I am excited to introduce my new column, “From the Ranch…” which will appear regularly in the Texas Ranch Journal. This column will feature stories about interesting things happening around Texas, as well as interviews with some of the coolest Texans I know.

For this introductory piece, I could think of no one who embodies the Texas attitude more than rock and roll bowhunter, Ted Nugent. Theo, as I call him, and I have been friends for over four decades, and no one promotes ethical bowhunting, Second Amendment rights, and a drug-free life with more passion than Ted. Here’s what he had to say..

 

 

FA: First of all, tell our readers who you are and what you do!   And how long you’ve been doing it.

My name is Ted Nugent and for 70 plus years I have created the ultimate animal breeding soulmusic soundtrack for people of maximum spirit, attitude and lust for freedom and quality of life. I have dedicated my life fighting the runaway evil forces of criminal abuse of power by corrupt, soulless, nasty bureaucrats that constantly trample our  God given individual rights while at the same time ferociously promoting and celebrating God, family, country, law and order and allthings freedom to the global masses. What fun!

FA: You are well known for your bow and arrow adventures.  How far back does this go and have you often shot a bow on stage too?

Born in Detroit Michigan in 1948, my wonderful father Warren Henry Nugent was already an adamant disciple of bowhunting master Fred Bear, so the mystical flight of the arrow and wildlife has always been a powerful discipline and source of great fascination and inspiration. As my rock-n-roll adventure accelerated in the 1960s, I naturally included archery into my stageshows and eventually created our Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild TV show in 1989 to further promote and celebrate this incredible bowhunting/archery, hands-on conservation lifestyle to the masses.

FA:  Who is your bow hunting friends and heroes ?  Who’s had major influences on you?

Born in the powerful shadow of Fred Bear, I was constantly inspired to find out more about great archers and bowhunters. Along with Fred leading the way, I got to know Howard Hill, Ben Pearson, Jim Daugherty, Doug Walker, Chuck Adams and so many other greats to help guide my arrows home and learn everything I could about wildlife.

FA:  Land is important to a guy like you with your hobbies and interests.   Did you grow up on large land in Michigan ?  If not, where did you go to pursue your hunting adventures?

We never owned land and hunted exclusively on public ground forever. Once I started making money, I made sure I never wasted any of it on booze, drugs, tobacco, or any such foolish nonsense, so ended up purchasing lots of incredible wildgrounds of phenomenal wildlife habitat where the Nugent family hunts hard each year.

FA:  You do own a ranch in Michigan right?  How do you manage it for game? 

We have more than a thousand acres of the greatest wildlife habitat to be found in Michigan and intensely manage it for the critters. Forests, swamps, marches, fens, agriculture and custom foodplots along with annual deciduous, coniferous and various fruit and mast producing trees provide definitive bio-diversity greatly benefitting all living things while optimizing quality air, soil and water production.

FA:  I know you did a birthday bash on a famous Texas ranch for many years.   Can you give a few highlights of that for us?

Because I have always promoted and celebrated the joys and sense of duty that the hunting lifestyle provides, people have always sought advise on how to get started so I created SUNRIZE SAFARIS to book, guide and outfit interested parties to join the fun. We packed the amazing YO Ranch in Mountain Home Texas each December for my annual Ted Nugent Birthday Hunt Bash Party creating the most profitable annual event at this historic ranch having the time of our lives. We continue to do so at our own SpiritWild Ranch in China Spring each year and celebrate the most wonderful families around some very special campfires.

FA:  Texas has vast land and each area differs.  What’s been your favorite area and why ?

Texas truly is Gods country and we loves all the various regions from the Hill Country, South Texas, West Texas, the eastern Piney Woods to the Gulf Coast. We love it all! Truly the greatest whitetail deerhunting to be found on earth is the wilds of South Texas.

FA:  On the land you currently own what’s been your goal management wise?  Do you plant food crops, feed protein, etc?

Our beloved home SpiritWild Ranch along the North Bosque River consists of the best of all worlds. We have diverse forests, pecan groves, agriculture, some wetlands, and everything a hunter/nature lover could want. We grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa and various custom food plots to maximize optimal wildlife support and bio-diversity. God rewards us with the soul cleansing healing powers of quality nature due to dedicated conscientious resource stewardship.

