August/September 2015 Archives - Outdoor Writers Association of America

Welcome to OWAA

OWAA Developer — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 06:27:20 +0000

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New Members

Alex Burton, 26, lives on the outskirts of Louisville, Kentucky, he developed a deep passion for the outdoors at 6 years old, when his aunt took him on hiking trips. He’s been hooked ever since. He’s now an avid hunter, angler and bushcrafter who is instilling the same passions into his three young children. After starting his own outdoor blog last year he stumbled into his first paid writing job at Wide Open Spaces. He has been there a short time but has grown fast and recently received a promotion. Although he’s still fairly new to published writing, he hopes to continue growing in the outdoor world. His dream is to be able to write full time to spend more time with his family and the outdoors.
Roger Catchpole is an entrepreneur, outdoors writer and dedicated wingshooter. He grew up hunting partridge and pheasants on his family estate in rural Suffolk, England. He holds degrees in conservation biology and marketing from the University of Birmingham (UK) and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Florida. Catchpole runs Sportody, the world’s fastest growing outdoor sports review platform, and returns to England frequently to partridge shoot and manage his country estate — Stowlangtoft Estate. Catchpole is a talented and well respected outdoor adventurer and is a contributor and opinion leader for leading U.S. outdoor lifestyle magazine Covey Rise as well as the UK’s premier hunting magazine The Shooting Gazette. Catchpole focuses his writing efforts on wingshooting, upland hunting dogs and fine shotguns. He lives in Boston with his wife, Michelle, and an English cocker spaniel, Austin Powers.
Joel Robert Hayes is a Minnesota native, but grew up on the prairie of Western Oklahoma. Throughout his childhood and adolescence, his family instilled in him a love of outdoor activities and a deep respect for the land. After graduating from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Hayes found himself on the banks of the Mississippi River in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and then in the hill country near Austin, Texas. Besides hunting deer and wild hogs in Texas, or walleye fishing in Canada, Hayes has completed three Ironman triathlons, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, stood atop Macchu Picchu in Peru and competed in the Colorado River 100 canoe race. He remains an avid hunter and general outdoorsman, enjoying camping and hiking with his wife. He is also an aspiring cook and a source conscious one, promoting the practices of local foraging, hunting and fishing. He shares his tales contributing monthly to The Outdoorsmen Magazine and on the blog he shares with his wife, KnivesandCorks.com.
Genie Jennings is a contributing editor for Women & Guns Magazine and active in promoting and protecting the shooting sports. A sports fisherman since pre-school years, she has recently embarked on perfecting her art of flyfishing. She lives in Maine with her husband, teaching alpine skiing in the winter, gardening, fishing and traveling in other seasons. Breast cancer interfered with her life last summer and changed her perspective, if not attitude, about the use of time and energy. There is not enough for the important things, so the clutter of outside demands must be quieted and, where possible, eliminated. One of the important things is becoming as physically capable as possible, which involves things such as studying how the body functions and practicing yoga. She delights in describing herself in the third person.
Nick Lowrey grew up, for the most part, in eastern South Dakota. He went on his first pheasant hunting trip with his father at 6 years old and never looked back. He was also introduced to the fly rod at an early age. Lowrey joined the army after high school and served as an infantryman in the 10th Mountain Division. Following his military career Lowery enrolled at South Dakota State University and chose journalism for his major — mostly because he needed to pick something to qualify for the G.I. Bill. It was a natural fit though, and two years into his degree program Lowrey started a monthly outdoors section in the school’s student newspaper. He graduated in 2013 and went to work for the state’s largest daily newspaper as a general assignment reporter. In the spring of 2014 the Capital Journal offered him
a job as the paper’s news editor and editor of its new outdoors magazine South Dakota outdoors. Lowrey jumped at the chance. He has lived in and covered the outdoors in Pierre, South Dakota, since April 2014.
Growing up in Montana, Laura Lundquist loved the outdoor life and wide-open spaces from an early age. But it would be several more years and a number of careers before she realized how much she wanted to tell Montana’s stories. After earning two engineering degrees, studying conservation genetics and working as a pilot for the military and commercial airlines, she made it back to Montana and eventually to the University of Montana School of Journalism in 2008. She worked five years as an environmental reporter in Idaho and Montana, garnering state and regional awards before making the jump to freelancing in March 2015. So far, her freelance stories have appeared in Montana Quarterly, American Forests and the Society for Environmental Journalists Journal.
Marshall Nych’s habitat is a family farm in western Pennsylvania. An elementary school teacher and deputy wildlife conservation officers for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, he has a knack for working with wildlife. When Nych isn’t misguiding the youth of Mercer County, he is writing outdoor humor. He regularly writes for Bucktail Outdoors, Countryside magazine, International Game Warden and Pennsylvania Outdoor Journal. His award winning work has appeared in more than 15 publications. He typically writes of misadventure. Many of his misfit and miscreant characters are serving sentences on his website – www.marshallnych.com. Although Nych has fished 15 states and four countries, his best catches remain his wife, daughter and son.
A native Yankee, Marion J. Patterson grew up poking around the pukka brush. Climbing trees, slopping in brooks, watching clouds and devouring outdoor adventure stories morphed into a career in education with public school systems – movement and earth sciences and language arts. Today she and husband, Rich, co-own Winding Pathways encouraging people to create wondrous yards. The focus of the company is to blend spirit, mind and body for a healthy holistic lifestyle. Patterson, a returning member to OWAA, has several previous magazine credits, currently blogs and writes for The Gazette (Iowa), assists with ecological assessments, conducts healing energy workshops, leads labyrinth walks and works with adults pursuing their education at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Her favorite teaching venue is as videographer and “assistant instructor” at Lakeside Labs of the University of Iowa – Frog Camp! Go Outside and Play!
Jo Schaper has an unusual slant on outdoor writing: Hammer and paddle rather than hook and bullet. From Missouri, with degrees in geology and writing, Schaper’s articles and photography focus on rocks, water, the non-living landscape and getting people interested in the same. She has written for Bob Whitehead’s Outdoor Guide since 1998, and includes the Missouri Conservationist, Missouri Life, Show-Me Missouri, GeoTimes, The Kaleidoscope Weekly and the Springfield News-Leader among numerous freelance credits. She served as assistant editor and primary reporter for River Hills Traveler from 2007 to 2014, until sidelined by an auto accident. She founded www.missouriworld.net in 1996 and maintains websites on Missouri geology, springs, caves and caving. Her current venture is www.josjournal.com, and she is working on Rock Talk, a layperson’s guide to geology. She is a Fellow of the National Speleological Society, member of the Missouri Outdoor Communicators and loves to hike and float Missouri’s streams.

