CAMPFIRE CHAT WITH MOC PRESIDENT ZACH SMITH
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Greetings Missouri Outdoor Communicators,
If I needed no further reminder that routines have changed, I haven’t had to look farther than the last few months. Aside from the masks and gloves on folks at the grocery store and fewer people on the roads, it would be sometime in this post-MOC Conference timeframe I’d normally be writing a recap of the weekend’s events, urging you all to thank those who generously donated to our auction and asking your thoughts on this year’s programming and what you’d like to see in the future. As with many events also scheduled for this spring, we decided to postpone and reschedule our annual meeting until next year in the interest of doing our part to contain the spread of the COVID-19 strain of coronavirus.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but it’s been an interesting spring. Even though I didn’t get to see many of you at Mozingo as originally planned, I’m trying to look on the brighter side of things. I’ve had a lot more time to read, hike and spend with my wife (the dog hasn’t complained about having two full-time treat dispensers, either), and I haven’t had to wear a belt or button-up shirt in weeks. For all the inconveniences that have sprung up in our lives lately, all the uncertainty in the news, unrest in society and difficulties facing the economy, the little things are keeping my head above water. Getting outside every day to take in spring’s awakening and summer’s imminent arrival — brutal allergens and all —probably helped me stay in that mindset. That’s the reminder that I’m sure none of you need: The outdoors are still open.
For those of you who were able to bag a gobbler earlier this year (or, even better, had the privilege of apprenticing a young hunter earlier this season), I applaud and envy you. And for the record, I loathe Monday morning Zoom meetings.
Even with turkey season behind us, there’s still plenty to see and do in the woods and on the water. Because Missouri’s weather was gracious enough to give us a spring this year — sure seems like a long time since that happened — you better get out and enjoy the mild days while you can. The dog days are on their way, and that sticky late summer humidity is already showing up earlier and earlier each morning. Even more reason to hit the water in search of a good fishing spot, swimming hole or a place to paddle and reflect.
While life during COVID-19 has given some of us more time away from the office (or in it, if you’re lucky enough to make your living in the outdoors) and more time doing what we love, there are those who’ve found themselves out of work in very uncertain times. This is going on around the world of course, but it’s also in our backyard here in Missouri, too. Many of these folks are MOC supporting members, business associates and our close friends — those in the tourism industry who make their living by imparting that outdoor experience.
Most if not all of you know at least one person who has seen their bookings (and resultant advertising budgets) dry up, even momentarily, over health and public safety concerns. Time will only tell if and when Missourians are ready to start doing “business as usual” again. Until that time comes, there are still ways we can help keep those services stay top of mind for people who may have put their next guided trip or excursion on hold. Share some photos of your favorite hunt or fishing trip — even if it was last season. Even better, if you’re able to get out and follow your local social distancing guidelines, share some new ones! Interview your guide, outfitter, innkeeper or other tourism buddy as an expert source for an upcoming story or article. Keep the information, the good news and the great pictures coming, and we can help set those people up for success when everyday life begins to hit its stride again. Things will return to normal, and when they do we’ll be stronger for it — I have no doubt.
Once again, I see I took the long way ‘round the barn to get to my point, but Missouri’s outdoors are one thing that hasn’t been cancelled, rescheduled or postponed. Sure, some campgrounds, visitor centers and other recreation areas are closed or in the process of reopening, but the vast majority of public land in our state — and we have some world-class public land, folks — is open for business. About a month after all this kicked off, I had enough of cabin fever and headed to Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area here near Columbia. I was one of many people recharging my batteries with a good dose of nature, watching the coots and white pelicans migrate. People need the outdoors, whether they know it or not. I think most people do but some also need us to tell them about it, especially at a time like this.
My one small request from you for the time being? Keep sharing those outdoors stories with your friends, your family, your business associates and total strangers in print, blogs, photography, radio, video, podcasts and social media — especially while this new normal that we’ve found ourselves in is still hanging around. We need the optimism and reinvigorating spirit that comes with an outdoor adventure more than ever right now, if for no other reason than to serve as that reminder: No matter how complicated and dismal the human world can become, there’s refuge enough for us all in nature.
Here’s hoping we meet again outside, and sooner rather than later.
- Zach Smith, President 2019-2021
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE
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Well, with so many things up in the air at this time, this spring newsletter is squeaking in at the last minute. The coronavirus has upended just about every aspect of normalcy that it's difficult to make heads or tails out of what's going on, where we are or when life as we had known it will return.
A silver lining throughout this uncertain time is the certainty that Missouri's great outdoors have remained open and have remained an excellent avenue of escape from the drudgery of the daily news reports. My family and I have delighted in spending more time taking creek walks, bird watching (I've sighted several "uncommon" species the last few months, including seven pileated woodpeckers!) and hiking some favorite trails.
