Outdoor Media (TV/Newspaper/Radio)

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Embrace Bloggers and Social Media To Get Message Out

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Jim Braaten

I just have to laugh! Some notions take a long time to die. I could easily make this post my annual rant against the Minnesota DNR and their communication peeps who seemingly don’t have a 21st Century clue when it comes to communicating their message, but if I did the blog posting would largely look like it did last year. (SEE HERE)

So, I’ll spare you all those details once again. Point is I’ve been an outdoors writer here in Minnesota since 1987 and now because most of my communication efforts are online some entities, like the MN DNR, apparently fail to see the value.

Once again, the MN DNR is conducting their annual 2–day #RoundTable and I was not included. Last year I sent a note in advance to DNR Communication Director Chris Niskanen (@ChrisNiskanen1) asking to be included, but alas, the note was never received. Certainly after the blog post I wrote last year I figured I’d be on the radar for the 2013 #RoundTable session…but no such luck once again.

Here I am willing to invest my time and money to report happenings of my state’s fish and game department, but the take away is such information dissemination is not apparently that important. What a shame. Whether it is the MN DNR or even some manufacturer of a new outdoor product, you would think they would be doing their due diligence to include both bloggers and people from all other facets of social media.

Recently I attended a blogging conference and discovered how one of the most aggressive segments harnessing the power of blogging, Twitter and similar online communication tools targets the so-called “mommy blogger.” That’s right, companies who promote diapers, sell mac and cheese products, encourage the use of real butter for cooking, and so on are light years ahead of others when it comes to tapping into these emerging forms of new media.

Back at the farm, I cooked up some brats to serve my hungry hunters during the fall 2012 firearms deer season.

One particular company I’ve been impressed with on Twitter is Johnsonville (@JvilleGrilling) Not only do they tweet often and with content that adds value (not just self-promo), but they also do one of the best jobs of engaging their followers of any company I have seen. I posted a picture back during deer hunting season that they found of me grilling their brats…and days later they were using it, with my permission of course, all over their online marketing efforts.

I can relate many similar examples of how companies or groups are in-step with those of us who blog and tweet. I once ripped a company in these blog pages several years ago about their product in how it was poorly designed. They got upset with me and fired back…but in the end they changed their product design because they new I had some valid points that needed to be addressed.

I will be so bold as to predict that within five years most traditional forms of how people obtain their news will largely lose significance. I’m talking newspaper, magazines, and to some lesser extent even nightly TV news coverage. We are living in a transition period where people demand their news immediately, in a succinct fashion, and when it’s convenient for them to view it. Blogging, social media and videos on demand delivers the message.

Yes, indeed, I find it somewhat odd how a company peddling baby diapers is far better at engaging their audience through the blogger network than my state’s game and fish department continues to be. <Okay, this is where I would ordinarily insert a joke about shit, but I’ve chosen not to do that at this time. Ha!>

Filed under: Current Outdoor Issues, Department of Natural Resources, Fish/Wildlife Research and Management, General Outdoor Topics, Hunting, Outdoor Media (TV/Newspaper/Radio), Weblogs | 3 Comments »

2012 Minnesota Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener–In Pictures

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Jim Braaten

This past Saturday was the Minnesota Firearms Deer Hunting Opener and what has been the tradition now for 10 years running, Minnesota’s sitting Governor honors the blaze-clad sportsman of this state with a special celebration. Each year the event bounces around to various areas of the state, but the last time it was in SE Minnesota was back in 2006 and that time I am proud to say Governor Tim Pawlenty hunted on my farm. Read more HERE about that very special day.

But this time around things have changed slightly. This time the event was held in Winona, Minnesota and not Rochester (or more accurately rural Kenyon, MN). Moreover, Governor Pawlenty who created the special hunt no longer is Governor. Now, it is Governor Mark Dayton who maintains the event by making an appearance, but does not partake in the hunt like Pawlenty did each year.

Even so, I give Governor Dayton credit for continuing the GDHO event and for taking the time to make a short appearance. After all, with over a half million deer hunters in this state helping to stimulate the Minnesota economy to the tune of nearly a billion dollars annually, a Governor should honor the sportsmen and women of the Gopher State.