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Meet us at Montana's trailhead: Conference 2016: July 16-18, 2016, Billings, Montana

OWAA Developer — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 06:09:17 +0000

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BY JACK BALLARD

It is called “Montana’s Trailhead,” an honor in a state known for adventure around every corner. Billings, Montana, the site of OWAA’s 2016 conference, is situated in a region flush with outdoor opportunities. You’ll find mountains to climb, fish to catch and don’t forget to plan time to visit Yellowstone National Park to celebrate the National Park Service’s Centennial at the country’s first national park.
You aren’t going to want to miss joining OWAA July 16-18, 2016, in a city ripe with adventure and rich in history.
Spawned by the Northern Pacific Railroad’s push into Montana, Billings is named for Frederick Billings, a railroad man who realized the need for a town on the coming rail line. H. W. Rowley, one of the railroad’s civil engineers, journeyed by stage to assess locations along the Yellowstone River bottom in February 1882. In March, papers were filed in Minnesota for the newly platted community and the boom began.
Billings’ historic moniker, “The Magic City” originated not from a local illusionist or the enchanting character of the community. To Montana residents and visitors from other parts of the country, Billings was “magic” because it seemed to spring up overnight. One local history asserts that within weeks of being offered for sale in the summer of 1882, over 5,000 lots had been sold in the fledgling city which soon consisted of an odd assortment of tents and tacked together dwellings of uncertain design.
Currently, the Billings area is home to some 100,000 residents, claims the honor of the Treasure State’s largest city and has acquired a new title, “Montana’s Trailhead.” Like many trailheads in the nearby Absaroka Mountains, the path from Billings leads to a plethora of outdoor adventures and cultural attractions.
The city perches adjacent to the Yellowstone River, the longest free flowing, undammed stream in the United States.
Sandstone cliffs form natural barriers north and south of town, themselves a fascinating source of history and recreation. “Sacrifice Cliff,” located on the south side of the river is named for two warriors of the Crow Indian tribe who blindfolded their horses and galloped over the escarpment in a sacrificial act intended to halt a smallpox epidemic. The tawny buttresses on the north side of the city are locally known as “The Rims” and contain one of Billings’ outstanding recreational attractions.
“Mountain biking on the Rims is about as good as you’ll find anywhere,” said Jeff Peterson, owner of Global Travel Alliance, who has powered fat tires in many locations across the country. Early morning riders (or runners) spot various creatures along the trail such as mule deer, great-horned owls and other species of wildlife. The mountain biking path boasts superb views of the city and the Beartooth and Pryor Mountains. Though flat in many places the trail dips and curves through coulees flush with stately ponderosa pines and sandstone boulders, offering adventure to novice and advanced riders alike.
The past two decades have seen a burgeoning craft beer culture exploding across Montana. Billings is no exception. After the sun sets on a day of inspiring activity, visitors and residents have no less than seven local breweries from which to choose; six of these are located in the downtown area within walking distance of each other. “The Garage,” home of Yellowstone Valley Brewing Company hosts live music every Saturday evening and intermittently on Wednesdays.
Water is lifeblood to the semi-arid plains of Montana. The early days of Billings found developers scrambling to provide water to the growing community until a canal diverted water from miles upstream on the Yellowstone River to the fledgling city. Beyond its significance as a source of water for municipalities and agriculture, the Yellowstone River is a fascinating study in history and ecology. Dubbed the “La Roche Jaune” by early French trappers, their moniker is translated “the river of yellow rock” or “yellow stone” from whence the stream gets its English name. The Yellowstone flows unfettered for 678 miles before joining the Missouri River, just inside North Dakota. Captain William Clark journeyed down the Yellowstone on his return from the Pacific. Pompey’s Pillar, a National Monument, is located just 28 miles east of Billings. The captain’s carved initials remain on a sandstone formation near the river and represent some of the limited physical evidence of the epic Lewis and Clark Expedition. Along with its historic attraction, Pompey’s Pillar is a hit with birders who find numerous species endemic to prairie riparian areas within the monument.
Billings is located at a transition area along the Yellowstone, a stretch of river of some 30 miles where the river transitions from a cold-water to a warm-water stream. Anglers find trout in the Billings area, but they may encounter smallmouth bass as well. In recent years warm-water species of fish have been making their way further up the river. Evidence of a warming climate? Perhaps. What impact might they have on trout up-river? Questions like these give biologists issues to study on a free-flowing river and journalists fodder for articles.
Within an hour’s drive from Billings there are outstanding trout streams to explore, mountains to climb and battlefields to visit. Given its own recreational appeal and its location as a gateway to such classics as Yellowstone National Park, the AbsarokaBeartooth Wilderness, the Custer Battlefield and the Bighorn River, “Montana’s Trailhead” is the city’s perfect nickname.
– Jack Ballard is a freelance author and photographer with credits in more than 25 regional and national magazines. Ballard has lived in the Billings, Montana, area for more than 30 years and is OWAA’s Local Conference Chair for the 2016 conference.
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Reporting tip sheet: Covering the greater sage grouse

OWAA Developer — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 05:46:50 +0000

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BY LAURA LUNDQUIST

In April, I was one of 22 journalists who toured five Western states and covered 1,900 miles to see firsthand the complex challenges of conserving the greater sage grouse. Talking to advocates, landowners, industry representatives and state administrators, we learned what various groups are doing to preserve sagebrush habitat and avoid an Endangered Species Act listing for the bird.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe will decide the bird’s fate in September, if Congress doesn’t continue to pass legislation that undercuts the ESA.
As the Sept. 30 deadline approaches, the potential listing, related reports and political maneuvering will gain more attention. For those reporting on what’s been dubbed by many involved as “the largest conservation effort in history,” the following details may be helpful when writing your stories.
BIOLOGY

An ancient species, the greater sage grouse is dependent on sagebrush and isn’t very adaptable. Males often return to the same breeding grounds, or leks, even if the surrounding sagebrush has been destroyed. However, the females won’t return if no habitat remains to protect their chicks, so subpopulations can wink out within a few years.
It’s estimated that 16 million sage grouse once existed across their historic range. Now, around 200,000 remain.
An April 2015 Pew Charitable Trust report showed sage grouse populations across the West declined 57 percent between 2007 and 2013.

