Outdoor Writers Association of America
The Voice of the Outdoors
Winter 2009
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Winter 2009, Vol. 70, No. 4
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Surviving layoff – by Bill Graham Electronic tear sheets made easy – by Jim Foster Will video kill the still-photo star? – by Paul Queneau A good story and a great listener – by John Pollman Rethinking the ‘where to’ story – by Matt Miller Character Sketch: Michael Francis – by Amanda Eggert Feedback Portfolio Conference 2010 Preview Norm Strung Youth Awards
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News Briefs Association News Supporting Group News Tips Bookshelf
ON THE COVER “Pounce” by Mark J. Harlow A photgrapher’s dream image. This prime red fox was captured perfectly by OWAA member photographer Mark J. Harlow. The fox did catch the shrew she was chasing. To see more of Mark’s work, please visit his Web site: www.markjharlow.com. Cover Image: © markjharlow.com.
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OUTDOOR WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA Our mission: improve the professional skills of our members, set the highest ethical and communications standards, encourage public enjoyment and conservation of natural resources and mentor the next generation of professional outdoor communicators. Copyright Winter 2009 by Outdoor Writers Association of America Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The contents of Outdoors Unlimited do not necessarily represent the opinion or endorsement of OWAA, its staff, officers, directors or members. Outdoors Unlimited (ISSN 0030-7181) is published quarterly by Outdoor Writers Association of America Inc., 121 Hickory St., Suite 1, Missoula, MT 59801. Periodicals postage paid at Missoula, MT, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Outdoors Unlimited, Outdoor Writers Association of America Inc., 121 Hickory St., Suite 1, Missoula, MT 59801.
2 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Winter 2009
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 121 Hickory St., Ste. 1 Missoula, MT 59801 406-728-7434, Fax: 406-728-7445 owaa@montana.com www.owaa.org (password: Unlimited. Note: case sensitive. )
STAFF Executive Director: Kevin Rhoades Director of Membership and Conference Services: Robin Giner Editor: Ashley Schroeder Intern: Amanda Eggert
PRESIDENT John L. Beath, Washington OFFICERS Vice President: Tony Dolle, Tennessee Vice President: Mike Walker, Arizona Vice President: Mark Taylor, Virginia Secretary: John McCoy, West Virginia Treasurer: Kris Thoemke, Florida BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lisa Densmore, New Hampshire Jim Foster, Idaho Mark Freeman, Oregon
Bill Hilts Jr., New York Katie McKalip, Montana Matthew Miller, Idaho Mary Nickum, Arizona Jim Smith, Arizona Patricia G. Stockdill, North Dakota Ty Stockton, Wyoming COUNSELS Attorney: William Jay Powell, Missouri Historian: vacant Medical: William W. Forgey, Indiana
From the executive director’s desk Just down the road from Chena, fish for Arctic grayling and We’re planning an annual conference with a multitude of rainbow trout on the Chena River. With a “September in Alaska outdoor experiences in 2012. conference,” there are plenty of photo opportunities for fall colThe last “Far North” OWAA conference was held in ors – and moose, which are as plentiful as whitetail deer in Waskesiu, Saskatchewan, and that was in 1967. The furthest Iowa. Ever wanted to hunt moose or caribou in Alaska? If you south the best-known outdoor communicators’ group in haven’t, 2012 is your chance – and hunt with other fellow outAmerica ever held an annual get-together was in Mazatlan, doors communicators you’ve Mexico, and that was five long known. years later. Commencing with the darkMany of you attended both. ening skies of early While visiting recently with September, the Fairbanks and longtime member Glenn Titus Chena area also feature the about conferences held in northern lights. Resort owner extraordinary locations, he Bernie Karl will transport said both conferences were OWAA members via “auromemorable and outstanding ramobile” up the mountain because of their venues. above the resort, where two After visiting with at least 30-foot yurts offer a place to 50 frequent conference-goers warm hands while filling belincluding the board and offilies with hot drinks. cers about an “out of the box” Most sleeping rooms at sort of experience in 2012, the Chena will be held at $99consensus was that it’s time $105 with yurts available for for this outdoors media group less (each yurt sleeps three) to experience something extra Chena Hot Springs Resort is world renown for being an excellent place to for those wanting more of a special, a conference with see northern lights. PHOTO: CHRIS BATIN. camping experience, complete spectacular prospects for outwith cots and fire pits out door adventure beholden with front. “Family rooms” that sleep four to six in a condo-style a plethora of story material and photo opportunities, a conferwill be $220 per night lowering costs lodging to $55 per night ence with remarkable possibilities for pre- and post-conference or less. trips. For those wanting to caravan to Alaska, an RV park with After carefully scrutinizing a short list of four locations, hookups is across the resort’s bush pilot runway. RVers or tenincluding Bend, Ore.; Fairbanks, Alaska; Fayetteville, N.C.; and ters ($20 per night) can hike to conference sessions, the bar and Lincoln, Neb. – Fairbanks and nearby Chena Hot Springs to the Rock Lake hot pool in just minutes. Resort (http://www.chenahotsprings.com/) emerged as the best OWAA’s three-day conference in 2012 promises to be somechoice to change the paradigm of the typical OWAA conference thing special, a get-together I hope you won’t miss. experience. Chena is about an hour’s drive northeast of Start making plans now. Fairbanks, and a 40-minute Piper flight to the Arctic Circle. OWAA will hold its 85th conference at Fairbanks/Chena Hot – Kevin Rhoades, Executive Director Springs, September 4-6, 2012.
Feedback
Youth thankful for writing award I was so excited to learn that I won first place in the Junior Prose division of the Norm Strung Youth Writing Competition. Thank you so much for sponsoring this competition. I appreciated the opportunity it gave me to examine hunting, and how the heritage has been passed down to me, and how I can pass it down to my children and grandchildren in the future. It has also helped me develop my writing skills. I am very grateful for the $225 dollar check you sent me. I am planning on
using it to help pay for a shoulder mount of a ram I was able to shoot in Texas. Raini Stiles Collinsville, Okla. Editor’s note: Safari Club International and Safari Club International Foundation sponsored the NSYA contests.
