Outdoors Story Ideas.....

Those are good ideas, but some sound more suited to an entertainment or recreation section than a straightforward outdoors section focusing primarily on fishing or hunting.

Good ideas, though, with much potential.

 

I've done the weekly Outdoors section of my paper for more than four years now. It amounts to a feature and three or four photos every week. Sometimes it's a curse, but it's also made for some of the best stories I've written.

I definitely don't make it a hunting/fishing wrap up section. I participate in both, but not rabidly, and I think there are SO many more ways to do the section that are often ignored.

My stories break down into the following categories:

-- Go do it kind of stuff: Mostly this is trails or hikes, but it could be anything. I want people to be able to rip my page out of the paper on Sunday morning, follow my directions to the trailhead and know everything they're going to need to know. I'll go and hike the trail, take photos, make sure to take good notes on forks in the road and anything else. Include distances and consider the difficulty. Is it appropriate for kids? Older people?

One thing I've done that I've been proud of is "how to photograph it" stories. Are there iconic photos in your area that everyone seems to try to get? Where's the best place to take sunset shots? What's the best way to photograph the big lake? Talk to some good photogs, go out and try and do it yourself, and let people know what they need to do to get photos of iconic things in your area.

I'll even do stuff like: Couch to 5k, what do you need to do? And talk to local coaches and stuff, lay out workouts. You could even talk to people about their favorite places to run or something like that. I did a story once on the music people listen to when they run. That was kind of a fun one.

-- Adventures. You can do a lot of cool, cool stuff this way. I've gone rafting and taken kayak lessons. I've gone ski jumping (I live in the mountains, btw, which makes much of this not apply, but anyway...). I went out to a ski cross course (like a ski race course, kind of) and had the local coach, who spent a bunch of years racing World Cups, show me how to race it, just some basic tips I could pass along to readers, the idea being they could line up (the course was public) and beat their friends. That was awesome. I'm sure all those things aren't options, but there have to be things that are. Businesses would love to have you out and hook you up. Boat rental places. Bike rental places. Unicycling? Is that a thing out there? Hop on a unicycle. Tell us how tough it is. I will write about virtually anything that happens outside, from bikes to skateboards to water skis.

With that kind of stuff, I put a lot of my personality into the stories. I live in a pretty insanely outdoorsy place, and there are so many people here who do so many amazing outdoorsy things. I don't try to talk on that level all the time. I often write it from the novice's point of view, because for every Olympian in town, every person who runs ultra marathons, there's 5 people who don't and think it's as crazy as I do. I think people enjoy a fresh look at that stuff, those activities, the "flatlander perspective." I don't do everything like that, but I definitely do it sometimes.

-- Features. Any town of fair size has people with great Outdoors stories. Some can be epic. Anyone local ever try Everest? But they don't have to be like that. Even someone doing a cross-the-state bike ride or something might be interesting.

-- Gear stuff. It's easy, and what I turn to when I have nothing else. What's new in bikes, fishing equip., ect.

One of my favorite ways I've kept those stories interesting is by, again, putting myself in it a little more (not always in a first person way.) Here, you go in and ask for a cheap mountain bike and the guy shows you something for $1,500. Maybe $2,000. I wrote about how someone can really buy a cheap bike. If you buy the $500 bike, what are you giving up? How about $1,000? How about $100 bike at Walmart? Again, I hope it was something someone could use. It was definitely something I think I would have found useful when I first moved to town.

Anyway, I hope that helps a little. The Outdoors section can be a lot more than fish stories and insider terms and know how. Write that, but also tell the beginner how to do it, and why he or she should do it. Have fun.

 

These are freaking great ideas. I will absolutely use them. I love the date places idea, and the others. Could they fit into the entertainment section instead? Maybe, but there's no reason they can't go on an Outdoors page, too.

 

Oh, and don't be afraid to drive a little. I've driven three or four hours to do some trails or something like that. People might be looking for a cool outdoorsy overnight trip, and you should take the opportunity to tell them what it'd be like.