HABITAT

Scientists estimate that the 275,000 square miles of remaining sagebrush represent just 44 percent of the bird’s historic habitat. Most of the rest has been lost in just the past 40 years. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services put special emphasis on saving “core areas” where sage grouse are found and habitat is still good.
Protecting the habitat helps 350 other species, including mule deer, antelope and elk. “What protects the bird protects the herd.”
Threats to sagebrush habitat include: Oil and gas development, open-pit mining, wind farms, urban development, certain agricultural practices (sodbusting and cattle ranching), wildfire and climate change. Related threats to the bird are: Roads, fences, crows/ravens, cheatgrass, continuous industrial noise and habitat fragmentation.
Eleven Western states harbor sagebrush habitat but different threats dominate each state. Wyoming retains the most habitat —37 percent of the state — where the main threat is oil and gas, although cattle ranching plays a part. Montana is next with 18 percent sagebrush habitat and sodbusting is the main cause of destruction. Nevada and Idaho have high-desert areas covered by sagebrush, but devastating wildfires fueled by invasive cheatgrass have left only 14 percent coverage in each state.
Sagebrush accounts for less than 7 percent of the remaining states — Washington, Oregon, California, Utah, Colorado and the Dakotas.
Sagebrush is difficult to reintroduce and takes decades to grow into effective cover for sage grouse, so it’s been called “a short old-growth forest.”

OVERSIGHT
Private vs. public land

Two-thirds of the surviving sagebrush grows on public land, managed mostly by the Bureau of Land Management. Unfortunately, the BLM’s multiple-use mandate allows more industrial and recreational development than on U.S. Forest Service land.
That could change at the end of August with the finalization of 15 regional sage grouse conservation plans. They amend 98 BLM land-management plans to require assessment of sagebrush habitat prior to granting land-use permits. But the plans are likely to face challenges from developers.
Sagebrush preservation is complicated by the fact that around a third of the remaining habitat is on private property, especially in Montana and Colorado. So over the past decade, the states have developed their own plans to preserve the bird, and some go further than others.
If the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decides even one state plan is insufficient, the sage grouse will be listed in all states. During the grey wolf reintroduction, a court ruling confirmed that the agency couldn’t list a species by state.
That’s where the Sage Grouse Initiative comes in. The U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service created the imitative in 2010 to promote sustainable ranching that doesn’t degrade sagebrush habitat. Sportsmen’s groups such as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation anteed up to pay the salaries of on-the-ground representatives to work with landowners. Tools include voluntary conservation easements, rotational grazing and fence marking.
Citizen working-groups exist in many states, and more than 1,100 ranches have enrolled in the initiative, but many haven’t. Some conservationists question whether the gradual, small changes go far enough.
While states have been allocating funds and designing projects to protect the bird, representatives of some governors have threatened that such resources would be withdrawn if the bird were listed.

LISTING HISTORY

2002 – First petition to list the sage grouse as endangered throughout the West.
2005 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that listing wasn’t warranted but the decision was challenged a year later by Western Watersheds Project.
2007 – An Idaho federal district court ruled in support of Western Watersheds Project.
2010 – The service decided a “threatened” listing was warranted but other species had higher priority for protection. This time, WildEarth Guardians challenged the agency demanding a ruling.
2011 – A federal district court sided with WildEarth Guardians and set a Sept. 30, 2015, deadline for a sage grouse listing decision.
April 2015 – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided against listing a sage grouse subpopulation in Nevada and California, deferring to the collaborative work being done at the local level.

CONGRESSIONAL ACTIONS

As part of last November’s “Cromnibus,” Congress approved a rider that prohibits the use of Department of Interior money to “draft, write or issue any rules related to the Greater sage-grouse.” So if Ashe and the service decides to list the bird, the service can’t publish guidance for the decision. If that happens, environmental groups have said they’ll go to court.
Most recently, congressmen inserted language into the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act that would delay a sage grouse listing for 10 years and transfer management of the sagebrush habitat to the states. “Litigation is part of the game plan. We’re going to be litigated, doesn’t matter who wins out,” said San Stiver of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Sage Grouse Team. “We’re not talking just about sage grouse — we’re talking about culture, we’re talking about economics. It’s a huge issue.”

— Some reporting for this story was made possible with an Institute for Journalism & Natural Resources fellowship.
– After five years writing environmental stories for newspapers, Laura Lundquist has jumped into freelancing and hopes to join the incredible cadre of writers covering the environmental and outdoors stories of Montana and the Northwest.
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Natural Noise: Using sound to tell compelling stories

OWAA Developer — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 05:31:56 +0000