What are others thinking? Post comments on articles. Write a letter to the editor. It’s easy. Go to www.owaa.org/ou.
What an opportunity Congrats on landing the 2012 OWAA annual conference in Alaska…Jan and I plan to be there! You may take some heat from a few OWAA members for having the conference in such a remote location, but don’t let that discourage you. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and members should take advantage of it. And with three year’s notice, there is plenty of time to save your pennies for the trip. Chip Gross Fredericktown, Ohio
Feedback guidelines Members are encouraged to write about issues and topics. The executive director and editor will decide whether opinions are appropriate for debate or if the comments promote a personal cause; if the “cause” is unrelated to OWAA’s mission and potentially damaging to the membership, the letter might not be printed. Word limit: 400. Longer letters will be returned for revision.
www.owaa.org/ou OUTDOORS UNLIMITED 3
Craft Improvement - General
Surviving
Layoff BY BILL GRAHAM
A
reassuring feeling came from opening the office door, sitting down in the familiar cubicle and logging onto the computer as a team member. After all, I’d worked in the bureau of a major daily newspaper for 25 years. I’d become the veteran who knew the turf and I was the go-to guy when big daily stories broke in our coverage area. My opinion column graced the weekly neighborhood news insert, too. Plus, I carved a natural science beat that let me put outdoor stories on the daily’s front page and metro section. Life was good. The bi-weekly paycheck arrived in my checking account via automatic deposit without fail. Then the fractured advertising market and profit taking by corporate honchos was followed by the rise of free news and classified advertising on the Internet. Finally, an economic depression crippled display advertising flow. I survived two voluntary buyouts and three rounds of forced layoffs. I did not survive the fourth round in March, and neither did many colleagues who were also veterans. Unfortunately, many of my OWAA newspaper and magazine brethren are in the same boat, or they’re still on the ship but eyeing the lifeboats and wondering if there will be room for them. I offer this report from the layoff battle front lines in hopes that a tidbit or two will help someone else get a toehold or be better prepared. Time management is issue number one. In the first days after my two-week notice, I sat at my desk and imagined the spring and summer ahead. Uncertainty was frightening. But on the upside, I imagined myself hunting and fishing almost daily and having many postponed home chores done by June. Wrong. 4 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Winter 2009
I did kill a gobbler, catch a few crappie and put in a little better garden. However, most days I was on the run tying up loose ends from the newspaper, getting Cobra running, dealing with 401K and pension rollovers, enduring unemployment insurance hassles, watching for job openings and getting started on new freelance ventures to pay some of the bills. Plus, since my wife has a day job, by default I became the kids’ fulltime chauffer rather than splitting that chore. You won’t have that much extra time after layoff if you’re going about the business of starting over. Use time wisely. Another issue with time is that you’re now in charge of your own schedule. There’s no editor coming down the aisle to your cubicle to ask when the next day’s story will be done and how the weekend feature is progressing. It’s up to you to get started and make stories happen. This is easy at first. But then the adrenalin wears off, new realities dampen your spirits and self motivation becomes something you have to reach deeper inside to find. Recreating some familiarity helps. I need a work station with reference books, notebooks and telephone at hand. Eventually, I’ve recreated my cubicle resources at home for freelance purposes. In retrospect, knowing that layoffs were likely, I wish I’d had the home work station already set up and running. The upside is that good computers, printers and extra hard drives for storage are affordable now. Tools you used at the company office can be easily replaced. Everyone you meet will ask you if you have a new job yet. Due to various family factors I’m rooted to my current residence, and that has limited my search for a new job. If you can move, there are jobs out there. If you can’t, it’s going to take longer. My laid-off colleagues who have found work have moved into public relations for government agencies, television news production or positions that com-
bine research and technical writing. However, most of my immediate coworkers, like me, remain unemployed. Freelance writing is a place where you can find a big morale boost and a little bit of pay. But be warned, even veteran bigtime outdoor freelance writers talk about tough times and diversifying to other markets and Internet work to survive. That means it’s even tougher for newcomers to crack the freelance market. But it can be done. Just don’t blow your severance package on a trip to Vegas because you figure freelance money is going to make the house payment and put shoes on the kids. Writing a freelance story now and then in your spare time from the steady job is one thing. Trying to sell a bunch to pay bills is another matter. I started by writing two columns for my suburban town’s local weekly paper. One is a general opinion column and the other is an outdoor column. The second one is the first fulltime outdoor column I’ve had and I love it. The pay isn’t great, but the spirit boost is, and at least there’s a base of some steady income to build upon and a gathering of material that can be used for stories sold in other markets. The Internet obviously beckons. But beware again, Net publishers are not committed to you like your old newspaper bosses in the newsroom, where tooth and nail battles over copy and editing are part of the lifestyle. I lost a music column gig because I complained about a person who was suddenly brought in to do some editing for the Web site. This person, whose identity was never revealed to me, changed my opinion column lead, added two fact errors in sentences composed with his writing style, deleted stuff and made unneeded word changes – all without my knowledge until it was already posted on the site. This was my first dispute with the site publisher. I was easily replaced by links posted to stories printed in other CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Craft Improvement - General
Electronic tear sheets made easy BY JIM FOSTER
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ACT – The folks at the Double R Ranch and Outdoor Pleasure Farm don’t have the slightest idea who you are. You made one trip to their ranch working on a story that was published with several photographs, but now they can’t remember who you are. So what’s the problem? Did you send them a follow-up “thanks a ton, enjoyed the trip” note or e-mail? And more importantly, did you send them a copy of the published article? I’ll bet not. In building business relationships, a little consideration goes a long way. Often, trips we plan are out of our price range, so some form of quid pro quo must be observed. I know this sends chills up the spines of newspaper people, but it’s true. I sell articles and photographs to several publications that send me only one tear sheet. I often find myself in a quandary when I need to send out several copies to interested parties. Who will get the one tear sheet I need for my files? In this electronic era, it is acceptable to send a “thank you” e-mail with a digital tear sheet attached. So, what is an electronic tear sheet? This can be accomplished in several
SURVIVING LAYOFF, CONT. publications and posted on the Web. So don’t approach your new freelance bosses in far-away places like you would a crusty metro editor, it doesn’t pay. KEY TIP: I worried about spending money to attend the OWAA conference, but the freelance connections I made there were well worth it. My future is still uncertain. But I've found something that keeps the blues at bay – doing constructive work each day. Sometimes that’s as simple as making sure I bring back some
ways, but for me it’s a small JPEG of the magazine or newspaper article highlighting the location or product mentioned in the article. It’s quick and easy with the basic working tools necessary for an outdoor communicator’s office: flat bed scanner, computer, and photo software like Adobe Photoshop. Here’s how it’s done: 1. Scan your article in color and at your scanner’s highest resolution. I scan at about 8- by 12-inches at 300 dpi (standard for printing quality). For magazines, I scan each page individually. For large full-page newspaper articles, I scan them in halves. Make sure the publication name and date are showing along with your byline or photo credit. Save these images to your desktop as TIFFs. 2. In Photoshop (or your photo editing program), open a new file, also at 300 dpi and at least 16- by 24-inches. 3. Now, in your photo editing program, open the first two TIFFs of the scanned files and drag then into the new open, blank file, matching them up so they fit together. Now, using your program’s cropping tool, combine the two halves. For newspaper clips, use a vertical file. Save as a new TIFF. 4. Use your photo software tools to make needed adjustments to the file, such as color correction, sharpening and sizing.
