June/July 2013 Archives - Outdoor Writers Association of America

Lake Placid: covering the issues

OWAA staff — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 21:13:07 +0000

BY LISA DENSMORE
To entice you to attend the 2013 OWAA conference in Lake Placid, I’ve talked in previous OU articles about the rich human and natural history and the many outdoor activities you can do in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park. However, if you are a journalist who needs to cover issues that have bearing on your neck of the woods or if you’re on the government side of the public affairs, attending the conference will also allow you to see how the Adirondack Park Agency and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation cope with a number of current tough topics. Here are a few examples as of mid-April 2013:
CROSSBOW USERS LOSE ON EXPANDED SEASON
On April 3, 2013, crossbows were left out of a New York state budget amendment that would have given the NYSDEC regulatory control over crossbows and thus would have allowed crossbows to be used during bow season. Currently, hunting with crossbows is only allowed during the regular firearms deer and bear seasons and during the late muzzleloader deer season.
“It was a stinging defeat for crossbow advocates who had hoped to put the issue into the hands of DEC officials via language within the budget,” reported New York Outdoor News.
Crossbow hunters have a second chance, a pair of bills that would do essentially the same thing. Both bills were previously introduced but must be amended as technically the state’s crossbow regulations expired on Dec. 31, 2012. During 2012, the proposal to include crossbows in bow season was vetoed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo because it conflicted with NYSDEC’s firstever youth deer hunt.
Last year, in a news release issued by the NYSDEC, Commissioner Joe Martens cited the reason for low crossbow license sales was “because they may only be used during the regular firearms season and subsequent muzzleloader season.” Proponents of the two bills point to neighboring states such as Pennsylvania and Ohio which allow crossbows within the regular archery season, adding that it helps to recruit and retain hunters. In addition, those with physical disabilities and older hunters support inclusion of crossbows during archery season.
PROTECTING HUMANS FROM BEARS IN THE ADIRONDACKS
Black bears are the largest predatory beast in the Adirondacks, with the average male weighing about 300 pounds and the average female about 170 pounds. The state record black bear weighed 750 pounds. Backcountry travelers in the eastern region of the High Peaks Wilderness around Lake Placid are required to carry a bear canister. Hanging food, toiletries and trash has proven to be less than adequate bear-proofing around a campsite. The latest question is whether to carry a firearm or pepper spray.
The Adirondack Park is home to the largest bear population in the New York State, 4,000 to 5,000 bears or about 70 percent of the bear population in the state. That said, there have been no recorded fatalities from black bear attacks in the Adirondack Park in over a century. So what’s the fuss?
While protection from bear attacks is old news for western states journalists who have long dealt with the threat of grizzly bears, it’s more top-of-mind in the Adirondacks particularly in light of pressure to have stricter gun control by a certain New York state governor. Some feel that if backpackers and other non-consumptive backcountry users carry a weapon, the woods will turn into the “Wild East.” Others point to pepper spray as a preferable solution (as long as you stay upwind of the spray).
Admittedly, these two issues are interesting if you’re into crossbows and bears. There are bigger issues in the Adirondack Park that reflect more broadly on the rest of the United States, particularly when it comes to land use within the blue line (local-speak for the park boundary), which has a direct impact on the economy of this depressed region. The challenge is how to create jobs in the 100-plus villages and hamlets within the blue line while continuing to conserve the park. Two sizeable projects are the current focal points of this debate:
THE ADIRONDACK CLUB AND RESORT (TUPPER LAKE, N.Y.)
After eight years of review and public hearings, the Adirondack Park Agency, which regulates land use in the Adirondack Park, recently voted 10 to 1 to allow the development of the Adirondack Club and Resort, but the 6,300-acre project is held up again due to a lawsuit filed by a group of ardent environmentalists. Locals in favor of the project are outraged by the lawsuit which will cost taxpayers an estimated $3 million.
The development, one of the most contentious ever in the Adirondacks, includes an existing ski area, a new hotel, lake activities and 706 residential units of various sizes. Its developers promise to create hundreds of jobs and provide a much-needed economic boost to an area with an average household income of only $22,000 and which suffers from excessive unemployment after the summer tourist seasons ends. Those against the project feel the development is too large, and that its owners are more interested in real estate profits than the economic welfare of the region. They also point to concerns about the impact on wildlife habitat and steep slope development.
The following case study provides details about the proposed development, the major players and its environmental impact: http://myslu.stlawu.edu/~pdoty/nevins_ skaggs_sargrad.pdf.
FINCH PRUYN LAND PURCHASE: TIMBERING, OR NOT?
The protection given to the “forever wild” portions of the Adirondack Park under New York’s constitution is among the strictest in the United States, but that law is being challenged as the state of New York attempts to purchase 69,000 acres of former Finch Pruyn and Co. land from The Nature Conservancy and add it to the Adirondack Forest Preserve. During a delay in the acquisition, state Sen. Elizabeth Little, a Republican, whose jurisdiction is primarily the Adirondacks, has presented a bill to the legislature that would allow logging on the tract as well as on future state land purchases. The bill is at the heart of the ongoing dilemma of how to protect wilderness while creating a sustainable economy within the park.
Little argues that timber harvesting has been a traditional industry in the Adirondacks for generations. By decreasing logging opportunities, it not only hurts the timber industry, but also the grocery stores, the schools and communities in general. She voices concern about the “graying” of the Adirondacks where there seems to be less and less to draw young families to the region. Interestingly, when the Adirondack Park was created in the late 1800s, it was in reaction to rampant deforestation by the timber industry, though logging practices are more sustainable and environmentally friendly today.
Opponents of the bill argue it would limit public access for recreational purposes and negatively impact conservation efforts.
For more information on this debate, visit http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/42077.html.
If the myriad of recreational opportunities in the Adirondack Park are not enough to convince you to come to the 2013 OWAA conference, perhaps some of these issues are. There are more, such as how the Adirondack Park deals with Eurasian milfoil and other invasive species, the effects of illegal fish stocking, and the return of the wolf. And if none of these are relevant to your world, there are likely others that are. But you’ll have to come to the conference to find out more! ◊
A former OWAA board member and an award-winning television producer, writer and photographer, Lisa Densmore is local Chair of the 2013 OWAA conference in Lake Placid, N.Y. Contact her at densmore1@aol.com.