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BY BRAD ZAHAR

Sometimes you need more than images, when you are trying to showcase nature’s beauty.
As someone with a TV and video background it’s always been about visuals, but as I’ve learned in my young career, a good piece of audio can enhance the story you’re trying to tell.
Using natural sound is a way to let your audience hear something other than the narration or music. While music can be dramatic, natural sound takes your viewer to the scene. Every hunter knows few sounds get your heart racing faster than hearing the leaves crunch as that 150-class buck moves in toward your stand. Wouldn’t it be awesome to hear those crunching leaves while sitting on your couch while watching a hunting show?
When fishing a mountain stream for trout or a running riffle of water for steelhead, you want to hear the water and the birds chirp — we associate those sounds with our love of the outdoors.
Yes, you have to paint visuals, but bringing video and audio together is what gives television a different perspective from other media only it can achieve.
As cliché as this sounds, when it comes to narration, less is more. The story is not about you.
Growing up in suburban Cleveland, Ohio, I was a rare kid who hunted, fished and hiked. Telling people about my adventures and even showing them photos didn’t engage my peers.
When I got into television news I knew I had to find a way to make people care about what story I was telling. Other than having great visuals, the easiest thing I could control was the audio. The key to creating a compelling story is balancing the music, narration and natural sound.
I first got the opportunity to tell an outdoor story for television in February of 2014 when a local professional bass fisherman was gearing up for the Bassmaster Classic. It’s one thing to sit and narrate for two minutes about your subject and use a few quotes from him about the event and his expectations. But it’s a whole different ball game when you have video of him on the water with the sounds of the fish fighting and the fisherman talking to the fish as he battles him and celebrating when he lands the prize.
Standing on a boat next to a fisherman, shooting is as real as it gets. Add in the right mixture of audio and you have created a piece that not only captures emotion, but brings the viewer at home onto the boat.
Good audio though, too often becomes overlooked in pursuit of finding the perfect shot of video.
Pay attention the next time you watch a hunting show this fall. Are you actually engaged in it? Do you feel like you’re there? I know there are some that I feel like I’m in the stand with the hunter. Other times the shows are just a lot of talking with a nice shot of buck walking toward a stand.
What kind of story do you want to tell? The one that keeps the viewer glued to the screen in anticipation, or the one that’s easily forgotten?
– Brad Zahar spent the last four years as a TV journalist. Now he writes and shoot video for several publications across the Great Lakes region. He can be found on Twitter @Brad_Zahar for all things fly-fishing, hunting and Cleveland, Ohio.
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Production paperwork: Your guide to the less-glamorous, but important side of video

OWAA Developer — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 05:11:34 +0000

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BY KARUNA EBERL

I don’t know anyone who got into video for the paperwork. I wish I could write that collecting paperwork is as much fun as capturing your creative vision on film. It isn’t. But being thorough about your project’s paperwork from the beginning will save a lot of headaches down the road.
In the world of video, a good administrative trail is the difference between putting something up on YouTube and selling it to Discovery. It can also be the difference between ending up with a great documentary, or a grand lawsuit. Whether you’re selling a documentary, a hunting TV pilot or just stock footage of mountain bikes riding off into the sunset, here are a few of the standard deliverables most distributors will require.
Personal releases are for everyone on camera, giving you permission to use their likeness. Ideally, fill out prior to shooting, as it’s hard to track people down days, or years later. On the release, note a physical description and attach a picture. There are smartphone apps such as “Easy Release” and “mRelease” now that can greatly streamline this process, allowing you to digitally attach a photo the release and eliminating printed paperwork.