But enough of the boring stuff. Let’s show some pictures and check out the fun. What follows is how we spent Friday at the event enjoying what makes deer hunting in this state so proud.

Banner greeting event attendees.

Da Bad Axe traveling trophy presented to the team who competes and wins the MN Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener Outdoor Olympics series of events.

Of course, we formed a team consisting of Michelle Scheuermann (@LadySportsman), Todd & Dick Rost, and yours truly, Jim Braaten.

There were several events such as archery shooting, outdoor knowledge such as guess the hides, guess the animal tracks, guess the pistol/rifle cartridges…

Even the uniquely outdoorsy axe toss, which by the way, Michelle Scheuermann had never done before. So, we let her represent our team.

Whoa!!! Did Michelle kick butt. She got to throw three axes and the team only got a score if they stuck in the target. SHE STUCK ALL THREE!!! WooHoo!!!

Although only two axes are shown here…they removed the first one so it didn’t get chopped by her pinpoint accuracy. Way to go Michelle!!

There was also a timed obstacle course. Here, Todd is shown getting dressed and he had to do several things such as shoot at a target, pull a deer drag some distance…

And eventually hoist it up into a tree. Talk about working up a sweat! Great job, Todd!

In the end, Team Sportsman’s Blog crushed the competition with our superior skills and knowledge on the outdoors. Psst! In all honesty it was mostly Michelle who now possesses legendary woodsman skills. In fact, she is the only axe-wielding PR guru I know, so look out.

But the MN Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener is more than adults playing silly games. On the serious side of things is the community children by the 100′s who also take part in the learning.

Professionals, like these MN Conservation Officers, teach various stations to instruct more about nature, hunting safety, and how to properly respect the outdoors.

Here, a local Conservation Officer assists a youth in properly fitting a tree stand safety harness to his body for a live demonstration.

But the learning was fun for the kids, too. The shooting duo of Aaron and Steve Gould put on a trick shooting performance showing the kids just how much skill and fun gun handling can be.

While always emphasizing safety, the brothers showed one of the many ways shooting can be fun.

They shot clay targets while doing push-ups.

Their antics typically involved shooting multiple targets. The kids really seemed to enjoy the performance.

But eventually Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton showed up and was most gracious to the folks in attendance.

He spent time talking about deer hunting and answering questions about the importance of hunting to this state.

Eventually the press conference got underway and media was present from throughout Minnesota, including several neighboring states.

Mark Johnson, Executive Director for the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association–one of the lead organizers of this event–took the stage to announce the special guests.

Tom Landwehr, Minnesota’s DNR Commissioner, took the stage to emphasize the importance of deer hunting in Minnesota.

Eventually Governor Dayton spoke and thanked all the volunteers who make this event possible.

A special group of local volunteers are shown here who the next morning would be taking media and other guests out to their carefully chosen deer stands to hopefully see some action.

Great food was catered in consisting of burgers and chili.

But really there was so much going on throughout the day. Here Todd Rost is down on the range shooting one of the big handguns that shot so sweet.

And Michelle again…what can I say. She test drove one of the new Polaris Rangers and the guys who gave her the keys never thought she would bring it back.

Indeed, another Minnesota Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener is in the books. We’re told that next year we have to bring the trophy back and defend our coveted title of champs! I suppose so. Look out Fergus Falls, MN…looks like we’ll be coming back again with even more to prove next time around.

Filed under: Department of Natural Resources, Hunting, Organizations, Outdoor Education, Outdoor Media (TV/Newspaper/Radio) | Tagged: deer hunting, governor tim pawlenty, minnesota economy, MN Deer Hunting, MN Governor's Deer Huntinig Opener, winona minnesota | 1 Comment »

Minnesota DNR Shuns My Media Access Request

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Jim Braaten

Blog readers please excuse this brief rant. What it comes down to is my state’s DNR that holds an annual meeting to discuss fishing and hunting resources/management matters. Hundreds of the state’s most influential policymakers are INVITED to attend this 2-day conference to discuss concerns, management principles and essentially every aspect of the future of what us sportsmen enjoy in this state.

