CAMPFIRE CHAT WITH
MOC PRESIDENT ZACH SMITH
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Greetings Missouri Outdoor Communicators,
Thank you to those who were able to attend this year’s MOC conference in Lebanon. As you’ve come to expect, my piece of the conference wrap-up isn’t a summary of much-enjoyed events so much as a series of requests, favors and general arm twistings.
Our inaugural Thayne Smith Memorial Service Day was a rousing success. Ten conference attendees — with help from watercraft donated by NRO — spent Friday morning cleaning a four-mile stretch of the Niangua River from the Bennet Access to NRO’s campground. While the MOC crew recovered a fair amount of trash (and even one historic artifact), all involved were pleasantly surprised to see there wasn’t much refuse to recover. Later, I’d find out that’s due to the efforts of multiple outfitters and — assumedly — floaters and anglers who use the river during the year. While our local supporters appreciated the effort, I’m happy to say that they’re already doing a good job of leaving things better than they found it. We’d like to make this an annual day of service tied to our conference location, so if you have any ideas specific to Mozingo Lake or that patch of Northwest Missouri the group could tackle in April, please reach out to Kyle, myself or any of the other board members and we’ll be happy to take any of your suggestions under advisement.
One topic of conversation at the last few board and membership meetings has been increasing MOC’s involvement as an affiliate organization with the Conservation Federation of Missouri. If you were on hand for Friday night’s fish fry, you know from MOC board member and CFM Executive Director Tyler Schwartze’s presentation that the organization’s mission is strongly tied in to and very appreciative of MOC’s efforts when it comes to advocating for the outdoors. One avenue MOC wants to explore is putting together a project to help introduce more youth to the outdoors and apply for some funding for said project through CFM’s David Risberg Memorial Affiliate Grant Program. If you have time to read the description, I think you’ll agree that the criterion of “growing the conservation movement” should be a no-brainer for MOC to champion. Some ideas were discussed during the membership meeting held Sunday and if anyone has any additional thoughts on the matter, please feel free as always to reach out to Kyle, myself or any member of the board.
If you managed to rook me at the auction, please take some time out of your day this week to thank the donors who supplied our impressive auction items this year. Lastly, please pass any stories, photos, videos, podcasts or other content resulting from the Bennet Spring Conference along to Kyle and The Beenders-Walker Group when it’s published. All of these small acts go a very long way toward ensuring we can continue to have incredible conference locations, experiences and opportunities.
To that end, MOC member David Gray had a great idea to put together a sort of thank you/love letter to Lebanon and Bennett Spring in which any MOC member — those who attended or were unable — are welcome and encouraged to contribute. I said during the conference that there’s no such thing as a one-time visitor to the area. I have no doubt we all have a story or decades’ worth of experiences fishing, floating and exploring this unique part of the Ozarks. If you’d like to contribute a small thank you by way of a memorable tale or tribute to our host location this year, please contact me or David.
Hope to see you all again soon, as ever, outdoors.
- Zach Smith, President 2019-2021
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE |
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I have a small admission to make. Or, perhaps it is more of a clarification. Over the last few years, I have made reference to my "wife," Vara, our family and our outdoor adventures together. Where I must set the record straight is Vara was not technically my "wife," but my fiancé of the last nine years (it just became easier over the years to refer to each other as husband and wife... minor legal technicalities aside). However, in late October we made it official in front of a select number of family and friends in our backyard. So, now, I can honestly and officially say that Vara is my wife. And, I couldn't be more thrilled.
So, how did we spend our honeymoon? Did we head to a tropical destination like Bermuda, Jamaica or Hawaii? We discussed it, but ultimately, no, we decided we wanted to spend our days and nights surrounded by the beauty of Missouri's Ozarks. So, we went on a multi-day float-camping trip, of course.
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We headed to the upper Current River and, while the nights were cool, the weather was perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed the changing colors along the forests and bluffs that flanked the river. We counted nine bald eagles and woke to three perched above our campsite on the first morning. There were more belted kingfishers than we could count and they seemed to make a game out of noisily flying overhead as we floated by. The fish were plentiful and the springs, caves and river otters kept us entertained throughout our trip. We enjoyed watching several groups of people on horseback traverse the trails and cross the river and disappear back into the forest. We had the water mostly to ourselves, minus a few kayak anglers the first day and, on the second day, a flotilla of five canoes laden with camping gear and retirees on a five-day float. After enjoying our conversations with the eight members of the flotilla as they passed on the river, Vara and I both looked at each other and voiced our hope that that will be us one day, too.
