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August 22, 2006
Greetings fellow members!
The seminar co-promotion with Bass Pro Shop's Orlando Outdoor World and FOWA went well on Saturday, Aug. 19. We had an area set up in the store especially for the seminars along with a screen and PP projector. Signage was up around the store and we had lots of pre- event press and website inclusions.
The Orlando Sentinel also did a follow-up story about our seminars featuring the two FWC Biologists giving presentations on How To Handle A Gator Encounter and How To Handle A Bear Encounter. FOWA's own Tommy Thompson, John Kumiski and Ron Stallings from TTI-Blakemore also provided excellent PP presentations. FOWA members attending included Dennis Lubin, Dave Burkhardt, Kathy and Frank Morello, Kelly Braden, Ron Presley and new member Loretta Lynn.
Not only did FOWA obtain a lot of ink with this project, it also helped us achieve public outreach about conservation topics -- one of our new charges. Plans will be made for similar seminars next year at various venues.
Below is a story on the Bears and Gators seminar written by Erin Ailworth with Orlando Sentinel.
Kelly Braden
KJBraden1@aol.com
FYI
Bears/Gators by Erin Ailworth with Orlando Sentinel For heaven's sake, if you see a bear, don't run.
If you see a gator, do!
"Just don't run in a zigzag. That's not going to help," said Blair Hayman, a wildlife biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "It might slow the alligator down, but it's gonna slow you down, too."
Hayman and fellow biologist Andrea Boliek offered tips on how not to tangle with gators and bears during two free Saturday seminars at the Bass Pro Shop's Outdoor World on International Drive. The events helped kick off the mega-store's weeklong Fall Hunting Classic.
The biologists' aim was to keep gators, bears and humans coexisting peacefully as the state's rapid development pushes people into the animals' natural habitats. The highlights: Don't get too close. Don't feed the animals, it's illegal. Fight back if attacked.
LaVerne Snipes, a teacher who lives in the Lakeland area, said she would take the lessons back to her second-graders.
"I love the outdoors, and I'm also cautious when I'm out there because the outdoors is the realm of the wild animal," Snipes said, adding that she was surprised to learn that she shouldn't run if she ever happened on one of the estimated 2,500 to 3,000 black bears in the state.
Boliek instead advised standing tall, backing up slowly and making as much noise as possible -- preferably by clapping, talking or whistling and not screaming in uncontrollable panic.
"Never ever run from a bear," she said. "Even though you are not normally on its menu . . . if you run from it, you may trigger its predatory instincts."
Hayman advised just the opposite when dealing with gators. There are an estimated 1 million or more roaming the state.
"If you ever see an alligator with its mouth open, hissing at you, you definitely want to back off," she said. "You should run away from it."
Most often, Hayman said, the gator won't pursue but that doesn't mean you want to cuddle with one.
"They'll eat pretty much anything . . . whatever's available and easily caught," Hayman said. "You should enjoy them -- from a distance."
Erin Ailworth can be reached at eailworth@orlandosentinel.com
or 407-420-5507.
NEW MAGAZINE
New Floridian
New Floridian is about the games people play in Tampa Bay and the people who play them. New Floridian is looking for writers who live in or near Tampa/St. Petersburg. The magazine has been publishing every six weeks since Dec. 2005 and sent to approximately 16,000 homeowners and businesses. Pay is negotiable but generally about 30 cents per word. Contact David Hackett, 727-230-2185
daveh@newfloridian.tv.
CURRENT MARKETS
Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel
Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, 530 Seventh Ave., 2nd floor, New York, NY 10018. Phone (646)695-6700. F(646)695-6707. Email:
letters@afbtmag.com. Website: http://www.BudgetTravelOnline.com. Nina Willdorf, Senior Editor (Where [destination-based stories], Road Trip, features); Brad Tuttle, Associate Editor (How [techniques and strategies], features); Laurie Kuntz, Associate Editor (What $100 Buys, features). 80% freelance. "A travel magazine that makes your money go farther." Welcomes new writers. Circ. 575K. 10 issues/year.
