Let's talk Canadian hunting magazines/media. Room for a newcomer?

TheCoachZed

TheCoachZed

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So, I'm thinking there's a decent market in Canada for a hunting magazine with decent production and editorial values. Or at least, there is in the east/northeast.

The established mags do have the occasional good write-up, but it's mostly "How The New Remchester SuperMag 750 Can Get You The Biggest Buck Of Your Life." These stories run in the same mag as ads for the new Remchester Supermag 750 ... It gets old after a while.

Also, I find a lot of these magazines focus on allegedly new tricks and how to use the latest gear. There are very few publications that teach old-school hunting practices, or introduce out-of-the-box ideas (deer hunting from a pit blind? Goose hunting with a bow? etc. etc.). They all seem to pick the low-hanging fruit, editorially speaking. The only exception I can think of, which has an emphasis on real-world tips and tricks, is Fur-Fish-Game.

Am I wrong? Would a decent webmag or print mag find some interest? Sort of like a Canadian version of Fur-Fish-Game, with an emphasis on stuff that Average Joes are doing, and gear they can afford.

I totally understand the grim economic realities of the publishing business. I've worked in another enthusiast's publication for many years. However, it seems to me that this market is being underserved, if not ignored.

And yes, I do get that many readers do want to hear about the Remchester Supermag 750. I think any good publication would have details on that, and whatever other new gear comes to market ... but it should not JUST be about that. Honestly, I've learned more from buying old hunting books from the 1930s through the 1980s than I ever have from the new stuff.
 
Yeah, we REALLY need another Outdoors Canada. :redface: Alberta Oudoorsmen does it here, but a truly national magazine would be a big order.

Grizz
 
Grizzly Adams said:
Yeah, we REALLY need another Outdoors Canada. :redface: Alberta Oudoorsmen does it here, but a truly national magazine would be a big order.

Grizz
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Outdoor Canada magazine is a freaking joke! They can’t make up their mind if they are hunters, fisherman or tree hugging granola munchers. I never read a hunting or fishing mag with so much green preaching in my life. It comes as part of my club membership. Now I just read the western add-on included then toss it in the fire. Piece of garbage!! Never seems to matter which side you toss it in from either? It always lands on the “left” side of the can!!
 
Still kicking this idea, of an eastern-based outdoorsman magazine, around.

Content would mostly feature hunting and real-life fishing, an emphasis away from catch-and-release, more on hook-it-and-cook it.

Undetermined whether ATVing would be a good addition. I think it would certainly be of interest to most readers, as almost everyone around here uses a quad to get into the woods now.

Have a friend who's demonstrated long-term interest in making this work, and another who's said she would build a website, and I suspect that's how I would start it, as I have experience in enthusiast's web publications. No idea if there would be any money in it, but thankfully I don't need that right now.

Anyone have any thoughts on what they'd like to see in an outdoors publication that focused on St. Lawrence-east regions?
 
We did have a magazine called Eastern Woods and Waters here that provided well rounded articles from Atlantic Canada. Sadly with declining subscribers they scrapped it in favour of Saltscapes. I agree we need a regional publication but I don't think a printed magazine would fly. I have subscribed to Outdoor Canada but jokingly refer to it as Outdoor Upper Canada. Coverage basically stops after Ontario....... As far as topics go I think that tailoring it to the way things actually are on this coast would be of benefit. Also some actual gear reviews that aren't all praise for sponsors as well.
 
38'55 said:
We did have a magazine called Eastern Woods and Waters here that provided well rounded articles from Atlantic Canada. Sadly with declining subscribers they scrapped it in favour of Saltscapes. I agree we need a regional publication but I don't think a printed magazine would fly. I have subscribed to Outdoor Canada but jokingly refer to it as Outdoor Upper Canada. Coverage basically stops after Ontario....... As far as topics go I think that tailoring it to the way things actually are on this coast would be of benefit. Also some actual gear reviews that aren't all praise for sponsors as well.
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I seem to faintly recall that mag.

I'm familiar with web publishing and would definitely start that route. Some enthusiast pubs have started there then gone to semi-regular print (Iron & Air magazine is a good example, as is bikeEXIF. Both are motorcycle mags). The advantage of print is that you can access government kickbacks and put money back in your pocket. Socialism stinks, but if there's a way to regain my lost taxes, I'm all about it.
 
Ontario Out of Doors is great magazine. Obviously an Ontario focus but well done good writers. I love the ‘Memories’ section I’ve seen a lot of people I know with their game and fish in there.
 
