Whitetail / Habitat Magazines

[gwm]

Can anyone recommend a decent whitetail / habitat magazine?

I've subscribed to Peterson's Bowhunting and Bowhunter for a while. I usually renew when they give me the $10 renewal offer, as that's about the value I give them, but I'm looking for something more habitat related.

 

[MoLandOwner]

http://www.magazine-agent.com-sub.info/Deer-and-Deer-Hunting/Welcome

 

[SD51555]

I get Deer and Deer Hunting every so often. They seemed to do a little more teaching and research than any other I've come across. I don't get it anymore. I'm a content junkie and it wasn't enough.

 

[wiscwhip]

Gamekeepers maybe? Used to be ok, haven't seen it for a few years though, so no idea about current content.

 

[gwm]

I'm unaware of a habitat related magazine with a focus on deer habitat...I know of one magazine that I used to get that at one time fit that description :rolleyes: It went totally off the mark a number of years ago though (IMHO)

I was hoping there was something else out there that was along the lines of the magazine you're referencing. I've searched but I can't find anything and was hoping someone may know of one.

I've read Deer & Deer Hunting before but have never subscribed to it. I'll look into it more. Thanks!

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Gamekeepers maybe? Used to be ok, haven't seen it for a few years though, so no idea about current content.

last time i saw the gamekeepers publication it seemed to be a little more southern centric. but they may have just been how the content for that one issues laid out.

 

[gwm]

Gamekeepers maybe? Used to be ok, haven't seen it for a few years though, so no idea about current content.

Thanks Whip. I never heard of Gamekeepers.

 

[SD51555]

Magazines have to be a tough business these days. At the rate we eat up content in a place like this, it's hard to get the same feeling of value from a once a month publication that can be digested front to back in minutes.

 

[wiscwhip]

Phil may be correct in that it is more southern oriented, check out the content of a few issues before you jump in.

 

[*Hawaii5joe*]

Playboy. Oh wait a minute... That's not good anymore either.

 

[West Branch]

Magazines have to be a tough business these days. At the rate we eat up content in a place like this, it's hard to get the same feeling of value from a once a month publication that can be digested front to back in minutes.

I still get F&S and OL from a 3 year subscription that I signed up for a few years ago. I think it was <$10 a year each , so fairly cheap. But I usually look through a new one when eating breakfast and then toss it. They have added a lot more about habitat type stuff in recent years, some short articles even discussed finding old tractors on craigslist and buying cheaper seed from your local coop. But it is easy to miss those articles when so much of the pages are covered in ads. I won't be renewing either when they quit coming.

 

[gwm]

Magazines have to be a tough business these days. At the rate we eat up content in a place like this, it's hard to get the same feeling of value from a once a month publication that can be digested front to back in minutes.

I don't disagree. That's one of the main reasons I only renew when I can get a subscription for $10. I just want something more habitat related when it comes to whitetails.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I personally have stopped reading all hard copy magazines and instead enjoy "on-line magazines" like Growing Deer TV. It's free. It's the same info. If you enjoy the commercial advertisements and endorsements they're there as well.

 

[bueller]

I've about given up on deer hunting magazines, but have been reading more and more books on the subject. I think you may be better off purchasing books vs magazines. The books will have so much more detail compared to page and a half articles. Purchase "non-current" or even used books and the cost will be near what a yearly magazine subscription would cost you. You might even find some at your local library.

 

[gwm]

I've about given up on deer hunting magazines, but have been reading more and more books on the subject. I think you may be better off purchasing books vs magazines. The books will have so much more detail compared to page and a half articles. Purchase "non-current" or even used books and the cost will be near what a yearly magazine subscription would cost you. You might even find some at your local library.

Good point bueller. I have some books but will look for others.

^^^good point. And some authors are pretty quick to answer questions you may have, especially if you reference a book they've written ;)

I have a couple of Steve's books and I know where to go if I need something!!

 

[j-bird]

I will only speak for myself, but magazines articles just don;t do it for me. It seems like they simply recycle the same old information most of the time. They also tend to not get into the "nitty-gritty" of the particular topic as well simply due to limited space. I prefer some of the books they tend to drill down more into the actual how and why of doing something and you tend to not to have to sift thru all the sales pitches as well. For the most part if you have been doing this sort of work and been doing a fair amount of digging you simply tend to see many of the same things, over, and over, and over again either in magazines or even some of the on-line shows. I only need to read about fall cover crops as deer plots so many times!

 

[wiscwhip]

I see much of the same as the rest of you when it comes to printed "ragazines" these days. I really get a kick out of the "The Annual Yadda Yadda Extravaganza Spectacular Such and Such Issue" that is like $12 on the magazine rack at the store.:rolleyes: Same "Top Ten Hottest Tips and Spots to Bag Your Quarry" articles as last year, showcasing all the newest crap and pointing out 8 out of the same 10 "honey holes" as last years issue with a couple "new spots" thrown in that were actually from the issue from 2 years back.:rolleyes: Total joke and waste of money!

 

[Steve Bartylla]

As other said, you just can't get the level of detail from an article that you can from here or a book. When I started, I had 2500 words to work with, regardless of the magazine...I'm down to 1 that will still allow me to use that many words. Instead, they want them in the 1500-900 word range, to better fit the twitter world we live in today.

As far as my taste goes, there is D&DH and North American Whitetail are the ones I like best. Because I want as much research as I can get and am not a fan of buck profiles, D&DH has always been my favorite, with John J Ozoga's column almost always being what I see as the best article in the magazine. That said, North American Whitetail is typically a thicker magazine and almost always has a piece or two with teeth to them, making up for the Billy Bob shot a huge buck stories.

 

[j-bird]

This is going to sound like I am tooting my own horn and it isn't intended that way so please don't take it that way.

I know that articles have fixed limitations and if you want published you have to stick within those limits - also consider what you loose with all the pretty pictures. It's tough to get into much of any details when your confined to a single page with a photo or two. I saw this first hand (here comes the horn tooting) when I got published. I wanted to go into so much more detail to really give the reader some insight, but I just didn't have the room. I really wanted to focus on what worked for me and what didn't to really give folks something to sink their teeth into - especially those just getting into habitat work and to prove that you can make a difference. I'm sure more seasoned writers like Steve get more "leash" but like he stated - they got to draw the line somewhere.

I would LOVE to see a "habitat only" addition of some of these magazines. I would consider spending the extra $ on that sort of a "special edition".

 

[yukonhunter]

If youbjoin qdma..the quality whitetails magazine you get 6 times a year is excellent