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Product review: GiSTEQ Flashmate LED light

OWAA staff — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 21:01:52 +0000

BY KEITH PATANKAR
We all know how important light and light control is to photography. And in the age of digital cameras that can shoot both still and video, finding the right light source can seem overwhelming. LED lighting has now become one of the most popular sources of light. Not only in photography, but everywhere; you see it in building fixtures, flashlights, automobiles, track-lighting and on and on. So it only makes sense to try and balance the light we are using on our camera with the light that is in the environment we are shooting. But with hundreds of models on the market, which one is right for you? Like any equipment in photography today, that largely depends on your needs as a photographer. In this article, I will show you a model that is reasonably priced and will fit a large number of photographers’ and videographers’ needs: the GiSTEQ Flashmate F-198C LED light.
The GiSTEQ Flashmate F-198C LED Light is a moderate size LED light that comes with an adapter to fit the accessory shoe on top of your camera. Like the name suggests, it features a panel of 198 LED bulbs. One thing that I always suggest is to get an LED with a dimmer. The Flashmate F-198C features an easy-to-turn knob on the back that allows you to adjust the light output. One really nice feature is there is a separate adjustment knob to control color temperature from 3200K-5500K. Most LED lights in this price range or higher will only come with a separate gel you have to take on and off to change color temperature. This color control knob is extremely useful when working with mixed lighting or moving in and out of different lighting situations. Another unique feature is the use of “matrix lighting” technology. This technology places narrow angle LED bulbs in the center and wide-angle LED bulbs around the edges. This creates even lighting on the subject from center to edge. It also allow for brighter illumination when you zoom in on your subject. The Flashmate F-198C uses six AA batteries or has the option to use a Sony lithium L-series video battery. With connections on all four sides, you can mount the LED light vertically or horizontally or even stack multiple LED lights together for a brighter output.
I personally found the GiSTEQ Flashmate F- 198C LED light to be one of the best LED lights on the market under $200. It has good, even light output and the ability to adjust color temperature easily is a nice feature. The battery life is very good. I have been using digital AA batteries and have not yet run out of battery life. The only downside to some may be the size. If you are used to smaller LED lights or like to keep the size down, this LED light will require an extra spot in your bag. The dimensions are approximately 6-by-4-by-2.25 inches; not huge, but something to think about. On the other hand, lighting is so important to getting the right shot, it is well worth fitting this LED light into you bag. ◊
Keith Patankar works in outside sales, marketing and specialty market at Hunts Photo & Video in Melrose MA. Please feel free to contact Keith directly at 781.462.2340 with any related questions. Contact Patankar to get special pricing by mentioning this article.

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Hammonds, Jokerst, Scott, awarded 2013 John Madson Fellowship

