OUTDOOR JOURNALISM UNDERGOES ITS OWN FORM OF EVOLUTION

by Edward R. Ricciuti

Herbert Hoover was addressing the 1927 convention of the Izaak Walton League of America. A small group of men huddled at a table in the rear of the banquet room was not listening. Instead, they were airing gripes that still give writers ulcers today-arrogant editors, tardy checks from publishers, and colleagues who seldom get their facts straight. During the conversation,
a statement was scribbled on the back page of the banquet program.

We, the undersigned, being agreed that an organization of recognized outdoor writers should be formed in America, for the purpose of bettering our profession, to give more stability and standing to the same, and to eliminate untruth from
stories of the outdoors, do hereby form the Outdoor Writers Association of America.

Thus, OWAA was born.

I have freelanced full time for more than 30 years and had held staff positions in journalism for more than a decade before I went on my own. During that time, I've found three professional writers' groups that provide the support I need to stay afloat as a freelance writer, or at least keep my head above water: NASW,
the Overseas Press Club of America, and OWAA.

The roots of OWAA lie in "hook-and-bullet" journalism. For the uninitiated, the term refers to writing about the sports of hunting, fishing, and shooting. The
OWAA logo depicts a fly rod and a shotgun crossed over a manual typewriter-the instrument old-timers used to produce stories for copy editors who wore
green eye shades.

I realize that the image of the gun may turn off some of you. Please bear with me. Increasingly, OWAA has embraced members who write on many other subjects
other than hooks and bullets. Even if I did not write an occasional hunting or fishing piece, my writing about nature, wildlife management, conservation, and outdoor health and safety would still qualify me for OWAA membership. Boating, camping, birding, and a host of other "non-consumptive" outdoor activities also figure into the OWAA mix.

Some OWAA members fret that an influx of new members who are not hook-and-bullet writers will change the organization's perspective. Slaton White, editor of Field & Stream, one of the "Big Three" hook-and-
bullet magazines, (the other two are Outdoor Life and Sports Afield) believes their worries are unwarranted. "For the long-term health of the organization," he says, "we need to grow." And he notes that people who shoot at birds and those who watch them both depend on habitat conservation to enjoy their pursuits.

Indeed, several veteran members are noted for their writing on environmental issues. Ted Williams (not the former Red Sox slugger) is Audubon Magazine's editor at large and conservation editor of Fly Rod & Reel. With equal fervor, he goes after corporations that pollute, government agencies that don't do their jobs, and sportsmen who abuse their hunting and fishing privileges.

Anne LaBastille is an internationally known wildlife ecologist. A prolific writer, her Woodswoman books, a trilogy, are considered classics of nature writing,
and have also encouraged countless women to venture into the outdoors. Anne would like to see more women in OWAA, where they currently are a distinct
minority. Anne feels that people should "give to nature rather than take from it."

Both Anne and Ted have been awarded OWAA's highest award for conservation writing.

At the opposite end of the spectrum are OWAA members who work outside of communications in their "real jobs" and write part time. Many lack solid journalistic credentials, but they surely can tell local readers, watchers, or listeners where and how to catch crappies or find deer.

The membership blend of the OWAA is positive because it encourages a lively exchange of viewpoints. The companies and organizations that are supporting
or sustaining members of the OWAA also reflect the diversity that keeps me a member. They include the National Rifle Association of America, Ol' Man Treestands, the National Wildlife Federation, and L.L. Bean.

Diversity, though, does have its boundaries. OWAA is not likely to admit PETAor ELF to supporting membership.

Sometimes I think OWAA is the Rodney Dangerfield of writers organizations because many journalists have not heard of it. But OWAA is definitely not small potatoes. It has a portfolio of almost $900,000 and more than 2,000 members. It has enough clout to attract key federal officials, up to Cabinet level, as speakers at its week-long annual conference, held in June. The conference is heavy on seminars dealing with communications and conservation. It is also a blast. There is a bit of partying and attendees have the opportunity to go on field trips and experience hands-on outdoor activities. I shot my first sporting
clays under the tutelage of a top gun-company instructor at an OWAA conference. Best of all, the conference is an opportunity to schmooze with editors.

Based in Missoula, Mont., OWAA owns its headquarters building and has a staff of four. An independent contractor, based in Philadelphia, handles OWAA
meeting planning. I pester the staff on a regular basis and also find important sources and market information (foreign and domestic) in the OWAA newsletter and Web site.

Outdoor publications can be a market for science writers, even if they do not write on the outdoors. Over the years, I've sold pieces on Lyme disease,
hypothermia, animal behavior, and the impact of road salt on streams to hook-and-bullet magazines. These articles needed an outdoor peg-easy to do-but they
were basically science writing.

OWAA has active, associate, student, and apprentice membership categories. Visit the OWAA Web site (www.owaa.org) for more information.

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Ed Ricciuti is a freelance writer based in Killingworth, Conn.

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