I feel that there have been several lessons for me. One is how invaluable our natural resources and public lands are for our public health and overall mental wellbeing (mine, especially). Another is one of patience and perseverance and I have my six year-old son, Elliot, to thank for this tidbit of enlightenment.
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After begging me for a full week to take him fishing, we spent an early spring Saturday evening at Thousand Hills State Park near Kirksville casting our lines into the cold water of Forest Lake. Being a restless little dude, Elliot was growing frustrated by the lack of action we were seeing from the dock and our usual spots on the shore. After switching up baits, Elliot decided that if he was going to catch something he needed to be fishing deeper. He grabbed his rod and hopped from the shore to a large exposed rock a couple feet out into the water, then to another a little farther out. He looked back at me on the shore, smiled and got busy casting. While I was changing flies on my own rod I suddenly heard a big SPLASH. My eyes shot to the last place I saw him standing only to see him belly-up in the water flailing about struggling to find his feet. I immediately ran into the lake, grabbed an arm and hoisted him out of the water and back onto the shore, his fishing rod still clinched in the palm of his cold hand. We hurried back to the car to grab a couple blankets to dry him off and warm him up. As he stood next to the car soggy and shivering I told him that we needed to head home so he could get into some dry clothes and warm up. His response floored me: "Not... (
shiver, shiver, chatter, chatter
)... until... (
shiver, shiver, chatter, chatter
)... I... (
shiver, shiver, chatter, chatter
)... catch a fish!"
My takeaway: We can all endure a lot of discomfort and uncertainty if the end goal means enough to us.
There has been plenty of discomfort and uncertainty the last few months as many families, friends and communities all across the state and the country deal with the fallout from COVID-19. Numerous local businesses throughout Missouri face an uncertain future. Sadly, it is the tourism industry that has been hit the hardest. Resorts, restaurants, campgrounds, outfitters and guides have all felt a drastic financial pinch as a result of shelter-in-place orders. But they've been as patient as possible and they've done what they can to persevere. Now that Missouri is opening back up, we need to use our skills as communicators to encourage those that have been staying home to safely get back outside and enjoy Missouri's great outdoors and the businesses that make them accessible.
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As we can all attest, Missouri has an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities. And, I think we could all agree that these wonderful opportunities would not be the same without the people that help make them what they are.
Yes, the lakes, rivers, forests and fields would still be there. But they would not be the same without the local guides, outfitters, small businesses and communities that help make them accessible and enjoyable. We need to do what we can to help them persevere.
We have all made friends with many people working in Missouri's outdoor industry over the years. Reach out to them and ask how you can help. Publish stories promoting your favorite areas of the state. Leverage your social media channels to encourage people to get outdoors. Give a shoutout to your favorite guides, outfitters, campgrounds, parks and outdoor attractions. Pitch new and old outlets on stories focusing on Missouri's incredible outdoor adventures. If you're able, purchase a trip or a stay to be used at a future date.
Many of you have and continue to publish stories and content promoting your favorite outdoor destinations and businesses around the state. If we all regularly do the same it would go a long way to help our friends in the outdoor industry through this trying time.
We have a wonderful opportunity ahead of us. According to recent national surveys and reports, people are eager to travel and they are very interested in learning about new places, so the market is there. Seventy-one percent of people say their first foray out into the world will be to an in-state destination and there has been a spike in interest in outdoor activities. Additionally, other reports state there has been a significant uptick in new anglers and people discovering or rediscovering the outdoors. If the forecasts are correct, this trend may carry on for sometime as people continue to seek out healthy outdoor recreation.
Wouldn't it be amazing if, throughout all of this, Missouri's outdoor tourism industry came through this crisis more robust than ever? We can play a part in making that a reality.
If you need help getting started or want to do more, shoot an email to our supporting members asking what you can do to help.
Below is a brief list of some of our local supporting members that I'm sure would love to hear from you:
- Sheryl Elia, Alhonna Resort & Marina, Lake of the Ozarks
- Ed Franko, Big Ed's Guide Service, Lake of the Ozarks
- Courtney Goff, Branson Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Gail Noggle, City of Bolivar
- Jo Duncan, Columbia Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Theresa Friend, Current Situation at Southern Comfort Cabins & Resort, Doniphan
- Dennis Whiteside, Dennis Whiteside's Guide Service
- Brian Sloss, Eleven Point Fly Fishing
- Marjorie Beenders, Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau
- Phil Lilley, Lilley's Landing, Branson
- Brian Wilson, One Eyed Willy's Campground and Canoe Outfitter, Lebanon
- Ryan Walker, Ozarks Stream Guides
- Earle Hammond, Pomme Muskie Guide Service
- Karen Hood, Pulaski County Tourism Bureau
- Billy Smith, Scenic Rivers Guide Service and Tours
- Kathy Pirtle, Shack's Cabin at Stockton Lake, Stockton
- Jeanie Anderson, Shady Lane Cabins, Eminence
- Mary Supple, St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Kris Nelson, Tandem Fly Outfitters, Stockton
Thank you all for what you do to promote and protect Missouri's great outdoors.