5. You now have a 300 dpi TIFF of your complete article. This file may be sometimes 25-45 megabytes – too large for e-mailing. 6. To reduce file size, open the TIFF you just created and use the “image size” option to reduce it to about 5- by 7-inches at 100 dpi, then save as a JPEG, selecting medium quality. This file will be around 90 to 170 kilobytes and will e-mail quickly. 7. If you must snail mail a tear sheet you can now print out all you want from the 300 dpi TIFF file you just created. So there you have it: an easy way to send tear sheets while keeping an original for your files. By keeping track of your published writing and sending tear sheets, you will better your reputation in the outdoor writing industry. It works.
photographs and notes from a hunting or fishing trip that would have been pure recreation before the layoff. Today I quail hunted by myself and found no birds. Near the end, I found some standing corn and foxtail beside ground where the corn was harvested. I decided it would make a photo of ideal quail habitat for my outdoor column. I leaned my Browning over-under against a corn stalk, called the dog in and took his photo running toward me beside the shotgun. I came home with a photo that will work nicely for my column and be part of
a digital stock collection I’ve now started. I’m not secure because of this approach, but I’m not whipped yet, either. That’s the most important part of the layoff battle.
Jim Foster is a full-time writer, photographer and lecturer specializing in writing about and photographing nature, the outdoors, travel and adventure travel. Foster makes his home in Salmon, Idaho. Contact him at jim@jimfosteroutdoors.com.
Bill Graham, of Platte City, Mo., recently served on OWAA’s board of directors. A freelance writer and photographer, he covers natural science issues, fishing, hunting and conservation. Contact him at bil_gra@msn.com.
www.owaa.org/ou OUTDOORS UNLIMITED 5
Craft Improvement - TV/VIdeo
BY PAUL QUENEAU
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ew SLR cameras capture jawdropping HD video. Outdoor communicators will never be the same. Just give it time. A good writer can paint a picture for their readers, and a good photographer can capture the essence of a story. Many outdoor communicators do both. Telling a story in professional video, though? It’s an art unto itself, and one that has always required a mountain of pricey gear. Yet in this era of electronic publishing, including video within an online article is as simple as posting a still photo. Yet we still only have two arms and one back to tote our mess of gear around, and it’s been impractical for one person to do it all, much less do it all well. Enter 2009, the year digital SLR cameras sprouted legs – and immediately signed up for the New York Marathon. Basically every new camera body released in 2009 can record HD video. But not just high definition – we’re talking gorgeous, shallow depth-of-field video like you’re used to seeing at the movie theater (think pleasant background blur and selective focus). New cameras finally have the processing power to scale their full-size images down to 1920- by 1080-pixels or 1280by 720 at either 24, 30 or even 60 times per second (I can already see the bighorns butting head in slow motion). These
cameras take full advantage of an image sensor many times larger than any camcorder’s, as well as the superiority of all that glass in front of it.
Need proof? Check out: http://tinyurl.com/ygyj8w7 http://tinyurl.com/yjrkdr9 http://tinyurl.com/yzqjyvk http://vimeo.com/6487566 If your computer won’t play these smoothly, that’s because of the heft of the video.
As far as I’m concerned, it’s a game changer. Before all the video folks jump down my throat, there are trade-offs: http://tinyurl.com/l4s6cj. The built-in microphones are a far cry from that of anything but the cheapest camcorders (but some have a jack for an external mic). There is often no swiveling screen for holding the camera at interesting angles…the list goes on. But look at it from my perspective. I’m conservation editor of Bugle magazine at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation; I’m regularly hiring writers to cover issues having to do with wildlife and hunting, as well as the many conservation projects we complete every year. When I hire folks like Jack Ballard, I can rest assured they will also take stellar photos in addition to writing up a mean story. But the Elk Foundation needs good video of our conservation projects and the
people that make them possible. For our television show. For our Web site. For DVDs. That’s a market for anyone who can pull off writer/photographer/videographer – the new triple threat. And for those of you whose bread and butter is shooting outdoors-people in the field? Most of the magazines that publish your work also have a TV show. And a Web site. And who knows what else. Take a 15-second video clip of your subject hiking by you or casting that fly-rod. You may well be able to sell it as b-roll. Or if you’re interviewing someone for a profile? How about hooking them up with a lapel mic and taking some video of their responses. It’s a brave new world – probably the biggest seismic shift since the digital camera. And it’s a growth market. Those of us that can make the leap the fastest will be ahead of the curve and stand to profit. In fact, I shouldn’t even be telling you this. I should be out shooting video. Think I’m crazy? Comment at www.owaa.org/ou/2009/10/hd-stillcamera-video. Paul Queneau grew up in Colorado hunting, fishing and backpacking. He started with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s Bugle Magazine as an intern and is currently the conservation editor. Contact him at pqueneau@RMEF.org.