Several months back I mailed a handwritten note to the Minnesota DNR’s Chris Niskanen, Communications Director, Office of Communication and Outreach requesting to be included in these annual roundtable meetings. I shared with him my credentials along with my interest in reporting on the event through social media (Twitter, Facebook and blogging).

Well, you probably guessed it…Niskanen took NO ACTION on my request. Today, in fact, kicks off Day 2 of the event and once again a meeting which should be reported on by any means possible given the importance, was apparently only limited to selected “stakeholders” and traditional media outlets by invitation.

I guess what disappoints me the most is making an official request to a top official in the Office of Communication and Outreach and subsequently receiving NO COMMUNICATION in return. Perhaps they had some concerns such as space limitations, etc. which prevented the DNR extending me an invite…but to receive no response whatsoever is just plain rude, not to mention unprofessional.

On top of that, Niskanen came to the Minnesota DNR by leaving his outdoors writer job at the St. Paul Pioneer Press newspaper. During his tenure at the newspaper he even wrote occasional blog postings so you would think he would have some greater appreciation of the efforts I have been doing with this blog for nearly 8 years running.

What I have been talking about here details my frustrations with the Minnesota DNR. Yet, I suspect even in this quickly-evolving world where media is changing almost daily…there remains many in government—no matter what state—that just don’t get it. It’s not just happening in Minnesota, I’m sure.

And the problem is you can tell these DNR folks what they need to be doing and my experience has shown it usually falls on deaf ears. What a shame! For example, since 2010 I’ve been pushing for the state’s hunting and fishing regulations to be available in a smartphone friendly version…but again, you guessed it. They seem set in their ways to embrace the old and not to make changes that seem sensible on all levels.

In closing, I’m going to say this. I was willing to give up my time and make the effort necessary to learn more about my states’s DNR so I can better understand, for my communication endeavors, the dynamics of why they make the decisions they do. More importantly, I wanted to share with my network of social media readers all the important news that should be streaming from the 2012 Minnesota DNR Roundtable meetings.

Instead, I’m sitting home here on my birthday planning out how I will spend a much different day. And that’s okay…because my main goal of this posting is to expose just how out-of-touch the Minnesota DNR remains with those of us attempting to drive the social media communication effort.

Filed under: Department of Natural Resources, Outdoor Media (TV/Newspaper/Radio), Weblogs | 3 Comments »

Have You Checked Out This TV Commercial Yet?

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Jim Braaten

It appears to be one of the new YouTube sensations. I even seen a short segment about the video this morning on NBC’s Today Show. Do you like it? Do you think it’s done in a tasteful fashion? What do you think about this sort of marketing…is it over the top? Would you patronize this business? I encourage your thoughtful insight below in the comments section.
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Filed under: Outdoor Humor, Outdoor Media (TV/Newspaper/Radio), Outdoor Potpourri | 7 Comments »

How The Press Room At The SHOT Show Has Evolved For Me

Posted on February 6, 2011 by Jim Braaten

I’ve said this before, the SHOT Show is such a wonderful experience it’s almost a must-attend event if you’re serious to learn more about the outdoors product industry—particularly if guns and hunting are your predominant interests.

Back two decades ago, when I was attending some of my first SHOT Shows, I was a wide-eyed, gung-ho young lad just a few years out of college hungry to experience anything related to the outdoors. Indeed, the thought of walking miles of show floors looking at a multitude of hunting-related products for several days on end was like…well, to sum it up into one word—HEAVEN!

Showing a global view of the 2011 SHOT Show Press Room.

I distinctly remember darting into the Press Room occasionally during the show if for no other reason than a chance at a quick refreshment or to give my tired feet a quick break from the constant pounding of walking on cement at the convention centers. There, I would see several of the elder curmudgeon outdoors writers just hanging, socializing and otherwise doing their own thing. Often I thought to myself…guys(and yes gals), there’s a world of excitement out on the show floor offering tons of new products to make our hunting and outdoors life better…get out to learn about it.