When we returned from the river we continued our "Tour of Missouri" by spending a couple days, just the two of us, in historic Hermann, Mo., before meeting up with family to work some quail at our family farm in Osage County (we were training my brother's bird dog) and going for a long hike in the Gans Creek Wilderness Area of Rock Bridge Memorial State Park near Columbia, Mo.
While a tropical getaway would surely have been enjoyable, Vara and I both agreed that Missouri has so much beauty to offer, especially in the fall, that we wanted to stay close to home and enjoy the natural wonders of our own state. We've always been of the opinion that Missouri is this country's best kept secret - especially when it comes to the outdoors - and our adventures on and off the river only helped to solidify that belief.
So, here's to autumn in Missouri and enjoying the stunning scenes of fall in our favorite outdoor locales.
- Kyle Stewart, The Beenders Walker Group
Missouri Outdoor Communicators Executive Director
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DON'T MISS OUT ON THE 2021 MOC HOLIDAY AUCTION |
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The 2021 MOC Holiday Online Auction launched on November 2 and will run until 8:00 p.m. on December 2, 2021.
As with last year's inaugural online auction, MOC had many generous donations from Supporting Members new and existing as well as donations from several MOC Media Members.
The 2021 MOC online auction features 20 items primarily consisting of outdoor getaway packages, guided fishing trips and a selection of high-quality outdoor gear.
Proceeds generated will go toward the Missouri Outdoor Communicators general operating funds to ensure the organization can continue to host media events, continue to work towards its mission and to also support future MOC Thayne Smith Memorial Service Day projects.
Please share the auction link with anyone and everyone that you think would be interested in any/all of the great prize packages.
Last year's online auction raised just over $2,000. We are hoping to surpass that figure for 2021.
Many thanks to all those that donated to the 2021 MOC holiday auction.
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MISSOURI CONSERVATION HERITAGE FOUNDATION BECOMES NEW SPONSOR OF THE "BUCK" ROGERS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP |
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There's big news in regard to MOC's "Buck" Rogers Memorial Scholarship -- beginning in 2022, Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation will become the title sponsor of our annual scholarship program.
Partnering with Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation for the scholarship program is a great opportunity for MOC and MOCHF to work together toward our common goals. This partnership also ensures that MOC will be able to continue the wonderful tradition of supporting up-and-coming collegiate outdoor communicators well into the future.
"Stories and photos about the outdoors encourage people to explore their surroundings, learn about our natural resources and stay healthy," says Tricia Burkhardt, executive director of the Conservation Heritage Foundation. "Trained journalists bring the stories alive and make our job easier to gain support for conservation projects across the state. As such, we are honored to be the title sponsor for MOC's 'Buck' Rogers Memorial Scholarship."
The "Buck" Rogers Memorial Scholarship program awards a $2,000 scholarship to a deserving college student pursuing a degree or a future career in outdoor communication. Since the scholarship's inception in 1999, MOC has awarded $36,000 in scholarships to future outdoor communicators.
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About Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation: The Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization that helps meet financial needs placed on natural resource conservation and conservation-related outdoor recreation. Since its founding in 1997, MOCHF has allocated over $20 million for conservation funding statewide. MOCHF is separate from the Missouri Department of Conservation but supports that agency’s mission of protecting the state’s forest, fish and wildlife resources for all Missourians. By working with Missouri Department of Conservation staff members, who have already researched areas of greatest conservation priority, MOCHF funds projects that address immediate conservation and outdoor-recreation needs.
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TIME TO RENEW YOUR MOC MEMBERSHIPS |
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As we now find ourselves in the autumn of the year, it's time to renew your Missouri Outdoor Communicators membership for 2022. We request that you return your completed renewal form by December 1, 2021.
If you have trouble downloading or opening the file or completing the online transaction, please call me at 573-619-3296 or email me at Kyle@TBWGroup.net and I will gladly assist you.
Your membership and participation are vital for our organization to continue to fulfill its mission. Obviously, our financial resources are necessary in order to operate professionally and effectively.
Over the last 27 years, MOC has become more than a great group of professionals. We also have become a great group of friends. Our organization would not be what it is today without each of you, because everyone brings something unique and special to MOC. Your membership will ensure that our association will continue to grow and expand its reach. Let us keep working toward being the best outdoor writers organization in the country.
Your involvement in MOC is important and very much appreciated.