Financial reports
Classsified ads
2010 conference info
OU Online Table of Contents
Accountant’s review of OWAA’s 2008 finances available as PDF. Use members-only password (refer to page 2).
Looking to buy, sell or trade?Utilize OU Online’s free classified ads. Send listings to aschroeder@owaa.org.
OWAA’s new Web site features a comprehensive overview of the 83rd annual conference in Rochester, Minn., June 10-13, 2010.
You won’t miss anything with this handy page that lists all articles published each month.
www.owaa.org/ members/2008-finance-report
www.owaa.org/ou/category/ departments/classifieds
6 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Winter 2009
www.owaa.org/2010conference
www.owaa.org/ou/category/ departments/table-of-contents
Craft Improvement - Radio
eeded: a good story N and a great listener BY JOHN POLLMAN
I
t never fails. Just about the time you think you have things figured out, reality steps in to remind you that you aren’t as smart as you think. I started my radio show this past winter and have loved sharing stories of the South Dakota outdoors. My first interviews were anything but flawless. Fortunately, where I lacked efficient questioning, my guests excelled with quality information. After a few shows, I began to develop a sense of confidence, started taking a few chances and felt I had turned a corner in terms of the quality of the show. Unfortunately, this confidence was accompanied by the crazy idea that each guest was on a journey with me, and carefully developed questions would lead my guests to a destination of my choice. I would make great stories. This silly, egocentric notion was quickly unraveled by a magical shot from a hunting rifle. My guest was a young hunter – Danny Wright – who had recently killed a new state-record mule deer buck in western South Dakota. The numbers of the hunt were quite impressive: a single shot from Wright’s .25-06 rifle dropped the buck at 560 yards, and the massive antlers would produce a green-score of over 200 points. What made things even more impressive was that he made the shot through a steady 15-mph breeze and from an angle of nearly 30-degrees above the animal. Furthermore – and here is where I thought I could really make a story – the record-setter had used the latest in bullet drop compensating reticle technology, which allowed him to accurately place the bullet at such a tremendous distance. My quest for journalistic greatness began as planned. Wright shared that he
had hunted mule deer with friends on the same ranch in western South Dakota for years, but on this hunt, a snowstorm made reaching their usual spot impossible. So, Wright and a friend opted to hunt a block of public land in the area; neither had hunted it before, but it was close-by and accessible. The pair split up to cover more ground. Wright chose to follow a ridgeline that provided him a clear view of the broad valley below. Trudging through the deep snow was difficult, and Wright was about ready to turn around when he spotted a sizable herd of deer. The animals were too far away to accurately judge any of the bucks, but there was one animal in particular that Wright knew was considerably larger than the others. The young hunter continued to work his way through the snow, occasionally crawling his way to the edge to keep an eye on the large deer, but eventually ran out of ridgeline. From his final vantage point, Wright could see the large deer had moved away from the herd to bed on the hillside far below him, leaving only the portion of its body from the shoulders up open for a shot. At this point in the interview, I had to pause for a break in the show. Off the air, Wright and I chatted a little about personal lives and began to share our backgrounds in the outdoors. For some strange reason, when we resumed our interview I abandoned the list of questions that I had planned to use to create a great story about the balance between hunting ethics and technology, and instead, we continued our off-air conversation. The story that was revealed far surpassed anything that I could have hoped to “create” from my list of questions on a pad of yellow legal paper. Like many of us, Wright grew up hunting with his father and spent many days by his side each fall. Under his father’s
watchful eye, Wright developed a unique set of skills with a rifle; a proficiency that he would hone during his training for the armed service and his time in the Iraq War. Unfortunately, after leaving the battlefields of Iraq, Wright returned to the Midwest only to watch his father succumb to a battle with cancer. His recordsetting hunt was one of the first without his father by his side. Wright’s story progressed to the ridgeline in western South Dakota. How he propped himself up on his hunting bag, took the readings from his binoculars and scope, consulted the typed notes on bullet-drop that he had developed through hours of practice and kept taped to his rifle’s stock, made the necessary adjustments, and squeezed the trigger. Through the wind-blown snow, Wright heard the delayed “thump” of the bullet striking the deer and saw the head slump over. As Wright finished recalling that snowy afternoon, it became quite clear to me how close I had been to not hearing the real story. Bullet drop compensating reticle and ethics questions be damned – this was a story of a single bullet guided by knowledge, practice and perhaps by the helping hand a loving father watching from above. Wright’s story provided an important lesson for me, and one that I hope will resonate with the members of the OWAA: a successful show needs a good story and a great listener. John Pollmann is the host of Dakota Outdoor Radio. John and his wife Amber live in Dell Rapids, S.D. with their yellow Labrador, Murphy. On the Web: www.prairieperspective.com. Contact him at der_jaeger@hotmail.com.
For more craft improvement articles, visit www.owaa.org/ou/category/craft-improvement www.owaa.org/ou OUTDOORS UNLIMITED 7
PHOTO BY BILL LINDNER: “Ice Out / Gull Lake” placed third in the 2009 Excellence in Craft color photo contest, scenic category.
PHOTO BY ART WEBER: “Coast redwoods” placed second in the scenic category of the 2009 Excellence in Craft photo contest.
PHOTO BY BILL MARCHEL: The Fort Ripley, Minn. resident photographed this colorful male pine grosbeak as it fed on crab apples. Marchel planted the tree about a decade ago in an effort to attract more wildlife to his property.
PHOTO BY JACK BALLARD: This tree hyrax isn't doing its morning stretches. While nibbling at the greenery its foot became stuck in the small thorns. 8 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Winter 2009
PHOTO BY BILL MULLINS: Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep rams in northwest Montana. Mullins’ photos were highlighted in the OU Online September Portfolio.
Portfolio
PHOTO BY SHAUNA STEPHENSON: “Western Legend” placed second in the 2009 Excellence in Craft color photo contest, people category.
PHOTO BY JACK BALLARD: Everlasting flowers bloom profusely on the flanks of Mount Kilimanjaro. The OU Online October Portfolio featured Ballard’s work.