- Kyle Stewart, The Beenders Walker Group
Missouri Outdoor Communicators Executive Director
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MOC BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE
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The proposed extension of terms of service for our current board members was unanimously approved by the MOC membership.
Our board members will continue to serve in their current capacity until the conclusion of the 2021 MOC conference.
The current MOC Board of Directors is as follows:
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Slate of Officers for 2020-2021
:
President: Zach Smith
Vice-President: Gretchen Steele
Secretary: Tim Kjellesvik
Treasurer: Bobby Whitehead
Supporting Member Liaison: Brent Frazee
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Board Members
:
Matt Miles, term expires 2021
Scott Heminger, term expires 2021
Lucas Bond, term expires 2022
Ken Taylor, term expires 2022
Scott Pauley, term expires 2023
Tyler Schwartze, term expires 2023
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There is only one change to the original slate of officers. While Darrell Taylor will continue to be an active member of MOC, he is stepping down from his role as Supporting Member Liaison and Brent Frazee will be filling that position.
Darrell has served as Supporting Member Liaison for the last half-decade and as the annual auction coordinator for 20 years. We cannot thank Darrell enough for all the time and effort he has put into recruiting new Supporting Members as well as raising funds for the organization for the last two decades. It is due to Darrell's tireless efforts and the generosity of our members that we've been able to continue awarding the "Buck" Rogers Memorial Scholarship year after year to a deserving college student interested in a career in outdoor communications. We greatly appreciate your dedication and service to Missouri Outdoor Communicators, Darrell.
Darrell has set the bar very high, but we're confident that Brent will do an excellent job and Brent's excited to step up to the plate and ready to hit the ground running.
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The MOC Conference
at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park
Will Be Held in Spring 2021
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It goes without saying that 2020 has been a year like none other in recent memory.
As you all are aware, the 2020 MOC conference scheduled for March 27-29 was cancelled due to COVID-19.
We have been working with our gracious hosts at Mozingo Lake to narrow down possible makeup dates that will accommodate our members as well as our hosts, guides and all the others in Maryville involved in making sure we have an excellent conference.
At this point, due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 timeline and how it will affect large gatherings as well as scheduling conflicts throughout the summer and fall, we are optimistically planning to reschedule for spring 2021.
We are looking at holding the Mozingo Lake conference the weekend of March 19-21, 2021 OR the weekend of April 9-11, 2021.
Please
email Kyle Stewart
by Monday, June 22 to let him know which of those weekends would work best for you.
We intend to have the same activities on offer as originally planned, with the possibility of a few extra activities to supplement the initial program.
We can promise the wait will be worth it!
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While we eagerly await our 2021 MOC conference, we are organizing two separate smaller MOC Fish 'n Fun events to accommodate smaller groups to take place in late summer and early fall, respectively.
We are working with Kris and Amanda Nelson, owners of Tandem Fly Outfitters and Stone Creek Lodge on Stockton Lake and the City of Stockton Chamber of Commerce to iron out the details for the first 2020 Fish 'n Fun event.
The tentative dates are August 16-18.
As soon as those dates are confirmed, we will be sending out more information.
We are still exploring options for the second event with hopes to holding it in September or October.
The Fish 'n Fun Media Camps will be structured similarly to the Spring Fling and Cast & Blast events held in the past.
Between 5-10 MOC members
, both Media Members and Supporting Members, will enjoy several days of fishing; hiking, biking, kayaking and birding at local state parks and/or conservation areas; learning about current and future conservation efforts; and exploring additional outdoor story opportunities in the host areas.
Again, we are still finalizing the dates and finer details for these events, but we will make additional information available in the near future.
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WHAT I WISH I KNEW WHEN I STARTED WRITING
By Ryan Miloshewski
It has been eight years since I wrote my first outdoor article and joined the Missouri Outdoors Communicators, which is shocking to myself and probably most of you.
I have learned a lot along the way and continue to adapt and absorb as much about writing as I am able.
Here are five things I wish I would have known when I started my outdoor writing career:
1. Nobody Cares What You Think —
This may sound a bit harsh, but when you are starting out as an outdoor writer your opinion is not what matters. Readers do not know who you are, nor do they care what you have to say 90% of the time. Find reputable sources for your articles, whether “how-to” or not, and share their knowledge. Feel free to add your tidbits in an article, but readers want to know what the experts are doing to catch a bass in March, not a 20-something from Central Missouri. Your opinions and points may be perfectly valid, but interject accordingly to supplement an experts’ advice.
