By: Ted Nugent
There is no doubt whatsoever that I am hopelessly addicted to the mystical flight of the arrow. And as addictions go, this one is a doozy and oh so good for you!
Archery, almost like God, family, country, freedom and rock-n-roll plays a huge role in my American Dream of life, liberty and constant pursuit of happiness.
That being said, right up there with the endless thrills of bowhunting the majestic deer of America comes my fascination and love of marksmanship and its ultimate aim small miss small application of firearms deerhunting.
As I slam this little NugeBlog ditty on the 13th day of November 2019, I am just two days away from what many of us still believe is the defining magical moment in the deerhunting lifestyle-altogether now, say HALLELUJAH like ya mean it, for November 15 is Opening Day of the Michigan gun season, and I am as or more excited to Carpe that diem than I ever have been in 71 seasons!
Sure, the ultimate deerhunting thrill for me and many of us remains bowhunting the pre-rut insanity of late October and early November when bucktivity explodes like no other time, but there is something crazy powerful about that opening day infamy when the world’s largest gun-toting army converges onto the sacred deergrounds of Michigan and so many other states.
It could simply be the sheer numbers of fellow hunters hitting the wildgrounds, or maybe it is just those early imprinted memories coming back like a firestorm of anticipation and emotions that make opening day so exciting, but whatever it is, there is no other day or occurrence in life that quite compares, and for this old backstrapper, I am about to throttle out of my skin.
You will be reading this NugeBlog on Opening Day eve, and a restless night awaits the hordes of fellow sporters gearing up for the day we have waiting all year for.
I will not only dust off my trusty .450 Bushmaster sniper rifle, but I will also be joined by my amazing drummer, 23 year-old Jason Hartless for his very first deerhunt ever. I think I am more excited to witness his inner predator come to life than I am about putting the crosshairs on my own deer.
Getting Jason all geared up with his hunter safety certificate, licenses and tags, his very own .450, all the necessary warm clothing and boots, orange jacket and hat, and training him on the range to unleash that disciplined sniper within is a thrill all unto itself. He explained how he had to give it a try after hearing all my exciting hunting stories and knew he to experience it for himself.
We will spend extended time at the range to imprint all the basic safety considerations so his gun handling becomes 2nd nature.
We will meet well before dawn and hit a wind-breaking box groundblind together with a hot thermos of coffee and a loaded lunch bag. I will bring our Spirit of the Wild vidcam to capture one of life’s most precious moments when a new hunter discovers the amazing spirit of the hunt, and how an old hunter like me is dedicated to pass on the tradition.
All I can say to all my fellow American hunting families across the fruited plain- Happy Happy opening day to everyone!
We hope you all bag a handsome beast, have the time of your lives, soak in all the healing powers of God’s miraculous nature creation and have the safest most fun hunt ever.
If you wish to elevate the excitement of your deerhunting life to new higher levels, consider introducing a newcomer to the world’s greatest sport, and you will get a thrill that will cleanse your soul.
I will use my sniper rifle on opening day, but then go back to my Mathews bow for the rest of the season. Jason will get a taste of this wonderful American deercamp tradition, and I bet you he will never miss an opening day for the rest of his life.
Aim small, miss small and say a prayer for the wildthings every day. Happy Opener America! This is IT!