PHOTO BY ROMAN JASKLOWSKI: Whitetail deer photographs were featured in Jasklowski’s submission for the OU Online November Portfolio. www.owaa.org/ou OUTDOORS UNLIMITED 9
Craft Improvement - Magazine
Rethinking the ‘where to’ story BY MATT MILLER It’s inevitable: Every time a record whitetail is killed in Iowa, some sporting scribe declares a new area “Iowa’s sleeper county for wallhangers” or the “next big buck hotspot.” This, in turn, has an equally inevitable effect: Areas where locals once knocked on neighbors’ doors for permission suddenly require hunting lease fees comparable to the cost for new vehicles. Having hunted in Iowa for the past twelve years, I’ve seen this story play out too many times. The “where to” article thus earns an unpleasant reputation. Many believe such articles divulge secret spots or price local sportsmen out of fishing and hunting opportunities. If, as outdoor communicators, we’re serious about wanting to recruit new hunters and retain existing hunters, these are not laudable results. However, “where to go” stories are easy to write and sell. They can be an important part of your revenue. Fortunately, it is possible to write “where to” pieces that sell while also benefiting our sporting heritage. I enjoy writing these pieces, and I think, instead of crowding out local hunters, I can educate them on new opportunities close to home. Here are some suggestions for new angles on the old “where to” story. The National Wildlife Refuge System promotes hunting and fishing as integral uses of the refuges. But animal rights organizations often focus on refuges – despite being funded by duck stamps – as “logical” places to abolish hunting. Thus, encouraging hunting and fishing is important in keeping these activities legal on the refuges. There are more than 500 refuges around the country. While some refuge hunts are popular, hunting is actually
under-utilized on many refuges. Many hunters incorrectly believe that refuges are closed to all hunting. Check out www.refuges.fws.gov and work some refuge sporting opportunities into your next outdoor story. As difficult as it may be to imagine, in some areas there are not enough hunters – particularly when it comes to white-tailed deer management. Most hunters know that state wildlife management areas and national forests are open to hunting. They often don’t realize that other lands may be open to the public for special deer management hunts. In “where to” deer hunting stories, I’ve focused on opportunities at state parks, university research forests, forest products company lands and other places where deer damage is intense but hunting pressure is low. These lands often don’t harbor trophy bucks, but they’re a great place to fill the freezer or introduce a young hunter to the sport. Many conservation organizations have a goal of building a constituency for places they want to protect. A trout stream with a lot of committed trout anglers is more difficult to despoil than one with no trout anglers. Such conservation organizations often welcome stories promoting hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation in these conservation priority areas. In my job at The Nature Conservancy, I have taken many OWAA members fishing, hunting, birding and canoeing at the Conservancy’s preserves and projects. The resulting articles counter the myth that the Conservancy is against hunting and fishing. They also help build a conservation constituency for our projects. Silver Creek, located in south central Idaho, is one of the most well-protected spring creeks in the country. In part, this can be attributed to outdoor writers routinely reporting on the excellent trout
fishing found on this creek. Finally, many “where to” stories concentrate only on the most popular fish and game species. The number of people who hunt squirrels, rabbits and other small game has declined dramatically. With the state of the economy, and many sportsmen looking for adventures close to home, I suspect this will change. As such, there will be an increased demand for stories that tell new sportsmen where to go to pursue these species. Think creatively. An area crowded for deer and turkey hunting may receive almost no pressure for hunting squirrels, raccoons, woodchucks or even grouse. Many specialized magazines buy such articles. I’ve sold a story on where to hunt kangaroos, a decidedly offbeat pursuit. “Where to” pieces are the easiest pieces I write. One bird hunting publication even provides a defined formula it asks its contributors to follow. Such markets add to your freelance income without adding a lot of extra time. As you write, think about benefiting the future of hunting and fishing. No one enjoys being priced out of their favorite hunting ground due to a magazine article. But hunters love finding a new place to hunt or an overlooked place close to home where they can take the kids out for an enjoyable morning afield. Your articles can help them find those new opportunities and often contribute to conservation and wildlife management at the same time. Matt Miller, of Boise, Idaho, is director of communications for The Nature Conservancy in Idaho. His freelance articles have appeared in Sports Afield, Game & Fish, The Bird Hunting Report and many other magazines. Contact him at m_miller@tnc.org.
OWAA introduces new Web site with updated look and easier navigation: www.owaa.org 10 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED Winter 2009
Character Sketch: Michael Francis
Hunting
With a camera Nature photographer Michael Francis
BY AMANDA EGGERT
T
he titles of professional photographer and bear spray tester wouldn't regularly go hand-inhand, but if you're Michael Francis, they do. Several years ago, Francis was in Canada with another photographer when they were charged by a grizzly bear sow. They stopped her from a full charge when she was just six feet away – they couldn't use the spray any earlier because underbrush interfered with the spray's range. “That was the first time that Counter Assault had ever been used on a charging female grizzly bear with cubs,” Francis said. “No one knew whether it would really work or not and obviously both my friend and I are here, so the spray worked well.” While it might be a stretch to say such situations are the norm, Francis, 55, has found himself in a number of dangerous situations during his three-decade tenure as a nature photographer. Yellowstone National Park’s beauty – its unique geothermal features, assortment of wildlife and stunning landscapes – inspired Francis to pick up a camera more than three decades ago. “It pretty much started my first day in Yellowstone Park when I said, ‘Hmm…This is what I’d like to do,’” he said. After earning a bachelor’s degree in entomology and taking three years of photography classes at Montana State University-Bozeman, Francis spent several years perfecting his craft while managing hotels and lodges in Yellowstone. He started showing his photos to fellow employees, then to guests. Before long, he was winning photography contests. “Pretty soon I started thinking ‘you know, I think my stuff is as good as what I see in magazines.’” His professional career took off in
1983 when National Parks magazine published some of his work the same month he had the cover of Bowhunter. Francis estimates he now works regularly with 15 to 20 publications from his home-base in Billings, Mont. where he lives with his wife, Victoria, and his 17year-old daughter, Emily. His 22-year-old daughter, Liz, is a student at the University of Nebraska. Francis’ background in biology helps him recognize subtle cues animals give before they’re about to do something exciting. “I’m always looking for natural behavior and I think a lot of editors around the country know me for my behavior as opposed to my animal portraits,” he said. Francis spends about 200 days a year in the field – photographing everything from orangutans in Borneo and polar bears in Manitoba to lemurs and chameleons in Madagascar – but still tries to make it back to Yellowstone once a month.“My favorite place, even though I travel all around the world, is still Yellowstone Park,” Francis said. Francis is lucky enough to see his former role models become friends. Growing up, Francis admired the work of Leonard Lee Rue III. Now he counts the legendary photographer among his friends. In the early 2000s, Francis led Joseph Van Os photo tours with Rue III’s son, Len Rue Jr., in Manitoba, Canada. They led groups of outdoor photography enthusiasts on trips to photograph polar bears. “He was great,” the younger Rue said. “He’s responsible, fun, and gets along great with people. He’s excellent.” Photo tours are one source of revenue in an increasingly competitive market. “Selling photography is a lot more difficult today than it was when I started in the 80s, much more difficult,” Francis said. “What you're doing now in order to be successful is finding as many little niches as you can in order to sell your expertise.”