Crowd notice releases. If you’re filming in a crowded area, post a few of these around, notifying passersby that by entering the filming area they are giving you permission to use their likeness. When using these, take a quick video or photo of the signs in place as proof they were used.
Location releases are like personal releases for locations, such as recognizable businesses and houses. Even if you have a film permit, you may need a separate location release. For example, your permit might cover shooting in a state park, but a location release may be needed to use footage of the entrance sign or ranger station. Logo releases. In scripted films, product logos need clearance, whether they are on people’s T-shirts, a soda can or the shelves of a grocery store. In documentaries, it’s more ambiguous. But, trying to get logo releases through corporate red tape can be a major time suck. It can also be expensive to blur them out in post- production. When it’s not creatively necessary to have a brand in a shot, best to eliminate it. Similar rules apply for artwork, which can also require releases.
Music rights can be a dangdiddlydo of record label bureaucracy and runarounds. Music libraries save the hassle and there are many online sources from paid subscriptions to free databases where artists put up their songs as public domain. Licensing a particular song, especially a well-known one, requires more diligence and money, and a good amount of research to make sure you’ve attained all of the needed rights, such as master, synchronization, composition and performance.
Crew should have a basic start paperwork package, complete with a deal memo stating their rate and credit (or a volunteer deal memo if that’s the case), plus a W-9 or W-2 and I-9. If the subject matter you are covering is sensitive, a nondisclosure agreement may also be helpful.
Insurance. There are three main types that might be needed: Production insurance, workman’s comp and errors and omissions. Production insurance covers gear, rental cars (in most cases) and locations, and is often required for permits and equipment rental. Workman’s comp requirements vary widely by state, but are oh-so vital to follow. Obviously you want to protect the wellbeing of your crew, but beyond that, I’ve seen a lack of it lead to life-changing consequences for producers, including lawsuits, enormous hospital bills and even the threat of felony prison time. When you research policies, make sure they include independent contractors and volunteers. Errors and omissions insurance is a distribution requirement, indemnifying you and the distributor from content, copyright, libel and similar lawsuits.
Investor agreements clearly state the arrangement between the
project and any investors. Whether or not they are needed for distribution,
they are a very good idea to get into place before accepting
any investment money.
Producer and director contracts and LLC operating agreements are often overlooked. It’s so easy to think, “I’m making this project with my best friends; we would never need these.” Sadly, many a solid friendship has collapsed over the course of a project. Spell out these agreements early on, because if things start to sour, the lack of these can put the whole project in jeopardy.
Copyright filing. Distributors will want proof of ownership of the project, and usually this is in the form of a Form PA from the U.S. Copyright Office. Depending on your situation the owner will vary, but often it goes in the name of the project LLC.
Production forms. A few other organizational bits that can be useful to have on hand during a shoot are crew and cast lists, mileage logs, safety meeting worksheets and petty cash and per diem sign out sheets.
-Karuna Eberl produced Hollywood features, directed outdoor documentaries and worked on non-scripted programming for networks including National Geographic Channel, Discovery and NBC Sports — until recently, when she left the hectic pace and paperwork behind to pursue a more human life of writing, photography and marine upholstery work with her guy, Steve, in the Florida Keys. If you need any of these forms, feel free to email her at karunae@mac.com.
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Steer your career into a new niche: Navigating vehicle reviews