Pays on acceptance. Publishes ms 2-12 months after acceptance. Buys all rights. No reprints. Responds 1-2 weeks. Sample on newsstands.
Subscription $12; $20 outside the U.S. Guidelines not available.
Current Needs: "Good ideas." Pays $1/word. Word counts vary. Submit query or complete ms by email. Photos/Art: "We take care of it. Never send pictures." Hints: "The most common mistake--and every editor at every travel magazine will agree with me on this--is to think that just because you're going somewhere, you should let us know. ('I'm going to Vietnam. Do you need anything?') We need story ideas, something beyond a beautiful or interesting place. News is ideal, but any good angle will do. We don't run many travelogues or any essays; we're all about service. If you're going to pitch us, pay us the respect of at least having read the magazine."
The Bugle
The Bugle, P.O. Box 8249, Missoula, MT 59807-9249. 406-523-4500.
rmef@rmef.org. High paying market , pays on acceptance. Seeks nonfiction, fiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork. Subjects:
elk -- hunting, conservation, natural history, poetry. bugle. Online guidelines at Guidelines_display.cfm?Market=The%20BUGLE
Bushducks Global Adventures
Bushducks Global Adventures. Editor travels extensively and is only available by email for correspondence. Email: bushducks@bushducks.com. Website: www.bushducks.com
Maggie Pinder, Editor. Publishes 1-2 freelance articles/month. "Travel and adventure website with an emphasis on outdoor recreation." Welcomes new writers. Circ. online only. pays within 15 days of publication.
Publishes ms 2-8 weeks after acceptance. Buys "exclusive electronic rights for 3 months plus indefinite archival rights." Accepts reprints "if they haven't been previously published in any large magazine or website. Reprints are a harder sell, and you must own the rights." Responds within 1 month. Sample articles at website.
Subscription free. Guidelines online at http://www.bushducks.com/tripreps/submit.htm. Current Needs: "Predominantly North American destinations (other countries encouraged), covering responsible outdoor recreation in conjunction with a specific destination or region. Outdoor activities such as 4wding, camping, hiking, equestrian, rock climbing, scenic driving, etc. written in a lively, informal style.
Slanted more toward Joe Blow Average and his family than Mr./Ms.
Extreme. Articles must inform about the region as well as entertain.
Particularly looking for articles on European destinations at present." Pays $25 flat fee for article (1,000-3,000 words) and related photos. Submit query letter or complete ms with brief cover letter, 50-word bio, and photos (all text must be in body of email) by email. Attachments that are not photos will be deleted unread.
Photos/Art: "A selection of photos relevant to the article will increase your chances of acceptance, but are not a prerequisite.
Please attach them to the email as Small 72dpi jpg or tif files. No high resolution files. Please see the size of photos used on the site and adjust your files accordingly." No additional pay. Hints: "No lists of hotels and businesses, or articles that are just lists of facts. Engage the reader with personal narratives and gentle humor.
Please read our guidelines first."
Canoe & Kayak
Canoe & Kayak, 10526 NE 68th St., Suite 3, Kirkland, WA 98033.
425-827-6363. http://www.canoekayak.com/. Medium paying market , pays on publication. Seeks nonfiction, columns/departments, fillers, photos/ artwork. Subjects: canoe, kayak, camping, safety, history, environment. Online guidelines at http://www.canoekayak.com/contact.
Coastal Elegance & Wealth
Coastal Elegance & Wealth, 1075 Central Ave., Naples, FL 34102.
Email: dwlindley@naplesnews.com. Website: . Daniel Lindley, Editor. 25% freelance. "Coastal Elegance & Wealth circulates to about 32,000 high-income households, mainly in Southwest Florida.