FA:  What other large ranches in Texas do you enjoy hunting on ?  What game is your favorite ?

The best hunting on earth can be found in Texas because it is 90+% private owned and nobody takes better care of ground than private property owners. The exotic game hunting is incredible and so is the indigenous deer, turkey, waterfowl, upland and small game along with amazing predator and varmint hunting.

FA: My parents have hunted with you a number of times and they always comment on your ethics, respect for the game and your striving to be the best shot you can be.   You were with mom when she shot her 20th bear with a bow at age 72.   Crazy huh?!?

This is a perfect example of the joys of sharing hunting camps with the finest people on earth! You mom and dad, along with the legions of hunting families I’ve been so privileged to hunt which proves that great, down to earth, grounded, kind people are best represented in the hunting culture.

FA:  I know you to be a charitable man.   What are some causes dear to your heart here in Texas ?  How can folks get involved?

We are involved with various youth, military, law enforcement, 2nd Amendment and numerous wildlife conservation charities and causes nationwide and Texans have always been amazingly generous and caring. Our own Ted Nugent Kamp for Kids nonprofit has steered boys and girls on a TruNorth compass setting for 36 years. People can visit TedNugent.com for information how we save kids lives every year.

FA:  Are you retired from the stage or are you a still rocking and rolling?

I enjoyed the greatest musical fun and adventure in 2025 and there is no end in sight! I rocked my 7009th rockout and will continue to unleash exciting, thrilling fun soul music with the world’s greatest musicians and music lovers nonstop. I don’t actually tour anymore because I am such a hopeless homebody, but me and the boys will jam like animals here, there and everywhere as long as I can be home each night! My music has a life of its own and is more fun, dynamic and exciting than ever if you can believe that!

FA: Where can our readers go to learn all things Ted, visit your website and stay up on all your adventures?

TedNugent.com for sure but tune into our 36 year running Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild TV show on Pursuit Channel eight times a week and our Real America’s Voice Spirit Campfire and Faith and Freedom podcasts.

FA: your family has grown – lots of grandkids coming into the picture.  What’s it like seeing them try archery and hunting for the first time ?!? 

That’s gotta be great! All my seven kids and thirteen grandkids are tuned into hands-on conservation to varying degrees and there is nothing better for young people or any people for that matter than spending maximum time in the healing powers of the great outdoors.

FA:  You care deeply for your fellow man. I know you to be a man of faith and very patriotic.  Any advice for young people reading this?

Genuine happiness and a solid sense of deep, inner fulfillment and gratifying purpose of life can only truly be attained by being clean and sober. God, family, country is the battlecry for inner peace and sense of duty.

FA: You and I share the same feelings about a certain Mexican restaurant in San Antonio – you once told me it’s your favorite!   Is it still your favorite?

My dear old friend Tony Dukes, God rest his soul, introduced me to the incredible Mexican cuisine at Mi Tieras after a San Antonio concert in 1976. I can’t wait to buy you dinner there ASAP!

FA:  I think you and I both married “Up”.   What’s Ms Shemane  been up to lately?

Yes indeed! Shemane and I have been happily married for 36 years and she is my dream wife, soulmate, mother of our incredible son Rocco Winchester and grandson Rover Wolf, my best bowhunting buddy and a force of nature to reckon with for God, family, country! Her Queen of the Forest segment on our TV show has inspired many, many women and newcomers to join the mystical flight of the arrow celebration.

FA: Tell us about your place in Texas.

SpiritWild Ranch is approximately 300 acres high fence on the North Bosque River in China Spring Texas with magnificent diverse habitat that supports 65 species of birdlife, abundant small game, big game, numerous exotics, varmints, and spirit invigorating healthy biodiversity!

FA:   Thank you Theo for all you do.   Rock on.

 

Frank Addington, an Associate with Texas Ranch Sales, is known for his deep roots in the outdoor world and his ability to connect with just about anyone he meets. Having crossed paths with a wide range of people throughout his life, Frank brings a conversational, experience-driven perspective to his writing, sharing stories and insights from the land and the people who live on it.