Good quality outdoor magazines are hard to find in todays market. If you produce one, it would find a market, but whether that market would be profitable is a big question. I enjoy the US publication Gray's Sporting Journal because it actually has some worthwhile literature, instead of just "how to" articles and ads.
 
Longwalker said:
Good quality outdoor magazines are hard to find in todays market. If you produce one, it would find a market, but whether that market would be profitable is a big question. I enjoy the US publication Gray's Sporting Journal because it actually has some worthwhile literature, instead of just "how to" articles and ads.
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I'm not against how-to articles, but I would much prefer it if those articles were about things like "how to use the unwanted parts of a deer" or "how to cook a proper meal over a campfire" instead of "how to open your wallet and buy these bass lures from our sponsor"
 
I'd love to guest write for a magazine such as this, I've journaled a bunch of my hunts, taken photos etc - I like to think I've got a knack for story telling... let me know if you make this happen
 
The reason for all the new gear articles, is obvious. Their advertisers want to sell stuff. Rarely do you see a critical article on new equipment for the same reason. I'd love to see a magazine go forth with articles on hunting techniques across the country. Over the years I have sat in on a number of great arguments because for example deer, behave differently out west, or on farm land, than they do in northern bush hunting. Hunting techniques vary widely. Some guys, and I'll use the example of the southern states, hunt deer over water holes. When I explained that doing that in Central or northern Ontario would be a waste of time because there is water at the bottom of nearly every ridge line, I was told I was a liar, and that that much water was not possible. There are many many stories untold, and different places to hunt that could be written about. Good luck!
 
John Y Cannuck said:
The reason for all the new gear articles, is obvious. Their advertisers want to sell stuff. Rarely do you see a critical article on new equipment for the same reason. I'd love to see a magazine go forth with articles on hunting techniques across the country. Over the years I have sat in on a number of great arguments because for example deer, behave differently out west, or on farm land, than they do in northern bush hunting. Hunting techniques vary widely. Some guys, and I'll use the example of the southern states, hunt deer over water holes. When I explained that doing that in Central or northern Ontario would be a waste of time because there is water at the bottom of nearly every ridge line, I was told I was a liar, and that that much water was not possible. There are many many stories untold, and different places to hunt that could be written about. Good luck!
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Hahahahah yes.

Where I'm based, there are very very few deer in the woods, so we all hunt them in the city. Their behaviour is completely different compared to the deer 20 miles away in the woods. Very little nocturnal feeding, for one thing.
 
Paper media is on the decline and you're talking about a new magazine? Bad plan. I still subscribe to one magazine and get one free with my SCI membership. Both are published quarterly and, honestly, I haven't cracked the cover on either since early July and even then I was at least two quarters behind. Maybe some people have more time than I do, but the three hours between when my kids go to bed and when I hit the sack have plenty of our demands without feeling bad that I'm not reading yet another magazine.

Now what I do consume, by the boatload, are podcasts. My daily commute is 45 minutes each way and ere are six or seven podcasts that I listen to either every episode or regularly enough. Short ones are an hour long and long ones can top three hours. I can listen while I'm driving, working around he house...anywhere. That's my preferred way to consume media these days. I barely even listen to music anymore.
 
BigUglyMan said:
Paper media is on the decline and you're talking about a new magazine? Bad plan. I still subscribe to one magazine and get one free with my SCI membership. Both are published quarterly and, honestly, I haven't cracked the cover on either since early July and even then I was at least two quarters behind. Maybe some people have more time than I do, but the three hours between when my kids go to bed and when I hit the sack have plenty of our demands without feeling bad that I'm not reading yet another magazine.

Now what I do consume, by the boatload, are podcasts. My daily commute is 45 minutes each way and ere are six or seven podcasts that I listen to either every episode or regularly enough. Short ones are an hour long and long ones can top three hours. I can listen while I'm driving, working around he house...anywhere. That's my preferred way to consume media these days. I barely even listen to music anymore.
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The truly successful media purveyors of today integrate video, written content, and podcasts.

Steve Rinella is a perfect example. Has the Meat Eater podcast, his written cookbooks, and his show.

The motorcycle world that I'm familiar with has a lot of people doing at least two of those.

I agree that the days of the monthly or bimonthly magazine are done. People have changed how they read. I disagree that quarterlies are through, as I know several motorcycle quarterly start-ups that seem to be doing just fine. And, the big guys have all gone to bimonthly or quarterly publication lately.
 
If you're still looking, a friend of mine in MB is trying to get his magazine some traction. He prints a mag but you can check it out online a bit too if you're interested. wildguild.ca
 
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