But alas, these veteran outdoor scribes walked to the beat of a much different drum than I did at that time. They were content to spend hours on end just hanging close to the Press Room…talking, laughing, picking up some literature in the form of press kits, perhaps doing an interview or two with a celebrity who walked by…and then filing a story via CompuServe or some other now antiquated telecommunication manner.

A lot has changed in two decades. And I’m not just talking about how stories are transmitted for publication, either. I’m talking about my attitude and the value I see in spending time at the SHOT Show Press Room. During the brief two days I spent at the show itself this year I tried to maximize my time out on the show floor vigilant for new products and trying to see as much as I could. Still, I had meetings, etc. that brought me to the Press Room which allowed me to spend more time there this year than any previous year. And am I glad it happened that way.

What I discovered is one of those “aha” moments in life. As I was sitting on the plane traveling home from the show I was thinking how now I finally understand what those outdoors writers who were my mentors 20 years ago were doing. They weren’t lazy and there just for the social aspect—albeit, having great conversation and networking should be fun—they were there accomplishing more than I was likely doing running around often aimlessly on the show floor looking for the proverbial “needle in a haystack” that really didn’t matter anyway.

No, this year my short time spent in the Press Room was found to be invaluable making connections with people I had only met via Twitter, my blog or on Facebook…being introduced to totally new folks who represented exciting opportunities for me…to even meeting a person who has a master’s degree in journalism with an emphasis on blogging. Go figure…ten years ago such a degree specialty would have been unheard of…but now I have a new connection and someday soon I hope to introduce my blog’s readers to her.

All of that being said…one of the other side benefits of hanging in the Press Room is meeting new people who need me. How do they need me? Well, they have a product that perhaps isn’t on the show floor because did you know the SHOT Show has a waiting list consisting of several hundred wannabe exhibitors who, due to space limitations, don’t get the opportunity. That’s right…some folks are at the show under some designation as “non-exhibiting ______________ (supplier, manufacturer, etc.)” just to get a feel if the show would be the right fit for purchasing future exhibit space when it becomes available.

Bottom line is for writers spending time in the Press Room becomes like the watering hole for these individuals who have no other place to showcase their wares. Now, very honestly I’m not even sure if this contact in the Press Room falls under the strict definition of “carpetbagging” or “suitcasing” which the SHOT Show management has strict rules about…but it happens throughout the show in a very unobtrusive, under-the-radar manner to many of us writers. I did, in fact, warn several of the solicitors of this rule.

Just to give an example, as there were many, many others…but two interesting outdoor products I discovered after being approached by the representatives were:

Paqlite — perhaps the best way to describe it would be to refer to it as small minerals (about the size of aquarium gravel) that contains natural light-emitting properties all packaged into a vacuum-packed food material. Recharged by sunlight, glows all night, no batteries, easy to pack, weighs less than 4 ounces…and perhaps best of all, will last forever.
Go-&-Glo — An LED light that snaps onto the back of your wristwatch weighing less than .5 ounces thus ensuring you always have a light source with you provided you are wearing a watch. I couldn’t find a website for this manufacturer, but a phone number appears to be (800) 763-7442.

Next year, I have definite plans to spend more time at the Press Room and to do so more as a planned part of my SHOT Show experience. Oh for cripes sakes maybe I’m turning into one of those old outdoors writers with whom I used to shake my head about in disgust. Or—and by the way I prefer looking at it this way—maybe I’ve finally discovered how the personal experience at the SHOT Show can be so enriching no matter where a person happens to enjoy spending their valuable time.

Tags: SHOT+Show

Filed under: Events, Outdoor Media (TV/Newspaper/Radio) | 2 Comments »

2010 Minnesota Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Jim Braaten

A few people have recently asked me just what exactly is the Minnesota Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener (GDHO). Good question. What started out as an attempt by Governor Tim Pawlenty back in 2003 to celebrate the state’s deer hunting heritage has morphed into many different things as it is now celebrated today. In fact, you could say the event continues to grow each year and is a definite work in progress. And that’s the good news.