Our readers are wealthy, worldly and sophisticated." Welcomes new writers. Circ. 32K. 8 issues/year - "Monthly through high season in Florida; quarterly during off-season (Oct. through July)." Pays on acceptance. Publishes ms 2-3 months after acceptance. Buys all rights. Rarely accepts reprints. Responds 1-2 months. Sample $3.95.
Subscription $18.95. Guidelines online at http:// forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?p=45578, by email, or by mail with SASE. Current Needs: "Looking for features, 1,000-4,000 words.
Our issues are heavily themed, and we look for features in line with
themes: Summer (July), travel; October, food and wine; November, arts; December, the season; January, homes and gardens; February, the outdoors/sports/recreation; March, wealth and finance; Spring (April), health. Most of these should have a regional Southwest Florida angle, or a Florida angle (except for the Travel issue, of course). We also occasionally use other features not related to the above themes, but related to Southwest Florida or Florida in general.
We also look for shorter stories (750-1,500 words) for our travel department, featuring upscale destinations around the United States and the world." Pays $350 for features; $250 for departments. Pieces run 750-4000 words. Submit query with bio and clips by email. Photos/
Art: "We seek high-quality photos; prefer to work with hi-res electronic images (300 dpi or greater). We pay $50 per photo for use of good photos, upon publication. The magazine's last page contains a department called Parting Shot. It features a photo that is funny/ gorgeous/unusual and is related to the theme of the issue. It's accompanied by a long caption. Payment is $250 upon publication."
Hints: "We seek high-quality writing; writers with good knowledge of their subject who can produce well-researched, well-written stories.
Most common mistake: queries that don't have a local or regional angle that relates to Southwest Florida or Florida."
Diver
Diver, divermag.com. Low paying market , pays on publication. Seeks nonfiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork. Subjects: Diving, underwater activities. Online guidelines at http://divermag.com/docs/ guidelines.html.
HeartLand Boating
HeartLand Boating, 319 N. 4th St., Suite 650 · St. Louis, MO 63102.
314-241-4310 or 800-366-9630. info@heartlandboating.com.
. Medium paying market, pays on publication.
Seeks nonfiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork. Subjects:
Power boating, sailboating. Online guidelines at .
Heartland USA
Heartand USA, 1 Sound Shore Dr., Suite 3, Greenwich, CT 06830-7251.
Contact Brad Pearson. husaedit@ustnet.com. High paying market , pays on acceptance. Seeks nonfiction. Subjects: sports, hunting, fishing, travel, music, wildlife, human interest. Guidelines at .
Outdoor America
Outdoor America, 707 Conservation Lane, Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
. High paying market, pays on acceptance. Seeks nonfiction, photos/artwork. Subjects: fishing, hiking, hunting, boating. Online guidelines at
OA_SubmissionGuidelines.pdf.
Paddler
Paddler, P.O. Box 775450, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477. 970-879-1450.
jeff@paddlermagazine.com. High paying market. Seeks nonfiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork. Subjects: Canoeing, kayaking, rafting. Online guidelines at http://www.paddlermagazine.com/contact/
writerguide.shtml.
Salt Water Sportsman
Salt Water Sportsman, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016.
212-779-5179. editor@saltwatersportsman.com
. High paying market , pays on acceptance.
Seeks nonfiction, columns/departments, fillers, photos/artwork.
Subjects: marine sport fishing, regional hot spots, species, special rigs, fishing methods, etc. Guidelines at Guidelines_display.cfm?Market=Salt%20Water%20Sportsman.
Southwest Airlines Spirit magazine
Southwest Airlines Spirit magazine, 150 East 42nd Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10017. 212-863-3886. . Published monthly, serves as the official magazine of the 3rd largest national airline, Southwest Airlines. Publishes articles on sports, business, leisure travel destinations, Celebrity profiles, and technology.
Query info:
Sport Diver
Sport Diver, Attn: Tom Morrisey, Executive Editor, Sport Diver magazine, 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, FL 32789.