Photo tours are one niche, book projects are another. Francis has 35 single photographer books to his name. “His publishing record is enviable,” said Francis’ colleague Michael Sample. “It’s an amazingly wide body of work.” Another way Francis supplements his income in the midst of falling stock photography prices is by maintaining a stateof-the-art Web site (www.michaelfrancisphoto.com) where approved professional photography buyers can purchase photos without having to contact him personally, an important consideration for someone who spends so many days in the field. Francis joined OWAA in 1989. He also joined the North American Nature Photography Association when it was founded more than 15 years ago, serving as its president from 2003 to 2004. “He's done a lot to promote outdoor photography,” Sample said. “He's just an all-around upbeat, positive, ethical, friendly photographer who's quite skilled at what he does.” The hunting season is underway – orange and camouflage-clad hunters are roaming the outdoors with bows and rifles in tow. Francis will be combing the woods for wildlife, too, but with a camera rather than a gun. “I used to be quite the avid hunter, but really, hunting and carrying a camera don't go very well. You can be good at one but not good at both typically,” Francis said. “I haven't carried a rifle with me for quite some time. Basically, I hunt year-round, but with a camera.”
Amanda Eggert is OWAA’s fall 2009 intern. She is finishing a degree in print journlism at the University of Montana. Her intern duties include crafting Character Sketch articles, compiling Supporting Group News Tips, News Briefs, Bookshelf items and Outdoor Market listings.
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2010 conference preview: Rochester, Minn. Excellence in Craft contests It’s time to enter the 2010 Excellence in Craft contests. Who can enter? The 2010 contest is open to Active, SeniorActive and Life members. Read the print-friendly PDF of the 2010 contest rules and categories online: www.owaa.org/ou/2010eic-rules
Presidents’ Choice Awards A select group of OWAA Past Presidents judged first-place winners of each EIC contest category. Winners are: Magazine Category - Edward Nickens, “Cry from the North,” Field & Stream magazine. TV/Video Category - Ron Schara, “Black Canyon,” Minnesota Bound on KARE-TV. Newspaper Category - Steve Pollick, “The flying dragon,” The Blade (Toledo). Art/Photo Category - Tim Christie, “A cold pack out,” Sightron 2008 catalog. www.owaa.org/awards
Market Tracker Destination Fish - A member has registered a complaint against this publication last known to be based in Lighthouse Point, Fla., which ceased publication last year. Despite numerous requests, original color transparencies have not been returned. Badger Sportsman - A member has filed a complaint against this Chilton, Wis. magazine for not receiving payment for columns written since July 2008.
www.owaa.org/ou/2009/ 11/market-tracker
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Wandering the Driftless Area BY JOHN NICKUM
T
he Driftless Area? I suggest you attend the OWAA conference in Rochester, Minn., June 10-13, 2010, and find out. You and your readers, viewers, and listeners will be glad you learned that there is a lot more to Minnesota than all those lakes and forests “up North.” When I grew up in southern Minnesota, the outdoor action was found “up North.” Sure, we had a little pheasant hunting, some put-and-take trout fishing, some squirrel hunting, and even a little smallmouth bass fishing in the Root River. Once in awhile, we took a big trip (50 miles) to the Mississippi River, to see if we could catch a few walleyes. Northern Minnesota still has a lot to offer to outdoors enthusiasts. However, southern Minnesota, especially the Driftless Area, is a classic example of what resource managers can do to restore environments abused and exploited almost to the point of no return. Forests have been restored, improved land use practices implemented, deer are abundant, turkey populations are increasing, trout populations are selfsustaining, and perhaps most importantly, silt and nutrient-laden runoff has been greatly reduced. The restoration task is not complete, but today much of the Driftless Area is closer to the conditions that prevailed prior to modern settlement than it has been in more than 100 years. To understand what has happened, we need look back 15,000 to 20,000 years to when much of North America was covered with continental ice sheets. These ice sheets flattened mountains and gouged out deep basins, such as the basins now filled with the Great Lakes. However, there was one northern area that was not touched by the massive ice sheets: the Driftless Area. Although completely surrounded by ice, the area we now call southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa, and southwest Wisconsin was not touched by the Pleistocene ice sheets. No glacial drift of sand and rock was deposited, and the area was carved into beautiful hills and valleys as runoff from the melting ice sheets eroded the loose soils and underlying limestone and sandstone. When settlers from the eastern United States first arrived in the Driftless Area they found rolling hills covered with mixed hardwood
forests and many clear streams filled with large numbers of native fishes. The forests were cleared to provide building materials and the cleared lands were tilled with the same methods the farmers brought with them from the east. Then the land began to erode. But, there was always new area to develop and settlement spilled out onto the nearby prairies where wetlands could be drained and the deep soils of the grassland could be broken and planted into crops. Small villages developed in the sheltered valleys. And the land continued to erode. Spring runoff from melting snow and flooding following heavy rains accelerated the erosion. Finally, starting in the 1960s, soil conservation practices, such as contour farming, pasture renovation, and forest restoration became common, and the streams fed by revitalized springs flowed again with clean water. Innovative fish managers realized these productive waters could support self-sustaining trout and smallmouth bass populations. Restoration of the hardwood forests became a state project when the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest was established. Deer came back, turkeys were introduced and nature flourished. Come to Rochester, but schedule time to visit Whitewater State Park, the quaint village of Lanesboro, and fish Trout Run, the Root River and the Zumbro River. Go over to Lake City and learn about the origins of water skiing and the unique processes that formed Lake Pepin. Tour the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Photograph the beautiful bluffs that border the streams and check out those eagles along the Mississippi. Tour the Mayo Clinic and learn about the natural disaster that led to the founding of this world famous medical institution. I have only scratched the surface of potential story lines. Many opportunities and a lot of fun and relaxation will be yours as you drift/float/hike/bike through the Driftless Area. John Nickum, of Fountain Hills, Ariz., is writer, editor and educator. Contact him at jgnickum@hotmail.com. The full version of this article can be found on OU Online at www.owaa.org/ou/category/ feature/2010conference-rochesterpreview
2009 Norm Strung Youth Awards writing contest
The Unseen Intruder Norm Strung Youth Awards
BY MICHAEL J. CAMBARERI JR. Hometown: Lacona, N.Y.