All of us at TBWG - Marjorie Beenders, Jo Duncan, Steve Walker and myself - wish you a wonderful upcoming holiday season and look forward to seeing you at Mozingo Lake this spring for our conference.
I look forward to receiving your membership renewal. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email at kyle@tbwgroup.net or by phone at 573-619-3296.
-Kyle Stewart, Missouri Outdoor Communicators executive director
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2021 MOC CONFERENCE WRAP-UP |
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Left to right: (First two photos) Anglers fishing at Bennett Spring State Park; David Gray and John Neporadny bagging litter on the Niangua River during the Thayne Smith Memorial Service Day; Scott Pauley and Charlie Slovensky floating on the Niangua River (first four photos by Gretchen Steele); conference attendees enjoying a fish fry dinner at a park shelter on Friday night; Mike Sutherland, deputy director of Missouri DNR and former director of Missouri State Parks, addressing the group during his keynote presentation on Saturday evening at the Lebanon Legacy Center. |
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The 2021 Missouri Outdoor Communicators conference got underway on an overcast (and sometimes rainy) Friday afternoon and that set the tone for the rest of the weekend. The weather wasn't exactly ideal for float trips due to the rain, but attendees still made the most of their time at our beautiful host setting - Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, Mo.
Friday morning 10 conference attendees gathered for the inaugural Thayne Smith Memorial Service Day project, which was a river clean-up on the Niangua River. MOC's first service day was a success and members recovered litter and debris from the river and prizes were awarded for the most trash collected, most interesting find and largest piece of debris. The 2021 Thayne Smith Memorial Service Day project was made possible through the generous donation of rafts, canoes and shuttle services by Niangua River Oasis (NRO) Canoe Rentals and Campground. Many thanks to all those that participated in this new MOC tradition.
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Friday afternoon, MOC members split their time fishing for trout at Bennett Spring, taking fly casting lessons with Master Caster and park concessionaire Jim Rogers, touring the Bennett Spring Hatchery, floating the Niangua River, hiking the trails at the state park, visiting the Nature Center at the park, exploring the Lebanon area, and/or enjoying a reunion with fellow members. That evening, after a delicious fish fry, we heard from Lee Vogel about the wonderful work Missouri Hunting Heritage Federation is doing to revamp the hunter education program in Missouri; Ben Havens, hatchery director at Bennett Spring, about the fascinating approach to Missouri's successful trout hatchery programs; and from Tyler Schwartze, executive director of CFM, about the invaluable work the Conservation Federation of Missouri is doing to protect our natural resources on the local and federal levels. Afterward, MOC members enjoyed catching up with old friends while making new friends at the hospitality suite.
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Saturday morning, MOC members enjoyed more outdoor activities followed by lunch and MOC's 2021 Awards in Craft ceremony, a humorous presentation by MOC member Charlie Slovensky and also learned about local artist Jim Hughes' approach to his incredibly detailed pieces of art made from bone, antler and other natural media.
That afternoon, attendees headed into town to enjoy some of Lebanon's historic attractions, including the iconic Munger Moss Motel, where MOC members met Romona Lehman, who has owned and operated the motel for over 50 years. Romona welcomed MOC members and opened several guest rooms so people could check out the motel's authentic, vintage decor representative of Route 66's heyday in the '50s and '60s. There was a stop at the Route 66 Museum where attendees could view history-specific dioramas, learn about the legacy of the "Mother Road" and the role it played in and around Lebanon. From there, MOC headed to Phillipsburg, Mo. just outside of Lebanon to Boat Town Brewing to sample its delicious hand-crafted, locally-made beers, pizza and wide variety of Missouri wines. Brian Hash, owner and brewmaster of Boat Town, opened early to welcome our group and give behind-the-scenes brewery tours for MOC. In addition to tasty beverages and pizza, the family-friendly establishment features a spacious and colorful taproom, a large outdoor beer garden and patio, yard games, musical stage and the adjoining Boondocks Kitchen, which specializes in BBQ and specialty pizzas.
Saturday evening's program got underway at the Lebanon Legacy Center with the 2021 Toyota Community Generosity Award presented to Lester Capps on behalf of Wagons for Warriors, a Lebanon-based non-profit that hosts an annual event at the Lebanon Fairgrounds featuring over 30 traditional chuck wagons serving authentic cowboy fare to thousands of attendees from across the Midwest. All proceeds from Wagons for Warriors events go to help military men and woman in need. The $500 Toyota Community Generosity Award will go toward helping Wagons for Warriors in its mission of assisting our service members in need.