407-571-4804. Tom.Morrisey@worldpub.net.Medium paying market , pays on publication. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Seeks nonfiction, columns/departments, photos/artwork. Subjects: diving, travel. Online guidelines at .
Trails Media Group
Trails Media Group, 923 Williamson St., Madison, WI 53703.
800-258-5830. . Publishes quality regional books about travel, outdoor activities, history, gardening, cooking, sports, nature, ghost stories, the supernatural, photography, and children’s books. Guidelines: Manuscript.html
CONTESTS
KOA 2nd Annual Campfire Story Contest
This invitation is for you, your family and your friends, to create or share your exciting and unique campfire stories with KOA. Winners whose submissions are chosen for use on KOA.com will receive $50 in FREE KOA Camping!
Contest Dates: July 1 - September 1, 2006 Winners will be notified by October 1, 2006 Contest Guidelines:
1. Story must be between 600 and 1,500 word story, typed, double spaced
2. Submit completed contest entry form with each story. If
contestant is a minor, a guardian/parent must also sign contest entry form.
3. Label your story with an age appropriate label. For example what
age is your story intended for:
Children's story: appropriate for 8 and younger
Tad scary: for older children 9 - 12 years old
A thriller: appropriate for ages 13 or older
Appropriate for all ages
4. Contest is open to all ages.
5. Authors may submit multiple stories and may also be eligible to
win more than one prize.
6. Deadline for story submission is: September 1, 2006, 5:00 pm
mountain time.
7. Author, or author's parent, must sign stories, stating that the
story has not been plagiarized
Submit campfire story to KOA by one of the following means:
Email: storycontest@koa.net
Mail-in: Mailing instructions included in the downloadable entry
form
Creative thought starters for stories:
Ghost stories about haunted campgrounds
Rhyming stories
Suspenseful nail-biting thrillers
Poems
Quirky travel stories
Gothic/gargoyle legends
View last year's winning stories!
Nature Valley Photo Contest
You Could Win a Rafting Expedition to the Grand Canyon!
What does the wonder of nature mean to you? Enter the "Where's Your Nature Valley?" Photo Contest and you could find yourself on an 8-day/ 7-night rafting trip through the wondrous Grand Canyon, courtesy of Nature Valley, National Geographic, and Grand Canyon Expeditions Company! This thrilling, once-in-a-lifetime trip includes a privately guided Colorado rafting experience, hiking, swimming, and archaeological exploration.
To enter, send us an original photograph shot by you, of you or someone you know experiencing the beauty of nature. For further contest rules and to download an entry form, visit . You can also fill out a 3" x 5" card with your name, address, and telephone number, and mail it with your photograph to: Where's Your Nature Valley? Photo Contest, National Geographic Society, 711 Fifth Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10022. All entries must be received by October 7, 2006.
Official Rules >>
EVENTS
Written and submitted by New Member Kathy Hagood:
Bioluminescent kayaking tour
One of the things that makes the Space Coast special is the eerie glow of bioluminescence that can be seen at night in lagoon waters during the warmer months.
Colonies of tiny dinoflagellates in the dark water momentarily shine with a soft bluish light when they are disturbed by a hand, kayak paddle, fish or any other object. The effect is more wondrous than any Disney movie effect.
Some residents and visitors have been fortunate enough to notice the phenomena while in or on estuarine waters at night, but for the most part most don’t know what an enchanting treasure we have here.
A Day Away Outfitters & Kayak Tours is helping change that with their bioluminescent kayaking tour to one of the darkest coves in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Suitable for adults and older children the tours are held June through October as that’s when the bioluminescent creature bloom in numbers.
Just before the two-and-a half-hour tour begins one of the tour guides instructs participants how to paddle and take safety precautions. Each guest is outfitted with a life vest with a whistle and flashlight.
A glow stick is issued to be worn throughout the trip so fellow kayakers can see each other and boats can see kayakers as kayakers proceed through Haulover Canal to the cove.