OWAA staff — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 20:57:32 +0000

Outdoor Writers Association of America is pleased to announce that Julie Hammonds, Gail Jokerst and Gillian Scott have been selected as co-recipients of the 2013 OWAA John Madson Fellowship. The fellowship is an annual grant program that funds continuing education opportunities for OWAA members. This year’s recipients will share the total award of more than $2400 for reimbursable expenses related to attending educational opportunities of their choice.
Julie Hammonds is a writer/editor who specializes in communicating about wildlife. She has been the associate editor of Arizona’s wildlife magazine, Arizona Wildlife Views, since 2005, and has contributed more than 30 feature articles to the magazine. Her stories have garnered awards from OWAA, the Association for Conservation Information, and the annual writing competition hosted by Writer’s Digest magazine. She has also edited two books for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Julie has a degree in conservation from UC Berkeley, where she first expressed a desire to write about the natural world for a living. Now that her dream of writing and editing stories about wildlife and wild places has come true, it’s more than her job: It’s a craft fueled by passion for the natural world. She blogs about nature writing at words4wildlife.wordpress.com. Hammonds will be using her fellowship to attend the Institute for Grassland Ecology. Taught by expert faculty, the institute will cover the important ecological role the grasslands of southeast Arizona play within our region, how its unique plant and animal communities differ from those around it, conservation threats to grasslands, and management strategies that are used to safeguard this ecosystem.
Based across the river from Glacier National Park, Gail Jokerst began freelance writing 21 years ago. Her work has received several Excellence in Craft Awards and has appeared in over 25 publications such as Michelin’s USA West, The Christian Science Monitor, and the Spokesman-Review. She has covered a diverse range of topics with the short list including conservation easements and grizzly bear DNA research, hiking, bicycling, birding, and organic farming. Aside from penning outdoor stories, Gail has taught writing classes at Flathead Valley Community College and Principia College. An avid baker, she spends almost as much time in her kitchen as she does working and playing outdoors. Last year she published a cookbook interspersed with essays and trail-friendly recipes, which you can read about at www.gailjokerst.com. With this fellowship grant, Gail is taking an on-line creative nonfiction workshop through the University of California at Berkeley. Her goal is to explore storytelling strategies and learn to effectively apply them to outdoor nonfiction prose pieces be they in the form of memoirs, essays, features, reviews, or interviews. She is using her funding for an online class in creative non-fiction writing.
A newspaper page designer and editor by day, Gillian Scott has been regularly writing and blogging about the outdoors since 2009. A native New Yorker, she is an Adirondack 46er, a longtime member of the Adirondack Mountain Club (currently serving on the board of the Schenectady chapter), and the president of the Friends of the Mohawk-Hudson Bike- Hike Trail. Her work has appeared in the Albany Times Union, Explore, Adirondack Sports and Fitness, Adirondack Explorer and Backpacker. She enjoys hiking, paddling, backpacking and cross-country skiing and is learning to climb. She will be attending the Wildbranch Writing Workshop in Vermont.
OWAA’s Madson Fellowship is funded through the John Madson Fellowship Fund, an endowment that thrives primarily through OWAA member contributions and fundraising efforts. Its goal is to enhance professional communication skills for OWAA members. The fellowship program is designed to honor the legacy of John Madson, one of OWAA’s most talented, respected and honored legends. Applications are evaluated by a committee of past OWAA Circle of Chiefs conservation award winners. More information about the annual fellowship program can be found online at www.owaa.org. ◊

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OWAA elects three new board members, approves ballot measures

OWAA staff — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 20:39:43 +0000

In the May 2013 elections, OWAA members elected three members to the board of directors: Brent Frazee (Missouri), Colleen Miniuk-Sperry (Arizona) and Paul A. Smith (Wisconsin). All three Active members will take their board seats on Sept. 16 in conjunction with the 2013 OWAA annual conference in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Brent Frazee of Parkville, Mo., has been the outdoors editor for The Kansas City Star for 33 years. During that time, he’s won more than 50 national, regional and state awards for his writing and photography. After graduating with honors from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, he started his career in 1974 with the Woodstock (Ill.) Daily Sentinel. From there, he moved on to the Racine (Wis.) Journal, where he was an assistant sports editor. There, he started his outdoor writing career. Frazee has been married to Jana, since 1973, and they have three adult children — Becky, Jenny and Scott. They live on a lake in a Kansas City suburb with their two best buds, their Labs Zoey and June.
Colleen Miniuk-Sperry is a full-time outdoor photographer and writer whose publication credits include National Geographic calendars, AAA Highroads, Mushing Magazine, Smith-Southwestern calendars, as well as Arizona Highways magazine, calendars and books and many other outlets. In late 2011, she co-authored and published the awardwinning guidebook, “Wild in Arizona: Photographing Arizona’s Wildflowers.” A passionate educator and speaker, she serves as a photography instructor for Arizona Highway Photography Workshops, Becoming an Outdoor Woman, Through Each Others Eyes, various Arizona-based camera clubs, and private workshops. From 2007-09, she served as secretary on the Arizona Highways Photography Workshops Board of Directors.
Paul A. Smith has worked as an outdoors writer for daily newspapers in Wisconsin since 1994. He has also worked as a freelance writer and photographer for state, regional and national publications for 20 years. He is currently employed as outdoors editor at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a position he’s held since 2008. Smith holds a B.S. in biology, natural science and conservation from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis., and studied journalism and photojournalism at Marquette University in Milwaukee. He has served as a director of the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers and is past president of the Wisconsin Outdoor Communicators Association.
In addition, members passed three amendments: (1) a change to the OWAA Bylaws, for the purpose of assuring compliance with Internal Revenue Code requirements for nonprofit tax-exempt public charities and to permit use of Madson fellowships as a membership recruiting tool; (2) a technical correction to the membership criteria change that was approved in 2012; (3) a OWAA Bylaws change to more clearly permit students to be Associate or Active Members, permit secondary students to be Student Members, and delete course of study requirements for all Student Members. ◊