Mike Sutherland, deputy director of Missouri Department of Natural Resources and former director of Missouri State Parks, was our keynote speaker for the evening.
The 2021 conference auction and raffle was a success as MOC raised just over $2,800 to go toward the organization's general operating funds and future MOC service projects. Thank you to Larry Whiteley, Darrell and Marjorie Taylor, Charlie Slovensky, Bill and Dian Cooper, and Zach Smith for helping to make the auction a success.
On Sunday morning, following breakfast at the Bennett Spring Dining Lodge, the membership convened for the annual business meeting followed by the 2021 board meeting. Shortly thereafter it was time for lunch before packing up and making the drive home.
To view the minutes from the 2021 MOC Business Meeting and Board of Directors Meeting, please click here.
Note: The password to view the above pages is MissouriOutdoors
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Left to right: The iconic neon sign for the historic Munger Moss Motel located on America's "Mother Road" - Route 66 - in Lebanon; Local artist, Jim Hughes, explaining his artistic process of creating incredibly detailed pieces out of antler and bone; Enjoying handcrafted libations at Boat Town Brewing.
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SAVE THE DATES - 2022 MOC CONFERENCE AT MOZINGO LAKE RECREATION PARK |
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The 2022 Missouri Outdoor Communicators conference will be held at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park near Maryville, Mo. from April 8 through April 10, 2022.
Mark your calendars and plan to join us for MOC's first-ever spring conference - April 8-10, 2021.
Much of the great activities and programming originally planned for the Mozingo Conference remain in place. They include:
- Guided fishing trips on Mozingo Lake
- Guided wagon tour of Dunn Ranch Prairie near Hatfield, MO
- Guided tours of Loess Bluffs Wildlife Refuge near Mound City, MO
- Guided tours of the Missouri State Arboretum on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville
- Paddling around Mozingo Lake in kayaks or canoes
- Taking aim at the archery or shooting ranges at Mozingo Lake
- Hiking/ walking the numerous trails around the Mozingo Lake area
- Competing in an outdoor skills contest
- Playing a round of golf on one of the award-winning courses at Mozingo Lake
- Guided tour of the facilities and amenities at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park
- Exploring the Mozingo Lake area on your own
- Exploring the City of Maryville on your own
- Craft Improvement and Story Starter Seminars
Be on the lookout for more conference details as well as conference registration forms around the turn of the year.
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MDC REPORTS MISSOURI HUNTERS TOOK 12 BEARS DURING FIRST SEASON |
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By Joe Jerek, News Service Coordinator for Missouri Department of Conservation |
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The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that Missouri hunters harvested 12 black bears during the state’s inaugural bear-hunting season, which ran Oct. 18–27. More than 6,330 hunters applied for 400 permits for the season with the maximum total harvest for the season being 40 bears.
“This was an incredibly successful first bear hunting season for Missouri given that we have a highly regulated season, that bears in the state are widely distributed throughout some pretty rugged wilderness, and that many hunters had never hunted bears before,” said MDC State Furbearer and Black Bear Biologist Laura Conlee. “A harvest of 12 bears in our first season is testament to the hunters. Bear hunting is an extremely challenging endeavor, especially under the framework that we established. This was a new experience for many hunters, and they put in the work to be successful and take advantage of this new hunting opportunity.”
Conlee added that MDC took a conservative approach in developing its bear-hunting regulations.
“Our highly regulated and limited season included a sustainable maximum harvest of 40 bears, which is about 5% of our total bear population,” Conlee said. “We also prohibited baiting and the use of dogs, limited hunting to 10 days, and restricted the number of hunters who could participate. With any new season, it is difficult to predict hunter success, so we took a conservative approach to limiting the number of hunters and length of the hunting season. This was to ensure we didn’t overharvest the bear population in any one zone.”
Bear hunting in Missouri is limited to Missouri residents and restricted to three designated areas of southern Missouri called Bear Management Zones (BMZ). Each permit issued is for a specific BMZ and hunting is limited to public or private property within the BMZ. Permit and harvest quotas for the 2021 bear season were:
- BMZ 1: Permit quota of 200 with a harvest quota of 20 bears.
- BMZ 2: Permit quota of 150 with a harvest quota of 15 bears.
- BMZ 3: Permit quota of 50 with a harvest quota of 5 bears.
The more than 6,330 hunters who applied during May to hunt a specific BMZ paid a $10 application fee. The 400 hunters selected for permits through a random drawing of all applicants then paid a permit fee of $25.