OWAA Developer — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 04:58:51 +0000

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BY LINDA WATER NELSON

There is a reason that vehicle manufacturers support OWAA and regional outdoor journalists’ organizations. It is the indelible link between those who write about the outdoors and the vehicles they use to get there. How else would you tow boats and RVs or simply move gear from one place to another? But even more important, cars and trucks are crucial to the audience for whom you are writing, a group vehicle makers want to reach.
I discovered the connection between cars and trucks and outdoor writing about five years ago when an outdoor publication asked me to review a new truck. Since then I’ve used the cross-over of my years of writing about vehicles, with my passion for writing about the outdoors. It’s a great way to expand into new markets and find new audiences.
I’ve been an automotive journalist for almost 29 years. As with most areas of journalism, it’s a field loaded with stars and wannabes. With cars it seems as though everyone who has ever bought, driven or even ridden in a vehicle sees themselves as an expert and declares that they are an automotive writer.
But it takes more than having simply driven a truck to truly be an automotive journalist. To play with the vehicle manufacturers, they need to know that you can deliver the audience.
You also need to know how to truly test a vehicle. I took the publisher of an outdoor magazine off road to put a new heavy duty vehicle through its paces at a regional launch in Texas. The route included a hill climb, descent into water, rock crawl and all of the other challenges that auto writers love. I made that drive the ride of her life. By the time we returned to the ranch house, I had an assignment. I still write a column for that publication’s website, as well as contributing articles. Now the bulk of my work is for outdoor publications and websites.
I have written about the best ways to haul fishing kayaks, transport firearms, or simply get the most out of an SUV, crossover or truck – all for outdoor publications. There is almost always a good sidebar about the wheels that got you there for a feature on an outdoor adventure.
To get a loaner vehicle you need to do some research. Fleet vehicles are authorized through the manufacturer’s regional or national communications professionals. Expect to give them a detailed description of your project, your credentials as a proven journalist and even samples of your work. If they approve it, they send their authorization to the fleet management team in your area. They will contact you to make arrangements. It can take as long as two months to get an in-demand vehicle from the fleet. You’ll have to have insurance and sign a waiver to get your hands on the steering wheel. You are then responsible for that vehicle and should plan to treat it as though it belongs to you and the bank and you still owe 59 payments.
No vehicle manufacturer will ever pay you for an article about their vehicle. That’s not what they do. Instead, they will lend you the newest and best vehicles if you include them in some way – either visually or in the text, or both. If it is the right vehicle for the job, you are not compromising your ethics. You are simply adding another layer of value to the content. But be realistic. If you are trying to force in a mention of a new truck, just because you wanted to drive, it will be obvious to your editors and readers.
You also can write about vehicles at launches for new models. To score an invite you’ll probably need a few clips featuring vehicles to show the manufacturer’s public relations team to prove you are legit and not a wannabe. If a manufacturer includes you, they will expect you to write about that vehicle. They won’t control your coverage, but they will expect coverage. There are often embargoes to be honored. They are not suggestions.
And as an outdoor writer you’ll probably never be invited to test drive a Lamborghini at the track, so don’t even bother asking.
– Linda Water Nelson is an Austin, Texas, based outdoor writer specializing in sport vehicles. Since joining OWAA, she has learned to shoot and is working on her fishing skills.
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Get involved, get more from OWAA

