Outdoor writers .. Anyone like 'em?

Yes, well. When we started putting triathletes and mountain bikers on the Outdoors Page is when it began to die. But that's just an old outdoors writer's opinion.

 

Second that. But he writes everything well.

 

Actually, I'm glad outdoors writers have finally gotten out of the "fishing and hunting" mentality. Variety is a good thing. The outdoors is not all about hooks and bullets anymore.

We have some excellent outdoors writers here in California. Tom Stienstra (SF Chronicle), Dave Strege (OC Register), Marek Warzawski (Fresno Bee) and Ed Zieralski (San Diego U-T) are a few that come to mind. I read these guys at every opportunity.

 

Outside has anthologies for its 10th, 20th and 30th anniversaries that rival BASW.

The ferret-legging story is in one of them.

I like both Outside and Backpacker.

David Quammen was in Outside for years (I do not know if he still is). Great stuff.

Greg Child, in Outside and climbing magazines is great!

 

More people ride mountain bikes, race in triathlons and cross country ski than hunt and fish, I'd dare say.

To ignore that portion of the outdoors equation is foolhardy. Just like it would be foolhardy to ignore the hunting, fishing and camping segments of that market.

I'm happily adding cycling, triathlon, running and other 'outdoor' activities to our section. I've received dozens of emails from readers happy to see the articles. That tells me there's a niche that hasn't been tapped into.

And since many sports departments are loathe to try writing about something other than football, baseball, basketball and the staples of a sports section, I think it's perfectly acceptable to see outdoors sections adopt those beats and make them their own.

 

An important aspect to remember is if you have an outdoor writer who focuses on hunting and fishing, and is good with those, don't force them into something they dislike or don't understand if at all possible.

Find a contributor who is knowledgeable about triathalons or mountain biking or paddle sports by contacting local clubs or outdoors stores. There may be someone else at your paper who is into those activities and can write. Use them. Find a balance of presentation each week or so. Look at the big seasons, like springtime fishing and paddlesports or autumn hunting openers, cool-weather camping or bird-watching events. Add them to the page or Web and build more readership.

Mark Taylor in Roanoke does a good job with a varied crew. The aforementioned Sam Cook is strong, as are the Cali writers. Sue Cocking does some good work in Miami. Angus Phillips at the WaPo was a good read, too, before he retired.

There are a lot of good outdoors stories that don't involve Hayseed Bubba hoisting 32-pound catfish or dead deer. Those are important community angles, in their own right. But there are other good ones that can be developed and presented.

 

I've never even seen our outdoors guy.

 

One of the best stories I've read recently was on fishing for alligator gar in Texas.
It was online and I don't remember the outlet. But I believe the guy who did it was the same guy who wrote the Russian hostage story for Esquire.
C.J. Chavers. Maybe? His name sticks in my mental file for some reason.
Anyway, it was outstanding.

 

That means he's doing his job.
I like a good bass column myself.

 

www.fieldandstream.com/fieldstream/fishing/article/0,13199,1081945,00.html

 

Chivers. C. J. Chivers.

 

Houston Chronicle has a good outdoors page. I read a long story in there a couple of months ago about local game wardens working overnight to catch poachers off the Texas coast. Really, really good story.

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4392389