A
T ED IT O RIA L
FAMILY HUNTING CELEBRATION It was October 1955, and Tribe Nuge was scrambling to beat darkness as we organized our camping gear into the small log cabin on the banks of the mighty Titabawasee River deep in the wilds of Michigan’s big timbered North Country. I was but a tad of a 7-year-old toehead, trying my best to follow mom and dad’s orders to help gather firewood, haul buckets of riverwater, and toss dufflebags of supplies into our quaint wilderness one-room home for a long weekend. Following the long drive from downstate, it was a relief to run around doing chores, especially in our sacred Up North! WOW! Wilderness! Camping! Sleeping bags! Campfires! Marshmallows! Cooking outside! Bows and arrows! Critters! Cool! Even at the ripe young age of seven, I was already hooked on all things outdoors, that’s for sure. Veteran of many a Rouge River rat hunt back home on the outskirts of Detroit, to be on an official deerhunt in the eternal forests with the family was certainly a pivotal directional hi-lite of my upbringing. I cannot overstate the positive effect it provided me throughout my life, right up to this very day. This was a special time for mankind, the righteous might of America having just stopped cold the evil empires of Japan and Germany, proving for all who care that waging war for good over evil was the only way to go, and a proud time for America. Under the umbrella of logic and decency, basic self-evident truths were common 18 Archery Magazine February/March 2006
by
Te d
N uge nt
and sensible across America. Only an ultra thin lunatic fringe were soulless and foolish enough to make statements against hunting and gun ownership, and the rugged individualism and quest for freedom and independence
They were discovering the thrilling high of the mystical flight of the arrow, and...they came to love it so much. that brought about this grand experiment in self-government remained strong. Like nearly all of America, the Nugent family took for granted that good families hunted together during the natural hunting season. And so we did. Catapult fifty years ahead, and still Tribe Nuge joins tens of millions of American families as we remain connected to the Good Mother Earth in the most intelligent and spiritual hands-on conservation lifestyles of hunting, fishing, trapping, shooting, camping and all the wonderful outdoor activities that continue to flourish today. Though some things have changed, and many U.S. citizens have chose to distance themselves from these pure, natural handson participatory functions, it is a time of grand celebration that there are more bowhunters, more deerhunters and more outdoor
recreationists in America than ever before. The healing powers of nature that hunters have always celebrated continue to catch on, thank God. In an era of braindead political correctness that struggles feebly to somehow convince the masses that hunting and fishing is wrong and bad, we continue to celebrate truth and God’s flawless tooth, fang and claw reality with ever increasing aplomb. That there are more deer, turkey, geese, cougar and black bear than ever in recorded history in North America, and more elk, moose, antelope, buffalo, eagles, grizzly bears, polar bears and an assortment of always amazing game and nongame animals than in over 150 years is cause for grand celebration that honest conservation is working just great. Cool, huh! In response to the ridiculous and irresponsible attempts to outlaw hunting and fishing and overall access to wildground specifically owned by “we the people” by denial cultists in this politically correct culture war, I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with warriors across America who have defeated and halted such goofiness. Guided by visionaries like Teddy Roosevelt, Aldo Leopold and Fred Bear, we saw the self inflicted disconnect that a fantasy driven city existence created, and we have stopped them cold. The battles rage on, but fortunately, dedicated sporters remain ever vigilant and actively counterpunch stupidity wherever and whenever we discover it. And the results are something to cheer about.
continued
I have personally guided many freight train was unstoppable. more family groups join us for a family into the exhilarating Soon young Caroline and Melissa just such exhilarating fun. In the world of the great outdoors, and were discovering the thrilling high earlier years, mostly guys would the excitement that they come to of the mystical flight of the arrow, fill our camp, but once these cherish is very contagious to say and before you knew it, they were guys witnessed the whole Nuge the least. I have seen firsthand how not only hunting hard throughout family having such a special blast families discover a new heightened the seasons with bow and guns, but together, slowly but surely they level of awareness and sense of they came to love it so much as a began to bring their entire families unification that is brought about quality of life upgrade, that Calvin with them, and you’ve never seen by quality time together during turned his LoneStar Music Store in such laughter, smiling goodtimes outdoor activities, particularly Waco TX, into the LoneStar Music by young and old, male and female when it includes such dynamic and Archery Store. Houston, we alike. To hug a little boy or little earthly participation as hunting have liftoff! girl with their first kill as we take and the various shooting sports. I receive letters and Emails all celebratory photos together brings Take our good friends the Ross’s. the time from families who have home the inescapable truth that Though Calvin dabbled in these times are powerful rifle hunting as a young man and positive, creating a raised on a Texas dairy farm, guiding force for quality ranch chores on the family time together that simply operation consumed his makes these kids better days and weekends to the Americans. I am sure of it. A point where he just never bonding takes place under really pursued hunting to these primal conditions that any degree. Raising his own is like a spiritual weld. wonderful family with his The name of the game is amazing wife Melissa, son to communicate and share Carleton and daughter our cravings and love for the Caroline, they did all the hunt and the outdoors. Each standard family activities in and every hunter should their lives, but not much in make it a point to initiate the world of the outdoors. Ted & his grandson Jack with Y.O. Ranch Whitetail the dialog of how much fun They cherished their it is to hunt together as a camping time each year, family. At church, school, the the allure of the outback always discovered the joys of upgraded workplace, BBQs, neighborhood intriguing them. And Calvin family time together beyond the events, whenever and wherever expressed an interest in getting pavement as exemplified by the we may gather, we should reach back to some hunting, but never unique dynamic of the hunting out and recruit all who we know made that step. sports. Kids especially get turned to join us afield in this wonderful Then came the Nuge factor. on to a livelier sensation with hands-on conservation lifestyle. Our rock-n-roll connection was the bow and arrow, and no child Not only will we provide a quality rock solid for more than 25 years, has ever been born that won’t upgrade for others, but just as and as an accomplished musician enjoy some sort of projectile fun. important if not more important, himself, Calvin always politely I’ve never met a kid who doesn’t we will recruit more voices and listened to and acknowledged want to shoot a bow and a gun. voters for prohunting, pro-outdoor my passion for hunting and self The hand-eye challenge that is policy upgrades in a culture war defense, and though I pushed him exemplified by archery is certainly against man and nature working to join me, time constraints were in all of us. With but a modicum of together as we were designed to. often claimed for procrastinational positive supervision, it can and will Now that’s some powerful healing purposes. But the fire was be cultivated in a youngster, much medicine for America and the overwhelming, and eventually, to his or her metaphysical benefit. Spirit of The Wild. I got him to shoot a bow and On our annual Uncle Ted To find out more about family arrow. That progressed when his Birthday HuntBash at the famous hunts with the Nugents, visit son Carlton showed excitement to YO Ranch in Mountain Home, tednugent.com or call SUNRIZE try, and as they say, the runaway Texas each December, more and SAFARIS at 800-343-4868. Archery Magazine February/March 2006 19