OWAA Developer — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 04:41:29 +0000

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BY LISA BALLARD
Thank you members of OWAA for trusting me with the helm of our organization. As Mark Freeman passes the gavel to me, I want to thank him most sincerely for his leadership over the last year. I hope I can preside with as much humor and wisdom.
Fortunately, Mark is not disappearing. He will chair three committees this year, Awards, the Past President’s Council and the new ad hoc Public Lands Access Committee. He has no choice about the first two. Per OWAA’s bylaws, the outgoing president chairs them, but the third is his baby, for which we should be grateful. Mark has worked tirelessly over the last year watch-dogging and recommending critical language changes to legislative proposals so that you and I can work on public lands without paying a fee or needing a permit. And there’s still more to do.
Mark is but one example of an OWAA member swamped with deadlines, family commitments and other responsibilities, but who still carves out time to volunteer for OWAA. Matt Miller is another. This former board member is chairing the Board Nominating Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee on top of his fulltime job with The Nature Conservancy and a new baby. As Matt scrambled to fill his committees before the deadline which coincided with the annual conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, he wrote, “…You begin to realize how few people do so much for this organization!”
He’s so right. OWAA is lucky to have those few extraordinarily dedicated volunteers. It’s also lucky to have you! By simply paying your dues, attending conferences and convincing a colleague to join, you make OWAA a stronger, healthier organization that can provide more benefits to you. But this year, I’m asking for a little more.
Remember Uncle Sam’s famous quote, “I want you!”? This year, I’m Aunt Lisa, and I want you … to get more involved with OWAA! Please volunteer for a committee. OWAA has 19 of them plus a couple of ad hoc ones. Is there something you would like to change with the Excellence in Craft Awards? Join the Contests Committee. Want to contribute to Outdoors Unlimited to get more name recognition and familiarize others with your work? Volunteer for the Craft Improvement or the National Affairs and Environment committees. Got an educational background? Check out the Norm Strung Youth Writing and the Education committees. Are you good with money or fundraising? Raise your hand for the Development or the Finance committees. Are you frustrated with OWAA’s image or website? The Marketing Committee needs you. Do you know people who should be members but who aren’t? Consider the Membership Recruitment or the Member Services committees.
OWAA is the “voice of the outdoors”, and by extension, as members, we are too. The more active we are in the organization, the more credible our calling-cards with others in the outdoor industry and media world.
A complete list of OWAA’s committees is in the directory and on OWAA’s website, www.owaa.org. Let Jessica Seitz, OWAA’s Director of Membership and Conference Planning (jseitz@owaa.org), know where your interests lie. You will get a call. I promise. There are more than 100 committee positions to fill each year.
It puzzles me when outdoor communicators drop out of OWAA complaining they don’t get anything out of the organization. It might be because they don’t put anything into it. Last spring, my son graduated from high school. He got into five colleges and could not make up his mind as the deadline for acceptances approached. “Wherever you go, what you put into it, you’ll get out of it,” I advised him. The same is true for OWAA. The more you get involved, the more you’ll reap the benefits of being a member.
— OWAA President Lisa Ballard, densmore1@aol.com
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KEER IS A GREAT BOARD ADDITION

OWAA Developer — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 04:34:44 +0000

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KEER IS A GREAT BOARD ADDITION
The June/July issue of OU was most excellent. The Craft Improvement pieces were superb, particularly Tom Keer’s contribution Planning the perfect FAM trip. I’ve had the pleasure of participating in two of his FAM ventures over the past several years. They were simply outstanding because he did exactly what he says to do in the article. Both the host and the writers benefited immensely from the events in both subsequent media placements, and in new contacts and friendships developed- including my relatively new friendship with Tom and his wife Angela. Angela is an integral part of The Keer Group, and lends a wealth of expertise and class wherever she goes. Tom will be a wonderful addition to the OWAA board of directors.