Still, the event has much to accomplish in terms of getting the word out so citizens throughout the state—both hunters and non-hunters alike—can truly appreciate the heritage, as well as the vital economic impact deer hunting plays in Minnesota.

Case in point: The companion sportsman celebration headed by our state’s executive-in-chief is the Minnesota Fishing Opener. Want to learn more about that event, check out the website HERE. It’s not quite so easy to learn about the GDHO, but it should be. The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association and the Minnesota Tourism need to have a similar website dedicated to showcasing this wonderful event.

I should disclose that when it pertains to the GDHO I have a slightly different perspective than most. Back in 2006 I had the distinct pleasure of being Governor Tim Pawlenty’s hunting guide as he celebrated the 4^th annual event deer hunting on my farm. You can read more about that experience HERE.

So, what should you know about how Minnesota annually celebrates its deer hunting heritage as an official event? How about I show you in pictures along with some commentary.

Governor Tim Pawlenty is not only the keynote celebrity present at this event, but he also commands a great deal of media attention.

Here Gov. Pawlenty was getting set-up for his weekly radio program broadcast on WCCO-AM Radio out of the Twin Cities.

Drawing from the Governor's celebrity status the event is given media attention by outlets throughout the upper Midwest.

Essentially, having the Governor of Minnesota at the event ensures the message about the important role hunting plays to the state gets heard in all corners of the state.

While portions of the event are for credentialed personnel, with each passing year it seems a growing percentage of the events are open to the public for their participation.

This year I was really impressed to see the outreach of the event to area school children. Three different schools in the Little Falls, MN area participated with almost 250 children learning various facets of outdoors education.

For instance, here was a local trapper who talked about furs and the importance the fur industry is to our state.

His presentation showed the school kids how developing an appreciation for the outdoors can extend beyond deer hunting. The children learned some quick fur lessons and got plenty of hands-on discovery to encourage a deeper interest in our state's wildlife populations.

In many ways, trapping and hunting go hand-in-hand with the each other as part of a wildlife manager's tools to help control wild populations.

Other areas of education for the school children involved brief learning opportunities about outdoor safety.

To accomplish this, conservation officers from throughout the state gave short talks about the importance of playing safe in the outdoors.

Did you know more hunting accidents involve falls from trees rather than someone accidentally pulling the trigger? It's true...and for many of the children they got a first-hand opportunity to see how climbing a tree is safely accomplished.

The children also get to see the conservation officer as a teacher, and not just someone who writes citations for violating game laws.

Yes, the Minnesota Governor's Deer Hunting Opener is much more than a fancy banquet with a litany of speakers promoting the virtues of deer hunting. The event is also about sharing and further developing our hunting passions with the next generation of hunters.

Whether it is introducing children to archery or some other fun element of the outdoors, the GDHO has constantly been evolving over the years to enlighten and entertain people of all ages.

The GDHO is also a great reminder how not everyone plays by the rules. Here the Wall of Shame trailer has on display some of the more notorious wildlife violations showing the resources that were stolen from all of us by folks who choose not to play fair.

On display is the confiscated property taken away from criminals, not honest law abiding hunters. In Minnesota if you break the rules you likely will get caught.

Here is a prime example of how a thief got caught during the fall of 2009. This world class 8-point buck made international news during the past year.

The Minnesota DNR worked long and hard to make this pinch and the trophy rack now serves as an example of how wildlife can be an attractive target to thieves looking to exploit trophy-sized game animals.

Here's another picture of that same rack being held by my friend, Todd. Without seeing it in person it's just hard to get a full appreciation for the rack's massive size.

The GDHO also celebrates famous deer taken legally by Minnesota's hunters. In this picture is the 32-point Minnesota record-class buck taken in Camp Ripley during the fall of 2009.

Of course, what's an event without a banquet serving good food and entertainment.

This year actors from the popular Deer Camp The Musical performed a comedic show to help poke fun at our deer hunting culture.