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Sea turtles and sanity

OWAA staff — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:33:52 +0000

BY MATT MILLER
White sands and turquoise waters shimmer before me, accompanied by a soundtrack of tropical birds.
Why am I not in a better mood?
Nine months ago, I started a new writing position with my employer. Most days, it’s a pretty sweet gig. I travel and write about cool conservation stories around the world, from fish restoration to bison research.
Of course, travel loses much of its romance when you do it often, particularly the part of travel that includes airports, taxis, noisy hotels and road food.
And no job, no matter how cool it may seem, is all adventure and no pain. There are always those things you’d rather not be doing.
Which brings me to the Yucatan Peninsula, where I currently find myself: surrounded by tropical splendor but stuck in a poorly lit room. I’m here to lead two scientific paper writing workshops. On my list of communications skills, scientific editing would be listed near the bottom. I love science, am intrigued by the process, respect and even idolize those who are good at it — but I am no scientist.
And so I wade through paper after paper. Forty pages on the spatial analysis of habitat connectivity and I begin to fear for both my blood pressure and my sanity. The sun goes down, and before I know it, I face the sullen reality that it’s 11 p.m., I have eight more such papers to read before morning and that I’ll be doing the same thing tomorrow night. And the night after.
My week stretches before me providing little but more editing, more papers, more jargon. By 1 a.m., I’m fried. I try to sleep. My brain turns on me, amplifying every thought into self-doubt and paranoia. I fear I am not suited to the task — I can barely understand the paper on nutrients and nutrophiles, let alone provide substantive feedback. My eyes bug out when I read titles like “Use of gap analysis to identify spatially explicit opportunities for a comprehensive marine and estuarine conservation strategy” — knowing those 17 words are only a preview of the 28 pages they precede.
I wonder how I’ll get through the week without being exposed as a fraud of a science editor. I wonder how I’ll plow through yet another round of these papers.
The next afternoon, I’m kicking white sand with sour thoughts when it hits me: I’m at serious risk of committing that unpardonable sin of not experiencing, not looking, of ignoring where I am in the world.
I’ve witnessed this frequently in the realm of global conservation: Dedicated people jetting far and wide to develop methods or policy to save coral reefs or endangered species or the world, while not taking a moment to actually soak in their surroundings. These are people who can rip through laundry lists of countries where they’ve held meetings to discuss maps or legislation or partnerships, but who see little beyond conference rooms. They might be physically in Polynesia but in reality they might as well be in Pittsburgh.
It’s so easy to see these traits in others, no?
You try to stay vigilant, but when you travel every few weeks, you start to lose focus a bit. You spend days in this or that spectacular place but you’re just going through the motions. You promise never to become that person who stares at Power- Point presentations while a moose walks unnoticed outside. Then you realize that you are on the Yucatan Peninsula and you can’t even see — really see — the aqua-blue water.
Ah yes, the water. Shouldn’t I get into it? How could I come this far and not at least see what’s out there?
Immediately, my to-do list pops into my head. I have a lot going on, or so it would appear. My boss might not approve if he sees me swimming around the bay. I have papers to read. I have conservation work to promote. I have deadlines looming. I need to get back to the conference room, pronto.
To hell with that.
I swing back toward my room and grab my snorkel out of my backpack. I lack fins but I don’t want to take the time to rent them from the dive shop. My sandals will have to do. Two minutes later, I’m calf deep in lukewarm water. I wade farther, pull my mask snug over my face and kick off away from shore.
My breathing falls into an easy rhythm as I paddle around. The reef here isn’t much, but there are beds of sea grass that provide cover for the occasional colorful fish, easy to see in the clear water.
And then: a dark shape, slowly moving ahead. I swim toward it, already recognizing its shelled form. A sea turtle. A loggerhead, to be exact, with brilliantly delineated lines crisscrossing its carapace.
The turtle is directly below me, grazing on sea grass much like a deer feeding in a field. It extends its neck as it clamps onto a bite of grass. Chomp, chomp, chomp.
I watch as its big eyes swivel around, perhaps assessing me for potential danger, deeming me harmless. A small yellow fish darts forward, snatching up tiny worms kicked up by the turtle’s grazing.
After a minute — maybe longer; I cannot say — the turtle effortlessly lifts off the bottom. It glides by, its front leg practically brushing my face. It resembles nothing so much as an underwater bird in flight. I try to follow, but the turtle’s a better swimmer. And then it is swallowed in blue water, gone. Like a ghost.
The late, great Edward Abbey once wrote: “It is not enough to fight for the land, it’s even more important to enjoy it.”
But, sometimes: easier said than done, even for those of us who have dedicated our lives to conservation and outdoor traditions.
I’m well aware of the challenges that lie ahead for wild things, wild places and wild pursuits. I read the books and articles. I know the tireless crusaders. I know what’s at stake, and I know the many theories on how to chart our future.
I don’t feel any closer to having answers. But I do know this: If we don’t actually spend time out amongst those wild things and wild places, we aren’t going to accomplish very much.
Certain conservationists can convince themselves that what we really need is more time with policy makers, more analysis, more partnerships. I think they’re wrong.
We still have a world where we can call a turkey, be scared witless by a grizzly, match the hatch, swim with a sea turtle.
We lose that, and we’ll lose. No matter how many meetings we hold, no matter how many articles we publish, no matter how many miles we travel.
And so I kick into that warm, blue, glorious water, not a care in the world other than where I’ll swim. I see another dark form ahead of me — turtle No. 2. The papers will still be there tonight. I probably won’t be able to understand or edit them any better. But for now, the turtles are enough. More than enough. ◊
Matt Miller is senior science writer for The Nature Conservancy. He is also a freelance writer specializing in hunting, conservation and agriculture. His work has appeared in Sports Afield, Living Bird, National Geographic Online and many other print and digital publications. Reach him at m_miller@tnc.org.

