1: For real hunters – the ones who hunt with their feet instead of feet-per-second – a good pair of boots is the most important piece of gear.
2: The pound for pound most accurate bolt-action hunting rifle ever made was the New Ultra Light Arms Model 20. It handles with the agility of a fencing foil and is as precise as a Rolex. The Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 is its worthy replacement.
3: In the world of sports, the GOATs are Jordan, Marciano, Messi, Brady, and Tiger. Find something else to argue about.
4: Some guns cannot be held too tightly, some women cannot be looked at too much, and sometimes, with some songs, the volume cannot be high enough.
5: No matter how cool your new 4X4 might be, it will never be the equal of grandpa’s truck. Grandpa’s truck was a limousine, a muscle car, and a Sherman tank, all wrapped up in one.
6: It’s always a good idea to keep a shotgun handy. One day you might need to miss something, and you’ll need a good excuse for doing so.
7: The term “stopping power” means absolutely nothing. It’s an expression made up by gun writers to explain things they do not understand.
8: If you go through your life without being or thanking a veteran, you should be condemned to some special kind of hell.
9: The Scout Rifle is a uniquely odd object that’s misunderstood by most. It is also very ironic in that it’s of a very specialized design that’s intended to be used in a general-purpose manner.
10: Never confuse a politician with a patriot, they’re not the same thing. Patriots will risk their life for their country and folks they don’t know. Politicians risk the lives of those they don’t know and then tax them for the privilege.
11: It makes little sense to shoot at animals that are a long ways off. It only increases the chance of a miss and if you get your hit, you still have to walk to them.
12: You might run out of friends, but you can make more. You might run out of money, but you can earn more. You will run out of time and there’s not a damned thing you can do about it, so make the most of the time you have.
13: Take a lever gun deer hunting. Your reward will be found somewhere between nostalgia and deliverance.
14: A big whitetail buck can come along at almost any time. His arrival will hit you like a freight train thundering along an unrestricted section of track, with no whistle to warn you. Cherish the moment – they’re too few to forget.
15: Parents are cheat codes for their kids. Unfortunately, most kids do not learn that until they’re parents too.
16: Never underestimate the value of a loyal dog, a brimmed hat, a sharp knife, and a good woman.
17: The greatest outdoor book ever written wasThe Old Man and the Boy. It was published in 1957 and written by Robert Ruark. If it does not make you feel something you’re broken.
18: John McNab was the second greatest outdoor adventure book. Written by Scotsman John Buchan in 1925, it contains the best descriptive accounts of killing a deer and catching a fish ever penned. The book has inspired sportsmen challenges worldwide.
19: Because of your actions on an African safari, you might be trusted or shunned, and living up to the first is as hard as living with the latter.
20: You’ll spend a third of your life asleep. Find a damned comfortable place to do it.