Among those selected for permits, Kelsie Wikoff of Hume harvested a 268-pound boar (male bear) in Zone 1. She said she had spent 48 hours in a tree stand over three days since the season began Oct. 18 and harvested the bear Oct. 21.
Including Wikoff’s harvest, black bears harvested during the first season were from the following BMZs:
- BMZ 1: Nine (9) bears harvested.
- BMZ 2: Three (3) bears harvested.
- BMZ 3: Zero (0) bears harvested.
According to the Wildlife Code of Missouri, the harvest limit is one bear per permit. Only lone black bears may be taken. Hunters may not take bears that are known to be in the presence of others bears, including female black bears with cubs. Bears may not be disturbed, pushed, harassed, or taken from a den. Bear hunters must wear hunter orange, make reasonable efforts to retrieve shot bears, and may not leave or abandon commonly edible portions. Learn more about bear hunting in Missouri at mdc.mo.gov/bearhunting.
Black bears were historically abundant throughout the forested areas of Missouri prior to European settlement but were nearly eliminated by unregulated killing in the late 1800s, as well as from habitat loss when Ozark forests were logged. Over the last 50 years, bear numbers and range in Missouri have grown to around 800 black bears with most found south of the Missouri River and primarily south of Interstate 44. Missouri bear range is expanding.
Bear numbers in Missouri are increasing each year by approximately 9% and are expected to double in less than 10 years. As bear numbers continue to increase, MDC will use a highly regulated hunting season as an essential part of population management. MDC’s 2020-2030 Black Bear Management Plan will guide bear management in Missouri for the next decade. Learn more about black bears in Missouri and MDC management efforts at mdc.mo.gov/bears.
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MOC MEMBERS TAKE HOME
EXCELLENCE IN CRAFT AWARDS
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Six MOC members were recognized among the "Best of the Best" in outdoor communications during several 2021 outdoor writers association conferences, taking home a total of 11 awards this year.
A special recognition is due to Brent Frazee as he won five awards between the AGLOW and OWAA award programs.
Congratulations to all of you. Keep up the outstanding work!
2021 Missouri Outdoor Communicators (MOC) Excellence in Craft Awards
Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation Youth in the Outdoors Contest
- Kenny Kieser - 1st Place
- Larry Whiteley - 2nd Place
MOC Annual Conference Story Contest
MOC People's Choice Photography Contest
- Gretchen Steele - 1st Place
- Bill Cooper - 2nd Place
2021 Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) Excellence in Craft Awards
Best of Magazine - Open
Best Electronic Blog - Fishing
- Brent Frazee - 2nd Place
- Brent Frazee - 3rd Place
2021 Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) Excellence in Craft Awards
Fishing - Newspaper
Humor - Magazine
2021 Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) Pinnacle Awards
Newspaper/ Web
- Larry Whiteley - Outstanding Achievement
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"MOC TALK" - WHAT'S BEHIND THE NAME? |
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By Charlie Slovensky
When MOC was established in 1994, I had the honor of serving as the first Secretary-Treasurer. It quickly became apparent that we, as outdoor communicators, needed a means for communicating amongst ourselves. And since I had some experience with organizational newsletters, both at my pharmaceutical job and with local and state chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation, but mostly because no one else was anxious to take it on, I took it upon myself to create a newsletter for MOC.
At our first editorial meeting, which was somewhat solitary in nature, I did some brainstorming—always a risky business with thought processes like mine.
I remembered that at Mizzou I had had a friend, Gary Weddle. Gary had started out in Forestry, but later got into Vet school. He was also into falconry, and I was impressed with his redtail hawk, Kidder. He had named him that, in part because for those not intimately familiar with birds of prey, you never really domesticate them, you just come to a mutual understanding based on diet and exercise. As they say, a hungry dog hunts best. Once the bird swoops down n a rabbit, field mouse, or half-frozen snake, you trade him a chicken drumstick for his catch.
Then there’s the poop. Most times it would be deposited in the hawk’s cage, but sometimes Kidder would get excited and it would spurt out on a towel on the back seat of Gary’s VW Bug, which was why Gary offered to let me ride in the front passenger seat.
To make an already lengthy story shorter, Gary called Kidder’s liquid defecation “chalk.” And it just so happened that Gary was involved in a newsletter shared by fellow falconers, appropriately named Chalk Talk.
Recalling that fact during my brainstorming session in 1994, I said to self: “Why not call the MOC newsletter MOC Talk? Kinda rhymes with Chalk Talk, so I wouldn’t be going out on too much of a limb, or flying blind. And I could clandestinely and in good conscience throw in some B.S. from time to time.