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Are you branded?

OWAA staff — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:22:32 +0000

BY MARY J. NICKUM
What is branding? Branding is about communication: Effectively understanding your own purpose, the purpose of your audience, and ways to connect the two. Branding is just a word to describe a much deeper and more meaningful process of communication. But you must understand the basics. First, identify your goals, then define your purpose and finally, understand who you are trying to reach. And it’s in that second step of defining your purpose where branding is born.
If you can’t clearly communicate your purpose, then how can you engage a readership? Are you trying to merely entertain? Are you trying to teach a concept in a nonthreatening way? Are you trying to interest your readers in a new idea or convince your readers to try something new?
Companies often have what they call a “brand book” or “brand bible.” It is a document they go back to again and again, ensuring not just that they are consistent, but that every element of their company works to a common purpose. It is why companies known for their exceptional branding or customer service are so consistent in their high quality. Why nearly every experience at Disneyworld is surprising and pleasant, why the Apple Store seems more like a gathering place than an electronics store. These examples can apply to a writer, as well.
THE ELEMENTS OF BRANDING
These building blocks, when combined, will constitute your brand.
Embrace that you are a writer. This may sound basic, but many writers have a hard time embracing their identity as a writer. They see themselves as a writer only after the definitions of their day job, role in their family, church or social circle. When speaking about your work, own the identity of being a writer.
Define yourself clearly. Every word counts. Too many writers clutter up their purpose with divergent messages. They try to represent every aspect of who they are, or hope they will be. What happens is that the core message is lost. The more words you remove from the description of your purpose, the stronger the words become.
Be focused. Few people want to be pigeonholed, but when you are just starting out and still developing that core audience, err on the side of being specific. Focus the topics you discuss, the audiences you target, the way you describe your work. Too many writers feel their work should appeal to everyone. And, while this may happen someday, build your way up to that. FOCUS.
Create core messages you will go back to again and again. Determine the best ways to communicate your purpose and describe your writing. This helps you to determine what it is and what it isn’t, and ensures that your message will resonate with the audience you hope to capture and maintain.
The value of repetition. Repetition helps people remember what you are about. Many writers are a bit sheepish to even say once what their work is about, let alone repeat it over time. Never take for granted that folks are familiar with your work. You are always in the process of helping people learn about the power of your work, about your viewpoint as a writer. This, of course, doesn’t mean you say the same message, in the same words, over and over. If you do, people will tune you out. Use fresh words and methods of communicating to express your message.
Make sure your STORY engages people. Yes, your writing is the key here. But don’t forget that your story as a writer is part of what engages people. How your purpose extends to the work you create. Shape your story as it relates to your work, and share that when you meet people or on the About page of your website.
In summary, all of this is about bringing your purpose to the forefront as it relates to your writing, your goals and your audience. This goes beyond surface-level interests or demographics. Don’t make your brand so vague the statements about it could apply to thousands of writers. Strive toward fully personalizing your brand, considering how it connects with others in meaningful ways. In one form or another, this is about story. When you consider your identity as an author, frame your own story using elements of branding to help communicate this more effectively to potential readers. ◊
A member since 2000, Mary J. Nickum is a retired librarian who is now an editor and freelance writer. Her primary focus is on science for the public. Nickum is editor-in-chief of the Intermountain Journal of Science and currently edits World Aquaculture magazine. Contact her at mjnickum@hotmail.com.

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Catfight

OWAA staff — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:38:23 +0000

BY TED WILLIAMS
When Ashley Schroeder asked me to recount my recent adventures with the feral-cat lobby, I told her I preferred to write about what it does to wildlife than what, with my help, it did to me. But she perceived possible lessons; so herewith, a combination craft-conservation piece.