2. You Will Not Get Paid for a While —
It took me five years to get my first paycheck for an article. Getting paid for outdoor writing should not be your goal (or your primary source of income). I had a passion for it. I strove to learn as much as I could, tried out different topics and writing strategies, and got as much feedback as possible. I continue to strive to put out content people either learn or feel something from when reading. If you grind and keep the passion, and your work is truly worthwhile, others will notice.
3. Be Unique —
There are countless articles on “How to _______” out there. An easy way to not stand out is to do a piece on something 100 other writers have tackled. Write about something unique — something a reader will not normally see in an issue of a magazine. For me, it was using my knowledge and interests in animal behavior and anatomy/physiology. To this day, I incorporate some form of biology in most of my articles. For example, I recently did an article for Drury Outdoors on the four-chambered stomach of white-tail deer and how that affects the pursuit of them. As Larry Whiteley told me years ago, “think outside of the box!”
4. Less is More —
When I first started out, I was sick with word vomit. I wanted to explain everything to paint a beautiful, wondrous picture. Ron Kruger quickly shut that notion down. The fewer words you can use to convey your point the better. Paint the picture, set the stage— but be succinct. I focus on writing articles 1,000 words or less mostly and being concise has helped me greatly. I constantly put myself in the readers’ shoes. “What will they want to get out of the story?” is a question I ask myself a lot before hitting the keyboard.
5. Find a Strategy and Stick With It —
You will play around with story topics, writing strategies, story lengths, etc. when starting out. And, you should! There are a lot of ways to explain a topic. Find a style or strategy you are good at and stick with it. Of course, do not be afraid to be adventurous on a topic or style. But, I venture to guess most writers have a style and strategy that sells, so focus on it. You will know it is working when you are satisfied, as well as the readers. A great thing about social media and online publications is the immediate feedback you receive. Take feedback with a grain of salt, but I have learned a lot about what works from readers' responses.
These points are by no means the end, or universal — they are simply five things I have learned to be important as I journey through my career as an outdoor writer. It is not easy, but it is about as rewarding a job as I have found.
For those starting out, always write with your passion in mind. If you are passionate and ambitious, the rest will fall into place.
# # #
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MOC MEMBERS INVITED TO ATTEND
2020 OUTDOOR WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA (OWAA) DIGITAL CONFERENCE
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Missouri Outdoor Communicators are invited to participate in the first-ever OWAA virtual conference, June 26 and 27.
The virtual conference begins on Friday, June 26 with seminars taking place from 1 - 9 p.m. CST. Saturday's seminars run from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. CST.
While additional speakers and panels will continue to be announced, the current list of confirmed presentations includes (times TBA and all speakers, panels, etc. are subject to change):
Meet the Editors
– Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life; Christine Dell’Amore, National Geographic; Amy Kapp, Rails to Trails; Janice Stillman, The Old Farmer’s Almanac (Moderator: Christine Peterson)
Artists in Residence Program; Is it Right for You?
– Colleen Miniuk, CMS-Photo and Matthew Dickerson (Moderator: Chris Madson)
Controlling Invasive Species
– Chad Tokowicz, American Sportfishing Association; Shane Mahoney, Conservation Visions, Inc. (Moderator: Drew Youngedyke, National Wildlife Federation)
Different Routes to Book Publishing
– Colleen Miniuk, CMS-Photo; Matt Miller, The Nature Conservancy; Kris Millgate
DSLR v Mirrorless Cameras for the Outdoor Photographer
– Noah Buchanan, Hunts Photo and Video
Innovative Ways to Build an Online Audience in a Post COVID World
– Gary Ardnt, Everything-Everywhere.com travel blog (Moderator: Chez Chesak)
Taking Video and Editing it on Your Cell Phone
– Karen Loke, Television News Producer, Texas Parks and Wildlife (Moderator: Ann Simpson)
Women’s Summit on Outdoor Communication
– Christine Dell’Amore, Animals editor at National Geographic, author and co-founder of the DC Science Writers Association; Natalie Krebs, Senior editor at Outdoor Life; Katie McKalip, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (Moderator: Christine Peterson)
Organizers believe this virtual event will offer an easily accessible chance to improve their skills, collect story ideas and reconnect with familiar faces – all within the comfort and safety of their own homes.
Rates for the virtual conference:
- OWAA Members: Early bird rate – $95
- Members of State & Regional Outdoor Media Groups: $115
- Soon-to-be-Members: $135
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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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