Other speakers included Minnesota football great--well, he might be a legend in a few minds--Bob Lurtsema. Not exactly sure why Lurtsema was part of the event other than to add more celebrity to the happenings. Just like Gov. Pawlenty, celebrities like Lurtsema, as well as other dignitaries were paired with hosts who served as guides for the next morning's deer hunt.

We were all hoping T-Paw would use this opportunity to announce a run in 2012 for the Whitehouse, but our hopes were dashed as he stuck to the business at hand--deer hunting.

Gov. Pawlenty never misses an opportunity to spend time with kids. Here he signs a cap for a youth while briefly discussing her passion for the outdoors.

Here's T-Paw with my hunting buddy, Todd Rost. I put this in here for no particular reason other than Todd now owes me lunch the next time we go out. HaHa!!

In closing, this was Governor Tim Pawlenty’s 8^th and final GDHO as a new governor gets sworn in next January. The presumptive Governor-elect, Mark Dayton, has gone on record stating he plans to continue this great GDHO tradition during his term.

As Governor Pawlenty stated at his final banquet—(in Minnesota) We live here, we hunt here, this is our legacy. Pass on the torch to the next generation by passing on the love of hunting.

Indeed, the underlying purpose for the GDHO celebration is to underscore the important role deer hunting plays to the culture of those who live to enjoy Minnesota’s outdoors.

Filed under: Department of Natural Resources, Events, Hunting, Outdoor Education, Outdoor Media (TV/Newspaper/Radio) | Tagged: Minnesota Governor's Deer Opener | Comments Off

The Genesis Of My Outdoors Writing Career

Posted on September 16, 2010 by Jim Braaten

A few weeks ago the family was doing a massive cleaning in one of our sheds when my wife held up a magazine and asked “Do you want this?” As I glanced her way my heart skipped a few beats then I sternly responded, “Hell YES I want that magazine! I didn’t even know I still had a copy of it.”

What my wife of five years did not realize was that she held a very important piece of my personal history in her hands. In fact, inside that magazine was the very first outdoors article I ever got published—an article dating back to August of 1986. Yup, it was that article that ignited the fire to further pursue a career as an outdoors communicator.

Actually, I was a junior in college at the University of Minnesota during the spring quarter back in 1986. I was studying Technical Communications, but one of the fun classes I chose to take was called Writing For Publication. It was a senior-level class and I quickly discovered after day one that Professor Sperbeck had some mighty high expectations for his students. Quite honestly, he broke the news to us this way…THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL PASS HIS CLASS IS TO GET PUBLISHED IN A NEWSPAPER AND A MAGAZINE.

Wow! Back in those days a college quarter usually lasted about 12 weeks and that was a pretty high order. I remember attending a lecture given by a visiting professor on trends in agricultural economics. I reported on the talk and submitted that to a daily newspaper near my home-town. Published! One down and one more to go.

I thought long and hard about what topic to write a magazine article on. My passion had always been with the outdoors, so I decided to give it a try with the Minnesota Sportsman magazine. Now, the typical protocol for writing an article for magazine publication is to query the editor and determine his/her interest on a particular topic. Obviously, with the time being a factor for a school project I had no luxury to query and wait for a response. So, instead, I just wrote the article to the best of my ability and mailed the manuscript package off (complete with accompanying photos and side-bar information) to the editor.

My fingers were crossed and I probably said a few prayers because a lot was at stake with my grade.

Lo and behold a few weeks later I received a letter from then editor, Chuck Petrie, informing me that he liked the article and it would be published that fall of 1986. In other words, that letter along with my manuscript got turned in to the professor to fulfill my course requirements.

I must say the first times you get published there is no greater feeling in the world. Sure, you sense a certain satisfaction of achievement, but for me it also stoked my desire to keep the ball rolling, so to speak. I figured if I could get published in a magazine, I could do other exciting things like work in radio or write regular newspaper columns, etc. Honestly, there is nothing like the sweet taste of success to give one the confidence to continue achieving.