As the group heads out at dusk and the light fades the water begins to glow dimly with bioluminescence as a paddle pulls through it. But that’s just the beginning of the show.
The darker the night gets and the farther from electric lights the group gets, the more dramatic the light show is. Mullets and other marine life jumping and streaking through the water create water fireworks. The wakes of the kayaks glow. Those who reach in and look at the water on their palm see sparks.
Because the tour is such a magical experience it leaves you looking forward to taking it again.
If you go:
What: Bioluminescent kayaking tour. Where: A Day Away Outfitters & Kayak Tours, 3532 Royal Oak Dr., Titusville. Admission: $28 per person. For information, call 268-2655.
FYI
CORPORATE CORNER
From the Walker Agency:
Bushnell Elite 1500 with ARC Collects Industry Awards for Innovation, Technology Bushnell Outdoor Products, a leading manufacturer of sports optics and outdoor technology, continues to collect industry awards for its
2006 product line. The new Elite 1500 with Angle Range Compensation
(ARC) is the latest product to be recognized for its innovation, technology and consumer value.
The Elite 1500 with ARC has been awarded a 2006 Best of the Best Award by Field & Stream magazine. Each year, field editors from Field & Stream test hundreds of new products and recognize those that they feel are the “Best of the Best.” This is the second Field & Stream award for Bushnell this year. In January, the magazine presented Bushnell with a “Best of the Best” award for its Elite 8x43mm binocular.
The new Elite 1500 with ARC is popular with bow and rifle hunters because it incorporates an inclinometer that measures true distance on extreme uphill or downhill shots. By knowing the true horizontal distance, bow hunters can accurately target game when shooting from a tree stand, and rifle hunters no longer guess at the amount of “hold- over” on long-range shots.
In addition to the Best of the Best award, the Elite 1500 with ARC recently earned an Editor’s Choice Award from On Target magazine. On Target provides gear reviews and hunting and shooting reports for avid shooters and hunters.
The Bushnell Elite 1500 with ARC is available at Bushnell dealers nationwide. For more information, visit the Bushnell Web site at .
Bushnell Outdoor Products is a global manufacturer and marketer of branded consumer products based in Overland Park, Kansas. Bushnell Outdoor Products sells its products worldwide under the Bushnell®, Browning Sports Optics®, Tasco®, Serengeti®, Bolle®, Michaels®, Uncle Mike’s®, Uncle Mike’s Law Enforcement®, Stoney Point®, Hoppe’s®, Blackwater Gear® and Butler Creek® brand names. For information about any of these brands or products, please contact Bushnell Public Relations at (913) 752-6105.
Contact: Dennis Phillips
The Walker Agency
(800) 248-9687
"Ladies, Let's Go Fishing!"
"Ladies, Let's Go Fishing!" Announces Costa Rica Event in Jan. 07 "Ladies, Let's Go Fishing!"® (LLGF) the award-winning fishing seminar series announces its third annual Costa Rica fishing trip for couples and single women. This event differs from its seminars as it offers a vacation complete with a fishing adventure and is open to male guests. The event is slated for Jan. 25-29, 2007 at Parrot Bay Village (PBV), Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica.
Located on the Oso Peninsula in the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica and known for its typically calm waters, Parrot Bay Village offers spectacular fishing for Pacific sailfish and yellowfin tuna.
Registration for five nights' lodging, two days of world-class fishing, all meals at PBV, evening educational programs, in-country transfer flights from San Jose and more is only $1739 per person.
LLGF weekend seminars are hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and presented by Mercury Outboards. The main mission of LLGF is to conduct weekend fishing seminars for women.
This "No- Yelling School of Fishing" teaches women to fish by doing.
Seminars typically begin with a Friday evening welcome reception, followed by classes on Saturday morning at beginner and advanced levels covering topics of inshore, offshore, bottom and fly fishing.
After lunch, the women practice hands-on fishing skills. Seminars conclude with a fishing trip on Sunday, followed by fillet class.
