Outdoors Activities

Help.

I'll preface this post by saying I'm not an Outdoors person. Sure, I like to be outside, but fishing, hunting, stuff like that has never interested me. My idea of roughing it is staying in a hotel that doesn't have HBO. But I digress.

We have an Outdoors page at our newspaper, and every week it's filled with fishing results, pictures of fish and press releases about fish. I'm fairly certain there are more things involved in the outdoors other than fishing.

So I'm asking you, the SportsJournalists.com faithful who have, you know, shot things for fun, or risked your life while riding in a canoe down a waterfall, or whatever, for help. I'm going to write our veteran writer an e-mail that explains I'd like to broaden the Outdoors page to include more activities.

What should I include?

Thanks for all your help.

Signed,
Comfortable in my heated office and not sleeping in a tent anytime soon.

P.S. Obviously, I'm in South Carolina, so anything involving snow or ice is probably not going to fly around here.

 

I write some outdoors. Hiking, snowmobiling or ATV activities, geocaching could be nice to put in.

 

Hiking, boating, camping, plenty of stuff that doesn't involve killing critters.

Gear guides are aways good.

 

fishing
hunting
target shooting (sporting clays, skeet, etc.)
kayaking/canoeing
hiking/backpacking
rock climbing/bouldering
trail running
mountain biking
sailing (if close enough to the ocean or large lake)
conservation (what's Ducks Unlimited up to in your area? Are any local hiking clubs doing trail building?)
Reviews of National or State Parks

 

Caving

Diving if you have a big enough lake nearby.

In addition to Inky's idea about Ducks Unlimited, check to see if the Feds are running any sort of scientific studies near you. I worked near the infamous bear hair DNA project site for a few years. We got several stories out of it.

 

if you live close to a national wildlife refuge or national forest, there are usually activities planned (guided tours, history weekend and other stuff like that). Around my neck of the woods, there is a program to take seniors fishing.

 

Fishing tournament results are a way to get names in the paper, so don't totally toss those. Consider them for agate type if necessary.

Inky nailed down a good list. If you're going to be broad-based, do not alienate the anglers and hunters if they are your core. If you have a story about canoeing or geocaching, make sure you aren't ignoring a huge tournament or big hunting season opening day taking place at that week.

Check with your state conservation department and ask about your county's license sales and revenue. See how it impacts local businesses.

 

Spelunking. I just love that word.

 

Or even an ocean.

 

Thanks for all the help. I don't plan on dropping fishing or hunting altogether, but every week our Outdoors page is essentially a roundup of fishing tournaments and submitted art. I'm hoping to expand our coverage, and with me knowing very little about outdoors activities doesn't help. I had no idea what Ducks Unlimited was until this week; we had two features on that organization. Nonetheless, thanks for all the suggestions.

 

That's definitely a great list to work from to spice up that outdoors section. There is nothing more entertaining than reading about Joe Smith's hike up this so-and-so mountain, etc. Up towards the White Mountains in New Hampshire, they have a yearly triathlon which includes some marathon running, biking and swimming. It's easily one of their biggest attractions up there and usually receives a lot of press. You can't go wrong with the layout of photos they publish, too.

 

Beer gardens?