By the time I had finished my senior year at the University I decided I owed it to myself to discover where I could go with my writing career. My next step was to take the bold action of writing to Ron Schara, who was then the outdoors columnist at the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper. In a letter I explained to Ron who I was and how I had admired his talents and achievements in this outdoors communication profession. Several months went by and I never heard a response back. I pretty much had given up hope…when I received a call one evening from Ron indicating he might have some work for a young writer such as me.

After I hung up the phone I let out a yell that rivaled the level of excitement I produced upon locating my very first deer. Again, it appeared doors were opening and my outdoors writing career was about to get a big boost.

During the next several years I worked with Ron on various research projects plus for about two years worked for an ad agency out of Fargo writing his radio scripts for a daily program called Minnesota Outdoors. One thing led to another and eventually I found myself writing my own scripts for a radio program I personally produced called The Southeastern Minnesota Outdoor Scene.

Okay, I could go on, but I’m not going to bore you with all the details about my outdoors communicating career during the past 24 years. Suffice it to say I’ve learned a great deal about what it takes to succeed in this business (and quite honestly I view myself as still working hard TRYING to achieve that sometimes elusive feeling of success). But here’s a few thoughts that might be helpful, particularly to newcomers in the outdoors writing field:

Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you…if you want something bad enough you need to find a way to open doors and get it done.
Find a mentor. The guidance they will provide to you will prove valuable in ways you might never even expect.
Be honest in your reporting and don’t try to be something other than who you are. If not, eventually people will see through you and your cover (reputation) will be blown.
Ideally write about those topics you enjoy so much the task hardly seems like work. I find that’s when I usually give something my best effort because my passion naturally shows through.
Take chances. Put aside any fears of failure. As one of my voice-over acting coaches used to tell me…”Jim, you will never outperform your own self-image.” If you believe you can do it…there’s probably nothing that will stop you from reaching that goal.
Be prepared to succeed. Use each personal achievement as momentum to take you to a higher level.
If you find yourself ready to give up…try opening a different door (opportunity). I’m a firm believer that those folks in life who understand the great value of persistence will ultimately always find success and happiness.

In closing, I figured after writing this blog for six years it was important for readers to finally learn about my humble beginnings as an outdoors writer. I can honestly say, that $160 check I received for my first magazine article truly opened my eyes for what direction I wanted my post-college career to go. And although I have never been a full-time outdoors communicator, the passion for this profession continues to grow stronger with each passing year.

Tags: magazine+writing, first+article+published, outdoors+writing

Filed under: Department of Natural Resources, Outdoor Education, Outdoor Media (TV/Newspaper/Radio) | Comments Off

If You’re Gonna Report It Then Get The Facts Correct

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Jim Braaten

Here’s a quick post as a follow-up to yesterday’s blog topic. Not sure who to blame here…but I assume the Associated Press didn’t do all their careful fact checking so somehow WISCONSIN now shows up when it should read MINNESOTA. Especially because the entirety of the brief article all relates to happenings recently in Minnesota.

Is this another example of the media just gushing to make hunters look bad? Perhaps it wouldn’t look so obvious if they at least took the time to get the facts accurate in their reporting on the topic.

Tags: media

Filed under: Fish/Wildlife Research and Management, Outdoor Media (TV/Newspaper/Radio) | Comments Off

Wrap-up Thoughts On Recent OWAA Conference

Posted on June 19, 2010 by Jim Braaten

I write this blog post with lots of mixed emotions. Back in 1989, when I attended my first Outdoor Writers Association of America annual conference in Des Moines, Iowa, I was in awe. There must have been nearly 800 writers in attendance and the atmosphere was alive with excitement. Craft improvement sessions were held in big auditoriums with hundreds in attendance. Heck, there was even a company there from Colorado, I think, that sold audio recordings of all the sessions so a member could either replay favorite sessions or perhaps purchase part of a session they missed.

In the evenings there were dozens of hospitality suites hosted by supporting members where great food and networking could take place. On breakout day displays were galore by 80 to 100 supporting member companies—all there to garner the attention of the writers.-

Much of this is all gone now.