LLGF weekend programs attract an average of 60 - 100 women from 42 states and other countries to learn fishing.
Demand for adventure fishing has increased, with more than 4,000 graduates over the last ten years of the school's operation. "Once the ladies have conquered their local fishing areas, they want to expand their experience and challenge new horizons such as tackling sailfish in Costa Rica. Plus, they want to share the excitement with a significant other - that's why they decided to include male guests on this trip.", commented program founder, Betty Bauman,
Contact "Ladies, Let's Go Fishing!", P.O. Box 550429, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33355; phone: 954-475-9068; fax: 954-474-7299; toll free information: 1-888-321-LLGF (5543); email:
billfishbetty@hotmail.com, website: .
Bob’s Machine Shop
Four-In-One Jackplate Adapts to Any Boat
Performance boaters and fishing pros routinely use outboard engine jackplates to maximize speed and performance. Now, jacks have found a home among pleasure boaters as well. Bob's Machine Shop offers its
MJ5 Convertible Jackplate to improve the performance of nearly any craft at a low cost.
The jack uses multiple combinations of a 2-1/2" engine offset with or without a six-degree positive wedge; a 5" offset with or without a six-degree negative wedge; or both offsets using no wedge. The best combination of offset and wedge is manually adjusted to provide maximum speed, handling and performance.
For example, a steep transom angle of 18 degrees can be changed to a 12-degree angle by simply converting the jackplate to the 2-1/2"
engine offset with the six-degree wedge. Jacking bolts are used to adjust the vertical height of the jackplate up to 4". For most lightweight boats, using the 2-1/2" offset alone is normally enough to raise the engine to its highest level without creating excessive bow lift.
For outboard motors with a limited trim angle and insufficient bow lift, a 5" offset with no wedge can be used. Using the 5" offset and the six-degree wedge together positions the engine 5-1/2" behind the
transom into clean water and away from bubbles and hull turbulence.
This helps to stop prop slippage and improves steering.
The standard MJ5 model weighs 19 pounds and is designed for engines with less than 225 hp. The heavy-duty MJH model weighs 27 pounds and is available for off-shore use with engines up to 300 hp. All jackplates are pre-drilled with the standard BIA bolt pattern and will fit late-model V-6 engines. The jacks can be easily modified to fit any size outboard.
These jacks are constructed of aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless
steel, and anodized with a black finish for corrosion resistance.
They come with Bob's Machine Shop's limited-lifetime warranty to the original owner.
Retail price of BMS's standard MJ5 model jackplate is $249.95. The heavy-duty MJH version sells for $269.95, and an 8" version is available for $299.95.
Contact Bob’s Machine Shop at 4314 Raleigh St. Tampa, FL 33619.
Phone: 813-247-7040; Fax: 813-247-7041; info@bobsmachine.com;
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MEMBER NEWS
Joanne Williams
Active Member and Photographer Joanne Williams has a web site and newsletter available. The website displays Joanne’s photo galleries of such places as Africa (Safari Tours button). Joanne has a business is leading Instructional Photo Safaris/Tours and Viewing Safaris to far off lands like Africa, Brazil (Panantal), Falkland Island, Alaska etc., etc. Take a peek at .
Bob Epstein
Active Member Bob Epstein is heading for Kodiak, Alaska. He has been chosen by Al Giordano, Project Director, as photographer for the Wounded Warriors Project, headquartered in Roanoke, VA, as photographer/writer for an August trip with several wounded veterans.
The five wounded veterans are going to Kodiak Alaska for some rest, relaxation and a salmon and halibut fishing adventure.
In addition, Penthouse Magazine has contracted for a bass and crappie article about a wounded veteran who fished with Bob and caught his first fish ever with him and guide Bubba Kolb on Kentucky Lake. The article will be their Veterans Page for the December 2006 issue. For additional information: and bobepstein@aol.com or 931-707-5626.=
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