What good does that serve?
The old adage about "united we stand, but divided we fall" is true. Ted Nugent is loud. He is proud. And he has firm opinions. There's not a shy bone in his body. As stated earlier, he can say some off the wall stuff. His style and mine are night & day and yet I like &respect him very much.
Take the time to "listen" to his message sometime and you'll see a man with a heart of gold that has a passion for not just archery and bowhunting but for life & his fellow man. Ted Nugent is A-OK in my book. Rock On Theo.
By the way, check out Nugent's new website.
Until next time, Adios & God Bless.
Shoot Straight,
Frank