 

It might be fun (and or funny)and informative to interview people who make their own equipment- a mix of serious fishing poles to ridiculous packing equipment (try "traveling light" guys who saw off their toothbrush for backpacking).

 

I've been lucky enough to cover the outdoors in the South Carolina Lowcountry for all seven years of my writing career. Here are some things that work for me:

* Establish a relationship with your DNR — For example, the S.C. DNR churns out informative and well-written news releases each week with quotes and stats, but that doesn't stop me from calling a biologist to talk about the subjects each time I run a feature on a particular issue. Let them get used to seeing your name in print via email, or hearing your voice over the phone. Just like coaches and players, the more they see and hear from you, the better your relationship will be, and the more helpful and willing to work with you they'll be. If the guys you talk to don't get your paper, or it's not going online, then email a story you quote them in every once in awhile, too. Adds that personal touch to make them respect you and more willing to help you. That has all sorts of benefits. They'll often alert you to things that you otherwise wouldn't ever know about if you build a strong working relationship. Journalism 101.

* Familiarize yourself with the hunting and fishing seasons, the animals, the type of habitat around your coverage area, state issues, etc., and base your content on that. Find out what's available to hunt, then call someone with DNR to ask if there's any big news regarding those animals at the moment. Also be diligent enough to research the animals and their behavior before you write a story on something that's in season. That will also lead you to better questions when talking to sources. You may not be a hunter or a fisherman, but knowing a little bit about it will make writing about it far easier.

* Poach from the big boys — "Poach" is a word at once both apropos and taboo regarding outdoors writing, but hear me out. There's a reason the guys working for the national outdoors magazines are working for the national outdoors magazines: they're damn good at what they do. As I'm sure you know, also, if it ain't worth stealing, it ain't worth doing. What I'm saying is feel no shame in taking a story idea from a Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, North American Whitetail, etc., then adapting it to your area. If it's good enough for a national audience, then it'll go over like gangbusters in your local paper.

*Be involved — There's no way you can write a passionate or informed story about a subject without ever having done it. Get out and hunt, fish, hike, nature watch or take photos with someone. There are plenty of people that would be willing to take you along. Your content will only improve.

* Ideas for content: DNR crime reports — Talk to your regional wildlife conservation office, and get the officers on board to send you the reports of their arrests, tickets, etc. Just like regular crime reports, people can't wait to read it.; Local records — Check the state records for names from within your county or coverage area, then look them up in the phone book and see if they want to tell their story. Easy features.; Season calendar — It's simple, and might seem redundant if posted online or in a state rules and regs publication, but people come to expect it from you once you start, and know its there in you paper if they need it. And it fills space. Keep a hunting and fishing calendar current in each outdoors section. Easy fill of one column.; Local photos and briefs from contributors — Either set aside time to go out and shoot pics yourself, or advertise through social media and house ads for outdoorsmen to send in their pics in for publication. This also lends itself to good stories. If a person wants to type something up about their hunt, let them. Half the fun of hunting and fishing is the storytelling, anyway. People eat that stuff up.; Research local hunting clubs, plantations, etc. — Knowing where people hunt and who hunts where and why is another way to find features.

 

As a former outdoors writer, my biggest mistake was focusing on the hook and bullet stories. Now, years removed from it, I wish I'd done more stories on cycling (road and mountain), kayaking, hiking, hang gliding and all that other stuff.

The hottest thing going on the water right now is standup paddleboarding. See is there are any SUP lessons on nearby lakes. Tough Mudders, Warrior Dashes and other 5ks with obstacle courses included are huge too. I'm sure there will be one in your area this summer. Visit a bike shop and do a story folks who build mountain bike trails.

 

Hey Joe, if you want a good outdoors expert to talk to, set up a meeting with Brent Widener at the Fort Benning Wildlife and Conservation Branch. His office number is 706-544-7516