It should be noted that MOC Talk, with the help of several editorial successors, has evolved to the point where the B.S. Department has been dissolved, and no one has taken the publication more seriously than Kyle Stewart, leaving the membership to use Facebook and perhaps their individual podcasts to pontificate about such mundane matters of substance.
So . . . after 27 years of silence and the expiration of any statutes of limitations, I’m here to confess my original sin. As Paul Harvey used to say at the ends of his radio broadcasts, “ . . . and NOW you know the REST of the story . . . .”
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PITCHING STORIES TO
OUTDOOR GUIDE MAGAZINE
By Carl Green, editor of Outdoor Guide Magazine
Carl has been the editor of Outdoor Guide Magazine (OGM) since March 2020 when he took over the reins of the magazine from MOC member Bobby Whitehead, who served in this position for 28 years. Prior to becoming editor of Outdoor Guide, Carl had worked behind the scenes at OGM as copy editor and as a reporter for the St. Louis-Southern Illinois Labor Tribune since in 2013. Carl has a long career in journalism, serving as the metro editor for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for 11 years and as the editor of the Edwardsville Intelligencer for three.
For more than 30 years, St. Louis-area and southern Illinois outdoors people have enjoyed and relied on Outdoor Guide Magazine for helpful information about hunting, fishing and other outdoor pursuits; rollicking and refreshing stories about outdoor adventures; recipes and lifestyle information; thoughtful commentaries on outdoor issues; pictures of big fish and much more. It has been published since its inception by the St. Louis-Southern Illinois Labor Tribune, a weekly newspaper.
The Outdoor Guide relies on a core of veteran writers who also tend to appear in other publications across the Midwest, and it is always open to submissions by new writers or established writers seeking additional outlets. Outdoor Guide comes out six times a year, at the beginning of January, March, May, July, September and November. It's full-color, in tabloid size on newsprint. Recent issues have been running 32 pages, action-packed. Most readers pick it up for free at area stores and other businesses, and many others subscribe and have it sent to their homes so they never miss an issue. The price is $14 a year or $24 for two – the last great bargain.
If you're a writer or would like to be, please keep in mind that our stories will typically run up to about 800 words, and more for especially good stories that need more space. They can also be short and to the point if that works better. We prefer that writers send along one or more clear, well-lit photos of their adventures, although we do supply photos in many cases. The pay rate is $50 a story plus $5 for each photo used. We do not require exclusivity, since our magazine and others like it tend to be regional in their circulations, so many of our writers contribute their stories to several publications.
We don't have a lot of rules about how to write a story. It can be first-person or an essay in format. We don't really go for fiction, intentional or otherwise, although we have been known to run poetry at times. We reserve the right to edit for length, accuracy, spelling, grammar and clarity. Be creative, but if I can't figure out what you're saying, it may not run.
Some of our writers are Brent Frazee, who wrote for many years for the Kansas City newspapers; David Hosking, who is doing a series on preparing for disasters and emergencies; Claudette Roper, whose tales and recipes are all about country living; Brandon Butler, whose podcasts and columns are popular throughout Missouri; Ted Nugent, who goes without saying; Tim Huffman, a fishing writer and author; John Neporadny, Jr., a true student of fishing; and Randall P. Davis, who gives the humorous perspective of a pest-removal professional. Plus John Winkelman, Richard Aites, Kenneth Kieser, Russell Hively, Larry Whiteley, Ray Maxwell, Bob Holzhei, Jerry Pabst, Gerald Scott, Terry & Roxanne Wilson and more. It's the Dean's List of outdoor writing. They're all great, but there is always room for one more.
If you would like to join our ever-changing cast, feel free to call me at (618) 972-3744 or just email a story or a story idea to carl@labortribune.com. I start editing a month before each issue comes out, so in the first week of December, I'll be editing the January issue.
Thanks for reading this, and I hope to hear from you.
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For future issues for MOC TALK, please send story submissions, photographs, inquiries and upcoming events to Kyle Stewart of The Beenders Walker Group at Kyle@TBWGroup.net.
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MISSOURI OUTDOOR COMMUNICATORS
125 E. HIGH STREET, SUITE 200
JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65101
EMAIL: KYLE@TBWGROUP.NET
OFFICE: 573-636-8282
CELL: 573-619-3296
WWW.MISSOURIOUTDOORCOMMUNICATORS.ORG
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