Even if you think you’re speaking for your employer, clearly state that your opinions are your own. At the suggestion of the National Audubon Society, I wrote an op-ed for the March 14, 2013, Orlando Sentinel newspaper in opposition to a horrible bill promoting maintenance of feral cats in Florida’s wildlife habitat. By neglecting to state that my position of editor-at-large was freelance, not salaried, I dragged the society into a fight it hadn’t started. I feel badly about that. In less than a day the CEO’s computer choked on 33,000 emails from feral-cat advocates requesting that I be fired. I got dropped from the masthead and suspended.
If you write for a house organ and want to keep the outlet, take Michael Corleone’s advice and “never go against the family.” I didn’t contact media and offered nothing to media that contacted me save a prepared statement I’d shown the society.

That statement read in part: “A group called Alley Cat Allies fired off a release to its members and other feral-cat support groups urging that they check a box ‘to donate at least $5’ and write Audubon demanding my immediate dismissal because I had ‘published a major newspaper editorial calling on the public to kill millions of cats by poisoning them with Tylenol.’” What I had really written was: “There are two effective, humane alternatives to the cat hell of Trap, Neuter and Release (TNR). One is Tylenol (the human pain medication) — a completely selective feral-cat poison. But the TNR lobby has blocked its registration for this use.”

So when you take on animal-rights activists, never underestimate their commitment, energy, resources and duplicity.
When you step in it, remember that nothing stops charging head hunters dead in their tracks like a mea culpa comprehensive to the point of redundancy. Apologize for every indiscretion, real or imagined, and the attack hits a brick wall. Once I’d done this, Audubon announced that my suspension would be for only one issue, and the caterwauling from the feral-cat groups fell to intermittent grumbling about how “shocked” and “dismayed” they were at this decision.
Be thankful for your friends. Within 48 hours, support from OWAAers went more viral than the nastygrams. I was humbled and touched by your articles, blogs and letters, all of which finally got the feral-cat problem before the American public. The story even made it to The New York Times.

While the Times piece contained an excellent message about feral cats, it juxtaposed quotes, obliging me to write the editor as follows:
I need to correct an implication, unintended by the Times and the National Audubon Society. It reads: “‘We absolutely reject the notion of individuals poisoning cats,’ Mr. Yarnold said.” And: “The society also said that while cats were still a leading cause of bird deaths, it did not endorse Mr. Williams’s suggestions. ‘Backyard poisoning isn’t the answer and we want to make it absolutely clear we don’t support that idea,’ it said.” Among my lapses of judgment in the Orlando Sentinel op-ed, suggesting “backyard poisoning” by “individuals” was not one. Lethal control of feral cats would be (and is) conducted strictly by wildlife professionals and not in backyards.

When space is tight, avoid hot-button words. I should not have used “humane,” and “selective” without further explanation. I’m not sure any poison can be called “humane,” but I am sure that any poison is more humane than maintaining feral colonies of domestic animals ill equipped to survive in the wild. At feral-cat feeding stations I’ve seen cats with cloudy eyes, missing eyes, oozing abscesses, gimpy legs, nonfunctional legs and infected ears.

No poison is completely “selective.” But feral-cat poisons, used widely in Australia which has a far higher ecological literacy rate than the U.S., are more selective than most. More importantly, they’re deployed in bait stations that exclude other animals. Feral cats learn quickly to avoid traps and guns. If our wildlife managers can’t use poisons, the battle is lost.
I have never understood why, when the subject is feral cats, people start talking about pet cats. Of course pet cats should be kept indoors, but prescribing that as a solution to the horrendous loss of birds and small mammals from feral cats is like telling people to control Asian bittersweet by not putting it in Christmas wreaths. On the big island of Hawaii, where there are one million feral cats, I saw the last of the endangered palilas, one of dozens of bird species feral cats are ushering into extinction. I doubt they’ll last the decade. Yet TNR is widely practiced in Hawaii.
Ironically, the national catfight issuing from the op-ed with which I embarrassed myself and my employer accomplished something we’d both hoped for. That horrible feral-cat bill had sailed unanimously through the Florida House, but it’s now DOA in the Senate. The feral-cat lobby is blaming “cat haters” for the recent barrage of “anti-cat” articles, blogs and letters. Mea culpa. ◊
A member since 1975, Ted Williams is from Grafton, Mass. He is a freelance writer
specializing in conservation and environment. Contact him at ewilli9767@aol.com.