— King Montgomery, Kennebunkport, Maine

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. Send letters to editor@owaa.org.

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Looking ahead to another great year

OWAA Developer — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 04:16:55 +0000

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My third conference as your executive director is in the history books. Every year I’m amazed at how much news, information and fun gets packed into three days.
Among that news is an OWAA status report I give to the membership. I’m recapping the highlights here for those unable to attend the conference.
While we could always be in better financial shape, we are holding our own. At the end of the first quarter of the fiscal year there are no unanticipated or extraordinary expenses. Revenues and expenses are in line with projections.
The key to our financial security rests on the revenue side of our operations. We can’t cut our way to financial security; we need to grow our way there. Which brings me to membership.
Going into conference we had 721 individual members and 162 supporting groups. From April 1, 2014 through March 31, 2015, we added 64 new members and 43 supporting groups. Of course we lose members and supporters each year for a variety of reasons but the trend continues to look promising.
And if each member recruited just one new member — just one — we would double the size of the organization. If you believe in OWAA and what we do, I am sure you can help one other person benefit from membership as you do.
One of those benefits is our membership directory, which as I announced at conference is moving online. Hopefully by the time you read this, it is up and running. This searchable online directory will replace the printed version. We’ll update it twice a month to keep it current.
Much of the content in the current printed directory, other than member and supporter information is already on the website in members area and where appropriate on the main website.
We also are working on the continuing issue of filming on federal public lands.
We hosted a panel on the subject at conference and used that discussion to move the federal agencies to recognize the importance of this issue to our members. President Lisa Ballard created an ad hoc committee to monitor and engage on this issue. Mark Freeman will chair that committee and he and I will continue to use the website to keep our members informed on actions on this issue.
Earlier this year, the American Sportfishing Association instituted a fee for media credentials for ICAST. Responding to some concerns raised by our members I worked with the association and they agreed to waive the fee for all OWAA members in good standing.
Even with these efforts, we are always looking at ways to improve. The membership will receive a survey from the Member Services Committee, chaired by Colleen Miniuck-Sperry, asking how we can improve conference. Your response will help shape future conferences.
The fact that OWAA’s reputation and general “buzz” has improved this past year is a direct result of the terrific effort the headquarters team puts into the organization. Jessica Seitz and Kelsey Dayton are essential parts of a small team managing a demanding workload. They are often the first contact for members and supporters and it is their efforts that keep the members and supporters happy. They both are constantly working to improve communications and service delivery for both members and supporters.
In addition to the headquarters team we have seen some exceptional volunteer efforts from the board. Many of the committees toiled quietly in the background discharging their duties and helping the organization. You’ll see the fruits of these labors as OWAA heads into what I’m confident will be another great year.
— OWAA Executive Director Tom Sadler, tsadler@owaa.org

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SHIFT festival and summit: Where conservation and outdoor recreation come together

OWAA Developer — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 18:15:26 +0000

Where conservation and outdoor recreation come together

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Held each October in the spectacular valley of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, SHIFT is an annual festival that celebrates the outdoor recreation and conservation partnership with food, film, speakers, workshops and outdoor adventure. Set at the forefront of the 2015 SHIFT Festival, which runs from October 7-10, is the SHIFT Summit, an in-depth exploration of the opportunities and challenges before the outdoor recreation and conservation partnership, with an emphasis on GEMS (Gateways to Environments of Major Significance) as laboratories for communities striving to live in balance with nature.
Media frames the conversation in the public mind and an engaged “voice of the outdoors” is critical for well-informed reportage from the nexus of conservation and outdoor recreation. Attending OWAA members will have a chance to inform the summit dialogue with their unique perspectives and to network with the content generators at the forefront of the conversation, including conservation pioneers, youth-engagement leaders, public-land managers and policy makers, outdoor-industry leaders and outdoor recreationists.
OWAA attendees have additional access to:

The SHIFT Awards, recognizing the most innovative, impactful, replicable conservation and outdoor recreation work in North America.
Keynote presentations featuring National Geographic’s Chief Content Officer Chris Johns, who will share insights on Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the world and the sole subject of the May 2016 issue of National Geographic Magazine, and New York Times food columnist Mark Bittman, who will speak on food and how it has the power to make or break not only our personal health, but that of the planet.
The People’s Banquet, SHIFT’s popular celebration of sustainable food systems and Jackson Hole’s “foodie event of the year.”

For more information, please contact Christian Beckwith, director, at cb@shiftjh.org, or for the festival schedule and ticket information, visit www.shiftjh.org.
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