You see, until attending this recent conference, it had been 15+ years since I had last been at an OWAA event. I was remembering what once was…and unfortunately, things have evolved into something much different. I won’t rehash many of the details here regarding why this is the case. Most of them can be found in a blog post I made back in 2005 found here.

The point is outdoor writers do not have one big main organization these days. For the most part, it appears to be splintered between the OWAA and the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), of which I am also a current member. And while I see POMA coming on strong and doing great things…I must say what I recently witnessed in Rochester with OWAA left me a bit depressed.

All of this came as a result of a squabble basically between the National Rifle Association and the Humane Society of the US. I know I’m simplifying things here a bit, but most will agree that is where the hard feelings developed. So, in a nutshell, this disagreement ended up splintering the NRA off along with many of the traditional hunting and shooting writers to form a new group (POMA).

Okay, so you can’t rewrite history…but something kept nagging at me during the entire OWAA conference. Where is HSUS now? I saw no presence at OWAA. HSUS either never became or, at least, is not now a current supporting member of OWAA. Did they just stir trouble within our ranks and now that they accomplished that…choose to disappear? Makes me wonder. Actually, make me sort of angry.

Indeed, having not attended a conference for nearly 15 years afforded me a unique perspective on things. When you fondly remember sitting in craft improvement sessions with hundreds of people and now you sit in one with as few as 7 peers, yeah…it’s noticeable. Several of the craft improvement sessions I attended had sparse attendance—ranging from a low of 7 writers to perhaps a high of 35 or 40.

Even the last day of OWAA (which I did not attend because it was largely filled with business meetings and I was commuting from home) showed signs of problems. On Twitter I even read a tweet that was pleading for members to come down to the business meeting from their hotel rooms so they could have a quorum and conduct business. According to the bylaws, it only takes 50 members to constitute a quorum. Believe me, in the old days this would not have been a problem.

Sure, I’m lamenting about an organization that has definitely seen ups and downs. Don’t get me wrong, OWAA is still filled with lots of great people who are excellent outdoor communicators. That being said, I sure noticed how most of the members in attendance were quite gray and closing in on the twilight of their writing careers. It could be these are the type of folks who now have the time and money to attend these sort of conferences. Or, it could be this is a sign how there just isn’t the kind of new blood entering the outdoors writing profession these days.

In closing, the OWAA was my inspiration during my early years as a communicator to develop as a professional. I scrimped and saved my money so I could attend conferences around the country. Truly, I felt it was that important that I take part in this annual event. It was the place to be and the thing to do as an outdoors writer. Not sure I can say that anymore. Had this event not been in my backyard (close enough for an easy commute)…well, I’m just not sure I would have been satisfied to have traveled across the country to take in this conference. Indeed, things have changed.

Filed under: Outdoor Media (TV/Newspaper/Radio) | Comments Off

OWAA Conference — Profiting From YouTube and YouTube Like Videos

Posted on June 12, 2010 by Jim Braaten

Presented by John Beath (OWAA president):

Use YouTube videos to drive traffic to your site.
Brand your videos in the editing process (both when the video starts and ends).
You must be entertaining, informative or both.
You need to have good sound for your videos.
Always offer an interesting background.
Use videos to entertain your site visitors and keep them returning to see more of your videos.
Use video to show off and explain your product.
Use video for how-to informative videos.
Always put your website address on the video and brand it as your words.
You do all of this to build relationships with people—at least that should be your goal.
How you code your YouTube page will determine where you appear in the search engines. You can have a video appear on the search engine’s front page.
Let YouTube host your videos rather than your own website. Search engines will find you more easily this way.
You can create a slideshow or video webinar online.
Use video to promote your event/seminar.
Camtasia Studio — allows you to record what is on your screen.
E-junkie: hosts your webinar and will even sell it for you.
Video can be a very powerful way to sell.
www.halibut.net/owaa/ (most of these notes and sample videos are available at this link from the presenter)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Strive to get people to subscribe to your YouTube channel.
The best videos are about 1.5 to 4 minutes in length.
www.halibut.net/owaa/tips.htm

Filed under: Outdoor Media (TV/Newspaper/Radio) | 1 Comment »

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