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Hide not thy light beneath a basket

owaa — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:18:11 +0000

BY SAM CALDWELL
All you have to do is luck into the right lottery number or have a wealthy uncle bequeath you a Picasso. Otherwise, you may have to give up on the idea of overnight wealth and settle for plodding along.
But wait! There’s more! There are a number of ways artists (and I include photographers, graphic artists, writers and videographers in this category) can move their careers ahead to get rich and famous. Well, realistically, gaining either fame or fortune ain’t too shabby. And a bit of fame can shorten that pathway to the other.
Gathering fame, or at least some recognition as a fine artist, can take a lot of time and perspiration. I was asked how long it had taken to paint a certain picture and have it published as an art print for the Operation Game Thief program.
“About three days,” I replied, “and thirty years.”
There are a number of ways — apart from plugging along for 30 years — that can lead to success. Time and perspiration will still be involved, but these seven steps can help you shed that basket and shine your light on an appreciative world.
1. Promote your work. Of course, this step is at the heart of the process, but it demands a special focus. If you don’t have friends in the public relations business, make an effort to add a few friends. Check out the press clubs in your region. Let your local journals and TV outlets know you not only exist, but have an interesting story to tell. You may be surprised at the warmth of your welcome — editors are always looking for a story.
2. Donate. Every worthwhile cause in your state has to raise money, and art can be a primary tool. An example of your work in a live or silent auction gets your name out there. Conservation groups can be an excellent way to advance your cause while also helping them raise funds.
3. Partner with your state wildlife organizations. Perhaps a game warden association will publish a great photo or painting, and in return, provide you with an artist’s proof for your own use. Several of my art prints stemmed from partnerships with Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Operation Game Thief and the Coastal Conservation Association.
4. Speak up. If you’re shy and bashful, you might want to consider a different profession. One of the primary ways you can gain some notoriety is to do demonstrations of your work. It is also therapeutic: When you have to stand up, speak up and show your wares in public, you’ll find out early on what you don’t know and need to learn. Sure, you’ll have to let people know you’re available, but schools and amateur organizations are always looking for an interesting presentation. Let a local journal know of the event, and maybe you’ll have a reporter present.
5. Compete in art exhibits and competitions. Enter OWAA’s Excellence in Craft contests. Join an art gallery, locally and nationally. Submit digital examples of your art to every magazine on the outdoor shelf, and then do it all over again two months later. Look for exhibitions and contests where you can show your wares. When you win, remember step 1.
6. Get a website. This is a critical way to maintain your public profile. It’s neither that expensive nor complex nowadays, and important to do it yourself. Make sure you have a way to easily keep your home page fresh and interesting. It’s expensive if you don’t have a website because you’ll miss the chance for increased exposure.
7. And finally, persevere. I have known a number of artists / photographers / writers who, in my less than humble opinion, were talented and capable of excellent careers. But, for whatever reason, they kept their lights hidden beneath a basket. ◊
A member since 1991, Sam Caldwell is primarily a self-unemployed artist, but also serves as editor, writer, artist and photographer for the Texas Coastal Conservation Association’s Currents newsletter. He was named by the Texas Commission for the Arts as a Texas State artist for 2004. His art can be visited at www.samcaldwell.com.

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Pro ready cameras at amateur prices

OWAA staff — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:10:07 +0000

BY PAUL QUENEAU
No matter what kind of outdoor writing you do, you’re smart to carry a camera. But choosing which to tote can be a tough decision. Thousands of options entice, ranging from the cost of a nice dinner out to a down payment on a house.
It doesn’t help matters that the line between professional and consumer quality is getting blurrier by the minute. Case in point: Santa brought one of my son’s friends a slick little GoPro camera for Christmas that straps to his ski helmet. It happens to be the very same model my employer uses for point-of-view shots on our TV show, “Team Elk.” It clearly works equally well for fourth graders or broadcast TV.
And you’ve almost certainly seen what the newest smartphones are capable of — freakishly sharp photos from a lens the size of a pea and HD videos capable of filling the widest of widescreens. So good, in fact, that you may be left pondering if your camera bag is still worth its weight.
I somehow still see fit to sometimes haul a lens heavy enough to improve my car’s winter traction when stuffed in a back seat. Truly massive glass has its place photographing tiny birds and (hopefully) distant bears. But in general, I still believe a modest DSLR with 2-3 lenses is money well-spent for most outdoor writers. That outfit will allow you to capture everything from shallowdepth- of-field portraits to distant subjects in all sorts of different light that smartphones still can’t compete with. And as an added bonus, newer DSLR bodies can film highdefinition video with a cinematic look and feel.
Professional lenses remain a substantial and safe investment. But how much cash to blow on a good camera body is much less clear. My foray into digital DSLRs began a decade ago with Canon’s first consumerlevel DSLR: the six-megapixel Digital Rebel. Many pros at the time picked up the 10D — same sensor as the Rebel but a more durable body and a faster frame rate at twice the price. I wore out that Rebel’s shutter eventually, and moved onto a Rebel XTi — same sensor as Canon’s pro-oriented 40D, but somewhat slower to focus and again a slower frame rate and cheaper plastic body.
Then, as Canon rolled out its 7D, I finally made the leap to a higher end, unable to resist the pull of its HD video capability. I attached the same lenses as I’d put on my Rebels, but with much better results. Yet I soon began to wonder if I should have a waited, as less than a year after the 7D hit the streets, Canon placed the same 18-megepixel sensor into the Rebel-series at less than half the price I’d paid— $1800 versus $700. Canon soon after gave the Rebel a hybrid AF sensor to run its newest video-friendly STM lenses — in the process leap-frogging its pro-line with an appetizing feature brought directly to the consumer level.
Three years later, the 7D has withstood all I could throw at it, but I’ll have to think hard about whether to stay with pro-level body when I replace it. Camera bodies, regardless of how expensive, inevitably grow long in the techno-tooth after two years and are truly fossilizing at age four. At less than half the price, a consumer body might not be quite as durable or weather resistant, but if they can last through three years of hard use as each of my first two Rebels did, you’ll be that much closer to being able to afford a replacement.
So here’s my advice: unless you’re hard on gear, use your camera daily and have a true need for lightning frames-persecond speeds, take a hard look at what the consumer level has to offer no matter what camera brand you choose. ◊
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.