I
t is a peculiar silence that hangs over the woods as you walk toward your hiding place. The movement of a stranger silences all of the creatures that were previously in motion, bringing an unearthly stillness to the previously active forest. You are alone with your footsteps and your thoughts, surrounded by attentive animals waiting for you to pass. Once you have settled into your stand or blind, you become a part of this stillness, allowing the woods as a whole to forget your presence. Little by little, the forest comes back to life. The first movement is always that of a precocious bird or squirrel, sufferers of a kind of natural attention deficit disorder, unable to maintain perfect silence any longer. They chirp, squawk, chatter, or rustle in a way that, though not very loud, shatters the quiet that enshrouded the woods just a moment before. With that first disturbance, the woods burst to life. Turkeys gobble in the distance, deer begin to pick their way delicately through the underbrush, and squirrels begin to chase each other in incessant circles around the trunks of trees. The creatures grow progressively bolder, and with their boldness come closer to your hiding spot. There are a few sensations that can rival
Senior Prose
First Place
that thrill that overtakes you when you are within inches of a wild animal. Even a chipmunk or a vole running across your boot is enough to send chills down your spine, and reaching that proximity with a larger creature is even more exciting. These are moments that you remember for the rest of your life. I had one such moment while out hunting with my father when I was very young. He had gone off to pursue a deer, and had left me propped against a tree, perfectly silent so as not to ruin his attempts. After a breathless few minutes of intensely sharp focus, my preteen lack of attention span got the better of me, and I began to relax. Just as I began to shift around on my foam cushion, searching for a more comfortable position, the sleek form of a red fox appeared from a patch of dense ferns to my left. He strutted confidently, fancying himself master of his domain, so far unaware of my presence. He strode into the clearing, walked straight toward the base of the tree at which I was sitting, and stopped to enjoy a patch of sunlight that surely helped to ward off the fall morning chill. It was there that I was able to appreciate the beauty of the creature. His black nose gave way to a snow white muzzle and chest, and the red coat that covered the rest of his body gleamed brilliantly in the sun, creating an almost surreal image of a brightly glowing vulpine figure. The moment was magical, but fleeting.
A quizzical look crossed his face, and he paused to sniff the air for a moment, detecting a presence that he could not see. He continued to sniff until he identified the particular scent that concerned him. Placing his muzzle close to the ground, he began to search for the source of the odor, and after what seemed like an eternity he stopped at my feet. All the while I stayed perfectly still, not daring to make the slightest movement for fear of startling the animal. Suddenly, I felt a dangerous tickle in my nose, the precursor to a sneeze. I held my breath, waiting for it to pass, but I had no such luck. The thunderous sneeze escaped my nostrils without warning, contorting my entire body with the force with which it left. The effect was instantaneous and hilarious. The poor creature tumbled over itself, executing a maneuver reminiscent to a trick performed by extreme in-line skaters known as the “flatspin 180” in its haste to escape whatever threat had just manifested. It barreled into the woods, and I never saw it again. When my father returned from his unsuccessful pursuit, he asked how my wait was. I could only smile. Moments like this affirm a belief that I have held on to for years. Hunting is not about the chase, and it is not about the kill. Hunting is a chance to get closer to nature than you ever would have imagined, and to create memories that you will treasure for the rest of your life.
2009 Norm Strung Youth Writing Contest Winners Sponsored by Safari Club International and the Safari Club International Foundation Junior Prose First Place: “Hunting Sharing the Heritage” by Raini Stiles, Collinsville, Okla. Second Place: “Why I Want to be a Fly Fisherman” by Sam Guida, Nisswa, Minn. Third Place: “Squirrel or Not, in the Woods with Dad is the Place to Be” by Bradley Sprau, Rocky River, Ohio
Fourth Place: “Fishing Memories” by Jessica Gruss, Selkirk, N.Y. Junior Poetry First Place: “Hunter’s Big Day” by Shelby Johnson, Pierz, Minn. Second Place: “The One That Got Away” by Jonathan Decker, Akron, N.Y.
Senior Prose First Place: “The Unseen Intruder” by Michael J. Cambareri Jr., Lacona, N.Y. Second Place: “Transformation in the Tree Stand” by Nickole Witzel, Centerville, Minn. Third Place: “McAlester: A Traditional Hunt” by Steven Maichak, Edmond, Okla.
Fourth Place: “Sheltered Child” by Tyler Olson, Spokane, Wash. Senior Poetry First Place: “An Unfortunate Hunting Adventure” by Gianna C. Anderson, St. Hilaire, Minn.
Want to read ALL the winning entries? Print-friendly PDF available! www.owaa.org/oudocs/2009-nsya-winners.pdf
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News Briefs Three OWAA members nominated for Emmy Judy Nugent, Jack Abrams, Dan Small and Michael Garvin have been nominated for an Emmy Award by the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for their work on a special episode of “Outdoor Wisconsin.” Prestigous NYSOWA award bestowed on member William R. Hilts Sr. of Sanborn was named the 2009 recipient of New York State Outdoor Writer’s Association prestigious M. Paul Kessler Outdoor Citizen Award on Oct. 3 at the NYSOWA’s annual conference.
