Zumbo talks on Nugents Forum

[Elkhntr04]

Ted Nugent had Jim Zumbo posting on his forum today.

"The last few days have been an educational experience, to say the least. My ill-conceived inflammatory blog, as all of you now know, set off a firestorm that, I"™m told, has never before been equaled. I"™m not proud of that.
Let me say this at the outset. My words here are from the heart, and all mine. No one can censor me, and I answer to no one but myself. And I have no one to blame but myself. Outdoor Life, a magazine that I worked for full-time as Hunting Editor for almost 30 years, fired me yesterday. My TV show was cancelled yesterday. Many of my sponsors have issued statements on their website to sever all relationships. This may cause many of you to do backflips and dance in the streets, but, of course, I"™m not laughing, nor am I looking for sympathy. I don"™t want a pity party.

They say hindsight is golden. Looking back, I can"™t believe I said the words "œban"� and "œterrorist"� in the context that I did. I don"™t know what I was thinking when I wrote that. I can explain this as sheer ignorance and an irresponsible use of words. What I"™ve learned over the last few days has enlightened and amazed me. As a guy who hunts 200 days a year, does seminars on hunting, wrote for six hunting magazines, had a hunting TV show, and wrote 20 books on hunting, how could I have been so ignorant and out of touch with reality in the world of hunting and shooting?

But I was. I really can"™t explain it, maybe because I just summarily dismissed the firearms in question in my mind when I saw them in magazines and catalogs. I saw one "œblack"� firearm in a hunting camp in all my 50 years of hunting, and I shot one last year off a boat when fishing in Alaska. To tell the truth, it was fun and I enjoyed it immensely, but I never considered one for use in hunting. I have to tell you that I have had a revelation. I"™m learning that many of my pals own AR-15"™s and similar firearms and indeed use them for hunting. I was totally unaware that they were being used for legitimate hunting purposes. That is the absolute truth.

My biggest regret is not the financial impact of all this. I"™m almost 67 and retirement is an option. The dreadful impact here is that I inadvertently struck a spear into the hearts of the people I love most"¦America"™s gun owners. And, even though this huge cadre of dedicated people have succeeded in stripping me of my career, I hold no grudges. I will continue to stand as firm on pro hunting as I"™ve ever done. But what"™s different now is that I"™ll do all I can to educate others who are, or were, as ignorant as I was about "œblack"� rifles and the controversy that surrounds them. My promise to you is that I"™ll learn all I can about these firearms, and by the time this week is out, I"™ll order one. The NUGE has invited me to hunt with him using AR-15"™s, and I"™m eager to go, and learn. I"™ll do all I can to spread the word.

I understand that many of you will not accept this apology, believing that the damage has been done and there"™s no way to repair it. You have that right. But let me say this. I mentioned this above, and I"™ll repeat it. I"™m willing to seize this opportunity to educate hunters and shooters who shared my ignorance. If you"™re willing to allow me to do that, we can indeed, in my mind, form a stronger bond within our ranks. Maybe in a roundabout way we can bring something good out of this."

Jim Zumbo

[Bowflex]

Sounds like Jimbo is already probing for a comeback. At 67 years old he should just fade into the sunset and let it go.

Good Hunting,
Bowflex

[ultimag]

I wish the Nuge and Zumbo would invite me along on a hunting trip.

[hillbillyhunter1]

Sorry guys but I've been working my butt off lately and haven't had time to keep up on the hunting world news. Would someone be nice enough to post a link to what happened originally.
THanks

[ultimag]

hillbilly, look on the deehunting forum

[RLoving1]

So should we welcome someone that we had considered one of our own back into the fold and be forgiving or bear a grudge? Rev may back me up on this...he without sin cast the first stone...I have done wrong and have been forgiven in my past...and may do something dumb down the road.He admitted a BIG mistake and now is willing to educate himself about his faux pas.The sport has policed it's own and has caused judgement to be passed on to the person that errored,now time will tell what Jim Zumbo and ourselves are made of.Sorry for the rant just thought I'd say what my heart has in it.

[wyotimberghost]

I honestly feel kinda sorry for the guy. He was just shunned by the shooting sports community, and unlike normal jobs, he really doesn't have anywhere else to turn for another job unless he changes his career. I hold no grudges, but I still maintain that what he said was way out of line, especially given the timing (HR 1022 was just introduced). I think that all of the major companies have done good enough damage control by severing all ties with Zumbo to ensure that the anti-gun crowd will not mistake his opinion as being representative of the hunting community.

Forgive and forget. Jim Zumbo has already paid greatly for his momentary stupidity. Justice has been served.

[handloader1]

I have a cousin who guided Mr. Zumbo on an elk hunt, and my cousinhad nothing good to say about Mr. Zumbo. Let the chips fall where they may. Good luck.

[ironranger]

Well said, Wyotimberghost, I certainly have done my share of stupid things along the way but have tried to learn from the mistakes I've made. Certainly can't judge him as I've been down that road...

[excalibur43]

ORIGINAL: ironranger

Well said, Wyotimberghost, I certainly have done my share of stupid things along the way but have tried to learn from the mistakes I've made. Certainly can't judge him as I've been down that road...

Me too!!