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Writing for television: part one

OWAA staff — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:04:38 +0000

BY KAREN LOKE
I’ve been a writer of one sort or another for more than 25 years. My first job was when I was 16 years old. It was for my hometown newspaper, The Bulletin, an affiliate of the Daily News in Galveston, Texas. There were three of us on the editorial staff and we put out a 28-page paper every week. My other job at the time was as a car-hop at Sonic, right across the street from that same newspaper. Now you know where the other two writers ate daily.
The transition from newspaper to television writing was difficult at first. My teachers and mentors taught me to condense, write in the active voice and drop all the descriptive narrative. One of my favorite things to do with my print journalism or magazine interns is to “warp” them into television journalists.
We often tell anyone writing for a television news audience to “dumb it down,” or write your words as though you are talking to a child. Although it is true that you want to keep news writing simple and representative to a broad audience, it isn’t true that it’s simple to do.
First of all, I need to admit that writing isn’t necessarily fun for me, or easy, or exciting. And I must say that most of the time, I dread sitting down and plucking away at the keys. Fortunately there’s this thing called a deadline and I just can’t put it off anymore. When I do finally put words on a computer, I discover happily that they do manage to tell a story and I make my deadline.
“Inspiration is often a product of desperation,” says my friend, co-worker, and outdoor mentor Ann Miller.
My role models in television writing are Bob Dotson, a reporter for NBC, and Boyd Hupert, a reporter for KARE 11 News in Minnesota. They both write with a knowledge of poetic literature and history that makes me think they’ve read every book in the world. I don’t have that talent but every once in a while I’ll hear something someone says that resonates with me. And if I didn’t catch it on camera or if the camera is not on my interview subject at the time, but still rolling, then I’ll try to use it in the script.
For example: “The last person to hunt turkey in Red River County wore buckskins in 1897.”
This was mumbled by a biologist wearing a wireless microphone and walking ahead of me while we were on the first Eastern wild turkey hunt after a decade’s effort of restocking wild turkey. I used this in the anchor lead before the video rolled.
And here’s another example: “There’s one for every stump.”
A fishing guide said this, referring to the number of fishing guides that work on Lake Fork in east Texas, when the camera was rolling, but not on him. Another great opener for a story.
Below are some examples and guidelines to keep in mind when you are making that switch from print to television writing. Oh and that first job I had at the Bulletin Newspaper when I was 16 — the newsroom is now a laundromat.
1. Know what the story is about but don’t exclude the extras.
Story: Nesting bald eagles.
Make your phone calls when you get your assignment and interview all the necessary people, but also be open to change. This story is about bald eagles nesting unusually close to a highway. It’s spring and people are always stopping by the roadsides to photograph children and pets in rows of wildflowers. So when I saw a bunch of people on the side of the road not looking at wildflowers, I thought I would use that. Then the police came due to all the traffic and people so I used that, too. Finally, a photographer showed up to cash in on the event so…
2. Tell it as simply as you can.
Story: Chester’s Island.
Use juxtapositions – the old and the young, the wise and the innocent.
Voiceover: “When spring comes, the birds nest and Chester watches.”
Sound on tape: “His motives are pure. He’s not doing it for popularity or anything; he just wants to help the birds.”
Voiceover: “The old protecting the young…”
Sound on tape: Chester, “My plans were to retire when I was 85. I’ve already passed that date and now I’m trying to make 90.”
Voiceover: “…the wise watching over the innocent.”
Sound on tape: Chester, “I’ve been encouraged to make 100.”
In the next issue of Outdoors Unlimited, I’ll conclude this twopart series with more examples and guidelines for applying your skills of writing for print outlets to writing for television. ◊
A member since 2008, Karen Loke has been a TV producer for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department for the past 17 years. She shoots, writes and edits four video news reports related to the outdoors each month and distributes to news stations throughout the state. Contact her at karen.loke@ tpwd.state.tx.us.

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