For more details about these events and other news: www.owaa.org/ou/ category/departments/briefs Submit news for department features to aschroeder@owaa.org. 2010 SHOT Show Registration is open for the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show to be held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, N.M., Jan. 19-22, 2010.
Member wins Enos Bradner Award Former OWAA president Bill Monroe is the latest recipient of the Northwest Outdoor Writer’s Association’s highest honor, the Enos Bradner Award, named in honor of one of the NOWA’s founding fathers. Members win SEOPA EIC awards Alex Zidock Jr., Mike Walker, Jill Easton, Mike Marsh, Tim Flanigan and Jeff Williams won Southeastern Outdoor Press Association (SEOPA) Excellence in Craft awards during the organization’s annual fall conference in Punta Gorda, Fla. Supporting Group Howard Communications also received an EIC award in the Industry Public Relations Program category.
Supporting Group News Tips Safari Club International’s 2010 Annual Hunters’ Convention will take place January 20-23 in Reno, Nev. Because the dates overlap with the SHOT Show in nearby Las Vegas, SCI encourages OWAA members to consider coming to Reno for a day or two. For more info, check out www.showsci.com. Hi Mountain Seasonings’ 12-piece Game Processor portable butchering set is available for purchase. For more info, visit www.himtnjerky.com.
www.owaa.org/ou/ category/departments/ supporter-newstips The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is proud to announce that within the last three years, it has contributed more than $25,000 and countless volunteer hours to provide veterans, many whom are disabled, with special hunting experiences, gear and support.
Pure Fishing is teaming up with DSM Dyneema to develop fishing lines that meet and exceed the most demanding performance expectations in strength and abrasion resistance. For more information, check out www.purefishing.com. The Association of Collegiate Anglers announced that the 2010 collegiate bass fishing tournament season include the fifth annual BoatU.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship. Check out www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com.
Association Update New members
Deceased member
Patrick Baker Ron Bennett Curt J. Johnson Elizabeth Mathieson Tim McKillop Jeffrey S. Nedwick Michael Papiez Kevin Presnell John E. Ross James Workman
Eugene Seraphine
New Supporting Groups, Agencies and Businesses Hunt Fish Buddy PiSAT Solar Pro-Ears/Altus Brands LLC Company ShowSpan, Inc.
Reinstated Supporting Groups, Agencies and Businesses Birchwood Laboratories Buck Country Products Buck Stop Lure Company Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation San Diego Sportfishing Council
Reinstated members Beth Ann Amico Jim Braaten Tim Duffy James (Jake) Eisenman Gregg Patterson
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Welcome to OWAA! Meet new members: www.owaa.org/ou/category/departments/new-members
Contact updates Bill Crumrine, billoutdoors7@att.net. Karuna Eberl, P.O. Box 680924, Park City, UT 84068, 323-336-3775, karunae@mac.com. Sam Hossler, 1161 SW Colorado Ave., Port St. Lucie, FL 34953, samh@samhossler.com. Mike Roux, 2900 Parkwood Dr., Quincy, IL 62305. Mike Schoonveld, 299N 100E, Morocco, IN 47963. Email mike@bronature.com, (H) 219-394-2123, (Cell) 219819-0000. Joan Wulff, joancasts@hughes.net.
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Winter 2009
OUTDOOR MARKET
Jobs and editorial-needs lisitings are updated throughout the month! Be sure to use the members-only password (refer to page 2). Check out www.owaa.org/ou/category/market
Bookshelf Remote Locations: Inside Outdoor TV
By Chris Dorsey, Orion Multimedia, 10397 West Centennial Road, Littleton, CO 80127, www.orionmultimedia.com, hardcover, 117 pp., $39. Backyard Deer Hunting: Converting Deer to Dinner for Pennies Per Pound By Wm. Hovey Smith, AuthorHouse Publishing, 1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403, http://www.author house.com/Bookstore/ ItemDetail.aspx?book id=61333, softcover, 265 pp., $19.95. Turkey Calls and Calling By Steve Hickoff, Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Rd. Mechanicsburg, PA 17055, www.stackpolebooks.com, softcover,160 pp., $22.95. A Maine Deer Hunter’s Logbook By V. Paul Reynolds, Maine Outdoor Publications, 300 Sawyer Rd., Hampden, ME 04444, softcover, 106 pp., $14.95.
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Where’s the rest of the Bookshelf? It’s online! www.owaa.org/ou/category/ departments/bookshelf Submit items for this department feature to aschroeder@owaa.org.
North of Easie By Robert J. Romano Jr., Birch Brook Press, P.O. Box 81, Delhi, NY 13753, www.birchbrookpress.info, soft cover, 200 pp., $20.00. The Hunt: Challenge and Reward By John G. Whinery, Hawthorne Publishing, Amarillo, Texas, 2009, jgwhin@coxinternet.com, 268 pp., hardcover.
Changing Paths: Travels and Meditations in Alaska’s Arctic Wilderness By Bill Sherwonit, University of Alaska Press, P.O. Box 756240, Fairbanks, AK 99775, www.uaf.edu/uapress/ book, softcover, 212 pp., $21.95.
From Boys to Men of Heart: Hunting as a Rite of Passage By Randall Eaton, Ph.D., OWLink media, 210 SE Cedar Hill Lane, Shelton, WA 98584, www.owlinkmedia.com, softcover, 336 pp., $24.95.
More Musky Tales By Bob Jennings, Infinity Publishing, 1094 New DeHaven Street, Conshohochen, PA 19428-2713, www.infinitypublish ing.com, www.buy booksontheweb.com, laminated cover, 161 pp., $15.95.
DVD: A Walk for Sunshine Appalachian Trail Show By Jeff Alt, Dreams Shared Publications LLC, P.O. Box 18188, Cincinnati, OH 45218, www.dspublications.com, DVD, 67 minutes, $19.95.